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Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Old Apr 16, 2004 | 01:49 PM
  #1  
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Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Ah, the Mustang, the arch-rival!

If it wasn't for this car, we wouldn't have Camaro or Firebird. This is the car that outran Camaros for just as many years as Camaro outran it. The pony car that has CEO names as it's gardian angels, such as Don Peterson, Harold Poling, and now Bill Ford. Almost turned into a FWD 4 banger in 1989, almost killed off in 1992, the new version almost turned into a Infinity G35-type car by Jac Nasser before being returned to it's roots.

Like it or not, this car WON the pony car wars.

Did you know:

* Mustang had no marketing research done, but the Edsel had plenty? The figures used to gain approval for the Mustang were completely made up to save time & money!

*Henry Ford had to have his arm twisted to approve it, by telling one of the product people he was "sick of hearing about your f****** Mustang.... it's going to be your a** if it doesn't sell."

*Mustang once had it's own postage stamp!

*Current Ford CEO Bill Ford has had a Mustang from every year it was produced since 1979, when he got it as a graduation gift from his dad as a graduation present!

This explains alot, here's what Bill Ford says about the Mustang:
""The Mustang's always made money, but its importance has always been way beyond financial. It's a halo car for other products. Its contribution to the company always has been greater than its sales," he says.

"If you have a brand, an icon, like Mustang, and you treat it like just another vehicle, you're making an enormous mistake."
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-04-16-mustang-40_x.htm

That's the advantage when you are a small company and your name's on the building versus a very large one where there are layers of people who are more concerned with large profit margins than a partictular car's history.


Also: 100,000 people and 3000 Mustangs show up at Mustang's anniversary party in Nashville!
http://www.tennessean.com/local/arch...nt_ID=49996175

Give credit where it's due. While we keep debating about whether SS or Z28 should be the top Camaro, or whine and belly ache about why Camaro can't be quicker than Corvette, or these pointless retro vs non-retro debates, Mustang keeps trucking along with scores of devoted fans. It would be intresting to see if Camaro can pull this turnout & excitement on it's 40th... assuming it's replacement even carries the Camaro name.

Kind of makes those "All Camaro needs is a big engine" posts or those old, tired, & extremely pathetic "Mustang is a woman's car" posts seem very painfully stupid, doesn't it?
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 01:56 PM
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We haven't seen anything yet from Team Mustang. If the public knew what was coming, their head would spin...
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 02:01 PM
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this article pisses me off in all the right places.
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 02:10 PM
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Originally posted by IREngineer
We haven't seen anything yet from Team Mustang. If the public knew what was coming, their head would spin...
I know!


To all, here's another article on Mustang's anniversary celebration in Tennesee: http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins...a01-124907.htm

I think it's a shoe-in for all channels of national news tonight.

I really wonder if Lutz and company are still debating the Camaro name since I'm sure they are aware of all this.
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 02:14 PM
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I'm going to Bowling Green this year no matter what. I don't care if I have to get fired from a job or miss a class presentation, I'm going! This is going to be the year RP quits smoking, damnit. Thats pretty bad when Mustang anniversary parties get over 3000 cars, and our Camaro meetings can't even turn up 4 digits...

Last edited by Meccadeth; Apr 16, 2004 at 02:17 PM.
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 06:13 PM
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Thats pretty cool.

[rant mode on]Being a Camaro fan, I must say I envy the Mustang and Corvette and their fan bases. I know there are some diehard Camaro nuts out there (like me ) but its NOTHING compared to Stang and Vette fans. These people go all out, get the logos of their cars tatooed on them sometimes, have rooms in their houses totally devoted to their favorite car, hell at christmas ive seen Mustang symbols made out of christmas lights even, and they turn out in DROVES for stuff like this while we cant even attract 1000 f-bodies to Bowling Green in Sept. And for the C6/C5 bash, how many Vettes you think are gonna be at Bowling Green? I guarentee a ton, not as many as this, but still quite a bit. I think part of the problem (for having a diehard fan base at least) is that when a Camaro nut gets older and makes more $$, it seems they will majority of the time step up to the Corvette and why not? It has two seats but otherwise is a much better car performance wise. [rant mode off]

Sorry, but when you see stuff like this and then you think about the stuff that guion pointed out (SS vs Z28 debates, retro vs non-retro, 3rd gen vs 4th gen, etc.) it just makes one sick.

Last edited by SFireGT98; Apr 17, 2004 at 02:37 PM.
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 06:15 PM
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Originally posted by Big Als Z
this article pisses me off in all the right places.
WHY???????

Its an event that shows clearly HOW MUCH PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE CAR! Its not the Camaro, but oh well, maybe GM should look at this kinda stuff when they start debating on whether to call the performance coupe Camaro or some other whacked out name, not to mention actually hosting this kinda stuff when the "C" car comes back! Does wonders for publicity!
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 06:19 PM
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Originally posted by SMUJeremy
I was told at orientation that the Mustang was named after my school's mascot. Anyone know if this is true?

Southern Methodist University - SMU Mustangs

I think the story went something like, there was a football game, and whoever named the car said the winner's mascot would be the name of this new sports car. I think that is how it went, I havnt heard the story in awhile.
"The name Mustang was suggested by Ford executive stylist John Najjar. He was an aficionado of the P-51 Mustang fighter plane of World War II."

Here ya go, straight out of the second article.
Old Apr 16, 2004 | 11:04 PM
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Re: Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Originally posted by guionM
Like it or not, this car (Mustang) WON the pony car wars.
If the Camaro would have had to go through the same history with all the removals from its roots, all the split personalities, and the selling out of its evolution as the Mustang to win the war, then I'm glad we lost.
Old Apr 17, 2004 | 12:31 PM
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Re: Re: Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Originally posted by Meccadeth
If the Camaro would have had to go through the same history with all the removals from its roots, all the split personalities, and the selling out of its evolution as the Mustang to win the war, then I'm glad we lost.
Not to start a mustang vs camaro debate or anything, but outside of the Mustang II, what other mustang strayed from its roots?

Ironic thing is, a couple of weeks back, guys here were saying they'll accept nothing short of a low to the ground, sleek, 5th gen, and that a camaro more like the 1st gen (more upright, etc...) isn't to their liking. From a pony car to a sports car with 2 extra seats. That's not straying from its roots? Without turning this into a retro vs modern argument, i'll use the Sn95 mustang as an example. You can look at an Sn95 and 1st gen mustang and see the similarities, but can you do that with a 1st gen and a 4th gen camaro?

The mustang didn't stray from its roots or change personalities as much as some would have us believe. And the camaro wasn't immune to this personality and appearance changes either.
Old Apr 17, 2004 | 02:30 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Originally posted by RiceEating5.0
. You can look at an Sn95 and 1st gen mustang and see the similarities, but can you do that with a 1st gen and a 4th gen camaro?
WHAT! You can honestly tell me that a the SN95 mustang looks similar to the 1st mustangs!! Wow, now you guys are really pushing it.
So let me get this strait... the new "retro" mustang, which was designed off the first mustangs, really looks like the last SN95 mustangs... but the SN95 mustangs look like the 1st gen stangs? Am I the only one seeing the BS being tossed around here by our blue oval boys here?
I have had enough of this crap slung from you and Target. You cant keep you lies and BS in order. Its not even funny anymore.
Next you will say the Fox body mustangs look like Enzo Ferrari's...
Old Apr 17, 2004 | 02:47 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Originally posted by Big Als Z
WHAT! You can honestly tell me that a the SN95 mustang looks similar to the 1st mustangs!!
While the SN95 Mustang doesnt look totally like the 1st Mustangs, they both share some big heritage styling cues, like the triple slot rear taillights and side vents. Personally I would love to see the 5th gen come with more heritage styling cues than the 4th gen did, we're apparently getting round taillights (if you look at what Chevy is doing with their current models, it makes sense) which is a start but we need some other big ones that scream CAMARO to onlookers. Maybe a return of the 1969 side "shark gills" would work?
Old Apr 17, 2004 | 02:49 PM
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Dude, chill out. They've been here for 3 years or more. They've contributed much more to this board than you have, show a little respect... Just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean you have to degrade these threads to a 3rd grade argument level...

If you don't like what they say, just put them on ignore or stop coming to this section, its that easy

Last edited by Meccadeth; Apr 17, 2004 at 02:56 PM.
Old Apr 17, 2004 | 03:15 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Originally posted by Big Als Z
WHAT! You can honestly tell me that a the SN95 mustang looks similar to the 1st mustangs!! Wow, now you guys are really pushing it.
So let me get this strait... the new "retro" mustang, which was designed off the first mustangs, really looks like the last SN95 mustangs... but the SN95 mustangs look like the 1st gen stangs? Am I the only one seeing the BS being tossed around here by our blue oval boys here?
I have had enough of this crap slung from you and Target. You cant keep you lies and BS in order. Its not even funny anymore.
Next you will say the Fox body mustangs look like Enzo Ferrari's...
Lies and BS? Do you read half the crap you post? Veterans like Guion and others have disputed every single one of your biased, misleading, anti-ford rants as BS. You wanna accuse Guion of spewing BS too? Lol, SFireGT98 just drove my point home. Even your f-body brethrens are pointing out your mistakes. Newb.

Let me simplify this down for you since comprehension isn't one of your better qualities. Go back and read what i said....slowly.

No, allow me to do this for you since that seems to be above you.

"You can look at an Sn95 and 1st gen mustang and see the similarities"

Now without taking my words out of context (I know that’s asking for too much), think of that quote. Where'd i say that they LOOK ALIKE? There's a DIFFERENCE between having similar traits (cues) and looking exactly a like. Did you get that part?

Now let’s look at the similarities i was pointing at. First off, there's the signature long hood, short deck design. Tri-bar tail-lights, twin pod dash, retro styled wheels (aka bullit, Mach 1, etc...), running pony in the grille, fake/simulated side vents in front of rear wheel, some classic colors, Shaker hood for Mach, retro gauges on Bullitt, and a host of other smaller things that connect the early mustangs to the current one. Despite the Sn95 having a modern body, some cues that tie it to the 1st gen mustang are evident. It has lots of heritage cues.

This flawed logic is evident in all your posts. And you accuse us of spewing BS. Case of the pot calling the kettle black?

Last edited by RiceEating5.0; Apr 17, 2004 at 03:30 PM.
Old Apr 17, 2004 | 03:29 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Couple of Mustang 40th anniversary articles (good read)

Originally posted by Big Als Z
So let me get this strait... the new "retro" mustang, which was designed off the first mustangs, really looks like the last SN95 mustangs... but the SN95 mustangs look like the 1st gen stangs? Am I the only one seeing the BS being tossed around here by our blue oval boys here?
Can you pull up past quotes of mine? Sounds like another case of you mis-comprehending and twisting words around.

Things i've said about the 05:

*the 2005 has cues from the Sn95. Which some here seem to overlook.
*that it is NOT a "carbon copy" (aka exact copy) of the 1st gen.
*that it has obvious and major cues from the 1st gen.

*shakes head*. At least, get your facts straight.

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