World’s first Pony Car
Ford knew that it had a winner with the Mustang right from its release in 1965, as the announcement and showcase in 1964 generated a great deal of buzz. Even then, however, they couldn’t have predicted just how iconic and successful the new model would become. Uninterrupted production has continued ever since, making the Mustang the longest continuously manufactured Ford model of all time, spanning seven generations and creating an entirely new market segment, the ‘Pony Car’, so named in honor of the Mustang’s equine name.
Pony Cars became iconic symbols of youthful freedom and power, offering sporty and stylish performance and design, but at an accessible price point, thanks to production parts shared with other models in the manufacturers’ catalogues. Long hoods and short decks meant compact bodies with two doors, though many could still accommodate four seats in a 2+2 configuration. But it all started here, with the 1965 model Mustang like this one for sale on Exotic Car Trader.
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Wined and dined, and with anywhere to go
The gorgeous and refined shade of red draped over the body of this Mustang is called Brandy Candy Wine, with emphasis on the wine, as it looks like it could be straight out of a bottle of Pinot Noir. This smooth shade is accented by a thin chrome bumper fore and a thicker blocky one aft that has been refinished along with the rest of the chrome trim. The black convertible top has been recently replaced and given a reinforcing ceramic coating, according to the owner.
A subtle scoop in the center of the hood accommodates the carburetor, while the slightly oval grille has a Mustang badge in the very center, with widely-spaced blocky lettering spelling “FORD” overtop it. The headlights are simple and round, but the fenders they sit in have a tasteful bulge to the outside edge, which gives the front extra styling. Speaking of which, the front end has been replaced with one from a Mustang II, making it more durable and responsive.
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Racing seats and a retro layout
Four re-upholstered black vinyl racing seats with red stitching are laid out in a 2+2 configuration, making this a proper Pony Car. The carpeting and door panels are also black, while the dash is red with a solid amount of silver and black as secondary colors.
The gauges appear to be original, though well polished and maintained, with the linear speedometer being particularly associated with the early generation Mustangs. A modern center console with dual cup holders sits between the new front seats, though the era-appropriate T-shaped gear shifter remains. A three-spoke wood-clad steering wheel has four holes and a bar punched out of each spoke, while a modern radio with retro styling sits in the dash without looking out of place.
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Horses for the Pony Car
The heart of this Mustang is the 289ci (4.7L) V8 engine under the hood, replete with a thirsty four-barrel carburetor that ensures a good mix even at high speeds. Taken together, the estimated output of this powertrain is 210 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, all sent to the rear wheels by a three-speed automatic transmission. An upgraded exhaust ensures a proper bassy American Muscle sound, while the rack and pinion steering and front disc brake conversion give fine-tuned control and handling. The odometer reads 22,604 miles, which may or may not be the chassis total; however, the owner indicates that the entire engine was replaced only about 500 miles ago, making it much newer than the rest of the vehicle.
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Final thoughts
Camaro by Chevrolet. Firebird by Pontiac. Dodge’s famous Challenger. What do all three of these icons of American Muscle have in common? They all owe their existence to the Mustang for creating the Pony Car segment they were built to compete in. There is actually some dispute as to the origin of the Mustang name being assigned to the project, however.
Ford Motor’s own history credits designer John Najjar with wanting to honor the famed WWII fighter plane, the P-51 Mustang, with an automotive namesake, while there is a strong counter-narrative that it was, in fact, Ford’s market research manager and hobbyist horse-breeder, Robert J. Eggert, who put the name into the pool. In any case, all of this came together to make the Ford Mustang one of the company’s best cars ever, and with the 10 millionth vehicle rolling off the line back in August 2018, there’s no sign that it’s slowing down.
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