Sometimes, on very rare occasions, a fad becomes something more. Take the Beatles, for instance. They came over to the U.S. with their “long hair” and “rock music.” They were dismissed as a mere fad by frowning adults the Beatles would go on to influence modern music for decades to come for many of us. However, that fad grew into a cultural icon and the Beatles set the pace for much of the rock music that we have today.

The Ford Mustang is another cultural icon that has followed a similar path. One of the first muscle cars, this “fad” went on to set the standard by which other cars are compared when it comes to performance and handling. April 17, 1964 was the day that changed automotive history. It was the day that the Ford Mustang was unveiled and there was a subsequent scramble of other car manufacturers in an effort to create their own versions of his performance cars. Nevertheless, the Pony car remains at the top of the heap. Just as the Beatles did for music, so did the Mustang do for cars: it set a standard by which all other muscle cars would be compared.

The Ford Mustang was America’s sweetheart from the moment it rolled off of the production line. Touted as one of the most successful product launches in automotive history, the unveiling of the Ford Mustang generated quite a buzz with the American public.

So much buzz was generated within the fist 18 months that more than one million units were sold. As with other highly popular products that have enchanted the public throughout history, legends surround the Mustang. There are stories of men sleeping at the dealership in their Mustang while waiting for their checks to clear. Other equally interesting stories surround the All American car.

Ford’s marketing campaign was not only genius for its day, but it was also one of the most profitable in history. The day before unveiling the Mustang, Ford ran Mustang commercials on the three major networks, ABC, NBC, and CBS, at 9:30 p.m. This created the buzz about the car that would eventually lead to a buying frenzy. The following day, April 17, 1964, the Ford Mustang was unveiled at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York.

Henry Ford II introduced the Mustang at the Ford Pavilion at the same time that he introduced the Walt Disney’s Magic Skyway ride. The ride placed guests in Ford vehicles as they rode through history.

Early Mustangs were available with four engine options. One was the 289 cubic inch High Performance V 8. That bad boy kicked it with 271 horses. As word go out, dealerships were overwhelmed with people who wanted to be among the groundbreakers who owned a Ford Mustang.

The very first Mustang off of the production line was a Wimbledon White convertible that sported a 260 cubic inch V 8. Its VIN was 5F08F100001. This now historic little car first made its rounds as a promotional tool for Ford and the Mustang until Stanley Tucker, an airline captain from Canada, acquired it.

Tucker kept Mustang 5F08F100001 in Canada for some time, but in 1966, the then executive director of the Henry Ford Museum, Donald Shelly, requested acquisition of the car. Shelly indicated, in a letter, that he believed that the Ford Mustang would become a milestone in the automotive industry. He was right on the mark.