1965 Ford Mustang Hardtop

Atlanta Assembly is an automobile factory owned by Ford Motor Company in Hapeville, Georgia. It is scheduled to close in 2006 as part of Ford's "Way Forward" plan, though Harbour Consulting rated it as the most efficient auto plant in North America in 2006.

One of the world's most popular cars was introduced to the public on April 17, 1964, at the New York's World Fair. The night before, the new Ford Mustang was the pace car at a stock car race in my hometown--Huntsville, Alabama. The car appeared on the covers of Time and Newsweek.

Advertisements appeared in more than 2,600 newspapers and on the major television networks. More than four million people visited showrooms, and more than 22,000 cars were ordered on the first day. First-year sales totaled more than 417,000, shattering previous sales records of any one model in the history of the automobile.Ford added a fastback to its 1965 Mustang lineup, but the coupe continued to be the best seller of the group. The coupe outsold the convertible and fastback individually five to one, accounting for nearly 75 percent of total sales.

The first Mustang GT was introduced in April of 1965. They were available in all three body styles. Two optional V-8 engines were offered with the GT with either 225 or 271 hp and a choice of a three- or four-speed manual, or a Cruise-O-Matic transmission. The '65 GT also included a special dashboard instrument cluster that became standard in 1966. The GT had stripes on the lower body sides, fog lamps in the grille, dual exhaust tips, and GT badges on the front fenders. The GT upgrade was an extra $165.03.

An interior upgrade was available for 1965 and 1966 Mustangs. The Deluxe or "Pony" Interior included two-tone seats with running horses stamped on the backs.

Introduced in 1958, the Ford 352 (of 351.9 in³ or 5.77 L displacement) was the replacement for the Y-block series. It was simply a stroked (to 3.5 in or 88.9 mm) version of the 332. Rated from 208 hp (155 kW) (2-barrel carb) to over 300 hp (224 kW) (4-barrel police interceptor models).

This series of engines were all known for excellent torque and durability. These engines usually weighed over 750 lb (340 kg). Bore of this version was 4 in (102 mm), with a 3.5 in (89 mm) stroke.