Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith Seymore
Yes -
When we introduced the GMT820C (GMT800 Cadillac Escalade) we brought it out in January of 2001 as a 2002 model year vehicle.
The only (federal) requirement was that we could not encompass two "January 1sts" within the same model year.
K
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Keith, didn't it also have to meet any new for 2002 standards such as for emissions, safety, etc.?
From what I've ever seen, the Mustang guys only refer to the 64-1/2 as a way to distinguish the early '65 builds from the later ones. Seems to me, the later ones essentially had running changes, just like all car models did (some of the Mustang changes may be viewed as a little more significant than the typical running changes).
Just the same, they were all '65 Mustangs. Ford was trying to make it seem that the car was so radically "new", it was next year's model, introduced early rather than have it come out as a late '64 introduction where it would have immediately seemed more dated.
IIRC, Pontiac introduced the '04 Grand Prix in April '03, jumping the gun on the '04 Model Year, same as the Mustang. GM put the fwd X body models out in April '79 as 1980 models.
Some of you guys seemed to miss the reason why this was a "first" Mustang sale.
Even though the Mustang was introduced at mid year, they still planned for an "opening day" when the Dealers were first allowed to sell them.
Just like what typically happened in Sept or Oct every Model Year, dealers began taking delivery of the new models but were forbidden from selling them until the "opening day" distated by the automaker. This was to level the playing field for all dealers. Gave the manufacturer time to supply inventory to all dealers before any of them were allowed to sell one. Otherwise, a dealer could complain that he lost a sale because a rival dealer got his supply first. It also had the effect of building pent up demand as buyers anxiously awaited the chance to be the first on their block with a brand new model.
Same for the Mustang. Opening day was April 17, 1964. NOBODY was supposed to sell one before that date.
What the story made clear, Johnson Ford (same dealership where my dad bought a new '65 Country Squire wagon, but I digress
) cheated, showed this lady a Mustang they had in the back and sold it to her before they were officially allowed to do so. It was in the back rather than on display in the showroom, because they knew the rules.
The dealer that sold the one on April 16 also jumped the gun. I'd bet this was more common than one might think every model year introduction. If 2 Mustangs were sold before the official opening day, I bet several others were. Who jumped first, how would anybody know, unless they got caught? But consider that the first deliveries were made weeks before opening day. So it took some discipline for a dealer NOT to sell them and probably the strong threat of penalties for breaking the rules also kept dealers in line.
I always think one owner cars are cool. Even though I hated the first Mustang I ever saw (pure jealousy, saw a 4th grade classmate getting dropped off spring '64, my memory says it was most likely poppy red) and they never grew on me, the story of this one is pretty neat.