Photo: David Newhardt/ Mustang - Forty Years

Henry Ford II officially unveiled the Mustang on April 17, 1964 at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, NY. It was a day that shifted the axis on which the automotive world turned. Ford executed a brilliant introduction strategy and was rewarded with sales of nearly 22,000 cars that first day.

One of the strategies that brought such attention to the Mustang was its mid-year introduction. At the time, model year changes were revealed to the public in August by all Detroit manufacturers. It was an annual tradition for the car buying public to flock to dealer showrooms early in August to see what was new. Showroom windows were typically covered the night before and new models revealed the next morning with great fanfare.

By breaking the pattern, Ford Mustang’s introduction had no competition to deal with. The day before the car’s unveiling, Ford ran Mustang commercials on all major TV networks at 9:30 p.m. and the public response was little short of astounding, even for the company. Original sales forecasts saw fewer than 100,000 sales in the first year – a mark that flew by in just three months. In August of 1965, one year, 11 months, and 24 days after its introduction, the one millionth Mustang was sold.

When Ford rolled out the Mustang, it was a 1965 car that would have an extended model year. Every Mustang from the beginning carried a 1965 model year Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The distinction from a marketing perspective was unimportant, but engineering and production changes continued on their normal yearly schedule and in August of 1964, several changes were introduced for the Mustang.

Likely the most significant was the rollout of a Fastback 2+2 model, which started production in Mid-August of 1964. Changes across the line saw the early car’s generator replaced by an alternator, a power steering pump which now sported an integral fluid reservoir, backup lights, a retaining ring for the gas cap, smaller horns in a new location and interior carpet that continued up the sides and under the sill plates.

Photo: David Newhardt/ Mustang - Forty Years

The selection of exterior colors expanded significantly, and an interior decor group option was added, which became known as the ‘Pony’ interior, while powertrain changes dumped the 170cui inline six cylinder engine and the 260cui V8, replacing them with more powerful 200cui I6 and 289cui V8 powerplants.

Prior to these changes, Ford had built 121,538 pony cars – 92,705 coupes and 28,833 convertibles. Clearly though, a conventional model year update had been rolled out, but as far as Ford was concerned, cars built before were just ‘early’ 1965 models. From this has emerged a debate that is almost as old now as the Mustang itself. Officially, there is no such thing as a 1964½ Mustang, yet that is what has become the common reference for those 121,538 cars that were built before the production change.

At best, this is a notation of convenience and yet, according to Charles Turner, national head judge for the Mustang Club of America (MCA), “…there is a wide range of little differences between the cars built before and after August of 1964 that make them very unique. The MCA accepts the 1964½ as a model year because we view it as a different car.”

MCA’s position makes sense when it comes to judging the originality of an early Mustang. The baseline shifted in August of 1964 and there could easily be situations where apples-and-oranges comparisons might emerge. Having been an assistant judge for the MCA before, I can tell you that no detail is too fine to be left open to interpretation.

So, as it has been, it shall remain. Ford is not about to retroactively declare a 1964½ model, nor are the so-called Mustang ‘purists’ going to relinquish their claim to the uniqueness of owning an early 1965 model Mustang. Should you find yourself being drawn into a debate on this issue, the best advice is likely nod knowingly, scratch your chin for a moment then excuse yourself, heading directly for the washroom.