What "almost"- Mustang do you wish Ford would have offered...

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K

Kit Sullivan

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I'm not really asking for a free-for-all, no holds barred fantasy Mustang, but something more along the lines of a model or a package that Ford could have offered on the 71-73s without much trouble, using some juggling of existing parts...but for whatever reasonn decided not to.

Here's a couple I would have liked to see:

1) A full-performance version of the convertible. I know that all engine and suspension options were available on convertibles, and it was possible to "create" a almost Mach 1 convertible.

I just wish Ford would have made a factory Mach 1 convertible, or maybe an entirely new-named performance variant of the convertible. I have seen several convdrtibles over the years given a good "Mach 1" conversion, and the body-style really lends itself well to the hocky stick stripes, Magnums, tutone/ram air hood, and the mach 1 front end. I like the spoiler on the trunk also, but some modified pedastals for the convertible might it look a little more appropriate.

2) a stripped-down performance package on the coupe would have been nice, ala the Fox-bodied "LX coupes".

3) How about a "signature" model, re the Dan Gurney and Cale Yarborough-edition Cyclone twins?

4) I wish the Grande had gone further (farther?) with the "luxury" theme. Like maybe athickly-padded vinyl roof, unique grill/lamp treatment with some "jewel-like" light or trim ( like the 77-79 Tbirds), some unique aluminum wheels, upgraded, more "plush" interior with a leather seat package...all that kind of crap. I know that probably would have taken it out of its market/ price segment, but it may have been a nice car.

 
Thats a good choice. Early on in development, a BOSS 429 powered 71 was in the plans, but never made it to production.

Plans were also in place to have the 385-series ( 429/460) developed up to a 501 Cobra Jet. Now THAT might have been pretty awesome!

Damn insurance companies!

 
At least the dreams have been realized by the customizers:

1972mustangmach1twisterreplica1112.jpg


^

Comment on the above car: It drives me nuts that of all the Mach 1 tribute 'verts on Google Images search, not one of them was done 100% correctly. Most all of them are '73s with '71/72 stripes - making them look like some funky Decor Group car - and of the '71/72s, only this one had a urethane bumper.

Even then, it has the standard mirror and the Boss 351 spoiler, neither which belong on it if the full "factory Mach 1 look" ruse is to be visually effective.

TrickSixtyFive built a nice tribute with '73 stripes:

IMG_0311.JPG


Then there's this factory 4-speed Q-code '72 coupe that I found recently (the one with the kooky seller - though everything I've ever found has a kooky seller), which I dare say is the closest thing you'll find to a Boss 351 coupe, short of an R-code '72 4-speed coupe (if any of the R-code coupes were ever made with 4-speeds):

2mwupev.jpg


-Kurt

 
Anybody ever heard of a configurator?! Any feature, any package...just configure your car the way you want it. Oh...and since it's my (okay, really Kit's) rules, the configurator is across all 71-73 offerings.

I would have ordered a '72 'vert with the 429 CJ engine with most of the Mach package (hockey stick paint less paint on hood and trunk) and spoiler. Lot's of other goodies for sure but I will be flying by soooo fast you probably can't see them!!!

:run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse::run_horse:

 
The yellow Mach converible is ok, but needs to have a few mkds, as mentioned. Hood is painted wrong, the hood pins are painful to look st, the mirrors gotta go and thd 14" "fake" Magnum with trim rings aint cutting it. Snd the front marker bezels are black for some reason.

Aww, who am I kidding? I would love to have that car!

 
I am partial to coupes, since that is what I have, a Grande to be specific. I would have like to have seen more powerful production motors across the displacement spectrum. I would also have like to seen the convenience group (map light, trunk and under hood lights specifically) standard. I have a deluxe interior, however the materials used are not very deluxe at all. I know that for the time, it wasn't too feasible, and I would like to have seen more adjustability I'm the seats and maybe even power on the driver seat.

 
I agree, the "Grande" was not very much more plush than any other premium model. And "Grande" is kind of an innapropriate name too, as this model is no larger than any other. Maybe Ford figured thier customers could only speak english?

Better cloth or leather seats, better carpets, better intetior illumination would have really made that model rock.

 
2 models I'd like to see in coupes since the fastbacks offered pretty good choices would be

A grande with - leather, power seat, dashboard from the cougar but with mustang badging, rim blow, full console, standard power windows, tilt wheel, am fm 8 track radio with 4 speakers, power add ons like trunk release and antenna, dual remote racing mirrors, alloy wheels or some dressier looking magnum type wheels, a dressier grille and taillight/ tail panel trimming. So essentially a cougar xr7 in a mustang body.

Second - like the lx foxbody a stripped down coupe with, fixed back windows, radio delete, base steering wheel, standard gauge package, no console, single racing mirror, 15x7 steelies with no hubcaps, no tail panel trim only a pop open cap, 351c standard along with disc brakes, no ac, dual exhaust with turn downs. Pretty much an all go but no show type car but coming standard with many options and a decent base motor.

 
Since the BOSS cars were done early in 71, it would have been nice to have astripped-down performance model based of the coupe. I'm thinking it could have been a nice "GT" model: a coupe, 15" 2-piece caps, no vinyl roof available, basic interior, comp suslension.

 
Personally, I like the blue 'vert with the '73 stripe - but IMHO it would look better with a black top and interior. The '73 stripes look sweet on the 'verts - the hockey stripes look pretty awesome as well, but I think I like the '73 stripes just a little bit better.

Kind of along the lines of 'verts, I wish the hardtops/coupes would've looked more like the 'verts with their tops up, than the 'Ghia' design they settled on. A 'vert looks great with the top down - bar none one of the best-looking 'verts out there. But can you imagine how awesome the coupes would've been had they simply made a sheet metal version of the deployed convertible top? It worked great for the Challengers (my second favorite muscle car).

Specific things about our models I would change or have made available:

- factory reclining front seats (even though it was more of an '80s thing)

- lower the trunk height of the fastback and create a more angled fastback (a la '69-'70 style)

- flip-up spoiler integrated on back of trunk (like '67,'68,'69,'70 Shelbys)

- have 3 verticle tail lights strips with detached 'dot' reverse lights

- factory cruise control

- hood locking mechanism/release inside the car (even though it's more of an '80s thing)

- map lights in a center 'roof' console located between the sun visors

- courtesy lights on the sail panels (like the '69-'70 models)

- passenger side mirror remote control cable (I still don't know why they didn't do that)

- continued support for more engines, specifically the big-blocks.

I can't think of many more things - the cars are pretty well-equipped with factory options and creature comforts. Adding in actual factory option parts tend to make a pretty nicely equipped car.

"Grande" option. I'll apologize up front for my following comment: waste of time and money. Making a quasi-luxury version of a muscle car (with white wall tires and wire wheel hubcaps - like my '82 GL when I first bought it) is just a bad idea. Might as well put a pillow-style velour interior on your 258 I-6 equipped Corvette with white walls and 14" finned caps (sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it?). Again, just my opinion, and no offense intended toward any Grandes or their owners.

 
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