The 1965 Ford Mustang America Fell in Love with Inducted into National Historic Vehicle Register

Hagerty Drivers Foundation Welcomes 1965 Ford Mustang Magic Skyway Car into the National Historic Vehicle Register as Nation Marks 250th Celebration

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hagerty Drivers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to preserving automotive culture and history, today announced the induction of a 1965 Ford Mustang convertible as the 38th vehicle added to the National Historic Vehicle Register (NHVR). The announcement coincides with the opening of Ford Motor Company's "Driving America Forward" exhibit at Union Station in Washington, D.C., where the car is on public display through July 14.

The vehicle, a Wimbledon White convertible, is one of 23 Mustangs that carried visitors through the Ford Pavilion's legendary Magic Skyway attraction at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. Fitted with special undercarriage rigging and pulled along a cable track, this Mustang traveled an estimated 5,000 miles over six months, transporting approximately 40,000 passengers through a Disney-designed journey from prehistoric times into the space age - all without burning a drop of fuel. It is one of only a handful of Magic Skyway Mustangs known to survive, and among the finest restored examples.

"The 1965 Mustang display at the World's Fair wasn't just a car launch, in many ways it was the launch of an entire generation," said McKeel Hagerty, Chairman of Hagerty and the President of the Board of Directors of the Hagerty Drivers Foundation. "This particular car carried tens of thousands of enthusiasts into the future at the most celebrated exhibition of its era. Its story belongs to all Americans, and there is no better moment to make that official than America's 250th birthday."

This 1965 Ford Mustang, VIN 5F08T383386, is owned by Sam Pack of Texas and was treated to a careful restoration in 2015 that preserved its original components, including its factory 200 cubic inch inline-six engine and three-speed, Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. The Hagerty Drivers Foundation is currently completing the full NHVR documentation package - including laser scanning, professional photography, and a written historic report - in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior's Historic American Engineering Record (HAER). The documentation will be permanently archived in the Library of Congress as HAER No. TX-3410. The documentation is underwritten by Ford Motor Company.

"Ford is honored to document this historic milestone in our heritage as part of the America 250 celebration. Ford put America on wheels, and the Mustang is the soul of that legacy," said Ted Ryan, Heritage Brand Manager and Archivist at Ford. "Its induction into our nation's library ensures that the Mustang's rich cultural impact will inspire generations to come."

"The Mustang is one of America's most beloved automobiles, and this car represents its very birth - unveiled not in a showroom, but on the grandest stage imaginable, carrying tens of thousands of people through a vision of the future at the New York World's Fair," said Casey Maxon, Director of Heritage, Hagerty Drivers Foundation. "It was an immediate, undeniable hit. The public didn't just notice the Mustang, they fell in love with it on the spot. As we mark 250 years of American history, it's worth remembering that for nearly half of that history, the automobile has been woven into the fabric of this country's identity. What better way to honor that legacy than with this Mustang convertible, one of the most iconic enthusiast cars ever produced."

The Magic Skyway Mustang is featured in the "Shaping Pop Culture" chapter of Ford's Driving America Forward exhibit, displayed in an illuminated glass case among artifacts from Ford's Heritage Archive. The exhibit spans seven themed chapters and is free to the public at Union Station through July 14, 2026.

The National Historic Vehicle Register documents and records vehicles of significant importance in American history and culture. Documentation of each vehicle is a partnership between the Hagerty Drivers Foundation and the U.S. Department of the Interior's Historic American Engineering Record, and is permanently archived in the Library of Congress.

For more information:
Home page - Hagerty Drivers Foundation NHVR Vehicle No. 38
Photos - NHVR Vehicle No. 38: Photos of the World's Fair Mustang
Instagram – Hagerty Drivers Foundation

About Hagerty Drivers Foundation
The Hagerty Drivers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit launched in 2021 by Hagerty. With the purpose of shaping the future of car culture while celebrating our automotive past, the Hagerty Drivers Foundation provides scholarships for students in the automotive field of education, as well as students seeking formal driver education training. In addition, the Foundation continues to build a federally recognized program — the National Historic Vehicle Register — that documents and records the important history of our shared automotive past. For more information, visit https://driversfoundation.org.

About Driving America Forward
Driving America Forward is a free public exhibit at Union Station in Washington, D.C., running July 1–14, 2026, presented by Ford Motor Company in partnership with Hagerty as part of America's 250th anniversary celebration. The exhibit showcases Ford's most culturally significant vehicles and artifacts across seven themed chapters, inspired by the Hagerty Drivers Foundation's Cars at the Capital program.

SOURCE Hagerty