1971 & 1972 Mach 1's running incorrect front bumpers

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My Car
1971 Boss 351
1971 Mustang Sportsroof
1972 Q Code 4-speed conv.
Amazing that all the 'high dollar' "total restored" "low mileage" 1971 and 1972 Mach 1's on eBay all have chrome front bumpers.

We won't EVEN mention side stripes.

I understand if that is the look an owner wants for their car.  Not my preference.  :whistling: 

But when you try and justify huge money for a car and try to say it is an original - this just doesn't work for me.

See what happens when I stay up after my bedtime!   :cool:

Ray

 
Ray's just pointing out that virtual;y every M1 owner feels the need to festoon their car with stripes, spoilers and tu-tone hoods, regardless of originality.

The chrome bumper doesn't bother me, given just how difficult it can be to find a good condition urethane unit.

 
Ray's just pointing out that virtual;y every M1 owner feels the need to festoon their car with stripes, spoilers and tu-tone hoods, regardless of originality.

The chrome bumper doesn't bother me, given just how difficult it can be to find a good condition urethane unit.
I tend to agree with both faithful restoration and restomod ways of thinking, simply because not all cars out there are rare, collectible, or valuable.  Take my lowly H-Code, for example - a no stripe/no spoiler car, but with factory Ram Air.  I'd planned on a full stripe & spoiler package, but then noticed the overwhelming numbers of "stripe/spoiler/Tutone/Magnum 500" cars out there, and decided I didn't want another cookie-cutter 'cosmetically overloaded' car.  I ain't gonna lie - seeing cars with lower bright trim and hockey stripes bugs the crap out of me as well... now that I know better.  I liken it to throwing on a set of Mach 1 decals and calling it a Mach 1, when in fact it might be a Sportsroof - that's either negligent, dishonest, or a little bit of both in my opinion.  But, people do what people do, and at the end of the day, it's not my car OR my problem.  No sleep lost here.

I opted for a chrome bumper because my painter couldn't figure out how to get the primer to stick, let alone the paint (I'm sure), but it's safe in my storage unit for eventual reintegration with the car.  Oddly enough, I actually like the chrome front bumper look, and am in no particular hurry to replace it.

I guess after learning as much as I have over the years regarding the various models and configurations, I've become something not quite in the 'purist' category (maybe 'purist-lite'), and certainly respect the desire to see them faithfully restored... but that only makes sense to me for the rare, collectible, and/or valuable cars.  Average Joe Mustang buyer of the day would've tossed on some louvers, swapped in some air shocks and extended shackles, thrown on some Cragars or Keystone Classics along with some drag slick-sized tires in the back, and ditched the factory manifolds for some Blackjack headers and Cherry Bombs.  That's kind of what I did with mine, but got it back to as close to 'original-looking' as I could along the way (throw on a set of steelies and sport caps, and my car's looking pretty much as Ford made it - chrome front bumper, missing lower bright trim, and louvers aside, that is).

I still say, "Build it how you like."  If that happens to be a restomod, faithful restoration, or something in between, so be it.

 
I have $2500 reasons why no one pays for an NOS urethane front bumper!   (and that is for a Camaro)

Mark
Well I have to give a big shout out and Thank You to Don from OMS! He hooked me up with a urethane bumper for my 72 and gave me a great deal. Got all the mounting hardware too.

 
Hey Ray - just to drive you nuts:

Frankcarshow_2017-4.jpg


BTW - it's also Miss October for the 2019 Calendar.

You're welcome.  rofl

 
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There is one way you got a Chrome front bumper on a Mach 1 in 71 72. If you ordered the car with a non factory color they did not have the matching color in paint for the rubber bumper. Ford installed Chrome front bumpers on the 6 digit DSO code special paint and trim cars for 71 & 72. In 73 they installed an Argent front bumper. The chrome bumper will be listed in the remarks section on bottom half of the build sheet.

Always question those cars might be one of the odd color ones. There was a total of 474 built in 1971 and 325 were Mach 1 and FB, 382 in 1972 and 227 were Mach 1 and FB. 1973 was busy with 698 total and 319 were Mach 1 and FB.

So there were quite a few built.

One of the best condition build sheets I have ever seen was for the Starsky & Hutch package do not remember the year.

Marti can only tell you it was a special paint and trim car and price paid but not what was included. The build sheet is the gold.

Here is pic of the Starsky & Hutch. Ford would do about anything you wanted as long as it did not deal with government regulated items, safety and emissions.





 
Amazing that all the 'high dollar' "total restored" "low mileage" 1971 and 1972 Mach 1's on eBay all have chrome front bumpers.

We won't EVEN mention side stripes.

I understand if that is the look an owner wants for their car.  Not my preference.  :whistling: 

But when you try and justify huge money for a car and try to say it is an original - this just doesn't work for me.

See what happens when I stay up after my bedtime!   :cool:

Ray
Yep... the hobby has changed over the year's. Some do it simply because they like the look, but I think a big part of the reason for the chrome front bumper is the shortage of urethane bumper's priced reasonably. I think they look much better in urethane but I understand why some go another route. One of the reason's why I try to keep my two 71-3's factory original where possible. I like to show how they came from the factory for those that might be interested... I agree with some of the sales tactics being out in left field... They are getting away with it because buyer's are not educating themselves on what is and is not original...

 
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I have $2500 reasons why no one pays for an NOS urethane front bumper!   (and that is for a Camaro)

Mark

Mark - I know it takes a lot of effort, but a friend just picked up a nice one for $450.  Another local Mustanger bought a parts car that had a decent one to restore.  They are still out there if someone really wants one.

Ray
 
Hey Ray - just to drive you nuts:

Frankcarshow_2017-4.jpg


BTW - it's also Miss October for the 2019 Calendar.

You're welcome.  rofl

No you get a HUGE pass for bringing a car back from the dead. And no side stripes on a Mach 1!!!

And I was just reminded how timeless Cragar mags are!!!!!

Thanks! lol
 
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Thought I would throw this out there relative to the Side Stripes on Mach 1's and Verts since I know it is a pet peeve of Ray's...

Just using 1972 as an example according to the Ford records...

6,401 convertibles produced and 136 came with side stripes...that's 2 out of every 100 cars!

43,297 Fastbacks produced and 15,517 came with side stripes...that's approximately every third car!

How about Magnums in 1972...

296 convertibles got them or roughly 4 out of 100 cars.

6,292 fastbacks got them or about 15 out of 100 cars.

Merry Christmas

Jeff

 
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Hey Ray - just to drive you nuts:

BTW - it's also Miss October for the 2019 Calendar.

You're welcome.  rofl

No you get a HUGE pass for bringing a car back from the dead. And no side stripes on a Mach 1!!!

And I was just reminded how timeless Cragar mags are!!!!!

Thanks! lol
You're a good sport, Brother!  Thanks for the kind words.

 
Hey Ray - just to drive you nuts:

Frankcarshow_2017-4.jpg


BTW - it's also Miss October for the 2019 Calendar.

You're welcome.  rofl


Eric ... MISTER 4 X 4  ... wouldn't your Mach 1 be MR October   :chin: :D

 
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My wife pointed that out as well.  I guess... technically... since its name is "Frankenstang," (Frank for short)...

OK - ya got me there.   :whistling:

I just had a thought: roughly 60% of the car visible in that pic, came from OMS (bumper, bumper fillers, grille, headlight doors, sport lamps, emblem, valance, hood locks, fenders, signal lights, front indicator lights & bezels, quarter panels, door handles & locks, windshield trim, decals...  about the only things in the pic that didn't come from OMS are the car itself, the windshield, doors, hood, wheels, and license plate & frame.  LOL!

 


H-code '71 Mach 1 with a powder coated bumper to masquerade as a '72 Sportsroof in NHRA Stock Eliminator with an HO/C4 automatic combination.

 


H-code '71 Mach 1 with a powder coated bumper to masquerade as a '72 Sportsroof in NHRA Stock Eliminator with an HO/C4 automatic combination.
Cool drag car!   Powder coated chrome bymper is an interesting alternative to the urethane.  So car is a 1F02H originally, right?

Ray

 
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