If you could order you car new...

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Don65Stang

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How would you order it? Only rules is it has to be a model from 71-73 and only factory options. Pretend it is that era again & let's hear your order to the salesman.

I'll go first...but this is a tough one! Boss 351, 429, vert or Mach 1??? Realistically though, I probably would have ordered a:

71 Mach 1, 351 4V, 4-speed, ram air, 3.50 t-lok, extra cooling, 15" dog dish, tilt, ps, pb, sport seat, sport int, tach, convienance group, console, & spoiler. Color would have been Red & vermillion.

 
No brainer: loaded Boss 351 in Light Pewter w/Magnum 500s. That's the one that would be the 'investment' car.

I think for a driver, I'd order an M-code Mach 1 - same deal: loaded & Light Pewter w/Magnum 500s.

I think mine came with Dog Dishes... which explains why the ratty old 14" chrome nuggets are on it - they probably couldn't afford rims AND tires, so they just got rid of the stockers.

 
A Boss 351 would be highest on the list, but as 4x4 says...as an investment car.:)

Since i like to drive my cars i would have ordered:

-1971 M code Mach1 ( 351 C 4v ) Ram Air

-C6 transmission

-3:50 trac loc

-tilt

-PS and PB

-Sport seat and interior ( Black )

-Tach

-Conveniance group

-Console

-Rear spoiler

-15 " Magnum 500

Color Grabber blue with argent stripes

 
I would order mine like I did then except add the fold down rear seat.

 
I would order mine like I did then except add the fold down rear seat.
Nice! I know there are a few others who also ordered their cars. It's very cool to be able to say that. For me though, I was just a baby in 71.



No brainer: loaded Boss 351 in Light Pewter w/Magnum 500s. That's the one that would be the 'investment' car.
Me too as an investment car. ;)

 
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Knowing what I know now, 1st would be a loaded Boss in Grabber Blue. 2nd would be a Grabber Blue or maybe Grabber Lime Mach 1 w/ 429, 4 speed, a rear end in the range of 3.50 with traction lock, and all the bells and whistles.

 
I'm mostly satisfied with my 73 vert since I helped the original owner pick it out at the dealer. I'm glad it it white with exterior Decor group, deluxe interior, AM/FM, full console, and racing mirrors. And I added the 73 only forged Alluminum Wheels.

If money was no object, I would have gone with:

tilt wheel,

351 4V

A/C

traction-lok

competition suspension

convenience group

NASA hood

side stripes

deluxe bumper group

interval wipers

leather wrapped steering wheel

 
How about . . . a '72 FB (not Mach1) with the HO 351C engine, hood scoops, 4 speed, deluxe interior & gauge package, and fold-down seat. Black. Dual exhaust with chrome tips and throw a set of spoilers on it. I would omit AC.

 
Fun topic but certain perameters make a big difference in the decision, such as:

Sure you know now, but nobody knew back then that rare muscle cars with big engines

and rare Boss 351s would become investments. The vast vast majority of people bought daily drivers back then (as they do now) and they buy what they can afford. The reason 429s and Boss 351s are rare now is because they were not practical for the daily driver. They sucked gas and they were much more expensive than a regular 302 or 351. Plus very few wanted a car like a Boss that no A/C was available and was not setup for highway driving with 3:90 rear gears.

As an example of the compromises we make when buying cars: My daily driver today is a 5.7L Hemi Magnum. It was much cheeper than the 6.1L SRT8 and it gets much better MPGs (according to EPA) than a 6.1L. Will it be an investment in 40 years? Who knows? I am not

putting it it in the garage and not drive it for 40 years though!

Back to the origional poster's question: If gas mileage was no concern (the 351c really sucks gas) and I had to buy a 71-73 Mustang as a daily driver (there were more practical choices even then for daily drivers), it would probably be the same Mach1 as now but I would have ordered:

Automatic (stick is great for occasional use but gets old in daily traffic)

A/C

351-2v (for slightly better MPGs and low end street torque)

3:00 gears (again for MPGs)

Ram-air

Mag-500 wheels

Full instruments with tach and console

Tan interior (black looks great with the yellow but it gets hot)

Dark green with hockey stripes.

Fold down rear seats

Deluxe interior

If it was an occasoinal driver (as mine is now):

Boss 351/4-speed/3:90 gears

Same school bus yellow paint/black interior/black stripes

Deluxe interior/full inst/console

 
The above post nails my intent with the thread. Just a fun post to see what each of would have ordered for a practical car.



No AM/8-track orders? Those brick sized tapes were big back in the day. I think I have a few in a box somewhere still.

.

 
Oh yea stereo!

Probably radio delete or just AM, because even then you could get a better stereo installed aftermarket.

OTOH, a tough choice, a factory AM/FM stereo does look better in the dash than the aftermarket units did then. Maybe throw in one of those new "state-of-the-art" 8-track quadphonic players too, and you gotta deal mister!

 
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How about . . . a '72 FB (not Mach1) with the HO 351C engine, hood scoops, 4 speed, deluxe interior & gauge package, and fold-down seat. Black. Dual exhaust with chrome tips and throw a set of spoilers on it. I would omit AC.
You could not get AC with the HO anyway.

 
GREAT POST IDEA!

72 Mach 1

R Code - 351 HO

White

Stripe Package

AM/FM 8 - track stereo

Folding Rear seat

Functional Ram Air - It would have been an early order

3:50 Traction lock

4 speed

Black Mach 1 deluxe interior

console

rear defrost

Magnums

 
I'd get a white boss 351 or whatever color was available and daily drive it into the ground.. I don't believe in investment cars, you'll never make the money back, you're just saving it for the next owner.

 
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The above post nails my intent with the thread. Just a fun post to see what each of would have ordered for a practical car.
Well - using the same logic, gas was only something like 27 cents a gallon with no idea that there was going to be an oil embargo soon after, either.

Since 'practicality' isn't so much of an issue when buying a muscle car, I'm after the rag-nastiest fire-breathing hot-rod I can afford - because honestly, there's not much practicality in ordering a Mustang in the first place. Practicality dictates that you buy a Chevy Vega, Ford Pinto, or '71-'73 Blazer or Suburban, and depending on your location... one with 4x4. ;) :D

But, it's a fun question and nice to dream, regardless. :D

 
Whoever ordered my car in 1971 spent $1100 on "accessories" for A Grande!!

For $800 less he could have ordered a Boss with basic accessories. Go Figure.

mike
I may have grown up in East TN but even I would call that a dumbazz choice. :D

However, Mike, I really like your car and it's extreme sleeperness. I would have been interested in it as a used car but given the choice when new of a Boss or sleeper Grande, i'd have to go Boss. :D

 
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Well - using the same logic, gas was only something like 27 cents a gallon with no idea that there was going to be an oil embargo soon after, either.
Using the CPI inflation calculator, 27 cents = $1.53 now, still cheep.

Everybody freaked in 1973 when there were lines at the gas station

and you could only get 10 gallons of gas. Also during that time the gas price doubled to 60 cents (equal to $3.10 now).

 
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