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Ford unveils 50th anniversary Mustang atop the Empire State Building

To get the car atop the Empire State Building, Ford used long time partner DST Industries, the company that was used to pull off the same stunt in 1965.

By Ananth Baliga
A fully assembled 2015 Mustang convertible is on display on the observation deck of the Empire State Building at a press event as part of the New York International Auto Show to honor 50 years of the Ford Mustang in New York City on April 16, 2014. UPI/John Angelillo
1 of 4 | A fully assembled 2015 Mustang convertible is on display on the observation deck of the Empire State Building at a press event as part of the New York International Auto Show to honor 50 years of the Ford Mustang in New York City on April 16, 2014. UPI/John Angelillo | License Photo

NEW YORK, April 16 (UPI) -- Ford unveiled the Mustang 50 Year Limited Edition, as the company celebrates 50th anniversary of the iconic car, by displaying at the Empire State Building.

The car maker placed the 2015 Mustang model on the 86th floor Observation Deck of the Empire State Building in New York, ahead of the New York auto show. Ford recreated a 1965 -- the Mustang's first full model year -- publicity stunt by dismounting the entire car, taking it up in elevators and reassembling it on the observation deck.

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“We wanted to provide our most dedicated fans with the emotion of the original Mustang in a 21st century car,” said Bill Ford Jr., Ford executive chairman.

The limited edition will have only 1964 copies in production and will come in two colors, Kona Blue and Wimbledon White. The car is basically a Mustang GT fitted with a 420-horsepower 5-liter V8 and performance package. It will come with special trim and badging that will distinguish it from the standard GT.

To get the car atop the Empire State Building, Ford used long time partner DST Industries, the same company that was used to pull off the stunt in 1965.

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“This week, the band is getting back together as Ford and DST bring the all-new Mustang to the Empire State Building to honor 50 years on sale,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer.

In 1965 the team had to mark out lines where the Mustang convertible should be cut, so that it could fit in the Empire State Building's elevators. The team had to be careful not to damage any of the original art deco wood and brass trim in the elevators.

“The only real problem we had in 1965 was the steering wheel,” said Claude Cochran, one of the technicians who worked on the 1965 project. “When we tried to roll the middle section of the car with the windshield removed into the elevator, the top of the wheel stuck out a bit too far through the door, so we had to tip the cart a bit to get it in.”

The yellow Mustang will be on display from Wednesday till Friday 2 a.m., when the deck closes to the public, after which the crew will have to dismantle and reverse the entire process before the deck reopens to the public at 8 a.m. Friday.

[Ford Motors] [The New York Times]

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