1964 1/2 Mustang Convertible 0001-4637

This official archive image documents the 1964½ Ford Mustang convertible — the open-top version of the launch-era car introduced on 17 April 1964 at the New York World's Fair. Ford took 22,000 orders on the first day and 418,812 in the first year, a record for a single model, and the convertible gave the new pony car its most photographed body style.

What Is a 1964½ Mustang?

Ford launched the Mustang in April 1964, four months before the 1965 model year would normally have begun, and officially titled the cars as 1965 models. Enthusiasts have always called this early run the 1964½ because a number of details differ from later production.

Those early differences — including the generator rather than an alternator on the earliest cars, and the initial 260 cubic inch V8 option — are what make launch-era cars a distinct collecting category.

Why Did the Mustang Succeed So Immediately?

Lee Iacocca's team built the Mustang around a simple insight: a young buyer wanted sporting style and personal choice more than outright performance, and would not pay much for either. The car was priced from $2,368 and offered an extraordinarily long options list.

The result created a category. The pony car — long hood, short deck, four seats, cheap to buy and endlessly configurable — was defined by the Mustang and imitated by every American manufacturer within three years.

What Defined the Launch-Era Convertible?

Characteristics of the first Mustang convertibles:

• Introduced at launch alongside the hardtop in April 1964
• Long hood, short deck proportions that defined the pony car class
• Platform, chassis and drivetrain shared with the Ford Falcon for cost efficiency
• Engines from a 170 cubic inch six to a 289 cubic inch V8
• Designed under Joe Oros with Gale Halderman and L. David Ash

Who Is This Print For?

This 1964½ Mustang convertible print suits Mustang owners, early-car collectors, Ford enthusiasts, restoration shops, offices, garages and dealership showrooms. As vintage Ford wall art the launch convertible is the most recognisable Mustang of all. Choose framed, canvas, metal or Giclée formats for a home office, study, museum display or Ford wall decor programme.

Photograph Details

• Subject: Ford Mustang convertible
• Model year: 1964 and a half
• Body style: Convertible
• Introduced: 17 April 1964, New York World's Fair
• First-year sales: 418,812
• Archive reference: 0001-4637

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.