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North America’s favorite pony car takes its styling cues from the ’60s

“PRESENTING THE
unexpected,”’ teased the very
first Ford Mustang ad back
in 1964. .

‘Mustang has the look, the fire,
the flavor of the great European
road cars. Yet it’s as American as
its name ... and as practical as its
price.”*

Indeed, the Mustang unex-
pectedly started a new era in
automobile history, and eventually
became an image of what the
American sports car is all about.

The birth of the Mustang really
started in 1961, when Ford began
conducting major market research
three years before the car’s debut.

The Fairlane Committee, as the
group was called, concluded that
post-Secoad World War baby
boomers wanted a car that was
relatively small, light, and inex-
pensive. .

The inarketing group also found
that the new generation of young
buyers wanited to differentiate
themselves frvm their parents, and
therefore didn’t want something
that was stodgy and boring —
thus the installation of sporty
bucket seats, a floor-mounted
manual shifter, and the
availability of a torquey V-8
engine. ;

When the dust settled, the 1964
Mustang arrived with a base price
of only US$2,368, weighing less
than |,200 kg (2,600 Ibs).

The public debut took place on
April 17, 1964, at New York’s
World Fair. :

Since then, more than 6.) mil-
lion people have purchased the

legendary ‘‘pony”’ car, making it
one of the most successful models

Ford has ever brought to market.

.. The original Mustang came in
three models: the cool convertible,
the practical hardtop, and the
slick fastback.

.. The base powerplant was a
modest 10t-horsepower six-
cylinder engine, but most buyers

‘opted for the optional V-8 engine

Phote submitted

INSTEAD OF making the Mustang fook futuristic and trendy, Ford designers decided to keep the

long-hood, shori-deck proportions, and aggressive stance of the previous models.

that pumped a respectable 164
horsepower.

Shortly after the debut, Ford
added two more V-8s: a 210-
horsepower and a 27i-horsepower
high-output 289 cubic-inch V-8.

The combination of lively char-
acter, attractive price, great looks,
and practical four-seater arrange-
ment turned the market wild.

On the car’s very first day of
introduction, dealers in the U.S.
were swamped with close to
22,000 orders.

In Chicago, a dealer had to call!

fi

“COOLING SYSTEM
SERVICE CHECK

: An annual Coating system Tune-Up Suggestion List shoule inctude (with sorne exceptions): ©

1.A visual check of the conling
+ systern for indications of leaks or
excessive ail content,

2. Pressure: check the cooling .”

system for internal and external
Steaks with filler cap and. neck
adaoter and tester.

3, Check crankcase and automatic -

Ze... transmission ail for water content.
“4.4, Test coolant thermostat with
“. eadiator thermometer,
5, Check temperature gauge for ac-
curacy. .
*§y Drain system and flush tilt cloan

Expires Des. 17

.7 Clean foreign matter from
‘radiator tins,

8. Test radiator pressure cap with
cap tester. .

9. Cneck fan blades and pulleys for
alignment and damaga.

10, Internal and external inspection of
ail hoses for cracks and
deterioration.

11. Check core glugs (where possi:
ble} for seepage. ©

12. Refill system with correct coolant
and check tor air locks.

13. Check condition and tension of
drive belts with tension gauge.

Plus parts & tax

eccwrench

Service Ze

i EXYEMDED HOURS OF SERVICE RECEPTION

: Mon:

in the police when Mustang buyers
literally crashed into the
showroom.

In Garland, Texas, 15 people
bid on the same Mustang, and the
highest bidder refused to leave the
car until his cheque cleared the
next day. He slept in the car that

3 tO

one owner 67,000 km.

In its first 12 months of pro-
duction, close to a half-million
Mustangs were sold in North
America, far exceeding the pro-
jected forecast of 100,000 units.

tn 1969, the Mustang unde.
major styling changes, becoming
roomier, more hixurious, and
more powerful.

Some of the interesting entries
during this era included the Mach
I, Boss 302, 351, and 429. The car
gained significant weight and size
between 1971 and 1973.

Then that shocking oi! crisis hit
North America in 1973, along
with tt: much stricter emission
control standards imposed by the
government.

Not surprisingly, the muscle-car
era ended promptly — taking the
high-performance Mustang with
it.

Thanks to Ford’s bright and
sharp planners, who had predicted
the shift in market towards
smaller, more economical models
even before the oil embargo, the
more efficient, compact-sized '74
Mustang was just in time for the
fuel crunch.

The timing couldn’t have been
better.

The car was now only available
with an economical 2.3-litre
four-cylinder or a slightly more
powerful 2.8-litre V-6 engine,
though a V-8 engine appeared a
year later in response to s demand
for more power.

It wasn’t until the fall of 1978
that another major redesign
changed the Mustang lineup.

The new 1979 Mustang was a
notch longer, but slightly lighter
than the model it replaced. The
clean, handsome iook received
praises from many, and the
availability of 4 turbo-charged
engine brought new excitement to
the lineup.

This generation of the Mustang
served the American sports car
market faithfully for the next 14
years, during which time
numerous changes were made to
the car, including a modernization

See Mustang page 3%

CHOOSE

* 1991 Q45, ST# IP 179 Black with ten disc CD player, hands free phone, leather interior,

* 1991 Q45, ST# IP 181 Emerald green, CD player, traction control, one owner, leather

interior, 44,000km.

* 1991 O45, ST# NN1334 Beige, CD player, leather interior, one owner, 68,000km.

* Lease for $5,000 down @ 599/mo. for 36 months, plus
ist mo. & security add applicable taxes. Lease value
$14,000 Lp. $21,564 O.A.C

REGENCY INFINITI
(NORTHSHORE)

1144 Marine Dr, North Vancouver DG127A

— G85-0339

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