Mustang Club of Maryland

Look Back at the Classic 1966 Ford Mustang Model-Year Lineup

There’s no doubt that 1966 is one of the most popular Ford Mustang model years in the history of the car. In fact, March 1966 marked the creation of the millionth Mustang.

Although the first few years were definitely good for Ford and its sporty Mustang, 1966 was the year all that hard work truly began to pay off. By 1966, most people began to associate the Ford Mustang with power and performance. It was the car to have if you needed a daily driver and it was the car to have if you needed a weekend cruiser with a sporty edge.
1966 Ford Mustang Production Stats
Standard Convertible: 56,409 units
Luxury Convertible: 12,520 units
Convertible w/Bench Seats: 3,190 units
Standard Coupe: 422,416 units
Luxury Coupe: 55,938 units
Coupe w/Bench Seats: 21,397 units
Standard Fastback: 27,809 units
Luxury Fastback: 7,889 units

Total Production: 607,568 units

Retail Prices:
$2,652 Standard Convertible
$2,416 Standard Coupe
$2,607 Standard Fastback

Advertisements became popular reminders of the Mustang’s youthful spirit, such as one featuring two mature adults sitting in a new Mustang with the words, “Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children.” It was the car to have it you were seeking the fountain of youth. It was the car to have if you were looking to win over your neighbor or hit the road for fun and adventure.

1966 Model-Year Highlights

New Wheels
New Grille Pattern
New Automatic Transmission Option for “Hi-Po” V-8 Models
New Instrument Cluster
New Rocker-Panel Trim
Revised Side Scoops

Model-Year Overview
In all, there were minimal changes to the Mustang in 1966. Production began in August of 1965 and featured a line up of: Coupe, Convertible, and Fastback. In all, Ford produced 607,568 total Mustangs in 1966. The car sported additional new colors, a redesigned grille, new instrument cluster, and new styled wheels. An automatic transmission became available for the “Hi-Po” V-8. Side scoops featured chrome trim with three wind-splits, and GT models received a new gas cap and driving lamps as standard equipment.

Ford offered a choice of four different engine configurations in 1966:

Engine Code T: 200 cubic inch I-6 engine @ 120hp w/9.2:1 compression and a one-barrel carburetor
Engine Code C: 289 cubic inch V-8 engine @ 200hp w/9.3:1 compression and two-barrel carburetor
Engine Code A: 289 cubic inch V-8 engine @ 225hp w/10.0:1 compression and a four-barrel carburetor
Engine Code K: 289 cubic inch V-8 engine @ 271hp w/10.5:1 compression and a four-barrel carburetor

Vehicle Identification Number Decoder
Example VIN #6FO8A100005

6=Last digit of Model Year (1966)
F=Assembly Plant (F-Dearborn, R-San Jose, T-Metuchen)
08=Body Code (07-coupe, 08-convertible, 09-fastback)
A=Engine Code
100005=Consecutive unit number

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