Owner of first ever Mustang kept declining extraordinary offers from Ford to repurchase it until company made one too good to refuse
Published on Feb 05, 2026 at 4:56 PM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Feb 05, 2026 at 4:56 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
The owner of the first ever Mustang declined extraordinary offers from Ford to repurchase it until the company made a Godfather-style one that was too good to refuse.
What began as an ordinary visit to a dealership in April 1964 turned one man into the accidental owner of automotive history.
Captain Stanley Tucker unknowingly bought the very first Ford Mustang ever sold to the public, days before the model officially launched.
And when Ford realized its mistake, Captain Tucker refused to give it back for years.
EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie
Owner of first ever Mustang refused to give it up
Captain Tucker spotted the car of his dreams while walking past a Ford dealership in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
The salesman hesitated because the Mustang was not meant to be sold yet, but Tucker pushed forward and paid just over $4,000 for the car.
Only later did the automaker discover that the vehicle, bearing the serial number 5F08F100001, was the first Ford Mustang ever sold.
As the car exploded in popularity, Ford began contacting Tucker to buy the first ever Mustang back.
The company knew the vehicle’s historical value and wanted it returned for preservation, but Tucker, however, was emotionally attached to the car and enjoyed driving it daily, with crowds gathering wherever it went.
Ford made multiple attempts, offering cash and incentives, but the captain consistently declined.
By the time the car had clocked over 10,000 miles, it had already become a legend.
Still, Tucker refused to part with it, believing no offer matched the significance of what he owned, and he knew how much the automaker wanted it back.
Click the star icon next to supercarblondie.com in Google Search to stay ahead of the curve on the latest and greatest supercars, hypercars, and ground-breaking technology
Ford finally made an offer too good to refuse
In 1966, after nearly a million Mustangs had been produced, Ford returned with a final proposal.
This time, the offer was not just money: the brand promised Tucker a brand new Mustang with every available option included, built specifically for him.
Tucker accepted and selected a fully loaded 1966 Mustang convertible, marking the one-millionth Mustang ever produced.
The deal allowed the automaker to reclaim the first Mustang while rewarding Tucker with another major piece of Mustang history.
The original Mustang was restored by the automaker and placed in The Henry Ford Museum, where it remains on display today.
Tucker drove his one-millionth Mustang for years, proud that his brief moment of curiosity had secured his place in automotive history.
It was a rare case where both sides walked away happy.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
As a Content Writer since January 2025, Daisy’s focus is on writing stories on topics spanning the entirety of the website. As well as writing about EVs, the history of cars, tech, and celebrities, Daisy is always the first to pitch the seed of an idea to the audience editor team, who collab with her to transform it into a fully informative and engaging story.
