Mustang 65-73

This early history of the Mustang plays out like Shakespearian piece. On the one hand you have the seemingly anointed prince, Lee Iacocca, leading the "small platform Mustang" faction that set the style for the vehicle (long front/short deck), using a smaller frame.

Useful Information

• Introduced at 1964 New York World's Fair as 1964½
• Built as "secretary's car" (Gene Bordinat, Ford VP of Design)
• Built on Falcon/Fairlane platform – "the small Mustang"
• First-year sales topped 400,000 (over the 100,000 predicted)
• Advocated by Lee Iacocca, Ford General Manager, who also used in-house competitions to finalize design
• 1965 model grew somewhat but remained essentially the same, two engines (200 CID 6, 260 CID V-8)
• 1966 Grew somewhat to incorporate short-block 289 V-8
• Second year sales topped 600,000 – over million sold in first two years
• 1967 Fastback added and grew a bit more to add 351 V-8
• 1968 Cobra Jet added, fastback, instant success, 429 CID added with performance package
• 1969 Bunkie Knudsen takes over, Iacocca passed over for president
• "Big Platform" supports win this phase
• 70 last of "small platform" cars, a total of two sixes and six V-8s available