Lots of 71-73s around?

Considering the lower production of the 71-73s, I am surprised at how many are still around as restored cruisers as well as daily drivers.

I rarely see 67-68s driving around, same with 69-70s. Is that indicative of higher build-quality? Or am I imagining it all because I'm a fan of 71-73s?

And I really like the 77-79 T-birds. Almost a MILLION sold, but I rarely seen any of those driving around.

I think they call it confirmation bias.

You notice things because you look for them. Like when I got my white VW Golf a few years back. All of a sudden I saw white Golfs everywhere. Same when I got the blue one last year.

I see a blue one every day at least.

As for vintage Mustangs, I think that the pre 71s are mostly either gone or restored which disqualifies them as daily drivers. You know the old "more sought after" thing.

On my numerous trips to the U. S. I have only seen one 73 coupe on Hollywood blvd in LA in 2012. Other than that, zilch!

The ones I saw when I visited members of the forum don't count.

I didn't see any on the streets in Nevada, Arizona, Utah or Florida.

But I did see some beater 65-69 Mustangs on the streets in all those places.

Maybe it's a regional thing?

I think the confirmation bias plays to a point. I remember getting a metallic baby-puke lime green KIA Soul as a rental car a few years ago, and oddly enough actually enjoyed driving it. After turning it in a week later, I noticed that for about the next 3 months, I saw the "same" car at least 3 or 4 times a week somewhere in town.

I had a similar feeling as a teenager with my attention shifting to wanting certain cars (Camaros, Mustangs, Dusters, Challengers, Satellites, etc.), that all I could see for weeks were those cars driving around... taunting me, it seemed. My focus had definitely shifted each time, because I noticed less of the others when I was Jonesin' for a specific model.

Years ago, after I got my '71 I noticed 5 other '71-'73s in-town, and heard about 3 or 4 more potential projects hiding in back yards... and even 2 more at my favorite salvage yard in the 'reserve' lot. Whenever a new one crops up, I usually tend to notice it very shortly afterward.

So yeah, I believe the 'confirmation bias' definitely plays a role, but those cars also have to be "out there" to be seen, after all.

'69-'70s are more revered, and therefore I believe are less likely to be regularly driven, as Mike says. But even so, I tend to see more '68-and-older Shelbys and Mustangs alike at local car shows, than '69-'70s... and I personally know 2 people with '70 Mach 1s, a '70 restomod (Boss 347), and at least 1 legit Boss 302. The one guy I knew with a '69 moved to San Antonio.

Currently, I'm aware of 6 '71-'73s in-town - 2 in the salvage yard, 1 for sale project coupe, Auron1973mach1's car, 1 owned by a driver at Steak Express (saw it running and talked with the guy), and mine - with mine definitely being the only in any kind of 'restored' shape (currently). (the blue '73 coupe and '71 M-code pewter and black Mach 1 I showed pictures of awhile back were both sold and left town years ago)

I live in the San Francisco bay area and during the 8 years I have owned

this car, I have only seen two cars with mine being one of them. Then again

I have only seen a half dozen earlier cars. Maybe Mustangs aren't popular

in the bay area. My mechanic is going on an extended vacation so I need to

find someone to work on this car. A challenging prospect. There is a local shop

called Mustang Fever which claims to specialize in our cars, but when I click on

"find location" I get a map of Long Island. That does not instill confidence.

A few years ago they wanted to charge me $750 to install a clutch I had already

bought, a four hour driveway job. Now there is a project for Google, find someone

who can work on my car!

mike

Not so many up this way. I know of only a baker's dozen in the western part of the state where I live. For years I was the only guy flying the 71-73 Mustang flag at car shows. Needless to say I won a lot of 1st place trophy's. I see a lot more 65-66 in this part of the country. I think they were recognized as classic's much earlier then our cars so many were saved from the ravages of winter conditions and road treatment. I prefer our cars and I owned both a 65 and a 66 and I've always felt the 71-73 were a more complete car offering both comfort and performance as well as good looks.

I look but have only seen three on the road around here over the last five years other than when a migration of cars are on the highway headed to events. I have seen a couple of sharp Mach 1s on hte road when shows are going on.

Considering the lower production of the 71-73s, I am surprised at how many are still around as restored cruisers as well as daily drivers.

I rarely see 67-68s driving around, same with 69-70s. Is that indicative of higher build-quality? Or am I imagining it all because I'm a fan of 71-73s?

And I really like the 77-79 T-birds. Almost a MILLION sold, but I rarely seen any of those driving around.

Click to expand...

My brother had two of those body style Tbird's both were Wimbledon white. One was special anniversary model. I always liked them. Very comfortable car to drive.

Something about Washingtonians that apparently like the 71-73's, I know of 5, (only two of us 71-73 members) within a twenty mile radius, you can notice on the member map, there's a cluster of us in this far Northwest corner of the United States. I agree with the confirmation bias though, it plays a huge role in what a person notices.

not a lot of 71-73 coupes, fastback or Mach-1 in my neck of the woods. I have seen 1 coupe, 2 Mach-1's floating around a 50 mile radius within the last five years. Went to a car show in Lincoln and mine was the only 1971-73 Mach 1 in the show, there was another one that was a coupe but I was the only Mach 1. Every day I drive 100 miles min and don't ever see a 71-73 cruising down the road.. I see mopars and camaro's but no big body mustangs. Makes me feel good when I take mine out, since there rare here. I don't think any camaro's or chevelles rusted out because if I had a dollar for every one I seen in the summer time I could buy another Mach 1.

Same here, I see a ton of them on the road, and in CL for sale in Rhode Island/Sothern Mass area.

I think it is Bias because I have one, so its the first thing I notice.

I very rarely see any 71/73's around, & I live in southeast Michigan. I just got mine back in May, but I had been looking for quite awhile. That was another reason I like these years because you don't see very many of them. The only other ones I saw last summer were at car shows. So recently I found out another member from this site has a 71 Mach, mines a 72 Mach & both of them are yellow. The thing of it is he lives less than 1 mile from me! He is just finishing up a full restoration on it, & in the pics I saw it looks really nice. He said he saw me driving mine last summer & couldn't believe there was another yellow one around. We plan on getting the "twins" together for a photo shoot sometime this spring. Will post some pics.

I have a occasionally seen several here in Raleigh, NC. I believe there a lot of mustangs around, just not driven a lot due to the expense to repair one if it is damaged. Also, they are like most autos from that era, rusted out and some can not see putting in whole lot of money these days. It is not cheap to rebuild them now a days! Also, How us forum members have enough space to work and store one of these mustangs?

There used to be a 1968 Shelby GT 500KR Convertible that I used to see. The last I saw it, the man was hiding it from his wife and it the engine was on the engine stand, sitting under a shelter. Several friends stopped in to ask the owner if wanted to sell it. His response was, "Are You F#$%*ing Crazy!? " Oh, the days of finding them in peoples back yards. Unfortunately, those days are pretty much gone.

mustang7173

I have seen a red 73 mach 1 around a few times where i live, and there was a coupe that we spotted a couple of times but other than that, not really thay many around here.

When my 73 convertible got delivered I called a friend that does high end restorations to see if I could store it in his shop until my garage is up this spring. He walked around the car and was impressed that there was no rust. He said I was the only guy in this area with 71 - 73 don't know what happened to all of them and I have 2 verts and 2 Mach 1's. I am not a member of the local club but will join soon. I see lots of them on cl here but they do not seem to sell.

Watching the snow melt here been on the ground a couple weeks and more coming.

David