1971-73 Mach 1 vs 1969-70 Mach 1

What do you like about the 1971-73 Mach 1 that 1969-70 do not have?

Not everyone has one

Seating position, Real power steering, Ride comfort, engine compartment room just to name a few that were important to me. The 71-73 Mustangs are just a much more pleasant car to drive. I drove several 64-70 Mustangs before I bought my 73. It was a clear choice in my opinion.

Room in the engine compartment to fit up to a 632" Big Block Ford motor without having to remove the shock towers:angel:.

BT

What do you like about the 1971-73 Mach 1 that 1969-70 do not have?

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My driveway.

Serious answer is comfort, style, engine compartment size, hidden wipers, better fit & finish. But in all honesty I've not really cared for the 69-70 years so there must be a thousand little things about the 69-70 that i don't like but are different on the 71 that add up to make it a great car starting in 71.

What do you like about the 1971-73 Mach 1 that 1969-70 do not have?

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The fact that I actually own a '71 Mach 1.

Seriously - there's no way I could afford a '69 Fastback (Mach 1 or no) if I could even FIND one anywhere close that wasn't either ridiculously overpriced or in even worse shape than mine (and still overpriced).

Aside from that, I'd have to say leg room and exclusiveness. No matter what year of a classic Mustang (or any other muscle car for that matter) I would have, the first thing to go would be the brakes.

I have owned several 69-70s as well as 71-72s. I agree with the comments posted above. Additionally, they handle better (stock), they launch better, and not as many rattles. Subjectively, they look like they are going 60 MPH sitting still. Chuck

I like the handling. The sharper lines like a fighter jet.

The wider and longer body with it's lower stance giving it that sleek and true Mach 1 look. Like Chuck said, it just looks like it's going 60mph sitting still.

OMG that's an awesome picture. Got any more like it?

And they call the '71-'73s the 'big body' Mustangs... wow. Just a few inches longer (all in the hood, looks like) and maybe a few wider - but Dang... that '70 looks absolutely huge compared to yours.

Both are gorgeous cars, nonetheless.

OMG that's an awesome picture. Got any more like it?

And they call the '71-'73s the 'big body' Mustangs... wow. Just a few inches longer (all in the hood, looks like) and maybe a few wider - but Dang... that '70 looks absolutely huge compared to yours.

Both are gorgeous cars, nonetheless.

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Ya...Long hood will make it look so much heavier than they really are...that 1970 mach 1 is about 100 too 200 pounds heavier on curb weight than the 71-73's....here is a picture i snapped of my car sitting with some newer cars...my car looks so small..like a dart compaired too the modern cars around it..lol

OMG that's an awesome picture. Got any more like it?

And they call the '71-'73s the 'big body' Mustangs... wow. Just a few inches longer (all in the hood, looks like) and maybe a few wider - but Dang... that '70 looks absolutely huge compared to yours.

Both are gorgeous cars, nonetheless.

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Thanks Eric! The larger appearance could be from just the angle of the picture. Side by side, you can really see the difference in length, but not so much the width.

Ya...Long hood will make it look so much heavier than they really are...that 1970 mach 1 is about 100 too 200 pounds heavier on curb weight than the 71-73's....here is a picture i snapped of my car sitting with some newer cars...my car looks so small..like a dart compaired too the modern cars around it..lol

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You hear the "Boat" and "Clydsdale" comments a lot and then you start to believe it, but the more I take the car out, I'm like WTHeck! New Honda's and Hyundais looks larger than our cars. Did the car shrink while it sat for over 20 years? Even the newer Mustangs aren't that much smaller LOL!

Seating position, Real power steering, Ride comfort, engine compartment room just to name a few that were important to me. The 71-73 Mustangs are just a much more pleasant car to drive. I drove several 64-70 Mustangs before I bought my 73. It was a clear choice in my opinion.

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+1 ! What he said.

I agree with what you are saying guys... Dont know specific about mach 1 comparation because i didn´t own neither of them but i do havemy 72 sportsroof and i also have a 1970 hardtop...

As i work the cars myself the first thing i notice is the big difference they have in construction... The structure of the 72 is much stronger and all the structural parts seems to be better design than the 70 stang...

The other thing that comes into my mind is the front of the car... I personally love the 71 73 kinda mopar looks... but everyone arround seems to agree that the 69-70 mustangs has the best looking front view... I like it, sure... but i prefer the looksmy 72 has... is more "agressive" i believe.... Besides that, i personally think the front of 1970 mustang has a design problem also... If you are shorter than the average people (not my case, thanks god! ) you can´t see where the nose of the car ends. This is not such a big deal really but the problem starts when you cant see your nose and the nose is shaped unpredictable... There´s something in the designs of the angle in the 69 and 70 nose that makes it complicated to "know" where your car finishes... That is why there´s so difficult to find a 69-70 stang with the aluminium front fender extensions in good shape.... The same happens with the VW Beatle and the weird design of the "fenders"...

Anyway... in my opinion the 71-73 mustangs has better design that improves the structure, the safety and the logical of the car....

The worst point that i notice is the luck of visibility through the rear windshield in our fastbacks... It is not that bad when you are used to it but at first, i felt insecure in the car... To be honest, the back glass area is the most questionable part of the car... It is no good from the inside... The almost plane glass makes the car not comfortable in sunny days.... There´s problems to controls water leaks with the original way of assamble it, etc....}

Well... that is it!

I had a 1970 Mach 1 but I really like the lines and ride of my 73 Mach 1 better. Just feels more quality built than my 70 did.

Here is my 70 Mach 1



My 73

Anyway... in my opinion the 71-73 mustangs has better design that improves the structure, the safety and the logical of the car....

The worst point that i notice is the luck of visibility through the rear windshield in our fastbacks... It is not that bad when you are used to it but at first, i felt insecure in the car... To be honest, the back glass area is the most questionable part of the car... It is no good from the inside... The almost plane glass makes the car not comfortable in sunny days.... There´s problems to controls water leaks with the original way of assamble it, etc....}

Well... that is it!

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Ya...To me feels like your driving a bunker ..Can only see what is coming at you hehe...I allways park where i dont have to back up..lol....And me being a big man..im 6'5" tall {196cm's tall} I was afraid i wouldnt be able to drive the car But too my luck..Plenty of leg room and just anuff head room...anyone much taller than me thou...will have a issue...lol....I was allways brain washed into thinking are years are crap by other muscle car people...But i couldnt get over the style..I loved it too much..And too my eye was one of the best ones ever made no matter what my freinds said....<~~ finding out later its was all hogwash!!! Car was the peak for the old style..in every way....Just the haters really hurt the car over the years with nothing to back it up...lol

OMG that's an awesome picture. Got any more like it?

You hear the "Boat" and "Clydsdale" comments a lot and then you start to believe it, but the more I take the car out, I'm like WTHeck! New Honda's and Hyundais looks larger than our cars. Did the car shrink while it sat for over 20 years? Even the newer Mustangs aren't that much smaller LOL!

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{thumbs up} I think it mite have shrunk!! hehe I been in the arguments over my car so much over its weights...I pull out the shop mannuals and show them how much the curb is...They dont believe it....So im going to take mine over too the scrap yard and roll it across there scale and show them...its not as heavy as you think.. No way in hell<~~like mustang monthly said..it weight 4,000 pounds!!..lol bad press like that hurting them still today a bit..But there starting to over come it.

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You hear the "Boat" and "Clydsdale" comments a lot and then you start to believe it, but the more I take the car out, I'm like WTHeck! New Honda's and Hyundais looks larger than our cars. Did the car shrink while it sat for over 20 years? Even the newer Mustangs aren't that much smaller LOL!

My 11 and Kens 73

Good point roy... in that pic, your car looks like a toy

Uruguayan is correct: I remember when I had my 1972 and looking back through rearview mirror could only see the spoiler. I read that the back glass on these Mach 1's is only 14 degrees from horizontal. I am only 5'7" but it gets tricky to change lanes in the Mach!!

{thumbs up} I think it mite have shrunk!! hehe I been in the arguments over my car so much over its weights...I pull out the shop mannuals and show them how much the curb is...They dont believe it....So im going to take mine over too the scrap yard and roll it across there scale and show them...its not as heavy as you think.. No way in hell<~~like mustang monthly said..it weight 4,000 pounds!!..lol bad press like that hurting them still today a bit..But there starting to over come it.

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4000lbs? LOL! Mustang Monthly actually loves our cars and publishes a lot of good about our cars, so suprising to hear they got it wrong and made it look bad. The best we can do is represent our cars well and hope for the best.

You hear the "Boat" and "Clydsdale" comments a lot and then you start to believe it, but the more I take the car out, I'm like WTHeck! New Honda's and Hyundais looks larger than our cars. Did the car shrink while it sat for over 20 years? Even the newer Mustangs aren't that much smaller LOL!

Click to expand...

My 11 and Kens 73

Again, must be the angle of the picture cause I thought you were taller and wider than Ken, but you both seem to be the same size Awesome pic!

Uruguayan is correct: I remember when I had my 1972 and looking back through rearview mirror could only see the spoiler. I read that the back glass on these Mach 1's is only 14 degrees from horizontal. I am only 5'7" but it gets tricky to change lanes in the Mach!!

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Not true at all. Unless you've raised the rear with air shocks, then it becomes almost impossible to see out of the rear window. Stock from the factory had the rear lower than the front and you could see out the rear just fine. My car is pretty much leveled or maybe slightly higher in the rear and even with rear louvers, I see out the rear just fine. May have some blind spots when compared to other vehicles, but you could still see out the rear window. Don't all cars have blind spots? Just a matter of adjusting to that particular vehicle, but to put the car down for having this slanted rear window was just another reason for the haters to put the ole 7173 Mustang down.