1964 .............................................................................................BACK

Market research and a talented styling team from Ford presented the eagerly anticipated new personal sized family car to the American public on April 17, 1964 !

To keep manufacturing costs to a minimum, parts interchangeability was implemented. The new Mustang was based on an efficient platform that had already proven itself with the Falcon.

All the first half year Mustangs were assembled in Dearborn, at Ford's headquarters.

Although a puny 170 c.i. inline 6 cyl. ( that was borrowed from the Falcon) was standard equipment, the majority of '64 1/2 cars were very highly optioned 260- 2V or the low compression 289 4V- V-8 equipped cars. Marketing figured out that a low advertised retail price would captivate the public's interest but options were the source of higher profits. Promotional strategy was programmed to match a performance image to it's sports design with a touch of elegance all at an affordable price.

Pleased by the numbers produced, Ford geared up its Metuchen, New Jersey and it's San Jose, California's assembly plants for the 1965 models.

Tiffany presented Ford with it's award for ''Excellence in American Design''.This was the first time an automobile had ever earned this prestigious award.

Ford in turn capitalized on the notoriety by offering the ''Tiffany Stripe'', a painted pinstripe that accentuated the body's side sculpted lines. Quarter ornaments were deleted on cars with this option .

I still can remember watching the television show ''Hazel" although not very well, it was about some creepy old lady with a strange voice, I think she was a maid. Shirley Booth.

Ford was the sponsor of this program. Every week I would wait with anticipation for the commercial featuring the cartoon characters from the ''Peanuts'' comic strip to bestow upon us all the virtues of Ford's lineup for 1964. To be brutally frank, I was somewhat disappointed that Friday night when the new Mustang was formally introduced, without the Snoopy and the Peanuts gang.

That was back on April 17, 1964 and I was a lad aged but eight years. My perception of the brand new Mustang was favorable as I found the sporty styling quite appealing.

My older brother ''Billy'' and I sat with our eyes popping out of our heads when it was shown to have a rear seat. My Dad glanced out the window at our family car, a Colonial White 1959 Ford sedan. Mom had no comment.

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