Anniversary Celebrations Gain Speed
by CP Staff
The state of Alabama has officially declared April 17, 2009 to be "Mustang Day," as thousands of Mustang enthusiasts converge on the city of Birmingham to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the Ford Mustang.
Combined efforts by the Mustang Club of America (MCA) and Ford Motor Company have resulted in a four day extravaganza that runs from Thursday, the 16th through Sunday, the 19th of April.
Jim Farley, Ford Group Vice President of Marketing and Communications, commented, "Mustang created the segment and remains America’s number one muscle car delivering a fast, fun and affordable car that personifies the freedom of the open road."
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The Ford Mustang was first shown on April 17, 1964 at the New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens. The 1964½ Mustang debuted at a price of $2,368 – a bargain even then. Ford expected annual sales of about 100,000 units, but 22,000 orders were taken on the first day and sales reached an astounding 417,000 in the car’s first 12 months on the market.
Steven McCarley, president of the 11,000-member Mustang Club of America, says the 45th anniversary festivities are expected to draw Mustang fans from all over the world. "We have people coming in from 15 foreign countries, including Australia, Denmark and France,” he said. “And some of them may be bringing their cars with them."
Also in attendance will be nine original owners of the 1964½ Mustang and their historic pony cars.
"I can hardly believe my sweet car is 45 years old," said Laki Malamatenios, one of the original 1964½ owners from Grass Valley, CA. "I remember when I first bought it, people used to stop me all the time and ask what kind of a 'Ferrari' I had, and I used to say, 'This isn't a horse, it's a pony.'"
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