During a recent staff meeting, we were tossing around story ideas and came up this: What if someone had a '65 or '66 Mustang and wanted to convert the car to a Deluxe Interior? What parts would it take to do it? What bits make an authentic "Pony" Interior, as it is affectionately known?
We're going to answer those questions and more. People have been converting standard '65-'66 Mustang interiors to Pony cabins for years, and for good reason--they're desirable and look spectacular, especially in the bright colors that some cars came with.
This '65 convertible in blue...
This '65 convertible in blue with white appointments illustrates the attractive Pony Interior. For our detail shots, we used a '66 GT fastback that also looks good in black, but is more understated than the standout shown here.
Alan Cohen has the black Pony...
Alan Cohen has the black Pony Interior that's in his red '66 GT fastback. This car doesn't have a console, which was a separate option on all Mustangs, regardless of the interior. The stainless-trimmed pedals are another part of the Pony Interior package.
Upgraded seat upholstery is...
Upgraded seat upholstery is one of the most prominent components of the Pony Interior option. Black, Red, and Palomino were the only single-color Pony Interior shades available in '65 and '66 Mustangs. All other color options were made up of two hues, such as Blue with White appointments like our convertible example. Other color combos included Aqua with White, Parchment with Blue, Ivy Gold with White, and Parchment with Aqua.
On the one-year anniversary of the Mustang's introduction on April 17, 1965, the Pony Interior joined the GT package and bench-seat options as new available selections. Ever since, the Pony interior has been a hit in original guise and for those upgrading cars that didn't originally come with one.
We'll show you what a correct Pony Interior is comprised of and what's needed to upgrade an existing car with components available from vintage Mustang parts houses such as Mustang Country International. We frown upon trying to pass off a car as originally equipped with a Pony Interior, but believe there's nothing wrong with saying you've converted your car to a Pony Interior, creating a clone of sorts.
Finally, all available colors for Pony Interiors, along with other information about them, were presented in our April '03 issue.
This is why the Deluxe Interior...
This is why the Deluxe Interior is better known as the "Pony" Interior. The embossed running horses on the seat upholstery give the Deluxe Interior its nickname. The running horses are exclusive to '65-'66 Pony Interior upholstery.
Door panels are another major...
Door panels are another major upgrade to the Pony Interior. This is the overall view of a Pony door panel.
The Thunderbird-style, pistol-grip...
The Thunderbird-style, pistol-grip inside door-release handles are unique to the Pony Interior package.
Major Pony Interior Components - Five-dial instrument panel
- Woodgrain inserts on gauge cluster and glovebox door
- Uniquely styled glovebox door
- Molded door panels with Thunderbird-style, pistol-grip inside door-release handles
- Door-mounted courtesy lights
- Kick panels with carpeting on lower half and stainless trim strip
- Running horse-embossed bolstered seat upholstery
- Woodgrain Deluxe steering wheel
- Vinyl-covered quarter-trim panels (coupe only)
- Bright trim cap on quarter-trim panel (coupe only)
- Bright-trimmed pedals
We asked Mustang Country to make up a list of required parts to convert a car to a Pony Interior. Here's what they came up with. Note the extra components needed to convert a standard '65 interior in a non-GT '65 car.
| Parts Required for Pony Interior Conversion |
| Item | Price |
| Seat upholstery | $225.00 |
| Seat buns (2 @ 59) | 118.00 |
| Kick panel | 24.95 |
| Kick-panel chrome | 29.95 |
| Kick-panel carpet | 15.95 |
| Woodgrain gauge-cluster bezel | 44.95 |
| Woodgrain glovebox door | 89.95 |
| Quarter-trim upholstery (coupe only) | 39.00 |
| Chrome corner cap | 14.95 |
| Door panels | 149.95 |
| Door-panel trim | 119.95 |
| Door-panel clips (30 @ .25) | 7.50 |
| Handcup mounting brackets | 7.90 |
| Door-panel cups | 15.00 |
| Door-panel-cup inserts | 7.90 |
| T-bird-type door handles (2 @ 20) | 40.00 |
| Door-handle escutcheons | 9.95 |
| Door-handle shaft and link assemblies (2 @ 15) | 30.00 |
| Door courtesy lamps (2 @ 30) | 60.00 |
| Wire looms for door lights | 23.95 |
| Screw kit | 8.95 |
| Deluxe steering wheel | 349.00 |
| Steering-wheel center cap | 59.95 |
| Stainless steel-trimmed accelerator pedal | 10.95 |
| Stainless steel brake-pedal trim (auto or manual) | 7.95 |
| Stainless-steel clutch-pedal trim | 8.95 |
| Total for all '66s or '65 GT: $1,511.60 to $1,520.55 |
| Additional Parts Needed for '65 Standard |
| Item | Price |
| Underdash wiring harness | $395.00 |
| Alternator wiring harness | 23.95 |
| Headlight wiring harness | 114.95 |
| Engine-gauge wiring harness | 35.95 |
| Oil sending unit | 19.95 |
| Oil sending-unit extension | 24.95 |
| Used five-dial gauge cluster | 150.00 |
| '66 glovebox latch | 29.95 |
| Total Additional | $794.70 |
| Total for Converting from '65 Standard Interior: $2,306.30 to $2,315.25 |
The door-mounted red-and-white...
The door-mounted red-and-white courtesy lights are also part of the Deluxe Interior. Mounted on the far lower edge of the door, they're easily visible when the door is open. The holes for these lights need to be cut into existing doors when converting a car with a standard interior to a Pony Interior.
Along with the T-bird door...
Along with the T-bird door handles, these chrome escutcheons are mounted behind the handles.
A complete Pony Interior door...
A complete Pony Interior door panel also includes these panel cups that allow for a place to pull the door closed with your hand. A special metal bracket behind the door panel provides support.
The biggest ticket item for...
The biggest ticket item for an authentic Pony Interior is this beautiful woodgrain steering wheel. Parts operations such as Mustang Country have these in stock. The center cap is sold separately.
Another visually prominent...
Another visually prominent part of a Pony Interior is the woodgrain glovebox door, which is readily available from most any Mustang parts house.
All Pony Interior cars in...
All Pony Interior cars in '65 and '66 came with the five-dial gauge cluster, even if the car was a '65 non-GT. All '66 Mustangs also came with these gauges, but the woodgrain bezel is unique to the Pony Interior package. If you're converting a '65 non-GT standard interior to Pony status, you'll need to swap the Falcon-style sweep speedometer gauge cluster to the five-dial type shown here, which also involves modifying the dash to make this version fit. Of all types of '65-'66 Mustangs, '65s with standard interiors are definitely the most involved (see sidebar). All '65 GTs have the five-dial cluster, whether or not they have Pony Interiors.
Missing from the Pony Interior...
Missing from the Pony Interior of our '66 GT fastback subject car are the carpeted kick panels, which have been supplanted for the time being by these panels with speakers. Covered halfway with carpet and trimmed with a chrome strip, an example of these panels is visible in the photo of the convertible interior shown at the beginning of this article.
Unique to coupes and convertibles...
Unique to coupes and convertibles is the vinyl quarter-trim upholstery that's shown off the car. Used on the inside quarter-trim panels, it covered the whole panel behind the window crank. Although used in all convertibles, the panel was covered only in coupes with Pony Interiors. Fastbacks have a unique setup, so no quarter-trim upholstery was used.