Ford Mustang (first generation)

First generation
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Production	1964–1973
Assembly	Dearborn, Michigan San Jose, California Metuchen, New Jersey Valencia, Venezuela
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door convertible 2-door hardtop 2-door fastback
Layout	FR layout
Related	Ford Falcon Mercury Cougar Shelby Mustang
Powertrain
Engine	Template:Auto CID Thriftpower I6 Template:Auto CID Thriftpower I6 Template:Auto CID Thriftpower I6 Template:Auto CID Windsor V8 Template:Auto CID Windsor V8 Template:Auto CID Windsor V8 Template:Auto CID Boss 302 V8 Template:Auto CID Windsor V8 Template:Auto CID Cleveland V8 Template:Auto CID Boss V8 Template:Auto CID FE V8 Template:Auto CID Cobra Jet & Super Cobra Jet V8 Template:Auto CID Boss V8 Template:Auto CID Cobra V8 Template:Auto CID I6
Transmission	3-speed manual 4-speed manual 3-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	108 inches (2,700 mm)
Length	181.6 inches (4,610 mm)
Width	68.2 inches (1,730 mm)
Curb weight	2,570 pounds (1,170 kg) I6 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) V8

Main article: Ford Mustang

The first-generation Ford Mustang was the original pony car, manufactured by Ford Motor Company from 1964 until 1973.

Conception and Styling

As Lee Iacocca's assistant general manager and chief engineer, Donald N. Frey, was the head engineer for the Mustang project — supervising the development of the Mustang in a record 18 months — while Iacocca himself championed the project as Ford Division general manager. The Mustang prototype was a two-seat, mid-mounted engine roadster, styled in part by Phil Clark. Stylist John Najjar, in a 1984 interview with David R. Crippen, archivist of the Henry Ford Museum spoke about the genesis of the two-seat prototype:

We had a studio under Bob Maguire,and in it were Jim Darden, Ray Smith, plus an artist, Phil Clark, several modelers, and me. We drew up a 2-seater sports car in competition with the other studios, and when they saw ours - saw the blackboard with a full-sized layout and sketches- they said, 'That's it! Let's build it.' So we made a clay model, designed the details, and then built a fiberglass prototype." This car was simply a concept study rather than the final configuration, but it included a lot of the sporty, rakish flair the later showcar embodied.

The Mustang I was later remodeled as a four-seat car styled under the direction of Project Design Chief Joe Oros and his team of L. David Ash, Gale Halderman, and John Foster — in Ford's Lincoln–Mercury Division design studios, which produced the winning design in an intramural design contest instigated by Iacocca.

The design team had been given five goals for the design of the Mustang: it would seat four, have bucket seats and a floor mounted shifter, weigh no more than 2500 pounds and be no more than 180 inches in length, sell for less than $2500, and have multiple power, comfort and luxury options.

Having set the design standards for the Mustang, Oros said:

I told the team that I wanted the car to appeal to women, but I wanted men to desire it, too. I wanted a Ferrari-like front end, the motif centered on the front – something heavy-looking like a Maseratti, but, please, not a trident – and I wanted air intakes on the side to cool the rear brakes. I said it should be as sporty as possible and look like it was related to European design.

Oros added:

I then called a meeting with all the Ford studio designers. We talked about the sporty car for most of that afternoon, setting parameters for what it should look like -- and what it should not look like -- by making lists on a large pad, a technique I adapted from the management seminar. We taped the lists up all around the studio to keep ourselves on track. We also had photographs of all the previous sporty cars that had been done in the Corporate Advanced studio as a guide to themes or ideas that were tired or not acceptable to management. Within a week we had hammered out a new design. We cut templates and fitted them to the clay model that had been started. We cut right into it, adding or deleting clay to accommodate our new theme, so it wasn't like starting all over. But we knew Lincoln-Mercury would have two models. And Advanced would have five, some they had previously shown and modified, plus a couple extras. But we would only have one model because Ford studio had a production schedule for a good many facelifts and other projects. We couldn't afford the manpower, but we made up for lost time by working around the clock so our model would be ready for the management review.

L. David Ash is often credited with the actual styling of the Mustang. Ash, in a 1985 interview speaking of the origin of the Mustang design, when asked the degree of his contribution, said:

I would say substantial. However, anyone that says they designed the car by themselves, is wrong. Iacocca didn't design it. He conceived it. He's called the father of it, and, in that respect, he was. I did not design it in total, nor did Oros. It was designed by a design group. You look at the photograph taken at the award banquet for the Industrial Designers’ Society where the Mustang received the medal; it’s got Damon Woods in it (the group that did the interior), and Charlie Phaneuf (who was with Damon), and it’s got myself and John Foster (who was with me), it’s got (John) Najjar in it.

So nobody actually did the car, as such. Iacocca in his book flat out comes and says I did the car. It's right there in print, "It's Dave Ash's Mustang." Bordinat will tell you I did the car. This book tells you I did the car, but, in actual fact, I had a lot of help, and I don't think anyone ever does a car by himself, not in these times anyway.

To decrease development costs, the Mustang used chassis, suspension, and drivetrain components derived from the Ford Falcon and Fairlane. It used a unitized platform-type frame from the 1964 Falcon, and welded box-section side rails, including welded crossmembers. Although hardtop Mustangs accounted for the highest sales, durability problems with the new frame led to the engineering of a convertible first, which ensured adequate stiffness. Overall length of the Mustang and Falcon was identical, although the Mustang's wheelbase was slightly shorter. With an overall width of 68.2 inches (1,732 mm), it was 2.4 inches (61 mm) narrower, yet the wheel track was nearly identical. Shipping weight, approximately 2,570 pounds (1,170 kg) with the straight six-cylinder engine, was also similar to the Falcon. A fully-equipped V8 model weighed approximately 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg). Although most of the mechanical parts were from the Falcon, the Mustang's body was completely different; sporting a shorter wheelbase, wider track, lower seating position and lower overall height. An industry first, the "torque box" was an innovative structural system that greatly stiffened the Mustang's construction and helped contribute to better handling.

1964–1966

1966 Ford Mustang coupe

Since it was introduced five months before the normal start of the production year and manufactured among 1964 Ford Falcons and 1964 Mercury Comets, the earliest Mustangs are widely referred to as the 1964½ model. A more accurate description is the "early 1965" model because it underwent significant changes at the beginning of the regular model year. All the early cars, however, were marketed by Ford as 1965 models. The low-end model hardtop used a "V-code" 170 cu in (2.8 L) straight-6 engine and three-speed manual transmission and retailed for US$2,368.

Several changes to the Mustang occurred at the start of the normal 1965 model year production, five months after its introduction. These cars are known as "late 65's," and were built after factory retooling in August 1964. The engine lineup was changed, with a Template:Auto CID "T-code" engine that produced 120 hp (89 kW). Production of the "L-code" Template:Auto CID engine ceased when the 1964 model year ended. It was replaced with a new 200 hp (150 kW) "C-code" Template:Auto CID engine with a two-barrel carburetor as the base V8. An "A-code" 225 hp (168 kW) four-barrel carbureted version was next in line, followed by the unchanged "Hi-Po" "K-code" 271 hp (202 kW) 289. The DC electrical generator was replaced by a new AC alternator on all Fords (the quickest way to distinguish a 1964 from a 1965 is to see if the alternator light on the dash says "GEN" or "ALT"). The now-famous Mustang GT (Gran - Touring) was introduced as the "GT Equipment Package" and included a V8 engine (most often the 225 hp (168 kW) 289), grille-mounted fog lamps, rocker panel stripes, and disc brakes. A four-barrel carbureted engine was now available with any body style. Additionally, reverse lights were an option added to the car in 1965. The Mustang was originally available as either a hardtop or convertible, but during the car's early design phases a fastback model was strongly considered. The Mustang 2+2 fastback made its inaugural debut with its swept-back rear glass and distinctive ventilation louvers.

The standard interior features of the 1965 Mustang included adjustable driver and passenger bucket seats, an AM radio, and a floor mounted shifter in a variety of color options. Ford added additional interior options during the 1965 model year. The Interior Decor Group was popularly known as "Pony Interior" due to the addition of embossed running ponies on the seat fronts, and also included integral armrests, woodgrain appliqué accents, and a round gauge cluster that would replace the standard Falcon instrumentation. Also available were sun visors, a (mechanical) remote-operated mirror, a floor console, and a bench seat. Ford later offered an under-dash air-conditioning unit, and discontinued the vinyl with cloth insert seat option, offered only in early 1965 models.

One option designed strictly for fun was the Rally-Pac. Introduced in 1963 after Ford's success at that year's Monte Carlo Rally and available on other Ford and Mercury compacts and intermediates, the Rally-Pac was a combination clock and tachometer mounted to the steering column. It was available as a factory ordered item for US$69.30. Installed by a dealer, the Rally-Pac cost US$75.95. Reproductions are presently available from any number of Mustang restoration parts sources.

The 1966 Mustang debuted with moderate trim changes including a new grille, side ornamentation, wheel covers and gas cap. A cruisematic three-speed auto transmission became available for the 225-hp V8. The 289 "hipo" K code engine was not offered with an automatic transmission. The long duration solid-lifter camshaft that allowed the high revving 289 to make the horsepower it was known for, was not friendly for a non stall speed automatic torque converter. The "HiPo" could be spotted very easily by the 1-inch-thick (25 mm) vibration damper, ( as compared to 1/2 inch on the 225-hp version) the absence of a vacuum advance unit on the dual point distributor. With the valve covers off, there is a large letter "K" stamped between the valve springs, that along with screw in studs (vs. a pressed in stud for other 289's) for the adjustable rocker arms. A large number of new paint and interior color options, an AM/eight-track sound system, and one of the first AM/FM mono automobile radios was also offered. It also removed the Falcon instrument cluster; the previously optional features, including the round gauges and padded sun visors, became standard equipment. The Mustang convertible would be the best-selling in 1966, with 72,119 sold, beating the number two Impala by almost 2:1.

1966 Ford T-5 emblem

The 1965 and 1966 Mustangs are differentiated by variations in the exterior, despite similar design. These variations include the emblem on the quarter-panels behind the doors. In 1965 the emblem was a single vertical piece of chrome, while in 1966 the emblem was smaller in height and had three horizontal bars extending from the design, resembling an "E". The front intake grilles and ornaments were also different. The 1965 front grille used a "honeycomb" pattern, while the 1966 version was a "slotted" style. While both model years used the "Horse and Corral" emblem on the grille, the 1965 had four bars extending from each side of the corral, while on the 1966, these bars were removed.

When Ford began selling the Mustang in Germany, they discovered a company had already registered the name. The German company offered to sell the rights for US$10,000. Ford refused and removed the Mustang badge, instead naming it T-5 for the German market.

1967–1968

The 1967 model year Mustang was the first model to feature a major redesign with the installation of a big-block V8 engine. The overall size, interior and cargo space were increased. Exterior trim changes included concave taillights, side scoop (1967) and chrome (1968) side ornamentation, square rear-view mirrors, and usual yearly wheel and gas cap changes. The high-performance 289 option was placed behind the newer 320 hp (239 kW) Template:Auto CID FE engine from the Ford Thunderbird, which was equipped with a four-barrel carburetor. A 390 GT engine, and a 4-speed manual transmission recorded quarter mile times of approximately 13 seconds and trap speeds of over 105 mph (169 km/h). A very low number of 1967 Mustangs were ordered and came with the 428 CJ motor. During the mid-1968 model year, a drag racer for the street could be ordered with the optional Template:Auto CID Cobra Jet engine which was officially rated at 335 hp (250 kW) all of these Mustangs were issued R codes on their VIN#'s.

The 1967 and 1968 models discontinued the "Pony Interior" in favor of a new deluxe interior package, which included special color options, brushed stainless steel (1967) or woodgrain (1968) trim, seat buttons, a tilt steering wheel, and special interior paneling. The 1968 models that were produced during 1968 were also the first year to incorporate 3 point lap belts as opposed to the standard lapbelts The air-conditioning option was fully integrated into the dash, the speakers and stereo were upgraded, and unique center and overhead consoles were options. The fastback model offered the option of a rear fold-down seat, and the convertible was available with folding glass windows. Gone too was the Rally-Pac, since the new instrument cluster had provisions for an optional tachometer and clock. Its size and shape also precluded the installation of the accessory atop the steering column.

The California Special Mustang, or GT/CS, was visually based on the Shelby model and was only sold in Western states. Its sister, the High Country Special, was sold in Denver, Colorado. While the GT/CS was only available as a coupé, the High Country Special model was available in fastback and convertible configurations in 1966 and 1967 and only as a coupé in 1968. The Mustang fastback gained popular culture status when used in the crime thriller Bullitt. Lt. Frank Bullitt, played by actor Steve McQueen, drove a modified Highland Green 1968 Mustang GT fastback (390ci, Toploader, 3.73 gears), chasing two hitmen in a black 1968 Dodge Charger in the film's car chase through the streets of San Francisco.

	Engines	Base Prices	Production
1967	200cid 1V 6-cyl 120 hp U Code 289cid 2V V-8 200 hp C Code 289cid 4V V-8 225 hp A Code 289cid 4V V-8 271 hp K Code 390cid 4V V-8 320 hp S Code 428cid 4V V-8 335 hp Q Code	Convertible, standard $2,898 Coupe, standard $2,461 Fastback, standard $2,692 G.T. 350 $3,995 G.T. 500 $4,195	Convertible standard 38,751 bench seat 1,209 luxury 4,848 Coupe standard 325,853 bench seat 8,190 luxury 22,228 Fastback standard 53,651 luxury 17,391
1968	200cid 1V 6-cyl 120 hp T Code 289cid 2V V-8 195 hp C Code 302cid 2V V-8 210 hp F Code 302cid 4V V-8 230 hp J Code 390cid 4V V-8 325 hp S Code 428cid 4V V-8 335 hp Cobra Jet R Code	Convertible, standard $2,814 Coupe, standard $2,578 Fastback, standard $2,689 GT350 Convertible $4,238 GT500 Convertible $4,438 GT500KR Convertible $4,594 GT350 Fastback $4,116 GT500 Fastback $4,317 GT500KR Fastback $4,472	Convertible standard 22,037 deluxe 3,339 Coupe standard 233,472 bench seats 6,113 deluxe 9,009 deluxe, bench seats 853 Fastback standard 33,585 bench seats 1,079 deluxe 7,661 deluxe, bench seats 256

1969–1970

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Special Edition

The 1969 restyle increased body length by 3.8 inches (97 mm) (with the wheelbase remaining at 108 inches) and width by almost half an inch. This was the first model to use quad headlamps placed inside and outside the grille opening. The corralled grille pony was replaced with the pony and tribars logo, set off-center to the drivers side.

It featured a Template:Auto CID V8 engine with 220 hp (164 kW). The 351cid V-8 was introduced in 1969, and was available with 250 or 290 hp. For those wanting more power, the 335-hp 428cid Cobra Jet V-8 big block was available with or without Ram-Air. More than 80 percent of Mustangs in 1969 had V-8 engines.

The coupé was longer than previous models and sported convex rather than concave side panels. The new Mach 1, with a variety of new powerplants, added many car styling and performance features. It used dual exhausts and steel wheels with bold-lettered Goodyear Polyglas tires. Reflective striping was placed along the body sides, with a pop-off gas cap, matte-black hood with simulated air scoop and NASCAR-style cable and pin tiedowns. A functional "shaker" hood scoop which visibly vibrated by being attached directly to the air cleaner through a hole in the hood was available, as were a tail-mounted wing and chin spoilers and rear window louvered blackout shade. The Boss 302 Mustang was created to meet Trans Am rules and the Boss 429 was created to homologate that engine for NASCAR use.

The 1970 model moved the headlamps inside the grille opening, added vent looking front corners on the outside of the headlamps, and removed the rear fender air scoops. This Boss featured distinctive hockey-stick stripes, and Ford fielded a Trans Am series Boss 302 team which won the series and helped drive sales.

The 789 remaining 1969 Shelbys in Ford inventory after the model year were titled as 1970 models. These were modified to include a front air dam and a blackout point treatment around the outboard hood scoops.

Ford made 96 Twister Specials for Kansas Ford dealers in 1970. The Twister Specials were Grabber Orange Mach 1s with special decals. Ford also made a few Sidewinders, which were built in Dearborn, shipped to Omaha, and sold in Iowa and Nebraska. They were available in Grabber Green, Grabber Blue, Calypso Corral, and Yellow. The stripes came in the trunk and the dealers had the option of installing them on the car.

	Engines	Base Prices	Production
1969	200cid 1V 6-cyl 115 hp T Code 250cid 1V 6-cyl 155 hp L Code 302cid 2V V-8 220 hp F Code 302cid 4V V-8 290 hp Boss G Code 351cid 2V V-8 250 hp H Code 351cid* 4V V-8 290 hp M Code 390cid 4V V-8 320 hp S Code 428cid 4V V-8 335 hp Cobra Jet Q Code 428cid* 4V V-8 335 hp Cobra Jet-R R Code 429cid 4V V-8 376 hp Boss Z Code	Convertible, standard $2,832 Coupe, standard $2,618 Grandé Coupe $2,849 Fastback, standard $2,618 Fastback, Mach 1 $3,122 GT350 Convertible $4,753 GT500 Convertible $5,027 GT350 Fastback $4,434 GT500 Fastback $4,709	Convertible standard 11,307 deluxe 3,439 Coupe standard 118,613 bench seats 4,131 deluxe 5,210 deluxe, bench seats 504 Grandé 22,182 Fastback standard 56,022 deluxe 5,958 Mach 1 72,458 Boss 429 867 Boss 302 1,628
1970	200cid 1V 6-cyl 120 hp T Code 250cid 2V V-8 155 hp L Code 302cid 2V V-8 220 hp F Code 302cid 4V V-8 290 hp Boss G Code 351cid 2V V-8 250 hp 351W & 351C H Code 428cid 4V V-8 300 hp M Code 428cid 4V V-8 335 hp Cobra Jet Q Code 428cid 4V V-8 335 hp Cobra Jet-R R Code 429cid 4V V-8 375 hp Boss Z Code	Convertible, standard $3,025 Coupe, standard $2,721 Coupe, Grandé, standard $2,926 Fastback, standard $2,771 Fastback, Mach 1, standard $3,271 Special, Boss 302 $3,720 Special, Boss 429 $4,928 GT350 Convertible $4,753 GT500 Convertible $5,027 GT350 Fastback $4,434 GT500 Fastback $4,709	Convertible 7,673 Coupe 82,569 Coupe, Grandé 13,581 Fastback 45,934 Fastback, Mach 1 40,970 Special, Boss 302 7,013 Special, Boss 429 499

1971–1973

1972 Ford Mustang Mach 1

The Mustang became larger and heavier with each revision, culminating with the 1971 to 1973 models designed under the supervision of Ford's new product design manager, Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, originally of General Motors. Knudsen's leadership saw the last high-performance big-block Mustang, 1971s 375 hp (280 kW) 429 Super Cobra Jet. The body style designed for the purpose of big-block installation versions was limited to a maximum of Template:Auto CID in 1972 and 1973 due to stricter U.S. emission control regulation, as well as the low demand for big block muscle cars because of high insurance premiums. Two more high-performance engines were introduced in 1972; the 351 "HO" and the 351 Cobra Jet. Both versions were high performers for their era, but nowhere near the level of the Boss cars and original Cobra Jet. Automakers in the U.S. switched from "gross" to "net" power and torque ratings in 1972, which coincided with the introduction of low-compression engines with different, far more restrictive induction systems. Thus, it is difficult to compare power and torque ratings.

A convertible model was available in 1971, with a power top, a glass rear window, and tinted windshield standard; but "ragtops" were falling out of favor with consumers. Of the 151,484 Mustangs that were made that year, only 6,121 were convertibles. This design would be the last convertible of the first-generation Ford Mustangs. The base price for the 1971 convertible model was $3,227. For 1972, with a base price of US$2,965, it was the number five-selling convertible in the U.S., with 6,401 sold, or just under 9% of the market, behind the Impala's 6,456.

Industry reaction

In the Mustang's first two years of production, three Ford Motor Company plants in Milpitas, California; Dearborn, Michigan; and Metuchen, New Jersey produced almost 1.5 million Mustangs. Its success left General Motors (GM) unprepared and Chrysler Corporation slightly less so. Chrysler introduced the Plymouth Barracuda a few weeks before the Mustang, and although it was later redesigned as a distinct "pony car", it was initially a modified Plymouth Valiant. However, the "fish car" did not enjoy as strong a market demand as Ford's "pony". General Motors executives thought the rear-engined Chevrolet Corvair Monza would compete against the Mustang, but it also sold poorly by comparison. The Monza performed well, but lacked a V8 engine and its reputation was tarnished by Ralph Nader in his book Unsafe At Any Speed. It took GM until the 1967 model year to counter with the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird. Lincoln-Mercury joined the competition in 1967 with the Mercury Cougar, an "upmarket Mustang" and subsequent Motor Trend Car of the Year. In 1968, American Motors (AMC) introduced the Javelin, an "image changing" four-place pony car. This "real standout" model was quickly followed with "a Walter Mitty Ferrari," the two-seater high-performance AMX. In 1970, the Dodge Challenger, a version of the Plymouth Barracuda platform, was last to join the pony car race. This genre of small, sporty automobiles is often referred to as the "pony car" because of the Ford Mustang that established this market segment.