Why the Original Ford Mustang Has Never Lost Its Swagger

For modern drivers, it’s hard to appreciate the impact that Ford’s Mustang had on the public when both coupe and convertible versions of the model were introduced at the New York World’s Fair in April of 1964. Ford’s “pony car” was a rousing success, setting an industry record by selling more than 418,000 units in the first year, more than doubling the projected sales total of 150,000. The sporty fastback appeared that August as a 1965 model, rounding out the lineup.

The Mustang had an enticing base price of $2,368 for the hardtop, which was possible, in part, because the car shared Ford’s economical Falcon platform. The model attracted a broad audience, while inspiring both General Motors and Chrysler (with fear) to enter the muscle-car category a couple of years later with vehicles such as the Camaro and Barracuda.

While the so-called first-generation Mustang was made until 1973, it’s the 1965 and 1966 models that have become the most beloved in the intervening 60 years. The Mustang concept, a brilliant response to a recognized market opportunity, came from Ford vice president Lee Iacocca. A small team—Joe Oros, David Ash, Gale Halderman, and a few others—collaborated on the design and arrived at a sure-fire formula for success: a long hood, a short rear deck, and a distinctly European proportion that evoked the most stylish Italian sports cars of the decade.

The truth is, these aren’t sophisticated cars, and therein lies part of the Mustang’s charm. A platform-style frame with simple sheet metal and trim, and an equally simple interior, allowed Ford to offer lots of options and engines, from an anemic 2.8-liter inline-six to a fire-breathing V-8. That 289 ci HiPo “K Code” mill developed 271 hp and 312 ft lbs of torque, making the 2,600-pound car, with its solid rear axle and leaf springs, a handful of fun. Available with a four-speed manual transmission or with a three-speed automatic configuration, those early Mustangs continue to entertain.

It got better. When asked by Iacocca to turn the ’65 fastback into a racer, Carroll Shelby told his boss (and friend) that it was “a secretary’s car,” and yet managed to transform it into the SCCA B Production Champion the first year out. The die was cast, and that Mustang, sold as the Ford Shelby G.T. 350, suddenly took the limelight, winning races that translated to showroom victories for the regular models as well.

Great news for would-be Mustangers is that close to a million coupes, 112,777 fastbacks, and 174,064 convertibles were made through 1966, so buyers have plenty of examples to choose from, despite massive attrition over the decades. Prices range from around $25,000 for a presentable coupe to almost twice that price for a creampuff, with convertibles and fastbacks as much as double, especially equipped with the desirable 289 ci “K-Code” V-8 engine.

If ever there was a family automotive project, a first-year Mustang is it. Assuming the body is sound and rust-free, it’s the perfect blank canvas, and companies like Dynacorn even offer new bodies for owners with a VIN plate and nothing else. With a credit card and a garage, enthusiasts can build a virtually new Mustang from scratch using show-quality reproduction parts available from dozens of reliable suppliers.

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However you arrive behind the wheel of a Mustang, the experience is one to be savored. “Classic” is a term casually cast about, but in the case of this model, it’s a description wholly applicable to the most significant American car of the 1960s.

Click here for more photos of this 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback “K-Code.”