I’ve watched the film A Faster Horse countless times. I am continually inspired by Dave Pericak and his team as they work around the clock on the 50th anniversary Mustang. It’s a fantastic film showing the inner workings of Ford’s product development and the people who made it happen during one of the worst economic downturns in history.

Although the challenges were many, the iconic pony car lived to see another day.

Legendary Horses

This weekend in our Book Garage series, we celebrate Mustang’s legacy with The Complete Book of Mustang. The pages document the first six cylinder Mustang of 1964-½ to the powerful Boss and Shelby variants. The Complete Book of Mustang shows the unique prototypes and experimental models, the anniversary and pace cars, and the competition packages that have made the Mustang the stuff of legends.

The Complete Book of Mustang is officially licensed by Ford; they actually worked on the book with author Mike Mueller. The automaker provided precise details, extensive specs, and an incredible array of archival photography. The end result is a book that reflects the true essence of American’s greatest, most iconic pony car.

Lee Iacocca (left) and Donald Frey had high hopes for the Mustang in April 1964. As the license plate proclaims, their goal was to sell 417,000 Mustangs by April 17th, 1965, besting Detroit’s record for first-year sales of a new model. Photo: Ford Motor Company.

Author

Mueller has worked as a freelance automotive photojournalist since 1991. A lifetime car enthusiast, Mueller has written and photographed more than 25 automotive and truck history books and contributed photography to dozens more. Among his long list of titles are Motorbooks’ Chevy Chevelle 50 Years, The Complete Book of Corvette, and The Complete Book of Classic Dodge and Plymouth Muscle.

The Complete Book of Ford Mustang: Every Model Since 1964 ½ is available through Amazon and Motorbooks.