The rotation sheet revealed that the 1965 Mustang Fastback rolled off the assembly line on September 21, 1964, in the early weeks of the 1965 model year. Painted in the elegant Caspian Blue, it was quickly bought but returned shortly afterward, its original owner unsatisfied with their choice.
The car found its second home with Ford Engineer Owen Grant, who cherished it until 2016. Initially, Grant used it for his daily commute from his Toledo home to work in Dearborn. That routine ended in 1974, and the Mustang was parked in his garage to be neglected for decades.
Keith Lenard heard about the car from a friend. In 2016, Keith and Alex Ignagni, a colleague at Woodhaven Stamping Plant, considered restoring it together. Lenard also wanted is son to be part of the project.
A History With Mustangs
"I consider myself the second owner," Lenard said after acquiring the car. "The original owner had it for just a few months, while Owen owned it for over 50 years."
The Ford Mustang has always been close to Lenard's heart. He bought his first one—a '65 Fastback—at the age of 16. It was a wreck when he got it, what he fondly called "a basket case." He picked up a ’72 Mustang convertible during his late teens. "The convertible was a blast," he recalled, reminiscing about cruising through downtown Detroit with friends to celebrate the Detroit Tigers' 1984 World Series win.
Closer Together
Restoring the '65 Fastback in 2016 was a bonding experience for Lenard and his son Kameron, who shares his passion for car restoration. Kameron also works at Flat Rock Assembly Plant building Mustangs.
