The GVMA owes its thanks to a young and overly ambitious Mustang owner that was swept up in the Mustang craze at the first Mustang show he entered. Back in September of 1980 this young Mustanger travelled to Lethbridge, Alberta to attend the first International Mustang Meet. This is where this young Mustanger (he became the first President of the GVMA) met another gentleman (he became the first Vice President of the GVMA) from the Vancouver area of British Columbia. After three days of talking to people dedicated to their Mustang Clubs he returned to Vancouver with overwhelming enthusiasm to start a Mustang Club. He soon learned that this was not an easy task as others had tried it before, lost interest and gave up after only a few months. As this young Mustanger did not want to bite off more than he could chew he thought that he would create a club for the local area. This new club was the North Shore Mustangers. The local area club didn't last long, within a month members were coming form all over the Greater Vancouver area.

In the early days of 1981 an ad was placed in the local Buy & Sell and notices were mailed to members of a former local club called the Mustang Owners Association, announcing a meeting to be held on February 20th at the Sheraton Villa Hotel. The meeting was to organize a new club. About 30 people were in attendance. It was decided that there needed to be a more central location to hold the meetings. Following this meeting, meetings were being held in Burnaby at Mach 1 Enterprises Ltd.

The files of the GVMA contain the first newsletters of the club. The first 10 consisted of a single typed page. The second newsletter was on the Mustang Owners Association letterhead. The first recorded executive minutes are dated May 10, 1981. This meeting took place at a picnic bench at Sasquatch Provincial Park on Harrison Lake, 10 members were in attendance. The name of the new club was still undecided. Some of the names that were tossed about were; Lower Mainland Mustang Club, Greater Vancouver Mustang, Pacific Pony Club and Pacific Mustang.

The name, Greater Vancouver Mustang Association was finally decided. The club now needed an address, the president  agreed to use his address for the club. His mother still receives the odd letter and phone call.

By July of 1981 the Mustang Owners Association transferred its bank balance to the GVMA Meetings were being held at the Centennial Community Centre in New Westminster as it was a central location. Meetings are still being held at this location.

In September of 1981 the executive was working on joining the International Mustang Association, and the design of a club jacket, windshield decal and a grill badge. By fall the club had grown to over 50 members. The club newsletter, The Horse & Driver had gone from a two page handout to an eight page newsletter.

At the December 1981 executive meeting there was talk about the Autorama Car Show at the Pacific National Exhibition (P.N.E.), mall shows at Coquitlam Centre and Lansdowne Mall. This was also the first mention of a Spring Show in 1982 at the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel. There was some discussion on the 3rd International Mustang Meet. The treasurers report of the day was a balance of a mere $ 257.46 in the bank.

As the spring of 1982 approached the GVMA was in need of an event to celebrate the club's first anniversary and kick off a new and exciting show-N-Shine season. A suggestion was made to have brunch and a Show-N-Shine at the Harrison Hotel. This was perfect, the original location of the club's beginning. With the club celebrating its first anniversary a tradition was born at the Harrison Hotel. Fifty-eight cars were in attendance for the Show-N-Shine on the Hotel grounds. Eight-nine hungry Mustangers devoured an incredible Sunday brunch.

With the first year behind them the executive now faced its second hurdle for the new club. Will the excitement die, or will there be enough public appeal and organized horse play to keep the club together? The first elections were held in May of 1982. The original executive remained the same. At this time it was decided to add a fifth position to the executive, the Assistant Officer position was created.

September 1982 the 1st Annual Indian Summer All Pony Round Up was held at the Canada Games Pool parking lot. Discussion at the following executive meeting pointed out that the site was large enough for all of the Mustangs that showed up. There was at least 400 Mustangs parked in the area.