Interview with Donald Farr
Interview with Donald Farr author of “Mustang Fifty Years ”
Hi Donald! Please introduce yourself.
Well, I’m a Mustang guy who happened to stumble into a career photographing and writing about Mustangs. I started in the 1970s by submitting articles to the Shelby American Automobile Club’s magazine, then known as The Marque. In 1979, Larry Dobbs contacted me about writing for his new magazine, Mustang Monthly. That led to a job as editor in 1980, and I worked at Dobbs Publishing Group for the next 18 years, both as editor of magazines like Musclecar Review and Super Ford and as an editorial director. When DPG was purchased by Petersen Publishing, I became editor of Mustang & Fords magazine, then back to Mustang Monthly from 2003 to 2014. Now I’m the editor of Mustang Times, the official magazine of the Mustang Club of America.
When did your passion about Mustangs begin and why?
I was 11 when my grandparents traded their 1960 Falcon four-door for a new 1966 Mustang GT hardtop, Signalflare Red with a white vinyl top. All of a sudden, my grandparents were celebrities in our little rural neighborhood. At an age when you didn’t want to be seen with adults, I was more than happy to be seen in the Mustang with my grandparents! And I’ve gravitated toward Mustangs every since.
Do you have a Mustang and if yes which one?
I actually own the Signalflare Red 1966 GT that my grandparents bought new. Although they eventually traded it for a 1967 Fairlane, the Mustang stayed in my South Carolina hometown. Around 1980, I found out it was for sale – just an old used up Mustang at the time – and I was able to buy it. My wife and I fixed it up a little in the 1980s, then I had it restored two years ago.
Which is your favorite?
I have a lot of favorites, old and new, but I suppose I’m partial to the 1969-70 Boss 302s. My first car was a new 1970 Mustang fastback, which I traded for a 1970 Boss 302 in 1974 and owned for around 12 years. That car led me to clubs and eventually into a career as a writer and editor.
When did you decide to write a book?
My first book, published in 1981, was about Boss 302s – “Mustang Boss 302: Ford’s Trans-Am Ponycar”, which eventually went out of print. When Ford introduced the 2012 Boss 302, I was asked to write the launch book by revising my old book and adding material about the new car. That led to my latest book, Mustang Fifty Years, a Ford-licensed product that helped celebrate the Mustang’s 50th anniversary.
How much time does it take, including find info about the subject?
For Mustang Fifty Years, I didn’t have a lot of time. The publisher, Motorbooks, wanted the book out in time for the 2013 Christmas buying season, so essentially I had about six months. Fortunately, I had been writing about Mustangs for over 30 years, so I had good knowledge of the subject and a pretty good collection of photos, many of them from Ford’s Photo Media department.
Where can we buy your book?
Mustang Fifty Years is available from most major bookstores, or online from Amazon or motorbooks.
Signed copies are also available from my website, www.donaldfarr.net.
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