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Having produced nearly 700,000 Mustangs in only a year and a half of production,
Ford knew it had no competition in the sporty personal car department. Refined for
'66, the basic body remained unchanged, and the buying public loved it.
All 66's received the round instruments instead of the standard 65's ''idiot
lights'' and a handsome new aluminum grill with horizontal ribs replacing the honeycomb
grill of 1965. Pony interiors appeared identical between these two years, but came
in different color choices. Gas cap design, and 1/4 ornaments were also reworked
in an effort to distinguish it from the previous year's model.
1966 was to become the highest total production year for the classic Mustang.
Oddly enough, this year also produced the fewest number of fastbacks .
Mustang's performance image was continually being enhanced by the efforts of
Carroll Shelby and his crew in a converted Los Angeles airplane hanger. For 1966,
Shelby softened the G.T. 350 a bit, however a Paxton Supercharger became an option
that upped the little 289's horsepower an advertised 46%.
Hertz Rent-a-car made a deal with Shelby to purchase one thousand units, predominately
with automatic transmissions. Eighty percent of these cars sported the Hertz company's
familiar colors of black with gold stripes. People would rent these week end warriors,
and have their way with them, on many of the local dragstrips and road courses across
America .
By spring of '66, Ford ran it's ''Millionth
Mustang Sale'' as an effort to boost the lagging six cylinder sales. The Sprint 200
option was available that included a chrome air cleaner with Sprint 200 decal, accent
stripe, wire wheel covers and a console. This was the last year the Mustang 6 cyl
cars used the weak 3 speed transmission which had no syncromesh in first gear.
The ''Visibility Group Option'' was comprised of tinted glass (all), remote control
L.H. mirror, 2 speed wipers, and day/night rear-view mirror options as a package
deal. This group option is often used when air conditioning is ordered, as tinted
glass is recommended with A/C.
1966
