Happy Birtday Mustang! And a special milestone.

April 17th, 1964. That was the day that the automotive world was turned on it's ear. It was on this day that Ford Motor Company unveiled the all new 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang. Launched at the New York Worlds Fair, the Mustang quickly rose to be Ford's best selling car since the Model A. It also launched the pony car craze that led to the muscle car. Ford sold over 400,000 Mustangs in 1964. 100,000 of which were sold in the first 3 months of production.

That leads us to today's milestone. 49 years to the day of the introduction of the Mustang, Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan plant produced it's 1 millionth Mustang. Production of the Mustang was moved to Flat Rock from the famous Rouge factory in 2004 for the launch of the redesigned 2005 Mustang. Since 1964, over 8.5 million Mustangs have been tearing up American roads.

The car, a ruby red 2014 convertible was driven off the line by Raj Nair, Ford's Vice President for global product development. The production of the 1 millionth Flat Rock Mustang also helps to launch the 50th anniversary year of the Mustang. 


Source: Ford Motor Co.

Press release:

FLAT ROCK, Mich., April 17, 2013 – Happy Birthday Mustang! Forty-nine years to the day after its 1964 debut in New York, the iconic sports car celebrates another milestone: One million Mustangs have rolled off the line at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant since production moved there in 2004. Ford is celebrating this milestone as year 50 of continuous Mustang production gets under way at Flat Rock Assembly.

 

Raj Nair, group vice president for global product development, today rode off the line at Flat Rock Assembly Plant in a Ruby Red 2014 Mustang convertible. Nair was riding shotgun with Ed Salna, material planning and logistics manager at the plant. Salna is a 27-year veteran of Flat Rock Assembly, starting work there more than a year before the plant produced its first car.

 

“Mustang is one of the most beloved nameplates in the industry, with fans around the world and throughout Ford Motor Company,” said Nair. “The team here at Flat Rock Assembly has built an outstanding reputation for quality while producing one million Mustangs over the last nine years, and we expect that to continue for many years to come.”

 

Ford has built Mustangs near its home base in Dearborn, Mich. for 49 years. The car was built at Ford’s famous Rouge factory, just a few minutes from company headquarters, for four decades before moving a few miles south to Flat Rock in 2004.

 

Introduced in April 1964, Mustang proved to be far more popular than anyone expected, prompting Ford to add production capacity outside Michigan. By early 1965 plants in Metuchen, N.J. and San Jose, Calif. were also building Mustang. Less than two years later, on Wednesday, March 2, 1966, the one-millionth Mustang rolled off the line in Dearborn. To date, Ford has produced and sold more than 8.5 million Mustangs.

 

The launch of Mustang production at Flat Rock coincided with introduction of the then all-new fifth-generation model – first in the series to get a dedicated platform. In addition to the standard V6 and the V8-powered GT model, Mustangs coming out of Flat Rock Assembly Plant have included several special editions and race cars:

 

• In 2006 Flat Rock built a limited run of black and gold Shelby GT-H coupes for Hertz rental fleets to commemorate the 1966 Shelby GT350H rental car
• 2007 brought the debut of the Shelby GT500 Mustang developed by SVT with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 producing 500 horsepower, the most ever for a Mustang then
• For the 2008 and 2009 model years, the Mustang lineup included the Bullitt, inspired by the car driven by the title character in the 1968 film of the same name
• For the 2012 and 2013 model years, Flat Rock built the track-optimized Boss 302
• The Flat Rock line has produced numerous competition versions of Mustang including the FR500, Boss 302R and the extremely successful Cobra Jet drag racer

The Flat Rock factory has been producing vehicles since 1987, when it opened as Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA and built the Mazda MX-6. In 1992 Ford purchased a 50 percent share in the plant and it was renamed AutoAlliance International. Over the years Flat Rock Assembly has produced the Mazda 626, Mazda6, Mercury Cougar and Ford Probe. In addition to Mustang, Flat Rock will add production of the Fusion sedan later this year.

 

“Flat Rock has gone through an amazing transformation over the past year,” said Tim Young, plant manager, Flat Rock Assembly Plant. “We’ve invested $555 million including a state-of-the-art, fully flexible body shop and an upgraded paint shop to make sure we’re continuing to build the best of the best for the next one million Mustangs.”

 

“The one-millionth Mustang is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of the Flat Rock Local 3000 membership,” said Tony Bondy, UAW Local 3000 chairman. “It’s been great building an iconic American car since 2004, and with the introduction of Fusion along with our new plant upgrades, we will keep building world-class quality in Flat Rock for years to come.”

 

Ford is adding 1,400 jobs and a second shift at Flat Rock Assembly Plant to support new Fusion production as part of its plan to add 12,000 hourly jobs in the United States through 2015.

Officially licensed: 1940 Ford coupes

Want to build your dream 1940 Ford coupe hot rod, but don't want to feel guilty about cutting up an original '40 Ford? Well now you can build your dream rod thanks to Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts. Just in time for SEMA, Ford will display a bare metal body and a hot rod built using the new preproduction body. The bodies can be bought fairly reasonably at about $12,000. Which is not bad when compared with finding, buying, shipping, and then repairing an original body. 

 

The 1940 Ford is just one of many classic cars gaining the support and blessings of their original manufacturer for a full reproduction. It joins the classic 1932 Ford and 1964-1970 Mustangs. I've also included a picture of an all original '40 Deluxe Coupe spotted in Hershey.

 

Source: Ford Motor Co. 

 

Press release:

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 26, 2012 – One of the most cherished and collected classic cars of the pre-World War II and hot rod era – the iconic 1940 Ford Coupe – is the latest addition to Ford Motor Company’s growing stable of officially licensed all-steel reproduction car bodies.

 

Available now for ordering, and complementing the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, the 1940 Ford Coupe body is also constructed of modern, high-strength steel and is assembled using modern welding techniques. The new body comes rustproofed from the factory and is ready to be assembled as a custom hot rod or as a faithful tribute to the original.

 

At the upcoming Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Ford will display a custom 1940 Ford hot rod built using a reproduction body and a new bare body shell that demonstrates the high-quality construction. Prices start at $11,900 plus shipping. The full body shell as well as individual steel panels are available through Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, http://www.dennis-carpenter.com.

 

 

The fully built, copper-colored SEMA show car sports a new 5.0-liter V8 engine, four-speed automatic transmission and Mustang II front suspension. The roof has also been chopped or lowered to give the car an even meaner look.

 

“Like its older 1932 Deuce Coupe and younger Mustang siblings, the 1940 Ford is a bodystyle and design that represents Ford at its best,” said Dennis Mondrach, Ford Restoration Parts licensing manager. “The 1940 Ford Coupe has always been highly sought after and collectible. Unfortunately, good, solid restorable examples have become hard to find and expensive, so this faithful reproduction is bound to prove popular.”

 

The ’40 Ford: Part of American culture

The 1940 Ford has had a major influence on post-World War II America, said Detroit automotive historian Joe Cabadas, author of “’40 Ford: Evolution * Design * Racing * Hot Rodding.”

 

“Bootleggers down south always wanted to know who had the fastest car,” said Cabadas. “Because of its lightweight V8 engine, they started racing them on Sundays, and that is the beginning of stock car racing.”

 

After World War II, the 1940 Ford was at the forefront of another major cultural movement – hot rodding. The ’40 Ford got noticed by World War II veterans, who began buying up the cars and turning them into hot rods by adding performance equipment to the car’s flathead V8 engine.

 

The 1940 Ford has been a fixture in Hollywood, appearing in countless TV shows and movies such as “American Graffiti,” “Bugsy” and “Mulholland Drive.”

 

“With their big fenders and integrated headlights, the 1937-40 Ford was one of the first streamlined cars from Ford Motor Company,” Cabadas said. “Edsel Ford had a hand in its style. He wanted a family look for Ford and Lincoln vehicles, and so you can see some Lincoln Zephyr in it. The 1940 was also one of the few cars in its price class with a V8.”

 

Reproduction body: A blank canvas

Hobbyists looking to build a hot rod using the new 1940 body are limited only by their imagination and budget. The new body is available with a stock firewall that accommodates the original flathead V8. However, for those looking for greater performance from a modern powertrain, the new 1940 Ford body can alternatively be ordered with a recessed firewall that will allow much larger modern engines to be installed.

 

As with the officially licensed reproduction parts available for the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, Ford also supports the 1940 Ford with an array of correct mechanical and trim restoration parts. To see what is available for the 1940, visit www.fordrestorationparts.com.

 

Dennis Carpenter, owner of one of the nation’s largest classic Ford restoration parts companies, owes his start in the business more than 40 years ago to the 1940 Ford.

 

Carpenter was having trouble locating a good used set of dash knobs for a car he was restoring – and still owns – so he approached Ford and obtained permission to reproduce the knobs using original factory blueprints and designs. Today his company, Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, produces many Ford-licensed parts for the 1940 Ford. With the body now back in production, Carpenter is gearing up to add even more trim parts for the car.

 

“When you see a beautifully restored 1940 Ford, it is like a piece of jewelry,” Carpenter said. “People just really love the lines of that car. It is timeless and appeals to all ages.”

 

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 168,000 employees and about 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

Ford unveils 2013 GT500 tribute to Carroll Shelby

Ol' Carroll Shelby may no longer be with us. But his name and legend (good or bad) lives on. As part of this weeks events in Monterey, California, Friends of Carroll Shelby has unveiled this special four wheeled tribute to Shelby in the form of the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra. Packing the punch of 663 horsepower, a Whipple supercharger ups the output to over 850 horsepower.

Ok, enough with the horsepower. How about the trick wide body thanks to Ice Nine Group of Detroit, Michigan. And of course there's the classic Shelby GT350 hoot scoop and a few other retro Mustang touches. Then there's the 20x10 and 20x13 wheels to fill out the wheel wells. Now I'm not usually a fan of 20 inch wheels, but they just seem to really work on this car. The Cobra was painted classic Shelby Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White dual racing stripes, one of my all time favorite color combinations and really shows off the lines of the new Mustang.

Now of course, this car is technically a concept car. I wouldn't expect to see this on dealer showrooms any time soon.


Source: Ford Motor Company

Press Release:

MONTEREY, Calif., Aug. 17, 2012 – Friends of Carroll Shelby, including Ford Motor Company, Shelby American, Ford Racing and many others have built a unique 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra as a tribute to the late Carroll Shelby.

 

Ford is also announcing a renamed road at its Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich., as a tribute to Shelby as well. Cobra has been the consistent performance label as Shelby worked with Ford for most of the last 60 years, and Shelby was instrumental in the creation of Ford performance vehicles including Cobras, the GT40 and Mustangs since the mid-1960s.

 

2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra

The unique tribute car was unveiled by Ford Motor Company board member Edsel Ford II, Ford’s group vice president for sales and marketing Jim Farley, and Shelby American president John Luft at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion where Cobra is the marque of show for 2012.

 

“Even at 89 years of age, Carroll was an inspiration to us all,” says Farley. “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra. The one-off car we have created represents the very idea he had about making the 2013 Shelby GT500 into a true Cobra.”

 

Using the 662-horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500 as a foundation, “Friends of Carroll” created the one-of-a-kind 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra wide-body Mustang that now generates more than 850 horsepower with the help of a Ford Racing 4.0-liter Whipple supercharger.

 

Putting that much power to the ground requires plenty of traction, so the 13-inch-wide rear wheels are wrapped in massive 345-section high-performance tires for extra grip.

 

Ford Motor Company teamed up with Shelby American for several key components on the Carroll Shelby tribute car. Shelby American provided a specially designed hood, new rear wide-body kit, Shelby Wilwood brakes and new 20x13-inch rear and 20x10-inch front wheels. The bodywork is finished in the same Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes that graced so many of the Cobra roadsters built in the 1960s.

 

“Carroll Shelby changed the performance world forever,” says Luft. “And while he was proud of Shelby American’s achievements, Carroll was far more interested in the next car we would build. You will find the spirit and influence of Carroll Shelby in every future vehicle we build just as you’ll find it in the rear wide-body kit and hood integrated into the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra.”

 

“You might also know that Carroll was a philanthropist, noted for supporting causes that moved him,” adds Farley. “In that spirit, this car will be taken on tour around the country, and hopefully will be used in a special way at the end of its tour –  a way Carroll would appreciate.”

 

Before the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra hits the road, it will be shown at the Ford display in the expo area at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this weekend.

 

Carroll Shelby Way

For more than half a century, Carroll Shelby inspired designers and engineers throughout the extended Ford family. As a teenager, Edsel Ford II worked for Shelby doing a variety of jobs including cleaning transmission parts.

 

Countless engineers crossed paths with Shelby over the years, from those who crafted the original GT40 to those working on the 2013 Shelby GT500. Up until his death, Carroll Shelby remained committed to developing great performance cars. Even at the age of 88, he spent more than five hours driving the most powerful production Mustang ever during engineering validation sessions at Sebring and the Arizona Proving Grounds in late 2011.

 

During and after test sessions, Carroll spent hours discussing with engineers what he liked and what needed improvement. No one who worked with Carroll will ever forget it, and his lessons in vehicle dynamics will be passed along to coming generations.

 

Ford product development engineers now will get a daily reminder of Carroll’s way as they traverse the newly renamed Carroll Shelby Way through the heart of the Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich., to the entrance of the proving ground.

 

“Sadly, Carroll Shelby is no longer with us, but his spirit lives on with the designers and engineers he interacted with over the years and he will continue to influence Ford performance cars for many years to come,” says Farley.

14th Annual All Ford Powered Car Show

On June 10th, the Greater Pittsburgh Mustang Club held their 14th Annual All Ford Powered Car Show at Shults Ford/Lincoln in Harmarville, PA. It was a beautiful day for a car show with hardly a cloud in the sky and the blue oval well represented across the board. The show has been renamed the Tom Cavataio Memorial Show in honor of GPMC longtime member Tom Cavataio who passed away in late 2011. Tom's beautiful Grabber Blue 1970 Mach 1 was prominently displayed by his family. And anyone who knew Tom, knew he shared a great passion for anything blue oval. I entered my 2009 Mustang Bullitt for the 3rd year and brought home 2nd place for 2005-current Mustangs. Here's some pictures from the event as well as a full album of pictures taken throughout the day.

Breaking news: Carroll Shelby passes away at 89

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of racing and sports car legend Carroll Shelby who passed away today in Dallas Texas at the age of 89. Shelby, a racing legend in his own time. A winner of the 24 hours of LeMans. He was father of the legendary Cobra and the line of Mustangs that carried his name. Details of his death have not been released at this time, but Shelby has been hospitalized recently.

Scottsdale 2012: Ford selling 2013 GT500 durability car

Every auction put on by Barrett-Jackson, has at least a half dozen cars that are auctioned got charity. Be it a 69 Corvette for the Chip Miller Foundation or a pair of electric powered dragsters for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. It's a huge part of what makes Barrett-Jackson what it is. This one was kept under wraps until a few days ago but the folks over at Ford SVT and Carroll Shelby will be auctioning this 2013 GT500 Durability mule for the benefit of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This car was assembled by hand by the SVT team and tested at Sebring Raceway and Ford's Arizona proving grounds. As with any mule, it's a little rough around the edges. There's mismatched equipment, bumpers, etc. But it is a truly special car. It's been signed by the STV test team and probably will be by Carroll Shelby too. Unfortunately though, you can't register this machine for the road. Look for it tonight live on Speed at 8:30 tonight.

Source: Barrett-Jackon, Ford

In our garage: 2009 Ford Mustang Bullitt

A new test car magically showed up in our garage. This suave looking guy in a tweed jacket and blue turtleneck tossed us the keys to his green mustang and asked us to keep an eye on it. He said he had to go take care of some baddies in a black Dodge Charger.

So in case you missed our reference to the 1968 movie Bullitt staring the king of cool Steve McQueen. We're fortunate enough to have landed one of the absolute LAST 2009 Bullitt edition Mustang GTs left in the country.

Checking out the window sticker we have an order code 140A Premium GT Coupe in Highland Green Metallic. Standard fare includes the interior upgrad package, Sirius sat radio, ambient lighting, 18 inch gunmetal Bullitt Wheels, the rear spoiler delete option, GT security package, HID headlights, the Bullitt package which includes the interior upgrade machine finish, 3.73 ratio limited slip rear axle, the 18 inch Bullitt wheels, packed exhaust tips, and a foglightless and ponyless grille. Our car also comes equipped with the Shaker 1000 stereo system.

What isn't mentioned on the window sticker is the performance upgrades to the Bullitt. This includes a Ford Racing strut tower brace with a special Bullitt number plate bearing the logo, VIN, and serial number of the car. Ours is 6045. A Ford Racing cold air intake, exhaust system, lowered suspension, beefed up front brakes and Shelby rear brakes round out the mechanicals.

Moving inside we find a stunning machine turned finish to the aluminum dash accents, an aluminum short throw shifter, supple charcol leather seats with power adjustment for the driver with lumbar control, aluminum pedal covers, and a leather wrapped steering wheel direct from the Shelby GT500.

Turn the key and the 4.6 liter V8 roars to life sounding much like its 1968 movie counterpart. The V8 is rated at 325 HP, which is 10 more than a stock GTs 315HP. With the 3.73 rear end, the Bullitt can really get up and go and catch any fleeing bad guys in short time. We still haven't emptied the tank on it to see where we're averaging for miles per gallon. The on board computer is saying 16 so that's a little better than the 15 City / 23 Highway on the sticker.

Having driven the car for a week now, and having driven a stock 09 GT, a 2010 GT(more later), and a handful of other Mustangs including Shelby, Roush, and Saleen. I will say that the Bullitt offers the best bang for the buck. Our Bullitt tops out at $34,675 with the big ticket item being the Shaker 1000 at $1,295. You get a lot of performance goodies as standard equipment. Stay tuned for more updtates.

Hold your horses: Mustang production scaled back for 2008, fans push for more special editions

No one can deny the Mustang's popularity. Especially when it is the only real pony car on the market til the Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro hit showrooms. Though one this is for sure. The V8 Mustang just isn't as in high demand as it was.

Since 2004 the 4.6 liter V8 has accounted for 52% of the sales mix. In the past it has usually been right around a 70% V6 to 30% V8 mix. 2005 saw a greater demand and Ford responded with increased output.

For 2008 Ford has announced that they will be cutting back production on the 2008 V8 powered Mustang. Ford cites higher fuel costs, and the fact that the performance oriented buyers have already purchased their Mustangs.

This brings us to another interesting article out of Automotive News. Since 2005 Ford has steadily produced a number of low volume, hopped up Mustangs to eager buyers. And according to Ford, has not has as many special edition stangs in the stable as they do now. Despite this, Mustang enthusiasts are still nagging for more cars. Mustang Chief Designer Doug Gaffka says "They want Mach1, they want Boss,".

For promises not to disappoint. So we may see even more special Mustangs being produced in the next few years.

The current stable is made up of:

• Shelby GT500 (coupe & convertible)


• Shelby GT500 KR (coupe only)


• Shelby GT (coupe & convertible)


• Bullitt(coupe only, 2008 production)


• GT California Special (coupe & convertible)


• Warriors in Pink (coupe & convertible. Portion of sales go to fund breast cancer research).
  

And this doesn't even include the special Mustangs produced by Saleen, Roush, Steeda and others.

It would be nice to see another Mach1 Mustang. Especially if equipped with a true shaker hood scoop though.

Source: Automotive News

Steve McQueen Rides Again! The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt

Few will deny that the 1968 movie Bullitt staring Steve McQueen, is undoubtedly one of the greatest car movies ever made. Images of a black 68 Dodge Charger R/T and a green 68 Mustang GT tearing up the streets of San Francisco are engraved into the mind of every car nut. Thanks in part to both the movie and McQueen's popularity, Ford built a special edition Bullitt Mustang GT in 2001. The retro styled Mustang packed the punch and overall look of the the 68 GT used in the movie. But it wasn't quite what the doctor ordered.

Fast forward to 2006. Motor Trend wanted to have a photo shoot in San Francisco for their road test on the new Dodge Charger R/T and pair it with the all new Mustang GT. Ford agreed and took a new yellow GT and repainted it 1968 Highland Green for the shoot. In that article, there was a small tid bit that Ford had plans in the works for a new Bullitt Mustang for 2008. Just in time for the 40th anniversary of the movie.

It's finally official. The Bullitt Mustang will make a triumphant return in 2008. While the car has not been "officially" unveiled, that will happen at the Los Angeles Auto Show. We are treated to a press release and some press day pictures from a press event in San Francisco this week.

Along with Highland Green, the 2008 Bullitt will also be offered in basic black. The rest of the car has been given an even more impressive retro treatment. The entire car will be completely badge less. No pony emblems on the sides or grille, just like the original. There will be a faux gas cap on the back which will carry a special center with gun cross hairs and the Bullitt name. The grille will be solid black mesh, without a pony emblem and a simple, but effective chrome surround on the edge. 18 inch aluminum wheels will have gunmetal painted spokes, and while they have been available in a polished finish, evoke memory of the classic American Racing Torque Thrust wheels of the 60s.

The interior will be finished in black leather(hopefully with a retro seat pattern). The dashboard will be treated to a machine turned aluminum finish, that looks oh so cool.

The business end of the Bullitt is just as impressive. The motor will be the same 4.6 liter V8 found in all standard Mustang GTs, though for the Bullitt, Ford Racing was on hand to tweak the camshaft timing, new calibrations, and air intakes. The chassis and suspension have also been tuned to enhance the handling. Which includes sport springs, a strut tower bar, and more. The tuned exhaust has also been tweaked, thanks to digital enhancement of the movie, to match the original perfectly.

The 08 Bullitt will have a ground stomping 315 Horsepower with 325 Ft. Lbs. of torque. All of this is routed through a 6spd manual trans and the same rear end at the GT 500 Shelby with 3.73:1 gears.

For announced a production run of 7700 Bullitt editions. Each car will be numbered on the strut tower brace, rather than by a plaque on the dashboard. The Bullitt will begin to roll off the assembly line in the first quarter of 2008, and showing up in Showrooms just in time for the warm weather to hit. With 7000 cars bound for the U.S. and the last 700 bound for Canada. Pricing is expected to be around $31,075. So it's rather reasonably priced too. I'm going to put my order in now.

Look for more updates on this one.

Source: Autoblog.com