Precision Transmission
Active member
- Joined
- May 29, 2012
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 8
- Location
- Canada
- My Car
- Do not presently own a '71 to '73 Mustang
How do you think the Mustang would have fared in the pony car wars of the mid to late 70s? Now the big if here is; what if Ford had continued the '71-'73 body style right through to 1980 or 1981 as GM did with their "F" body.
Pontiac led the way through most of it with the Trans Am and Formula, even when Chevrolet put the Z-28 on haitus at the end of the '74 model year. From 1971 to 1976, Pontiac had a 455 available at some point in each model year. Chevrolet dropped the big block option from the Camaro after 1972, but the L-82 350 kept performance alive in the Z-28 until the end of the '74 model year. Even with the introduction of catalytic convertors, the L-82 continued on in the Corvette for several more years.
How do you envision Ford would have handled the situation? They dropped their big block option after '71, making them the first to abandon the 400+ cid arena. Could the Cleveland headed engines have kept the Mustang on par with the 400 and 455 cid Trans Am?
The second generation Trans Am, and Z28 developed quite a reputation for handling which only got better with the introduction of radial tires and wider rims. The addition of rear disc brakes to the Firebird line in '79 stepped thing up even more.
If you had been in charge of Mustang and Cougar from '71, and you were to take it through to 1980-'81, how would you have kept up with Pontiac and Chevrolet? Keep it real and bear in mind things like emissions, and the engineering limits for the day.
Hope this becomes a very lively and interesting discission
Pontiac led the way through most of it with the Trans Am and Formula, even when Chevrolet put the Z-28 on haitus at the end of the '74 model year. From 1971 to 1976, Pontiac had a 455 available at some point in each model year. Chevrolet dropped the big block option from the Camaro after 1972, but the L-82 350 kept performance alive in the Z-28 until the end of the '74 model year. Even with the introduction of catalytic convertors, the L-82 continued on in the Corvette for several more years.
How do you envision Ford would have handled the situation? They dropped their big block option after '71, making them the first to abandon the 400+ cid arena. Could the Cleveland headed engines have kept the Mustang on par with the 400 and 455 cid Trans Am?
The second generation Trans Am, and Z28 developed quite a reputation for handling which only got better with the introduction of radial tires and wider rims. The addition of rear disc brakes to the Firebird line in '79 stepped thing up even more.
If you had been in charge of Mustang and Cougar from '71, and you were to take it through to 1980-'81, how would you have kept up with Pontiac and Chevrolet? Keep it real and bear in mind things like emissions, and the engineering limits for the day.
Hope this becomes a very lively and interesting discission