By Robert Emslie
Welcome to Thursday Trivia where we offer up a historical automotive trivia question and you try and solve it before seeing the answer after the jump. It’s like a History test, with cars!
This week’s question is a three-fer: Where was the first Ford Mustang sold? What was the name of its first owner? Finally, what were its major (color, body, engine) specs?
If you think you know the answer, quit horsing around and make the jump to see if you’re right.
The first Ford Mustang ever sold was done so by mistake, in Canada no less.
It was a Wimbledon White convertible powered by a 260 V8, and was a promotional tour car sent first to George Parson’s Ford in St John Newfoundland. There, on April 17th, 1964 it was spotted by Captain Stanley Tucker, a corporate airline pilot. A salesman, not realizing the purpose or significance of the car, asked Tucker what it would take to put him in the driver’s seat.
Upon realizing that the dealership had sold the promo car, Ford reached out to Tucker, explained the situation, and asked to buy the car back. It took two years for the company and Tucker to reach a deal, which resulted in the pilot trading Mustang Numero Uno for a ’66 model sporting the serial number 1000001.
That by the way is over a million cars in two years. In fact, in its first 12 months alone, Ford sold over 417,000 of the hot ponies.
Upon getting the first one sold back from its buyer Ford donated the car to the Henry Ford Museum, where it resides today. The Ford press release on the whole matter may be found here (pdf)
Image source: The Henry Ford Museum
Eric Trytko 
Kamil Kaluski
From what I have seen, being a pilot in 1964 was pretty much like being an investment banker today, except you got to wear a cool uniform.
And much like an astronaut, you got all the 'tang you could handle.
Hmmmm… The pdf says that the car was invoiced to the dealer after its promotional tour, so it sounds like someone in Dearborn (or Ford of Canada) screwed up by releasing the car, not George Parsons. Also, I wonder how many miles Tucker put on it while he owned it?
i didnt know the owner or location. i knew it was a convertible with a white top, but i was wrong when i thought it was light blue.
St. John'S, Newfoundland. Not Saint John, that's here in New Brunswick..
I knew all the details of that story… clearly, I have a problem.
To me that is not a problem.
Reminds me of the time I was changing the inline fuel filter under the rear end of my olestationbus. My neighbor walks by and asked, "Having problems?"
"Nope, having fun," was my response.
It still holds true to this day.
Congrats on your trivial accumulation of knowledge. That and a fin will get you a Starbucks.
A grouper walks into a Starbucks…