In April 1964, as Ford prepared to take America by storm with its brand-new Mustang, one car in a Canadian showroom was about to make history for reasons nobody could have predicted. The man who drove away in it not only shocked Ford’s execs, but carved a place for himself—and his Mustang—in automotive legend.
The Accidental Owner of Automotive History
- April 1964: Ford showrooms across North America are packed with Mustangs, ready for launch.
- One very special Mustang sits in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
- This wasn’t any old Mustang. It was a pre-production car—one of 180 built only as display models, strictly not for sale.
But then, fate had other plans. Stanley Tucker, a 33-year-old pilot working for Eastern Provincial Airways, wandered into the dealership. He took one look at that shiny Mustang and experienced—let’s call it “love at first drive.” On April 14—three days before the official launch—Tucker overcame the dealer’s reluctance, whipped out his checkbook, and just like that, Mustang Serial Number One had a new owner.
All Eyes on Tucker—and His Mustang
Tucker made the most of his improbable prize. “For a long time, I was the only Mustang driver in Newfoundland,” he later recalled. And if you’re picturing locals gawking at him, you’d be right: people literally flagged him down to ask what kind of car it was, who made it, and how much it cost.
Tucker’s Mustang wasn’t just a head-turner; it was the living, roaring start of what would become an icon. Naturally, Ford was less than thrilled to have the historic Serial Number One zooming around the Canadian Atlantic as a personal car. Soon enough, anxious representatives tried to buy it back, desperate to return their prized firstborn to company hands. Tucker was having too much fun: tracing winding roads, soaking up attention, and, frankly, living the dream.
An Offer That Couldn’t Be Refused
By winter 1965, Tucker’s Mustang had 10,000 miles on it—but Ford came knocking again, this time with an offer he couldn’t resist. If he agreed to return Serial Number One, he could select a brand-new 1966 Mustang—a car with every option he wanted.
Who could say no? Tucker chose carefully. He picked a Silver Frost Mustang convertible, loaded with luxury features—even a dashboard television. Not just any new Mustang, but, in a twist worthy of a movie, this one was the one millionth Mustang ever produced. That’s right: after the first, he got the millionth. Talk about collecting milestones.
Serial Number One was whisked away to Dearborn, where it still resides, preserved as a pivotal piece of history in the Henry Ford Museum. As for Tucker, he found himself holding the keys to another chapter of Mustang legend.
The Bitter Sweetness of Legacy
For years, Tucker drove his glittering Silver Frost convertible with pride. But even legends carry a shade of doubt. He admitted later that giving up his original Mustang sometimes nagged at him. That was, after all, his Serial Number One. But in his heart, he knew the car belonged in a museum, where millions could marvel at what started it all—a true icon born not just for display, but for the open road.
Today, over ten million Mustangs have been built. Generations of drivers adore them. But only one man can say he owned the very first and traded it for the millionth.
Tucker didn’t clock a record-breaking number of miles. He didn’t make headlines for endurance like Irv Gordon and his marathon Volvo. But his decision to act—just that once, in one small Canadian showroom, at just the right time—made him something special. A leading figure in car history, almost by accident. And maybe that’s more remarkable than any distance record could ever be.
So, next time you see a Mustang cruise by, remember: it all began in Newfoundland, with a pilot’s impulse buy and a twist that even Ford never saw coming.
Iveta is an aspiring journalist with a passion for storytelling and a deep love for coffee. Always curious and creative, she dreams of sharing stories that inspire, inform, and connect people around the world
