Pony Cars stamps will make it cool to write letters
It will soon become cool—hot?—to write letters again, even if the cost of a First Class stamp just rose to 60 cents. In a case of déjà vu, the United States Postal Service announced that next month it will release a series of five Pony Cars Forever stamps that are delightfully similar to the Muscle Cars Forever stamps it issued in 2013. We can’t wait.
Describing the stamps as a commemoration of “the heyday of the pony car era” and “featuring some of the most famous examples of these youth-oriented vehicles,” the USPS will host a first-day-of-issue event for the Pony Cars Forever stamps at the Great American Stamp Show on August 25 in Sacramento, California.
“Over the past six decades, fast and fun pony cars have become a uniquely American obsession,” a USPS press release says. “Since their emergence, these performance coupes and convertibles have brought a youthful spirit to the automotive world.”
In the mid-to-late 20th century, American automakers began catering to a segment of their customer base that was rapidly growing: younger drivers. These drivers craved sporty, affordable cars that looked and felt different from what was in their parents’ garages. Several manufacturers initially produced models that fit that description, but the pony car trend did not begin in earnest until 1964.
By the time of the 1970s energy crisis, sales of the once ubiquitous pony cars had begun to decline, but pony cars remain cultural icons. Clearly, we can’t get enough, even if they’re just stamps. Below are the five pony cars being commemorated by the USPS.
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Designed by legendary Larry Shinoda, the Boss 302 was both stylish and aggressive. Powered by a 302-cubic-inch Windsor V-8 engine, of which it was named, it featured a blacked-out hood and deck lid and was easily identifiable by its black C-stripe that extended down the rocker and door.
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
For 1969, the Camaro’s body panels were updated for a more expressive and muscular pony car look. The grille featured an angled “V” design, allowing the headlights to be more deeply inset, and the taillights were extended to a triple-lens setup. Under its double-striped hood was a 302-cu-in V-8 built for high-rpm power.
1969 AMC Javelin SST
Styled by Dick Teague, the Javelin represented AMC’s entry into the pony car wars. Top-of-the-line Javelins were badged as SSTs and included reclining bucket seats, wood-grain trim, body cladding, unique wheel covers, and a choice of 343- or 390-cu-in V-8.
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
The 1970 Dodge Challenger was Dodge’s pony car answer to the Mustang and Camaro, and it finally appeared in the fall of 1969. The R/T version included a Rallye instrument panel, Rallye suspension with sway bar, and heavy-duty drum brakes. A 383-cu-in V-8 was standard, but two 440 V-8s were optional, as was the legendary 426 Hemi.
1967 Mercury Cougar XR-7 GT
The Cougar was the most successful model launch in the history of Mercury, with 150,893 built in 1967, of which 27,221 were XR-7s. Option prices included the GT performance package, which included the 390-cu-in V-8, heavy-duty suspension, dual exhaust, disc brakes, and air conditioning.
When issued, the 60-cent Pony Cars Forever stamps can be purchased through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps.
