When Ford unveiled the Mustang on April 17th, 1964, it caused a showroom stampede. Potential customers inundated dealerships, eager to hand over their cash to take one home. Our featured car is one such vehicle, driven off the lot by its first owner on April 21st, 1964. It presents superbly, featuring the D-Code 289ci V8 under the hood. The seller believes it deserves a new home with a genuine enthusiast, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting it listed here on eBay in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada. The seller set their price at $48,000, although the currency type is unclear.
It really was a case of “the quick or the dead” when Ford unveiled the Mustang at the World’s Fair on April 17th, 1964. The company received 22,000 firm orders on the first day, and the production tally would hit 121,538 cars by the end of that model year. It proved the tip of the iceberg, with the company placed in the enviable position of being unable to build cars in sufficient numbers to meet buyer demand. This Hardtop left the showroom four days after the badge’s public launch, making it an extremely early example. It is unclear when it was refurbished, but the process included repainting the car in its original shade of Sunlight Yellow. It presents superbly, with no cosmetic shortcomings or signs of rust. The chrome wheels look striking against the sparkling paint, but since my reference material suggests that Ford didn’t introduce them until the 1965 model year, they can’t be original to this car. The trim looks exceptional, and the glass is crystal clear.
Lifting the Mustang’s hood reveals a D-Code 289ci V8, a motor only available during the 1964½ production run. It is bolted to a four-speed manual transmission, while the first owner also equipped the car with power steering. The D-Code delivers 210hp and 300 ft/lbs of torque, placing it between the figures produced by the 1965 C-Code and A-Code. The seller suggests that the motor is original and received a few unspecified upgrades during a professional rebuild. However, it retains crucial components such as its original carburetor, generator, and factory four-speed. The seller upgraded the brakes to front disc brakes and a dual-master-cylinder setup, and added Shelby front suspension. Most of those changes could be reversed for authenticity, but since the car is a turnkey proposition, the new owner could make that decision at their leisure.
I’m unsure whether to describe this Mustang’s interior as perfect, but its condition is extremely impressive. Trimmed in Black vinyl, it features a console, Rally-Pac gauges, and a pushbutton radio. There is no wear or evidence of abuse, and the overall appearance suggests it has been treated respectfully since being restored. I believe the presentation is probably good enough to receive praise on the show circuit, and the same would be true at any Cars & Coffee.
I’ve been a classic enthusiast for decades, and I can’t remember another car that generated as much genuine buyer interest as the First Generation Ford Mustang. The marketing approach was elegantly simple, allowing customers to slip behind the wheel of a vehicle for a far lower figure than its exotic styling might have suggested. This 1964½ Mustang is a beauty, and one of the earliest examples we have seen at Barn Finds. My only disappointment is that the restorer has strayed from the faithful path during their build. However, the changes are reversible, raising the question: would you return the Mustang to its factory form, or enjoy it as is?
A very nice car that I would leave just the way it is. Original is not all it’s cracked up to be. Would you really bring this car home, put it in the garage and start taking off the Shelby suspension parts and putting the original junk back on? Or take the disc brakes off and put drums back on? You are crazy if you do. To me there is something about cream yellow paint and black interior in the 1960s that just turns me on. $48,000 worth, I’m not sure about that. I could buy a really nice car for that much. One more thing Adam, it’s not a 64 and a half Mustang. FORD never called them that. Nowhere on the car does it say 64. It’s an EARLY 65. There, I said it.
Kinda crazy that a car sold in April 1964 would be registered as a 1965. At that rate, shouldn’t it be a 64 1/3?
I bet your a blast at parties. Pontiac never referred to the GTO as the goat but we all heard it called that. Open your mind you’ll have more fun
I had one in va. And my title said 641/2
At that price,I doubt it will go to a “genuine enthusiast”,
more than likely to end up selling to a wealthy collector who
has a big collection of cars.
It does look like a nice car.
So, a wealthy collector cannot be a genuine enthusiast?
Asking for a friend. 🤓
Since this car is advertised on Canadian Craigslist the price is in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified. $48000 Canadian is just under $35000 US dollars which to me seems like a good price for it.
This looks great. Love the light yellow and black interior combination too. A 289 V8 and a stick is always a huge plus for me. Especially with an early Mustang. Curvette: you just keep on finding great cars!! I always appreciate you submitting them. And Adam, you pick some really great cars to write up to and I always enjoy them. Thank you both.
All those references to 1964 1/2, somebody is trying to cause trouble
I’m the proud owner of a 1986 1/2 Ford Escort. All original.
Beyond not being available on the early ’65s, those wheels are oversized, probably 17″ (because the upper ball joint has to fit inside the wheel if you want to use wider wheels)
I always thought early V8 Mustangs came with the 260 and not the 289.
They came with the 260, 289, and HiPo 289 and of course the 6 cylinder was also available.
Early mustangs did come with the 260 and then the factory upgraded it to 289 with the option of a 390
390 S code first became available for the’67 model year.
The engine isn’t completely original on the exterior, it has the wrong timing cover on it. In 64 the timing cover had an oil fill tube on the passenger side and the valve covers didn’t have an oil cap on them. This one has the cap and is missing the fill tube on the timing cover.
My 66′ is Springtime Yellow and black interior, percentage wise not as many painted that color.
One more time with feeling “No such factory designation as a ‘64 1/2.” It is confusing, because the factory did designate a ‘63 1/2 for several models.
That being said, the styled steel wheels were an available option on day one.
The Ford Mustang made its debut at the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York, marking the start of the pony car era and creating a new class of automobiles with its long hood and short deck design
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. Production began slightly earlier, on March 9, 1964, and the very first Mustang, known as Mustang Serial Number One, was sold on April 14, 1964, at a dealership in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
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. Enthusiasts often refer to these early models as the 1964½ Mustangs, although they were officially marketed as 1965 models
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The Mustang was initially offered as a hardtop and convertible, with the fastback version following in August 1964
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. It shared its platform with the Ford Falcon and was designed to be a compact, affordable, and sporty car with multiple engine and trim options. The launch exceeded expectations, selling over 400,000 units in its first year, far surpassing Ford’s original projection of 100,000
Great colour.
It is crazy no matter how hard we try to tell people there is no such thing as a 64 1/2 Mustang , they just keep saying they have one. I even tell them my source is Gale Halderman who was the lead designer. It doesn’t matter they still think they have one! It is possible there car has an early production number, but they were all titled as 1965’s.
I feel the explanation is simple, because American cars makers generally released new model years in September, and with Ford trying to take advantage of the early release for the Worlds fair in April a 5 month segment of 1965 model cars sort of created its own common definition by classifying them as 1964 1/2. Unofficial but common and generally accepted in both the public and automotive circles as an acceptable designation. Still works today as it seems, although controversial.
All the 64 1/2 mustangs I remember had the 260 V8 with 4 lug wheels.
Correct if it wasn’t a 6 cylinder
There were some mechanical differences between the cars built before August 1965 and those earlier. They would be registered as ‘65s, but dealers may have made the designation for parts purposes .
The only thing I’d change is the color. Solid driver just as it sits.
didn’t the “64 1/2″ come with 13″ wheels? And 1964’s with 14”?
Lost me at 1964 1/2; there is no such thing. The sooner we stop talking 1964 1/2 the better. The bottom line is, do you want a smaller engine and a generator, or the bigger engine and the superior alternator.