The Hagerty Drivers Foundation has named a 1965 Ford Mustang that carried visitors through the 1964 New York World’s Fair as the 38th vehicle on the National Historic Vehicle Register — a fitting tribute as the nation marks its 250th birthday.

The Hagerty Drivers Foundation has joined Ford to celebrate America’s 250^th birthday in our nation’s capital. Ford’s special exhibit, “Driving America Forward,” has transformed the historic Union Station into a pop-up museum featuring vehicles that made their mark on American culture and history — including this very Mustang. The free exhibit is open from July 1^st to the 14^th. Documentation of this vehicle for the National Historic Vehicle Register was underwritten by Ford.

Ford commanded the world’s attention when they unveiled a new type of car at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, a sporty car that the average American could afford – the Mustang, a perfect blend of performance, style, fun, and attainability. Ford had a large presence at the 1964 World’s Fair, housing their attractions in the Ford “Wonder Rotunda.” Partnering with Disney, Ford created the “Magic Skyway”, an interactive exhibit at the World’s Fair where FoMoCo vehicles, including this very Mustang, carried visitors from all over the world on a journey from the ancient past, into the future, one lap at a time. The twelve minute, half-mile ride gave visitors a front row seat to an animatronic display of Earth’s history, depicting the dinosaurs, mankind’s invention of the wheel, all the way to the distant future - while looking over the hood of a Ford convertible.

This 1965 Ford Mustang, number 5F08T383386, was one of eleven Mustang convertibles used on the Magic Skyway in 1965. Fitted with special rigging on the undercarriage, the Magic Skyway cars were pulled around the ride on a conveyor. Over the course of six months, this Mustang covered an estimated 5,000 miles, carrying approximately 40,000 passengers, without burning a drop of fuel!

Afterwards, Ford reconditioned the Magic Skyway vehicles for sale, removing the special rigging from the undercarriage, applying fresh paint, and freshening up the interior. Eagle-eyed Mustang enthusiasts will notice the 1966 Mustang wheel covers the car now wears, which were installed during this refresh. This Mustang was sold and sparingly used and treated to an exacting restoration in 2015, with care to keep the original components intact. Today, it is part of the Sam Pack collection in Texas.

In celebration of the Mustang’s enduring legacy, the Hagerty Drivers Foundation has selected this Magic Skyway survivor as the 38^th automobile to be commemorated and documented as national heritage under the National Historic Vehicle Register and U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, Historic American Engineering Record. The photographs, line drawings and history of this vehicle will be archived in the Library of Congress for future generations in perpetuity, recognizing the car as being historically significant. The Hagerty Drivers Foundation is proud to partner with Ford to preserve this aspect of car culture, helping to ensure our automotive heritage is never lost nor forgotten. Celebrate the story of the Mustang at Ford’s Driving America Forward exhibit in Washington, D.C., open July 1 ^st to 14^th!