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2008 Shannons Melbourne Summer Classic Auction
Lot
15

1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Coupe (LHD)

PASSED IN

melbourne

Passed In

Specifications

Engine V8, 289-cid
Gearbox 3-speed automatic
Body Work Coupe
Colour White
Interior Black
Trim Vinyl
Wheels Steel Disc
Brakes Drums

Description

This lot is no longer available

One of the great automotive success stories, the Mustang was the brainchild of Ford Division's General Manager Lee Iacocca, who came up with a sports compact that not only had huge visual appeal, but offered the buyer an unprecedented list of options to personalise their new car as well. The Mustang first appeared at the New York World's Fair on the 17th of April, 1964 and was an instant hit - such was the demand that dealers across the country were unable to find enough cars. In fact, so successful was the Mustang that it carved out an entirely new niche in the marketplace - the Ponycar - with Chevrolet and Chrysler scrambling to build equivalent offerings, and the Mustang is still with us today, more than four decades on. Largely based on the mechanical platform of the compact Falcon, the key to the success of the Mustang was the styling - with long bonnet and short boot, the new car looked great either as a coupe or convertible (the fastback wasn't offered until 1965). The base engine may have been a rather insipid 170-cid six but for those looking for go as well as show, there was always Ford's legendary small-block 289-cid V8 and four-speed manual transmission, along with options such as limited-slip diff, front disc brakes and heavy-duty suspension. Inside, you could tick the boxes for air conditioning, centre console, radio or the Interior Decor Group (known as a "pony" interior) along with power brakes, power steering and Cruise-O-Matic auto transmission. It really was up to the individual to put together a package that best suited his or her needs and as a consequence no two Mustangs are quite the same.