The Ford Mustang is celebrating 60 years since the iconic pony car first debuted at the 1964 New York International Auto Show, and as such, there are many special events and even a new 60th Anniversary Package on the way to help mark that occasion. In its early days, the Ford Mustang embarked on several interesting missions as The Blue Oval worked to use that model to attract young folks and fans of sporty coupes alike, and even loaned one out to a college student so he could drive it around campus. However, while the very first Ford Mustang technically sold was a prototype, the first actual Ford Mustang buyer – Gail Wise – still owns her prized possession to this day, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Wise purchased her Ford Mustang back in the spring of 1964, at which time she was working as a third grade teacher at Sunnyside Elementary School in Berkeley, Illinois. At the time, she still lived with her parents and needed a car to get back and forth to work, and since her mom and dad were devout Ford fans, Wise and her father headed out to Johnson Ford in Chicago to pick something out.
Wise wanted a convertible, but unfortunately, there were none on the showroom floor at the time. However, the salesperson took her to the back, where a Ford Mustang convertible sat. The dealership wasn’t supposed to sell that particular car for two more days – following its unveiling at the NY Auto Show – but they agreed to do so, though Wise wasn’t allowed to test drive it before purchasing the pony car.
Since that fateful day, Wise met her future husband, had kids, and gave up teaching to raise their family. But even though her husband served in the Navy and the family moved around a bit, that Ford Mustang remained a big part of their lives, even after sitting for 27 years when it began having issues with the carburetor. Once they reached retirement, Wise’s husband restored the old pony car to its original state – and, as one might imagine, they plan on keeping it in the family as long as possible.
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Comments
I had the pleasure of meeting Gail and her husband a few years back at an MCA national show in Columbus. It would be hard to find any nicer folks. Glad to see it’s still in the family.
I’d love to know the VIN # and what the sale price was
Great story!