1965 Ford Mustang: The Right Stuff

We celebrate the birth of an enduring legend with this 1965 Mustang owned by UAE Aerobatic Team Leader, pilot Lieutenant Colonel Nass Ahmed

By Shahzad Sheikh

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

It’s somehow just so fitting that the man who owns the car you see in these pictures – which of course is quite simply one of the coolest cars on the planet, a 1965 Ford Mustang – also has one of the coolest jobs on… well actually slightly above the planet! Meet Lieutenant Colonel Nass Ahmed, fighter pilot and currently Team Leader of Al Fursan, the UAE National Aerobatics team.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

He bought this red first generation Mustang back in 2007, after hunting for it online and sourcing it in America. He asked a friend over there to go and check out for him, and once he got the thumbs-up imported the car over to the UAE.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Why an original notchback Mustang? Because he previously had one, and ran it as his daily driver, whilst he was studying in the States in the early 2000s. Once he got back to the Emirates he missed his old Pony car so much he decided he simply had to have another.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Though much-cherished and a car which he is constantly improving and restoring, treating it to exterior and interior refurbishments at least once a year, this isn’t a precious trailer-queen show car, it’s a classic muscle car that sees regular use, particularly in the winter months as Nass can be seen driving it to and from the airbase where Al Fursan is based.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

You can also get to see the road-going ‘Al Fursan 1’ frequenting the Jebel Ali Cool Car Klub (JACCK) monthly meets usually at Fatburgers on Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai. And as we found when we tagged along with him during the recent massive Mustang parade in the UAE marking the 50th anniversary of the Mustang, he is not afraid to give the pony its head and let if off the leash every now and then. (Read about the parade here)

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

And this of course is how it should be, because the Mustang was never meant to be a rare and exclusive weekend-ride, it was a car designed and developed to be practical and functional as a daily driver, and yet still do you proud at unofficial drag races. And it was a hit from the word go, becoming one of the fastest selling cars in history with over a million sold within 18 months of its launch – 418,000 in the first year alone!

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Mustang launch March 1964

Launched in March 1964, the earliest cars became known unofficially as 1964½ model year cars, as it was several months ahead of the normal start for 1965 Model Year production – but all the early cars were marketed by Ford as 1965 models.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Ford General Manager, Lee Iacocca, initiated the project for an all-new ‘compact coupe’ designed to appeal to younger, or young-at-heart, drivers. He and his team managed to do even better than that with the Mustang. This is the ultimate zeitgeist car, perfectly capturing the optimistic, bold and adventurous spirit of the 1960s, and proving an instant hit across generations and classes – similar to how the Mini captured everyone’s imagination in the UK around the same time – with an enduring appeal that remains as strong as ever today.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

The long-nose, short rear deck styling proved extraordinarily popular and became a much-copied template for cars of this ilk. David Ash and John Oros, are generally credited with the design, though it was derived from an earlier concept by a team comprising Bob Maguire, Philip T Clark, John Najjar, Jim Darden and Ray Smith who produced the Mustang 1 Prototype which was actually a two-seat mid-engined roadster! Think Speed Racer. It was deemed too extreme.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Ash and Oros came up with the four-seater coupe in an internal competition based on Iacocca’s five goals: four bucket seats; floor-mounted shifter; weighing no more than 1100kg, shorter than 180inches (4572mm); and starting from less than $2500.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

As such it heavily employing Ford Falcon and Fairlane components, though the body shell was unique with a shorter wheelbase, wider track and the car was lower. Despite its humble origins, it did boast an industry first: the ‘torque box’ described a structural system that made the car more rigid.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

The hype that caught its rivals napping

The production Mustang was officially introduced at the 1964 New York World Fair, and people immediately went wild for it. The first cars were auctioned off, with at least one buyer so anxious to take home the new Mustang, that he slept in it overnight until his cheque cleared the next morning so that no one else would buy it in the meantime. Such was the fervour the new Ford inspired.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Then, as in more recent times, the Mustang caught Ford’s rivals napping and launched what became known as a The Pony Car Wars. Stunned by the Mustang’s runaway success, Chrysler introduced the Plymouth Barracuda which admittedly became one of the most revered muscle cars ever, and GM gambled on victory with the rear-engined Corvair Monza, which failed due to campaigning by consumer rights activist, Ralph Nader. It was only when the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird came along a bit later than things hotted up.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

It was launched in coupe and convertible guises with a Fastback following the next year, and its styling saw copycat cars such as the Toyota Celica and even one from its own stable – the Ford Capri in Europe. The base model featured a 170cu (2.8-litre) straight six with a three-speed manual transmission and retailed for $2368.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

What you got for $2500: a whole heap of awesome!

Of course there was also a large range of V8 motors on offer that ranged in power from 195bhp to 390bhp. As well as the three or four-speed manuals, there were three-speed automatics and you could opt for sports handling packages, front disc brakes and multiple trim options.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

The first generation ran till 1966 – for 1967-68 there were design changes, and the 69-70 car was actually bigger – there were changes and updates throughout its production. The Mustang GT for example, arrived in 1965, with a 225bhp 289 V8, grille-mounted front foglamps, rocker panel stripes and disc brakes. Inside the 1965 cars got round dials for the instrument panels instead of the rectangular version you see in Nass Ahmed’s car.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

The fastback version also heralded the arrival of the legendary Shelby Mustang, as a GT350 specs with 306bhp from the 289 motor with four-speed manuals and heavier duty Ford Galaxie rear axles, plus of course, Cobra badging.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

For 1966 the Mustang got some trim changes including a tweaked grille and wheel covers and a new petrol filler cover. The grille now had a slotted style whilst the earlier car had a honeycomb version.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Keeping it real

Once you’re smitten, of course, you need to have one, as Nass found. As far as he’s concerned it’s a keeper too, his personal pride and joy, a true genuine exotic in a sea of insipid modern supercars that line the streets of Dubai.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Nass has been very sensitive with his 1965 Mustang. Despite a kicking sound system, visually there’s little evidence of a modern audio system, and his modifications extend only to swapping the engine for a more modern 347 Stroker with 450bhp, plus of course an air conditioning unit to make the car usable in our climate. Although he is toying with the idea of swapping out the auto for a manual transmission.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

Other than that he plans to do little to it other than give the interior a bit of a refresh and perhaps a new coat of paint next year. The car was the feel of a real-world motor that gets used, and that’s the way he, and we, like it.

1965 Ford Mustang belonging to UAE's Nass Ahmed, Al Fursan 1

2 responses to “1965 Ford Mustang: The Right Stuff”

  1. Todd says:

    Nice article, Shahzad, and nice car Nass. I especially like the wheels…

    One comment, about the Corvair, naturally. Your text might make the reader think the Corvair was developed in response to the Mustang, and that it was killed off by Nader. Actually, quite the opposite is true.

    The 1960 Corvair was launched in 1959, well before the Mustang was even a sparkle in Iacocca’s eye, in response to the demand for compact, efficient cars that was demonstrated by the VW Beetle. All of the Big Three launched ‘compact’ cars that year (Corvair, Falcon, Valient). The Corvair did not initially do well against the Falcon in sales, and Chevy responded by making the Corvair ‘sporty’ with bucket seats and four on the floor, and completely changing their marketing strategy. This eventually included a turbo motor as well, in 1962. It was their success with that strategy which helped convince Ford to create the sporty Mustang.

    The Mustang, in turn, is what killed the Corvair, since it was cheaper and had more power. Nader’s book was damaging but came out in November 1965, well after the Mustang had become a runaway success. In fact, Corvair folks think that Chevy originally planned to cancel the Corvair when the Camaro came out in ’67, but instead kept making it until 69 just because of the Nader debacle. They didn’t want to be seen as buckling under to the Nader controversy.

    Interestingly, two years after the last Corvair, Ford came out with the Pinto, which had similar controversy about being unsafe (for exploding in rear end collisions).

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