The Ford Mustang first arrived as a 1965 model 12 months and took America by storm. Ford projected a first-year sales goal of 150,000 units sold, but by the tip of ’65, 418,000 Mustangs found recent homes. Amongst those hundreds was a Wimbledon White example, with a 260 cubic-inch V8 engine under the hood. There have been likely many produced in such a mixture, but this particular example was special, because it bore the Vehicle Identity Number (VIN) 5F08F100001. For those who have not worked it out yet, this Wimbledon White drop-top was the very first Mustang — chassis primary.
Chassis one actually found its method to Newfoundland, Canada. Here, it was given to George Parsons Ford as a display piece. On April 14, 1964, Captain Stanley Tucker happened to be passing, and the Mustang Convertible caught his eye. In he strolled, a deal was struck, and — despite the Mustang only ever being intended as a display piece on the dealership — Tucker walked away having put his name down for the sleek recent ‘Stang. This was the primary of 180 pre-production Mustangs, and it never must have been sold. One way or the other, Tucker managed to twist the dealer’s arm and walk away because the very first Mustang owner.
Ford got in contact with Tucker. The Blue Oval brand was keen to get their hands back on chassis primary, but Tucker was smitten, and didn’t want to provide it up. So Ford approached him with a suggestion he simply couldn’t refuse.
Tucker secured the one-in-a-million Mustang, twice
By early 1966, Captain Stanley Tucker had covered around 10,000 miles in his beloved Mustang, but Ford was just as keen as ever to recuperate the automotive. By this point, Mustangs had been selling like hot cakes, and the millionth Mustang was attributable to hit the production line. The choice was made to supply Tucker a trade — the very first Mustang for the millionth, and he could pick the spec.
Tucker took the offer, and really went to town in spec’ing up his recent Mustang. Once more, he opted for a Convertible, this time in Silver Frost Metallic. Upon the choices sheet, Tucker simply left a big ‘X,’ signifying he wanted the lot. All bar the high-performance 289ci V8, as that carried a shorter warranty period. The deal was done. Ford got their very first ‘Stang back, donated it to the Henry Ford Museum, and Tucker was supplied with a high quality brand recent model, once more with a historically vital VIN. Tucker was also capable of meet Lee Iacocca — not only probably the most influential figures in automotive history, but in addition father of the Mustang and Ford Vice President.
Based on information from the Henry Ford, Tucker told an interviewer from the Mustang Monthly magazine that he did somewhat regret making the swap some 17 years later, although enthusiasts would likely argue that the all-important first Mustang deserved to go home, because it were.
Where the primary and millionth Mustang are today
By all accounts, Captain Stanley Tucker loved his Mustang. Nonetheless, Tucker — not knowing how special the automotive was when he first acquired it — didn’t treat the Wimbledon White first Mustang like anything apart from what it was, a automotive. Racking up 10,000 miles through regular use and harsh Canadian winters, the primary Mustang was already looking a bit rough when the Henry Ford Museum acquired it, a lot so that they opted to repaint the automotive as a substitute of preserving the unique finish.
Tucker behaved very much the identical with the millionth Mustang too, driving it throughout those cold winters, and even pulling a trailer with it. Based on Motortrend, Tucker sold the Mustang to his mechanic within the mid ’70s. He also confirmed that he kept no paperwork, and so the VIN of the millionth Mustang is now lost to history. It’s likely that the vital ‘Stang is long gone, but the chance that it’s hidden under a tarp stays, and that thought should keep Mustang and barn find hunters occupied for a lot of more years yet. Given the demise and disappearance of the millionth Mustang, it’s for one of the best that Ford managed to prize the primary ever model from Tucker’s hands, even though it’s equally as delightful to know that the historic ‘Stang got to live out its life with Tucker on the wheel, moderately than spend all eternity tucked up as a museum piece.
This Article First Appeared At www.jalopnik.com
