1971-73 Mustangs: Why are they the least liked ?

[classicsguy]

I am sure all of you have heard and read that the 1971-73 Mustangs are like the Ugly duckling of the classic mustangs,Not too sure of the reasons but one that sticks in my mind is that the design of 1971-73 seems to deviate from the original concept of the Pony car long hood/short deck lid and that they grew in size too much...

So what is your opinion on why they are the least popular of the Classic Mustangs? What have you read or heard at shows or events?

 

[Mister 4x4]

Because the 'purists' are dumb-asses.... plain and simple.

For instance: They accept the '69-'70 Shelbys as 'Mecca' models... yet, the nose treatment of our cars came pretty much straight from them. Coincidence? I think not.

Our year models do everything better in every category than the first gens - except maybe in 'outward visibility - especially to the rear.' About the only thing I don't like better on my '71 than the previous models is the tail lights - and even then, it's not a major thing to me.

IMHO, it's 1974 when they messed up the Mustang... not '71.

Let 'em keep the classics... I'm perfectly happy with my 'Ugly Duckling.' I'm also guaranteed a "Best In Class" trophy in every local Mustang club car show no matter what my junk looks like, since nobody else has one. Hehehe!!!

 

[Don65Stang]

According to my signature they aren't the least liked.

Maybe it's the chevyesque styling cues.

 

[7173Modstangs]

I think people were so stuck on the 65-70 bodystyles. That when they came out with the big bodies, alot of hardcore ford guys didn't care for it because they were bigger, heavier, hard to see out the back,ect. and plain funky looking compared to the previous bodystyles. Plus, they were designed by the same GM guy who designed the camaros and chevelles,etc. He left GM to work for ford and the 71-73 mustang big bodystyle was his influence.

 

[thundertc64]

I used to be a member on another mustang forum and the majority dislike the 71-73 mustangs for being to big and say they handle bad ( they obviously have not driven one ) , the mistaken body weight of 4000 lbs And most call them a Torino Stang . And i made the comment that i never really liked a Falcon either and he replied he hated Falcons rofl . There are some nice early Stangs But i prefer the lines and style of the 71-73's better. I also get a LOT of flack when i say that 73 should have been the last year of the Mustang name plate .Last car show i went to i saw a early 65 and i went and looked it over and complimented the guy on how nice his 65 was and the guy looked at me like i insulted his mother and replied it's a 64, and his buddies kinda laughed, so i walked back around car again stopping at windshield pointing to VIN and then i complimented him on how nice his early 65 was and asked if he needed me to educate him on his Mustang.

 

[supercoupe]

I agree with "Mister 4X4" in which the 71-73 front nose was based off the 69-70 GT500 front nose, and I think the rear view of the Sportsroof is the best angle to view and appreciate. And yes we have an advantage at car shows since less participants in that generation but we sometimes get grouped with the 69-70's in the car show since there so few of us and that's a disadvantage.

 

[Widowmaker00]

Maybe least liked by the guys that prefer the earlier models.

I've only ever gotten positive responces about my car. Any normal people (not a "car guy") seem to think our cars are just as cool as any other classic.

Maybe some people think it's too heavy (completely untrue), maybe some think its to big, or don't like the styling, I don't know. I just know none of those topics seem to come up at shows, gas stations, etc. lol

 

[supercoupe]

yes Bunkie Knudsen big time GM guru had a large influence on 71 model, especially the Sportsroof.

 

[71_badmach]

I have a hard time appreciating the earlier than 67 ones... don't think I would own one. To each his own, but for me the Mach 1 hood is the best to ever grace a car...and you can stuff a big block in one!

 

[FasTnNefariouS]

"The Mean Girl Syndrome"

Oh and fuel/oil crisis, insurance prices, emmissions, and basically bad timing. Ford's decline in the Trans Am Racing. The "purists" not happy with the design change. If given the chance in Trans Am back in the Golden Era, I honestly think our car would be considered the best ever! Again, bad timing! Oh well, it has nothing to prove cause it is THE BIGGEST and BADDEST MUSTANG EVER BUILT! Just look at the spec sheets ;0)

 

[mach71351c]

The Mustang IIs had their place in time. If you want to talk about ugly ducklings. What about the 79-81 Mustangs.:s ( except 79 Indy pace car ).

 

[Mister 4x4]

I actually owned an '82 hatchback, and I loved it (well... it WAS my first car, after all).

Still more Mustang-like than the Mustang IIs though.

 

[NoLimitssjca]

I agree with Thundertc64. While the nameplate 'Mustang" continued in 74 it was an embarrassment. The long nose and running downhill is Classic Muscle to me!

 

[Detector]

I think some of it comes from the, somewhat religious belief, that the muscle car peaked in 1970. For the most part the early mustangs(1965 to 1968) were pony cars not muscle cars. There were a few exceptions, but for the most part they weren't real muscle. In 1969 and 70 the mustangs got that lean mean look but the 70's saw a change in the way horse power was determined and power began to drop as the bodies got bigger. But, ride got better, control got better and comfort got better. Personally I like the 71 to 73 body styles better than any of the others.

 

[RocketFoot]

Yeah, I have noticed a lot of resentment from other mustang forum members and some Mustang guys at shows but for the most part, the general public loves our cars! It's a fact! I have gotten more comments at shows than my more common neighbors and I think it is because there are less of these cars around. When a casual show spectator see's one, it is something they don't see all the time! This is also why the early Mustang guys get pissed! Our cars tend to get more attention that theirs!

Example:

Disclaimer: I do enjoy looking at all Mustangs...64.5 to present and I don't openly cut any of them down based on year, but I really do like 71-73 the best!

 

[URUGUAYAN_FASTBACK]

i think that dislike for our era mustangs is changing... just what happened with 69-70 stangs a few years ago... It is a matter of when an object become a classic.... It doesn´t happen only with cars in fact...

As i never even been touring for the USA, i dont know in person a lot of "the feeling" i should know about our cars and what does they mean in the society... I always give my 2 cents based on what i think it can be...

But i´m seeing a change of sight for our cars... Look how much more expensive they became in the past year!!... Magazines are doing covers with our cars and even in SEMA, one of the stars was the Pegassus... another point for us, either you like mod cars or not...

The MOPAR people also respects a lot better our stangs than the ones older...

I think we are going to witness how our cars grow up in peoples choice...

 

[rvrtrash]

I agree somewhat on the "74" sentiment. I always called them Pinto II. However, if the Mustang name would've died then, we might not have the new ones. All the cars got bigger around 71. Torino's, Camaro's, etc. It was just the era. The '71 Boss 351 was the fastest Mustang built way up until the 90's, but because Ford dropped out of racing, it was a secret. The gas crisis of 74 (or somewhere around there) had the big body or big engine cars sitting on car lots after they got traded for a new Datsun, and people looked at them with disdain. They never had a chance to develop a following. Just my 2 cents.

Steve

 

[DangStang]

The HP drop in these years was considerable. With the gas crisis looming over everyones heads, Ford was trying to make an economy, muscle car. Then in 1974 they downsized to the Mustang 2 to meet consumer demand of economical cars. They went downhill for quite a few years after that.

Nothing to say we can't change that now though. Right? Nice, big engine bay in our stallions!

 

[whitesoc]

I remember in high school a guy a couple years older than me had a 71-72 Mach One, I thought that car was so sexy looking , blue and silver, I was already a Mustang nut but that car made me start watching the big bodies.

I've owned a Mustang from each major restyling that they've had except the 74-78 and 94-04.

And the two that I have right now I've enjoyed the most!