1971-1973 Mustangs

[Boss1Ray]

This was an attempt to respond to another's comments about the 71-3 Mustangs....

Too many oversimplify when trying to explain the 1971-1973 years of the Ford Mustang. These cars were designed in Ford's design studio back in 1968; what some call the pinnacle of the performance era. During the introduction Ford was pressured to no longer support auto racing. These cars were designed to be larger and accommodate bigger and more powerful engines than ever before. They were also designed to offer a more comfortable yet sporty driving experience. They excelled in all these aspects. Some of the negative truths you mention are all driven by the automotive climate of the day. Many factors come into play and resulted in poor respective sales for the 1971-1973 model Mustangs including but not limited to - heavy emissions regulations, high targeted insurance rates, stronger Federal safety regulations, gas rationing and sometimes unavailability combined with the plethora of other very similar classed cars offered as direct sales competition - even some offered by Ford and Lincoln-Mercury! All these factors played heavy to deal the 1971 through 1973 Mustangs a severe sales disadvantage. True enough the little Falcon- based short tailed long hood 1964 1/2 Mustang started it all but they were pale in comparison to the much improved 1971-3 cars. The closest offering in the 1971- lineup that resembled the original-sized Mustang would undoubtedly be the Ford Maverick, never offered as a true performance car.

to be continued - I'm sure...

Ray

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Thanks for the info. Yes, these cars were designed during the muscle car period, when bigger was best (and no ambitions to compete with European cars, as the ads would say) .

Here is a pic of the vert prototype from 1969. They did a nice job of the design in my opinion:

 

[73Vert302]

Nice. Thanks for sharing

 

[Flatback72]

Fastback owners can be thankful for what we got, there were some weird clays earlier on in the piece (though this one is kind of awesome in it's own disproportionate way....)

and the team that conspired to inflict this goober-faced beastie onto the general public hopefully were dismissed on the spot.

 

[Boss1Ray]

Interesting how they really did take cues from the Italian designs:

1971 Maserati Ghibli SS



Ray

 

[Mister 4x4]

and the team that conspired to inflict this goober-faced beastie onto the general public hopefully were dismissed on the spot.

Pee-yew! Sure am glad that one got the axe. Also makes me wonder if AMC was trolling the back lot and went dumpster diving. lollerz

 

[imusa76]

I think your right Eric.

the Gremlin, the Javelin... look like all Ford ex prototypes.

 

[will e]

That looks pretty darn close to what they ended up with. Still one of the best looking tops on a convertible.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Not that I have any dislike for the hardtops, but I think if they would've simply made the hardtop design in the shape of the vert top up (smoothed out, of course), that would've been hugely awesome!

There's something about those tri-angular quarter windows that's just SO cool.

 

[Boss1Ray]

In the beginning of this thread I failed to mention the foreign invasion of cars being introduced to the American market during this time. Many a muscle car was traded (with cash or financing) to buy one of these econo-boxes. Honda, Toyota and Subaru were the big players (Mazda and others came on soon after) and people were buying them up like hotcakes! All of the big-three US manufacturers were setting up and joining the foreign car makers to produce cars 'badged' under the Ford, Chrysler-Dodge and GM nameplates. Competition was brutal and US manufacturers were telling dealers to hang in there as the 'new' offerings would answer all their prayers...

Ray

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Do you remember the two stroke Suzuki trucks. Had a 360 cc two stroke engine from their motor cycles. I have started to see some of the three wheel Chinese trucks here where I live. I know we don't want them here but they will come sooner or later. I rode in taxis in China that had several hundred thousand kilometers on them. The taxis and buses all ran off CNG so ran really clean. One of the few things they did clean. I would see the little three wheel trucks hauling two or three times what we would put on a full sized pickup here.

One of the odd things about China was that you never see a classic American car there. They are not allowed to be imported for any reason. I would see a new mustang or camaro but noting old.

I tell everyone I have a couple 65 mustangs and they are way different to the 71-73 cars. The extra weight on ours kills them in performance.

In my opinion the most reasonably prices Mustang that performs is the 84 - 85 SVO. Yes it is a 4 cylinder but it handles and moves so quick. They are cheap and parts are reasonable. I started to put two of the turbos off the on a flathead and see how that would work. Fuel injection twin turbos on a 239 ci flathead.

Ray is right on about the plan at Ford just the cards did not fall right and probably to our benefit. Forced them to learn how to get gas mileage and horse power in one package. Look at what comes out of the doors today. I thought for a good while about buying a new Shelby and not building the garage about the same cost. Then I woke up and decided I would rather have something I can work on.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Not that I have any dislike for the hardtops, but I think if they would've simply made the hardtop design in the shape of the vert top up (smoothed out, of course), that would've been hugely awesome!

There's something about those tri-angular quarter windows that's just SO cool.

I agree. The vert profile looks quite streamlined, like a Barracuda / Challenger/GTX profile.

 

[luxstang]

Not that I have any dislike for the hardtops, but I think if they would've simply made the hardtop design in the shape of the vert top up (smoothed out, of course), that would've been hugely awesome!

There's something about those tri-angular quarter windows that's just SO cool.

This has been my opinion for ages! The 123 convertible is the only convertible I can think of that looks almost better with the top up than with the top down. That roofline with those quarter pillars would have made for an awesome hardtop.

I wish someday someone would go all out and make a custom coupe from a vert but I I doubt that's ever gonna happen.