The Mustang as an American Icon.....

[gyacopetti]

The mustang and how it has evolved over its time

I have to write a research paper on a pop culture icon and how it has evolved over the years. Since I dont really want to write about a person, I figured the next best thing would be to write about a car. I considered the corvette, but i think the Mustang represents pop culture America more. Anyways, I need some ideas on what to focus on so any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, i'll check back often and reply to all the ideas.


EDIT: Here are some ideas I have narrowed it down to. If anyone has any ideas that would help me, please let me know.

1. The Mustang as a symbol of freedom/re-invention
2. How and why the mustang has evolved over the years.
>If I did this one I would like to tie in the new 05 and talk about why ford decided to go retro. i could also then use examples of other cars that have been sucessful because of their retro aspects(pt cruiser, 300C..ect)

Other then these two ideas, i'm not really sure. SO please, shoot me some ideas!!

 

[Iamchris]

Muscle Cars in general... they are very American specific.

 

[Chameleon]

Three things about the Mustang that stand out in my feeble mind...

Sucess of the car, if I'm not mistaken it was the first model to sell over 1 million cars (double check this fact, don't take my word for it).
.
Personalization, you could order the car (back in the heyday) with so many different options or dealer installed goodies that owners really embraced personalizing their cars.
.
Racing heritage

There are lots of good books out there. The more informed guys on this site can also help you out more. This is just what occured to me.

 

[31Charlie]

All I can say is here the AFN has a commercial about 'what is worth defending' and the only car mentioned is the Mustang.

31C

 

[toomanymustangs]

i have to give a commerative speech this week and i chose to do the mustang. I have to connect it ot my audience, which is full of hippies. Any ideas?

 

[fuelonempty]

yeah it really is an american Icon... all the way in the middle east (where in in school currenty)......any U.s clothing store for instance, the models are always leaning against the candy apple red convertable 64 1/2 mustang with white interior... and its in commercials when explaining something about americans... I mean I could really go into detail. but its something I have noticed all over the world through my tavels...
Everytime I say I have a mustang, they are like yeah we could have guessed that, is it a red convertable? kinda funny.

 

[gyacopetti]

yeah it really is an american Icon... all the way in the middle east (where in in school currenty)......any U.s clothing store for instance, the models are always leaning against the candy apple red convertable 64 1/2 mustang with white interior... and its in commercials when explaining something about americans... I mean I could really go into detail. but its something I have noticed all over the world through my tavels...
Everytime I say I have a mustang, they are like yeah we could have guessed that, is it a red convertable? kinda funny.

Hmm..I may have tyo talk to you further about this if that would be ok..



Anyone have any Ideas???

 

[Rochard]

Make sure you also write about the crappy Mutangs from the '70's.....

 

[gyacopetti]

Make sure you also write about the crappy Mutangs from the '70's.....

Could you give me some information on why they were crappy? Did it have something to do with the oil crisis?

 

[DCAN87]

The mustang II's. Oh man. They were bad! But yea mustangs are an American icon in my eyes.