1973 Factory Aluminum Forged Wheel as a spare

Just curious if the 73 Mustangs with the optional forged aluminum wheels came with a steel spare or had the aluminum wheel.

Here is a "for sale" ad with a picture of the spare being the aluminum wheel. Could have been added or were they the standard spare with aluminum wheels.

https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1973/ford/mustang/100833532https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1973/ford/mustang/100833532

Considering that Ford wouldn't even include a trunk mat in 1973 to cut costs, I would find it hard to believe they would spring for an additional optional aluminum wheel. Also keep in mind a spare is just that -- a spare in case of emergency. And then there is the whole space saver spare thing to consider. My vote is steel wheel was standard.

Considering that Ford wouldn't even include a trunk mat in 1973 to cut costs, I would find it hard to believe they would spring for an additional optional aluminum wheel. Also keep in mind a spare is just that -- a spare in case of emergency. And then there is the whole space saver spare thing to consider. My vote is steel wheel was standard.

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+ 1 on that Bill!::thumb::

Greg.

My original 73 that I ordered with aluminum wheels came with steel wheel. I also had fold down so it has the BFG space saver spare. Ford has never put Mag. 500 or alu. wheels for spares even to this day. Some of the drag racers look for the donut spare wheels that Ford used that were aluminum rim to run as front wheels on drag cars.

I suppose that it was possible to Special Order them but you would have a 6 digit DSO and it would show up on the build sheet in the Remarks section.

David, I figured you would know on the 73 for sure. I had never seen a aluminum or styled steel rim (Rally or Magnum) used for a spare in any Mustang. The ONLY exception I know for a fact is the 72 Gran Torino with the Magnum option. I ordered a 72 Gran Torino Sport with the Magnum wheel option (built 5/12/72). None of the literature I had seen made any mention of one being used for the spare.

But when checking the trunk I noticed a full trunk mat instead of a partial mat like I had seen in the non Magnum vehicles. The wheel was mounted upside down with an additional mat under the rim. It also had a black plastic 5 armed star that was placed over the area where the center cap would go and partially covered the chrome section of the spokes from the center cap hole out. At the time I had no ideal what purpose the "Star" served. I have since learned from reading some posts here that it was used to protect the black paint when using the lug wrench.

Never have found out why Ford did this or found anyone at Ford that knew. I sure wish we could snag a Ford corporate employee (Management, line worker, etc) from that time era so we could do the 1,001 questions!!

Me 2, I have 5 D2OA chrome magnums with my 72 Gran Torino Sport.