Most Successful Car - 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang

There have been many highly touted new car releases but none took the automotive world by such a surprise than the 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang. Watch the video to find out why it is the most successful car ever produced.

[@adamdelarozza1985]

My 66' Mustang coupe is my first car i got at 19 and i still have it today at 60. That V8 289 still rocks! 😃😎

[@johnhull6363]

That's awesome. Wish I hung on to my 67 I restored in 86,87 in high school. Drove it 350 miles to college for two years.

[@dj33036]

My very first car was a 64 1/2 Mustang with a 260 V8. It was three years old when I bought for $1,400 dollars. Some drunk guy rear ended me with a 62 Oldsmobile doing 40 miles an hour as I sat at a red light. I was lucky I wasn't killed but came out of it with minor injuries. Whiplash, no headrests back then.

[@adamdelarozza1985]

@@dj33036 That is rough. It is a miracle my coupe survived those California years with me right out of H. S. It had lots of close calls come to think about it... It was made in San Jose and its Signal Flair Red Btw I'm not quite sixty, I will be in August tho. 😮😎yikes

[@killiansklassics]

mann ive got a never rebuilt 289 in my '65 falcon and it runs great! these kind of comments make me feel better about what i have

[@johnjuarez8005]

Have you upgraded any part of the car??

[@veyom5959]

cars marketed towards high school and college graduates, the fact that a sizable number of people in the middle class had enough disposable income for car manufacturers to create mass-market products to cater to them, and the numbers they sold in baffles me, great video

[@jamesharber7820]

I was in Basic Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky when the 1964 1/2 Mustang made it’s first appearance. My Company was marching down a street when a Mustang appeared on the same street. Discipline was challenged, just for a moment, as we gawked at this strikingly beautiful car!

[@sayakpal3428]

Pls make a video with 1971 Plymouth roadrunner. Its a nice aerodynamic car way ahead of most muscle cars of the era.

[@christopherjohnson3520]

💚 My Dad Passed Away 1/20/2012..I’m in Idaho. My Father’s friend & Housekeeper is storing my Dad’s Car .. 1964 & a Half Mustang 🚗 in her Artist Studio . She has a large farm & she gets to enjoy it whenever she wants in California. I only drove it twice. It Makes me Happy to know it’s out there. It’s White with the Black Vinyl Top & Black interior. Thanks 🙏 for the Great Episode ❤️

[@ncm-jl3nu]

River Rouge was cranking these babies out like crazy. 289 Hipo could be had for $2600...... amazing......Tri power GTO for similar price.

[@TheSchmed]

The median annual income in 1965 was $7000, so that $2600 represents roughly 37-38% of your annual income on a nice automobile. Now, a popular vehicle, such as a moderately equipped Jeep Wrangler or Tesla is at the ~$45000 mark, that’s even lowballing a bit, which would make the median income today at $120,000 ? Not sure about that, considering in 1965 it was a single parent working, not both to produce that income.

[@jackp9122]

I got to tour the production line there in the summer of 1964. Amazing how fast they came together! The tour guide said they were a month behind on production, that’s how popular they were!

[@ncm-jl3nu]

@@TheSchmed yep, but I had at least five friends that got THAT 🐎 and three that got the GTO. The ones that got Mustangs were Grad presents, the GTO group bought with their own money. This was Wayne County, Michigan. Perhaps the least expensive location for these purchases in the Country

[@thefettfan3994]

I personally would class the "1964 1/2 Mustang" as one of the most prolific automobile landmarks of the twentieth century and also because I would love to drive one!!!!

[@neozeed1984]

Your videos are my most anticipated. Seeing a new one makes my day, thank you.

[@butternutfingers]

Out of dozens of KZbin subscriptions, this is the only one I have enabled notifications for newly dropped content.

[@billthompson5644]

You mean they were more popular than a Yugo or a Saab sonett?? Just kidding you have the greatest videos, the information level is incredible and your narration is excellent.

[@kiprandom7208]

I had a 73 sonett. I learned the hard way about drinking and buying

[@robmcgowan4034]

Good points Bill, but his voice is as dull as ever!

[@robertpace901]

Really enjoyed the overview of the first Mustang.

[@AyeCarumba221]

Our neighbors bought one in 1965. Dark blue, 289. I still remember that car so fondly. I remember the sound of its starter. The sound of the 289. Even the sound of the transmission shifting into DRIVE. And the sound of the door shutting. I was 6 years old. That's how deep of an impact the Mustang made on me. Strangely I never owned one though. It has my vote as THE most iconic car EVER produced. Even more than the VW Beetle, Corvette, F-150. Anything really all things considered.

[@jeffbristow9774]

Just wanted to thank old car memories for all the awesome videos.

[@andyy1803]

While not an engineer or designer behind the pony car or minivan (that credit belongs to Hal Spirlach), I doubt any other auto manager or president understood generational needs more than Lee Iacocca. He struck gold twice in a lifetime. Definitely a legacy that will not be forgotten.

[@Very_Angry_Citizen]

This was Lee Iacocca's first project wasn't it? Only meaning this was his first involvement with a production model and a great success.

[@wizardofahhhs759]

He's known as the father of the Mustang.

[@douglas_drew]

And so soon after the Edsel... Glad Ford got the Mustang right. Unlike modern times, the dealers got delivery of some Mustangs before the big reveal to be kept hidden. I was fourteen and my stepdad pulled up in the first Mustang in my little town to my great excitement, only to learn it was his sister's new car. But at least I had one of the first rides among my friends.

[@GamerNRetro]

Really like the video and think it would be cool if you kept with something like this. Just if I could give a suggestion, turn the music down 1 or 2 notches.

[@johnnyintrieri]

I'm a Diehard Chevy & Early '60's Mopar man. But l loved my Aurora Mustang on my racing track. They were so cool. My first ride in a Stang was the summer of '64. My cousin Gloria bought a Baby Blue one. 289 cu. Automatic. We drove from Long Island to Yankee Stadium. I felt so Cool sitting in my first Bucket Seat! In my gas station attendant years l hated when a Stang would pull in. The gas nozzle never stayed in them! And if you were lucky enough to get one to stay in for a fill up, it would pop out onto the ground! LOL I'll admit they were ground breaking car's. And Yes I've owned 3 Ford's. 2 1977 T Birds & a '67 Merc 202 Model. All very dependable! And l always loved the 1957 & 1960 Ford. Yep. A 64 Mustang was a COOL Car! 👍🏻😎

[@fericyde]

This was very good, one of the success factors for the Mustang however, was the fact that you could fill out a build sheet at the dealer, and get one made to order. On the manufacturing side of things, they used a computerized system to build these cars which was not all that common. It made all the difference in my opinion at the marketplace.

[@alanploetz7100]

I was 6 years old when the '64.5 Mustang was introduced at the World's Fair. The lines were so long, I never could talk my dad into taking me in to see what all the excitement was about. Instead I got to go watch a car that had significantly lower sales numbers go in and out of the water (I vaguely remember a man-made pond) and keep driving: the Amphicar. Today, if budget car and sporty are mentioned in the same sentence, it's more marketing talk than performance. Either of the above would be great to have today.

[@sirmingusdewiv8325]

Yet another great video. 👍

[@1964FordMustang]

Really old memories- how true - thanks for the video

[@MichaelandCathy1999]

Never had a Mustang, but was fortunate enough to get my hands on a ‘72 Ford Maverick with a 302…..fixed it up with true dual exhaust, cleaned up the 2 bbl carb/manifold(was trying to find a 4 bbl/manifold),C4 with a shift kit, and was working to get a 3.23 diff in place of the factory 2.76’s. Went with oversized G-60-14( couldn’t afford the radials). It still surprised a few cars in my hometown. 😂🇨🇦

[@dontellgucci1117]

I remember my dad’s 64 1/2 mustang convertible white, red interior and black top. All convertibles came with the 289 V-8

[@SierraBravo347]

Many Many moons ago, when I was in High School, there was twin sisters that had matching Mustang convertibles... one was a 641/2, the other was a 65.

[@deanstevenson6527]

When you have an Australian AP5 Valiant that had the same front as a "Valiant" Baracuda, you know why the Mustang excelled. Unique, eternal model differentiation. It did it again with the 74 Mustang II, and with the 79 FoxStang. They were never just Falcons, Pinto or Fairmonts....Each sold well beyond expectations. The first Mustang broke the mould.

[@davidhibbs6989]

I loved the era back then, I got stuck buying a 64' barracuda with the 225 3spd manual floor shifter and am radio because their was a long waiting list for the mustang! Some dealerships were letting people sit in the car of their choice and last person remaining got to buy it at full retail, my then 18 year old girlfriend lost out getting one because another guy in the car kept farting and everyone else got out! Go figure. I at 21 traded my barracuda for a 66' mustang fastback 2+2 289/271hp 4spd console bright gold with black bucket vinyl and factory chrome 14" wheels on redline tires. Had it 11 years and 169,000 miles and still got a great price for it. Thanks for the memories and great music score choice 🥰

[@richardbetz5531]

I really enjoy these videos. I’m currently on a marathon with your videos haha. You should do a video on the Cadillac Allanté (just an idea). Very unique story and an under-appreciated vehicle.

[@larryfisher5796]

Wow my farther in law had a 64 and 1/2 red and white top mustang convertible with a 289 V,-8 four speed transmission

[@Paulie1232]

I'm not a Ford guy, but Ford got this one right after many failures...

[@deanstevenson6527]

@ Paul, yeah man! Ford almost missed the with the Falcon, it was the conservative buyers who made it sell...the throwaway price for that Throwaway car did the rest. It could have bombed if not for the price. Ford certainly did miss the mark with the inabilty to make enough Hipo 271 horse 289 Fairlane Sport Coupes at the right price verses the eventual Pontiac GTO 326, ahem 389!. Ford probably made profits but almost made a huge mistake with repurposing the downgraded to a four place Thunderbird, and certainly did with the failure to build the V4 Cardinal sub compact in the US, Same with the crack prone 62 unibody F-100's. Ford eventually learned from its massive botch-ups continuing from the Edsel era. But it took 5 years to do it.

[@keithstevens5614]

Beauty. The Thunderbird made a comeback though in 1972 and 1989.

[@branon6565]

The 1965 (and 1966) Mustang GT Fastback 2+2 is the best lookin body style ever designed and manufactured, by any auto manufacturing company, to date...I don't care what anyone says to the contrary....🤘🏻🇺🇸

[@komradkolonel]

Some people said that the Mustang would never sell, that there was no market for it. These were probably some of the same people that laughed at the Wright brothers and said that if the airplane ever did work at all that no one would ever want to fly in one.

[@allstate125]

Boy the first mustangs look soooo good

[@georgemckenna462]

We need to understand some of the elements that when combined made this vehicle an American sensation. -Robert McNamara's staid but dependable and economical Falcon platform. -Styling cues from the US. P-51D fighter aircraft. -The San Jose assembly plant, Steve McQueen, Jim Morrison, Dionne Warwick, among others that would forever make it part of the California iconography and mystique.

[@robertlimestone6248]

My uncle who was an executive at Bell Telephone, traded in his T'Bird for a Mustang. My dad thought he was crazy but he was happy.

[@justsumguy2u]

It's true that the Mustang took the youth market by storm, and was an amazing sales success. But under it's sporty new look, it was anything but revolutionary. It rode on the Falcon chassis, which was designed in the late 50's. And unfortunately, they were extremely prone to rust (much moreso than other pony cars of it's day)

[@Blu3_SK33]

I knew a guy that had one 64 1/2 mustang ...& his ol lady came outside mad at him one night and she buried a fire axe in the roof on the driverside.. and multiple whacks later the cars roof was sadly ruined...still rare still runs just a bit leaky in the rain..🤔😵

[@low-phas]

What a bummer. Sounds like she could use a fire axe herself.

[@marcusallen2951]

Women never change 😂

[@jerrylvega2878]

The most fun car I ever had was my 289 4 speed 64 1/2 Mustang in the 70's. Later, I bought a 1967 Camaro R/S convertible. Traded the 327 for a Z28 302. Still have the Camaro but I wish I still had the 'stang.

[@vassa1972]

God I'm now 49 years old and a stroke and cardiac arrest survivor and use a cane for balance when I'm outside walking around and always wanted one when I was growing up

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

You could make another video on the 1979 Ford Mustang and Mercury Capri which both sold very well when they were released. I believe it was the first American car to use a serpentine belt drive and it was the first American car designed with the aid of a wind tunnel. I remember as a kid watched NBC National News showing about 20-30 seconds of the first release of the design of the Foxbody Mustang in 1977 or 1978.

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

Great video. Any chance of you discussing any of Honda's sportier cars? (Civic, CRX, Integra, Prelude)?

[@SCHMALLZZZ]

No

[@MrCapi55]

The always forgotten economy budget´s cars but as I remember far more best performers rarely mentioned, are also forgotten in this Otherwise Stupendous Video: The Plymouth Valiant and The Dodge Lancer.

[@arnepianocanada]

1960 Valiant was 3rd in sales at 146,792 after Falcon and Corvair. It and (next-year) Lancer have *less than nothing* on Mustang - whose extended first year saw 680,989 sold.

[@DUNEATV]

These videos are awesome 😎

[@AyeCarumba221]

It should be noted that there really was never a "1964 1/2" model year. Those were still 1965 model years. It was just introduced as a 1964 1/2 because it was introduced early in the year (April 17, 1964) so it could be revealed at the 1964 Worlds Fair. It was all a marketing thing.

[@zzygyy]

And it worked.

[@tanner882]

Could you do a episode on the 1st Gen Falcons? Some came with V8’s and were just like these early mustangs I’m sure you know 👍

[@erin19030]

Im 80 and still looking for mine.

[@lovecars4803]

love these

[@henryroland2]

Good job again.

[@enriquerodriguezmoreno4017]

Hermoso Auto 😍 lo venden 😍 ahun estará disponible 😍? Les mando un cordial saludo y un fuerte abrazo desde México 😃🤗 👍👌😍👋🏼.

[@unitedcity_mc4421]

1965 was the actual year for the first Mustang. It came out in 1964 for the 1965 model year.

[@SCHMALLZZZ]

The 64.5 Mustang has parts from the Ford Falcon that don't appear on the 65 Mustang.

[@Raider19582]

My brothers 1st car was a red 64.5 Mustang 6 cyl.

[@brenthill3241]

I was 7 at the time. The Falcon was easier to get into, had lots of room in the back seat, they were easy to view traffic and pedestrians like school children when driving and there were a reasonable amount of them around. At 64 I still prefer the Falcon obviously from a practical point of view. Nice trunk as well. Obviously the Mustang is a much cooler and better looking car. The Falcon screams old fart who's sexually frustrated. Even the interior in the back of the Stang was shaped like a love seat. Incredible looking car perfectly designed and marketed.

[@livewire2759]

Why was the Mustang so successful? It wasn't just the styling. The thing that really made it work is that it appealed to everyone. Men and women of all ages liked it because of it's looks, it's performance and it's drivability. From the young women who liked it for its size and young men who liked the sporty looks and performance to the middle aged men who needed an inexpensive, yet sporty car to drive to work, to middle aged women who needed something to bring home the groceries in, to older men who wanted to feel young again, and even older women who liked it for being easy to handle and operate. The Mustang really was the perfect car for everyone. BTW, I'm a Chevy guy through and through, and I have no shame in admitting this... but I also must point out that other than the original design T-bird, the Mustang is the only good looking car Ford ever made.

[@OrangeBoss-ww8eb]

just bought 64 1/2 from orginal owner he was so sad when I drove it away I was too for him also

[@bwtv147]

The first notchback and convertible Mustangs were called 1965 models. The fastback was called a 1965 1/2 model.

[@Mr_Chris77]

No more background music. Otherwise, great video.

[@arnepianocanada]

Ford also did not load 1st-gen Mustangs with high-end options so as to avoid Thunderbird 'personal luxury' territory - likely due in part to awareness of recent Mercury Meteor flop due to Comet cutting into its size territory.

[@willbrown2999]

Love it or hate it the Greatest Car Ever

[@06retd22]

64-68 era best looking Mustang ever

[@willbrown2999]

Iconic

[@brentroscoe9922]

I have a friend with a a 64 mustang it is a straight 6 but still cool with 987 miles

[@benoitlaferriere8581]

Mustang are forever

[@Janet71990]

The Mustang was released early mid or late 64 or 65 today?

[@Curtislow2]

I totaled my Mom's 1964 1/2 (6 cyl.) Ford Mustang in 1971. Lucky the 6 of us survived.

[@ianhillman4007]

If the car accident didn't kill you, I'm surprised your mom didn't. 😂😂😂

[@Curtislow2]

@@ianhillman4007 if only you knew!

[@BeingMe23]

I bet few are aware that Ford made 1963 Mustang 4 door concept car. It didn't look bad either.

[@BuickParkAvenue]

The 4 door mustang looked good, It might have sold well if it was released.

[@MichaelOKeefe2009]

OldCarMemories = The Wolfe Pit

[@chuckselvage3157]

The coolest car ever.

[@andydavenhall]

"Ironically the first pony car witch was the Plymouth Barracuda named after a fish..

[@low-phas]

Love the channel but I never want to hear "The 1964 and a half Mustang" repeated this often over and over in my life ever again.

[@jack002tuber]

They advertised it a lot, a whole lot, coming out mid-year there were no other new cars to compete with at the time, and the options were almost endless.

[@JAWZMUZIK1]

We love u

[@BackMarkerStudios]

As most of us know, there is no such thing as a 1964-1/2 Mustang, only 1965 models, but we live with the '64-1/2 moniker (not a Ford designation) so enthusiasts can distinguish the first five months of production and some of their unique properties from those built after July 1964. Your video implies Ford released the Mustang as a 1964-1/2 model, which is incorrect and mis-leading to the uninitiated, but that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

[@KELLYNOC]

First Mustangs were built on a Falcon chassis.

[@johnvanlindingham9490]

The Volkswagen Beetle!

[@chrisgreenaway6696]

You should do on mercury’s cyclone/ montego GT how they are such beautiful cars but a sales flop

[@wizardofahhhs759]

390 Cyclone GT is my dream car.

[@chrisgreenaway6696]

@@wizardofahhhs759 mine is a 72 montego GT 351 CJ

[@londonghoulchannel6409]

Please do a 71 to 71 dodge charger video, or at least a super bee video

[@BuickParkAvenue]

There was also a rare 2 door mustang wagon.

[@donaldclay9535]

The 1967-1968 Fastbacks are the Greatest Mustangs of All Time.

[@bartricky5894]

They were special but at that time there were bunches of C1 Corvettes available for the same or less money and much cooler... Thanks

[@chasbuchanan4195]

'64 was the C4 Corvette

[@crankyyankee7290]

@@chasbuchanan4195 C 4 was in '84. C 2 was '63.

[@lisasmith9311]

Fun fact nobody knew is the Ford Mustang horse was designed and sculpted by Bill Swan at international fiberglass and this is the exact horse the emblem was COPIED from but the man who copied it worked at Ford so he got full credit the only thing Bill got was a 3D print out of theford horse,a Thank you card from Edsel and 100 for the horse and his family has the horse now

[@Nebulasecura]

I prefer the convertible and the coupe over the fastbacks. Fight me.

[@scottdunn2178]

These cars have a soul... your BMW does not.

[@BeingMe23]

Does anyone remember the Ford Probe in the late 1980s? Well Ford was going to make it the generation of a Mustang! 😠

[@metrocop_elite]

Hey. Theres a mustang that got burned and it stays half.

[@geraldscott4302]

I wish people would quit calling early production 1965 Mustangs as 1964 1/2. There is no such thing as a 1964 1/2 Mustang. All car manufacturers used to come out with their next years models several months before the year ended. The Mustang was no exception, and all first year Mustangs are 1965 models. The 1966 model actually started production in 1965, but they don't call it a 1965 1/2 model. This is nothing against the early Mustangs, which I think are great cars. But it is just not the truth. I think it is so sad what the Mustang has become. It went from being a wonderful car to nothing more than a computerized appliance with huge GHETTO wheels and no tires. My daily driver is a 2003 V6 Mustang, which came with 16" ghettos. I was able to find a set of 15" wheels from a '99 V6 Mustang so I could put real tires on it. I also see a lot of otherwise beautiful vintage Mustangs being destroyed by huge GHETTO wheels.

[@NikkiWrightVGM]

You really gotta cut down your script a bit. You said "1964 1/2 Mustang" like 5 times over the course of 30 seconds. This isn't a book report :P

[@johnmirbach2338]

😁✌👍🖖👌😎

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

I'll have to say the mustang was a cool car but being born in 60 I was a little young,however I personally like the Camaro body style much better.

[@hobartw9770]

I have to say that the Mustang was the best looking and the Barracuda was the worst looking of early pony cars.

[@bazcar22]

Ah yes, but what about the E Type Jag?

[@erroneouscode]

Lose the music so non Americans can concentrate on your voice.

[@cva1122]

KIll the background music, friend. Distracting. Your voice is enough.

[@nickythebull82]

I dunno the 74-78 mustang is the most successful

[@karrpilot7092]

He keeps referring it to a sports car. It certainly is not. It was, and still is, a pony car.