Ford Mustang Magic - A Legend is Born

Ford Motor Company introduced the Mustang oncheck cleared. At a dealership in Seattle, the
what was then the world's largest stage. Only thedriver of a passing cement truck became so
1964 New York World's Fair had enough scale andfascinated by the Mustang on display that he lost
drama worthy of the Mustang. Held in conjunctioncontrol of his vehicle and crashed through the
with the city of New York's 300th anniversary, itshowroom window.
featured 140 pavilions over 646 acres.The Ford public relations team kept public interest,
The Ford Company Pavilion was the Fair's largestawareness and enthusiasm for Mustang boiling
attraction, nearly the size of three football fields.long after vehicles arrived in dealer showrooms.
Guests entered while riding a "Magic Skyway,"On May 30th 1964, Mustang was named the
specially designed by The Walt Disney Company.official pace car for the 1964 Indy 500. A white
It was here on Friday, April 17th 1964, that LeeMustang convertible led the Indianapolis field
Iacocca unveiled the Ford Mustang to anaround the track on Memorial Day. Ford also built
estimated crowd of 20,000 anxious buyers. Whenanother 35 convertibles and 195 hardtops with the
he removed the silk-like Ford blue cover tosame Indy Car color scheme. The convertibles
introduce the first Mustang convertible to thewere later sold at premium prices and the
world, electricity filled the air. The flash of lighthardtops were given away in dealer-sponsored
bulbs was blinding. The entire crowd pushedcontests.
nearer in one wave for a closer look.Mustang was such a runaway success that it
Revealing the Mustang was only one small part ofracked up over 22,000 sales orders on its first
the plan. That same day, one hundred membersday. Coupes and convertibles built between
of the press also participated in a giant seventymid-April and mid-August 1964 are known as
car Mustang rally, driving 750-miles from New1964 ½ models. 1965 brought few changes,
York to Ford Headquarters in Dearborn, andwith the exception of a new Fastback model. An
stopping only to file stories to their newspapersindustry-record of 680,989 first-year sales
and magazines along the way.includes both 1964 ½ and 1965 Mustangs sold
On April 17th, Ford dealerships across the countryfrom April 1964 to September 1965. The one
were also mobbed by customers. Ford hadmillionth Mustang was built in March 1966.
arranged to produce a minimum of 8,160Ford Motor Company designers and engineers
Mustangs prior to its introduction, so that everygave Lee Iacocca's dream of a well-styled,
Ford dealership would have at least one in itsfun-to-drive compact car that would appeal to
showroom when the car was officially launched.America's growing number of Baby Boomers an
People literally attacked their local Fordundeniable shape and style all its own.
showrooms. Everyone was in a frenzy to be oneAn army of reporters, journalists and buff book
of the first to own the Mustang.writers built buyer anticipation and excitement to
In his autobiography, Iacocca, the man himselfa fever pitch.
tells about the excitement the first MustangAn entire nation eagerly embraced it and
caused at Ford Dealerships across the country.welcomed it into their driveways all across the
In Chicago, for example, one dealer had to lockAmerican landscape.
his showroom doors because the crowd outsideAnd later, a soul singer and songwriter named
was so large. In Garland, Texas, a Ford dealer hadWilson Pickett would even give it a voice when he
fifteen potential customers bidding on a singlerecorded a hit rock and roll anthem entitled
Mustang. He sold it to the highest bidder, whoMustang Sally.
insisted on spending the night in the car until his