Handful of Original Mustang Owners Honored at 45th

Staff Report

MCA and Ford collect those who bought in 1964 and still own their cars.

05-06-09: For the pony car’s 45th anniversary celebration in Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala, on April 17-21, a host of events were planned, including a display of hot lapping by four-time Mustang champion and SPEED TV personality Tommy Kendall and other professional racers around the park in Mustang FR500S race cars. And world champion drifter Vaughn Gittin, Jr., was on hand all weekend giving tire smoking demonstrations and rides.

But at the heart of the celebration was the story of several original owners who displayed their Mustangs and shared their experiences with their iconic pony cars.

Phil Florio, one of nine original owners, bought a 1964½ Wimbledon White Ford Mustang. He turns 71 in May, and credits the iconic Mustang with keeping him young at heart.

“I used to drive the car in New York in the middle of winter, and when I got home I’d get blue hands trying to wash the snow and salt off of it in the freezing cold weather. I loved the car, and knew when I bought it that I was going to keep it for as long as I possibly could.” - Phil Florio, original Mustang owner, 1964½ Wimbledon White Ford Mustang.

Laki Malamatenio, who owns a 1964½ Poppy Red Mustang 289 that he refers to affectionately as “Poppy”, says that his car is an integral part of the fabric of his life, having used it to drive to his wedding and to secure the loan to buy his first house.

“‘Poppy’ took me to Las Vegas to get married. She took me to the hospital when both of my children were born, and she’s taken the whole family on vacation. My whole life flashes before my eyes when I get into that car. We wanted to buy a house, but we didn’t have enough money for a down payment. The car was paid off, so I took out a home loan using ‘Poppy’ as collateral.” - Laki Malamatenio, original Mustang owner, 1964½ Poppy Red Mustang 289

Laki also drove his Mustang across the country to attend the MCA 45th Celebration with the Mustangs Across America road trip event.

Fred Glazier’s Rangoon Red Mustang coupe not only brings back poignant memories, but he says his love of working on his car inspired him to leave his career as a pharmaceutical representative and follow his passion of restoring antique cars.

“I dated my wife in it. We took it on our honeymoon, and we brought both of our children home from the hospital in it. We are emotionally attached to this car, and I always tell me kids, ‘When I die, you better not sell it, or I’ll come back to haunt you. I’ve specialized in the restoration of Mustangs since 1979. A few years ago, I started working on my car, and today it looks like it did when I first bought it.” - Fred Glazier, original Mustang owner, 1964 ½ Rangoon Red Mustang coupe

Kathy Miller, of Boardman, Ohio, received her 1964½ Prairie Bronze Mustang coupe as a high school graduation present from her mom and dad, and years later she and her husband used the car on their wedding day. She laughed that when her son restored the Mustang five years ago, there was still rice in the dashboard.

For Edgar “Alex” Alexander, his black 1964½ Mustang convertible was an impulse purchase he never once second-guessed, and says that over the years the car went from a means of transportation to a family treasure.

“My first wife and I needed a car, and we had no conception of what we wanted. There was a Mustang convertible on the lot, and my wife fell in love with it so we just ordered it. We would go to the store or to the movies, and when we came out there would be a half dozen people or more looking at the car. It was really cool. At the beginning it was a car. Now, it’s a treasure.” - Edgar “Alex” Alexander, original Mustang owner, 1964½ black Mustang convertible