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.

From the moment that the Ford Mustang rolled off the production line, it was America’s sweetheart. The Ford Mustang launch is considered one of the most successful product launches in automotive history. The unveiling created considerable excitement among the American pubic.

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.

The genius of Ford’s marketing campaign is considered 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. The buzz that was generated propelled consumers into a buying frenzy on April 17, 1964 and for the two years following the unveiling, which occurred at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York.

The Ford Pavilion housed the unveiling. When Henry Ford II introduced Walt Disney’s Magic Skyway ride he also introduced the Mustang. On the ride, the guests rode in Ford vehicles as they rode through history.

There were four engine options that came with the early Mustangs. One of the more powerful was the 289 cubic inch High Performance V 8 with 271 horsepower. This move introduced American to a real muscle car and the hunger for power was ignited. People overwhelmed the dealerships as they all wanted to be among the first to own a Ford Mustang.

The very first Mustang was a Wimbledon White convertible. With a 260 cubic inch V 8 under the hood, it rolled off the production line with the legendary first Mustang VIN: 5F08F100001. Ford used it to promote the Mustang and it toured the United States. Then a Canadian airline captain, Stanley Tucker, acquired it and it left the country.

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.