40-years ago the Ford Mustang made its debut at the New York World's Fair on April 17, 1964. On Monday May 10th a red GT Mustang Convertible will be the last one built at the Dearborn Assembly Plant in Michigan and be driven off the line by long time employee Fred Galicki.

Galicki has been working in the fit and finish area for the past six years and says management had some 2000 workers to pick from and they offered him the chance to drive the last vehicle off the line.

Galicki has been with Ford Motor Company for 31 years and has been making Mustangs since 1983. He had a 1970 and a 1986, which he says he wishes he still had. Once he drives the final Mustang off the line, he'll start making F-150 Trucks at Ford's new 21st century Dearborn Truck Plant. Workers at the original Mustang plant who will be going to the new truck plant say it's like going from the "Flintstones to the Jetsons."

79 year old Oscar Horespian was one of the first Mustang workers to drive, what eventually became and American Icon, off the line in 1964 and says he remembers it, "like it was yesterday."

Horespian said he never expected the Mustang to last all these years, but did say, he's not surprised.

Horespian held a number of positions during his 37-years at Ford, but from 1965 to 1980 when he retired, he was part of history, building Mustangs five and six days a week.

Both Oscar Horespian and Fred Galicki will be sitting in the final Mustang when it's driven off the line, representing the beginning and the ending of an era that saw over 6-million Mustangs made at the Dearborn Assembly Plant.

Diehard Mustang club members will continue spreading the enthusiasm on a 60-city "Pony Drive" throughout the spring and summer. Mustang's historic year will come full circle this fall as Ford launches the all-new 2005 model as part of an unprecedented wave of new products.

 

who will get the last FOX mustang?

I'll bet that will be a collector's item considering the long run of that chassis.. basically since I was born

 

I believe Ford will keep it in their museum.

 

I wonder what model it will be.

 

2004 Redfire Premium GT Convertible

 

You're good Brad!

 

It's in the second sentence!

 

I just glanced over that.

:bang:

 

It will go in the new Visitors Center they're building at Rouge.

 

A red convertible 2004 Ford Mustang GT, the last vehicle built at the historic Dearborn Assembly Plant, rolled off the assembly line today, marking the end of production at one of the world's oldest manufacturing plants.

Opened in 1918, Dearborn Assembly Plant (DAP) has long stood as the cornerstone of Ford's legendary Rouge Center. The plant will close as the company opens its newest plant, Dearborn Truck Plant (DTP), which recently began building the 2004 Ford F-150.

Fred Galicki, a 32-year employee, was selected by his fellow workers to drive the car off the line. With him was Oscar Hovsepian, a Ford retiree with 37 years of service, who drove the first Mustang off the line in 1964.

Hundreds of employees walked with the car as it reached the end of the assembly line. The employees will be transferred to the nearby Dearborn Truck Plant. Mustang production will move to AutoAlliance International in Flat Rock, Mich., this fall.

"This is a historic day for our people, our plant and the great product we've been building here for 40 years," said Rob Webber, plant manager of Dearborn Assembly and Dearborn Truck plants. "Our workforce has always taken great pride in the products they have built since this plant opened in 1918. And today is no exception."

Dearborn Assembly has built 6.7 million Mustangs in 40 years.

Dearborn Assembly is being decommissioned with a portion of the structure dedicated for historical preservation. Preservation plans will be announced at a later date.

 

*Bows his head in a moment of silence.

 

Its kinda sad.
If it was my decision,I would have modernized the plant,retooled,and kept building the Mustang where it was born. Oh well. what do I know.

 

 

 

By the looks of those pics. Quality control isnt what it used to be.

 

Aye, 'tis a sad day indeed. On the other hand it only accentuates how much of a rebirth the 05 will be for the Mustang, which is by no means a bad thing.

 

:worship:

 

By next week everyone will put their orders in for 05 Mustang

 

Not next week, but the one after that: May 24.

 

Ok Brad thanks