my new 72 'vert

My mid-life "project" car.

::thumb::

-Dan

Crazy! Fun!

So a few interesting things once I got the Marti report:

1. This thing was all white... white paint, white knit vinyl, and white rag top.

I don't know if there were any stripes originally, or if the hood had the black on it, or was it just all white. How would I tell that?

2. It had Air Conditioning. In a convertible. Hehe. That makes me laugh. But maybe that makes it all the more valuable as it's likely rarer?

3. It was actually built in Sept 1971. Funny that it's a "1972". Car year dating is just weird, sez I.

4. What does "Convenience Group" mean?

5. Also, what does "Decor Group" mean?

Good stuff.

-Dan

Crazy! Fun!

AC is somewhat unusual for a ragtop, but by 1972 it was more popular than you think. I'm overseas so I can't tell you how many ragtops had AC, but it's listed in Kevin Marti's book.

Go to the top of the page, you'll see a Mustang Data tab. Click on it, the 1971 Facts brochure will give you an idea, '72s are probably close to the same. Page 20 has a good listing of the convenience group.

drsharp, you have a very well optioned car. Good thing it was equipped with the lower body side paint or it would have looked like a snow ball rolling by.  

1. In 1972 the only way to have received the black or argent paint on the hood was to order the Ram Air option which is not listed on your Marti report.

2. AC was becoming a more popular option. Especially at times in the summer when it just was too hot for the top to be down or going somewhere and you didn't want the Windblown look! The Marti Book "By The numbers" shows 2.142 verts with factory AC produced in 1972.

3. The calendar for the auto manufactures is way different from what us commoners are used to. Production for the current model year normally winds down in late July. Some vehicles may run little over. This gives time for the manufacture to make what ever changes need to be done on the assembly line to prepare for any new models and changes on current vehicles. Also gives time for any personnel training and to make test runs to see if any problems need to "Ironed" out. Since new model introduction is normally in September it also allows time for enough vehicles to be built so Fords 5,000 + dealers have enough new stock for new vehicle show day!

4. Convenience Group: Includes trunk light, glove compartment light, map light, under hood light, headlights-on warning buzzer, automatic seat back release, under instrument panel courtesy lights (standard on verts), park brake warning light, and locking glove box. Lots of nice items in this option!

5. Decor Group: Includes lower body side paint treatment with bright chrome upper moulding, unique black honeycomb grill and sportlamps (Mach 1 Grill), color keyed front urethane bumper with color keyed front fender and hood mouldings, and trim rings and hub caps. For 72 the body side tape stripe you mentioned earlier was available as a stand alone option only on the Mach1 or on a base hardtop or vert in conjunction with the Decor Group option. If equipped it would have been listed as Body Side Tape Stripe under "Your Vehicle Was Equipped With The Following Features".  

You have a really nice "Mid-Life" project car!   ::thumb::

Very nice and well-equipped car!!!!

Ray

Nice ride for sure.

Steve pretty much covered what your questions were. 

I did think that you could get the NASA hood as  a stand alone option. It came with the 351 Q code in 72 but the black out and hood locks were also an option and could not be had separate.

On the air conditioner. I hear this at shows all the time, my 73 vert has air. Everyone wants to know why you have air on a vert. Obviously they have never owned a vert. If you ride with the top down you will get cooked by the sun. Better wear lots of sun screen, lol. If you have the top up it gets hot so the air is a great option I feel.

Now a question for you. My 73 vert had white top and CW white comfort weave interior. What is the color of your top well liner? That is the well where the top drops into when down.

You car has lots of great options. I just went to look at a parts car with similar options but have not made a deal.

Hope you make it through your crisis with a little money left.

Steve pretty much covered what your questions were. 

I did think that you could get the NASA hood as  a stand alone option. It came with the 351 Q code in 72 but the black out and hood locks were also an option and could not be had separate.

On the air conditioner. I hear this at shows all the time, my 73 vert has air. Everyone wants to know why you have air on a vert. Obviously they have never owned a vert. If you ride with the top down you will get cooked by the sun. Better wear lots of sun screen, lol. If you have the top up it gets hot so the air is a great option I feel.

Now a question for you. My 73 vert had white top and CW white comfort weave interior. What is the color of your top well liner? That is the well where the top drops into when down.

You car has lots of great options. I just went to look at a parts car with similar options but have not made a deal.

Hope you make it through your crisis with a little money left.

Click to expand...

Dave,

I have never seen any other well liner color, but black. The color of the boot cover should match the interior color, with the exception of cars with white interior which came with black boot covers. At least my old 73 vert I had back in 1975 with white interior had a black boot cover. 

I am always looking to learn something new about our cars Dave, were there other combinations?

As others have said you have a very well optioned Mustang for use!

Power windows are very rare!

Secluff describes your car to a "t".  I echo the previous posts, on being a very nicely ordered car. Recognizing what you do with it it is right for you, taking its appearance back to stock, with either a white or black roof would look terrific. Please post any updates.

The challenge is to just get started... every week or so, my son (16) comes by with a new friend or two and wants to "show off" his ol' man's 'stang, and take it for a spin around the neightborhood.

Then again, it's now Sept here in CO... so I would imagine within a month or two, I'll want to stop driving it anyway, weather-wise. So maybe that'll be the catalyst that causes me to actually, seriously start tearing it down.

I'm still debating what all to do with it and how much to try and keep it original, especially since it's already not original.

One thing I'm debating: the transmission shifts pretty rough, so I'm sure it'll need some attention, which has me wondering if it's crazy (or too crazy, rather) to just swap in a manual transmission. That would be tons of fun to drive, but maybe that's just stupid. Heh.

I'm learning a ton already, though.

Crazy! Fun!

-Dan

The challenge is to just get started... every week or so, my son (16) comes by with a new friend or two and wants to "show off" his ol' man's 'stang, and take it for a spin around the neightborhood.

Then again, it's now Sept here in CO... so I would imagine within a month or two, I'll want to stop driving it anyway, weather-wise. So maybe that'll be the catalyst that causes me to actually, seriously start tearing it down.

I'm still debating what all to do with it and how much to try and keep it original, especially since it's already not original.

One thing I'm debating: the transmission shifts pretty rough, so I'm sure it'll need some attention, which has me wondering if it's crazy (or too crazy, rather) to just swap in a manual transmission. That would be tons of fun to drive, but maybe that's just stupid. Heh.

I'm learning a ton already, though.

Crazy! Fun!

-Dan

Click to expand...

Very common upgrade. I went from FMX auto to a T5 (5 speed). Check modern driveline. They have the bits you need for the conversion. I will say it is like driving  completely different car.

The challenge is to just get started... every week or so, my son (16) comes by with a new friend or two and wants to "show off" his ol' man's 'stang, and take it for a spin around the neightborhood.

Then again, it's now Sept here in CO... so I would imagine within a month or two, I'll want to stop driving it anyway, weather-wise. So maybe that'll be the catalyst that causes me to actually, seriously start tearing it down.

I'm still debating what all to do with it and how much to try and keep it original, especially since it's already not original.

One thing I'm debating: the transmission shifts pretty rough, so I'm sure it'll need some attention, which has me wondering if it's crazy (or too crazy, rather) to just swap in a manual transmission. That would be tons of fun to drive, but maybe that's just stupid. Heh.

I'm learning a ton already, though.

Crazy! Fun!

-Dan

Click to expand...

Very common upgrade. I went from FMX auto to a T5 (5 speed). Check modern driveline. They have the bits you need for the conversion. I will say it is like driving  completely different car.

Click to expand...

I took a look in Marti's book and here are some numbers on the manual transmission in 72 Vert.

There was a total of 837 with 3 or 4 speed so not so common. That is from a total of 6,401 convertibles made that year. I just recently parted out a 72 vert with 3 speed and they only made 82 of those.

The real rare one is the HO 4 speed they made 10 of those. There were 201 Q code 4 speed also pretty rare.

If you do swap it over and use stock components you need to find a donor car that has everything you need. The pedal assembly is different between power brake and manual but the 3 and 4 speed pedals are the same. Can get a little pricey even with aftermarket parts. Pretty much everything from the crank shaft back to the rear end has to change along with the pedals and linkage.

Steve pretty much covered what your questions were. 

I did think that you could get the NASA hood as  a stand alone option. It came with the 351 Q code in 72 but the black out and hood locks were also an option and could not be had separate.

On the air conditioner. I hear this at shows all the time, my 73 vert has air. Everyone wants to know why you have air on a vert. Obviously they have never owned a vert. If you ride with the top down you will get cooked by the sun. Better wear lots of sun screen, lol. If you have the top up it gets hot so the air is a great option I feel.

Now a question for you. My 73 vert had white top and CW white comfort weave interior. What is the color of your top well liner? That is the well where the top drops into when down.

You car has lots of great options. I just went to look at a parts car with similar options but have not made a deal.

Hope you make it through your crisis with a little money left.

Click to expand...

Dave,

I have never seen any other well liner color, but black. The color of the boot cover should match the interior color, with the exception of cars with white interior which came with black boot covers. At least my old 73 vert I had back in 1975 with white interior had a black boot cover. 

I am always looking to learn something new about our cars Dave, were there other combinations?

Click to expand...

The well liner is one area I am not sure of. The California vert 73 I have came to me with a white well liner and i did change to a black one that was in better shape. I do not know what was available just curious.

Nice vert. I have a white top and a white comfort weave interior. It looks great but they are hard to keep clean. You don't see many white tops and that what my car was delivered with.

John J

Nice car looks like the hood , stripes and spoiler was added. I like the black top. Your car was sold 15 mins from where I grew up.

Your car looks great. I love our cars in white.

Scott