1973 mach 1 fastback

[campbell1525]

I have a Ford Mustang 1973 Mach 1 fastback, no engine or transmission in it, has glass, interior is pretty bad, live in AZ

 

[RacerX]

Looks like it landed on it's roof! j.k.

If it's an Arizona car, the body and frame ought to be in pretty good shape. A good canvas to start with.

What's the first 5 digits of the VIN? 3F05H or maybe a Q code?

What engine, transmission was it equipped with? Interior & exterior colors?

 

[caspianwendell]

Need a little more detail to determine a price like any rust issues, options, a VIN would help. Things like auto or manual trans, engine option, standard or deluxe interior, rear diff size and ratio, disc brake or not, etc.

 

[cudak888]

Front end is a mish-mash of a '71 LH fender, '71 chrome (not Mach sourced) bumper, '71 valance, and '73 RH fender.

The red paint job over blue on the hood and fenders seems to be be emulated by the roof and quarters as well; chances are that the front end bits in this color are original to the car; ditto for the front end trim and valance. Hence, I have every reason to believe that the shell we're looking at is of a 1971 or 1972 Sportsroof.

But that's the least of it:

The interior was yanked from a '73 Grande, according to those seats. Given that the OP claims this to be a '73, I'm certain the dashboard was swapped with the Grande as well, and so was that left hand door to make the VIN swap complete. That LH mirror pedestal is for a standard mirror - not the sports mirror - which only further confirms my suspicion of a hardtop/Grande as the source.

Who's bet is it that the VIN starts with "3F04..." and that the real VIN of this car is hidden under the shock towers?

Honestly, the ambiguity of the car plus the ambiguity of the ad (posted by a newcomer who's only other prior activity was to ask how much this thing is worth, no less) has my dander up just a wee bit more than usual - parts car or otherwise. It smells like a long-lost stolen car, an ancient VIN futz job to get a car with a dirty title past the DMV, or a swap to get around high insurance rates back in the day (the latter being quite unlikely though). At any rate, I want to see some VIN numbers and some transparency from the seller before anything else.

I'm not saying that the seller is purposely trying to pull one over on someone, but when you have a car with any VIN tag discrepancy, it is the seller's responsibility to be completely open-book about the issue, whether a new member to this forum or seasoned veteran, and whether a mint car or the worst parts junker in the world. As it is now, we essentially have a car with a possible illegal VIN swap, sold as a year that it isn't, by someone who hasn't told us anything about it except the wrong year and trim level. B.S. meter to the roof.

-Kurt

If it's an Arizona car, the body and frame ought to be in pretty good shape.

This thing is in the weeds, and it's wet.

^

Mods: I'll take down that statement when we get more information. In the meantime, I'm shoving all the caveat emptors up here that ought to be noted until proven otherwise.

-Kurt

 

[campbell1525]

Im not trying to pull anything over on anyone, this was my fathers first car he died 14 yrs ago we are just now trying to sell it, we got the vin off the title its 3F02H202956, not trying to dup anybody just trying to understand what its worth so we can sell it for a reasonable price either in the town that I'm in or to someone that wants to fix it up. Just looking for more info.

Front end is a mish-mash of a '71 LH fender, '71 chrome (not Mach sourced) bumper, '71 valance, and '73 RH fender.

The red paint job over blue on the hood and fenders seems to be be emulated by the roof and quarters as well; chances are that the front end bits in this color are original to the car; ditto for the front end trim and valance. Hence, I have every reason to believe that the shell we're looking at is of a 1971 or 1972 Sportsroof.

But that's the least of it:

The interior was yanked from a '73 Grande, according to those seats. Given that the OP claims this to be a '73, I'm certain the dashboard was swapped with the Grande as well, and so was that left hand door to make the VIN swap complete. That LH mirror pedestal is for a standard mirror - not the sports mirror - which only further confirms my suspicion of a hardtop/Grande as the source.

Who's bet is it that the VIN starts with "3F04..." and that the real VIN of this car is hidden under the shock towers?

Honestly, the ambiguity of the car plus the ambiguity of the ad (posted by a newcomer who's only other prior activity was to ask how much this thing is worth, no less) has my dander up just a wee bit more than usual - parts car or otherwise. It smells like a long-lost stolen car, an ancient VIN futz job to get a car with a dirty title past the DMV, or a swap to get around high insurance rates back in the day (the latter being quite unlikely though). At any rate, I want to see some VIN numbers and some transparency from the seller before anything else.

I'm not saying that the seller is purposely trying to pull one over on someone, but when you have a car with any VIN tag discrepancy, it is the seller's responsibility to be completely open-book about the issue, whether a new member to this forum or seasoned veteran, and whether a mint car or the worst parts junker in the world. As it is now, we essentially have a car with a possible illegal VIN swap, sold as a year that it isn't, by someone who hasn't told us anything about it except the wrong year and trim level. B.S. meter to the roof.

-Kurt

If it's an Arizona car, the body and frame ought to be in pretty good shape.

This thing is in the weeds, and it's wet.

^

Mods: I'll take down that statement when we get more information. In the meantime, I'm shoving all the caveat emptors up here that ought to be noted until proven otherwise.

-Kurt

I also don't know much about that car, other than it has sat in our back yard for 20yrs. SO any info you can give me im grateful....

Im not trying to pull anything over on anyone, this was my fathers first car he died 14 yrs ago we are just now trying to sell it, we got the vin off the title its 3F02H202956, not trying to dup anybody just trying to understand what its worth so we can sell it for a reasonable price either in the town that I'm in or to someone that wants to fix it up. Just looking for more info.

Front end is a mish-mash of a '71 LH fender, '71 chrome (not Mach sourced) bumper, '71 valance, and '73 RH fender.

The red paint job over blue on the hood and fenders seems to be be emulated by the roof and quarters as well; chances are that the front end bits in this color are original to the car; ditto for the front end trim and valance. Hence, I have every reason to believe that the shell we're looking at is of a 1971 or 1972 Sportsroof.

But that's the least of it:

The interior was yanked from a '73 Grande, according to those seats. Given that the OP claims this to be a '73, I'm certain the dashboard was swapped with the Grande as well, and so was that left hand door to make the VIN swap complete. That LH mirror pedestal is for a standard mirror - not the sports mirror - which only further confirms my suspicion of a hardtop/Grande as the source.

Who's bet is it that the VIN starts with "3F04..." and that the real VIN of this car is hidden under the shock towers?

Honestly, the ambiguity of the car plus the ambiguity of the ad (posted by a newcomer who's only other prior activity was to ask how much this thing is worth, no less) has my dander up just a wee bit more than usual - parts car or otherwise. It smells like a long-lost stolen car, an ancient VIN futz job to get a car with a dirty title past the DMV, or a swap to get around high insurance rates back in the day (the latter being quite unlikely though). At any rate, I want to see some VIN numbers and some transparency from the seller before anything else.

I'm not saying that the seller is purposely trying to pull one over on someone, but when you have a car with any VIN tag discrepancy, it is the seller's responsibility to be completely open-book about the issue, whether a new member to this forum or seasoned veteran, and whether a mint car or the worst parts junker in the world. As it is now, we essentially have a car with a possible illegal VIN swap, sold as a year that it isn't, by someone who hasn't told us anything about it except the wrong year and trim level. B.S. meter to the roof.

-Kurt

If it's an Arizona car, the body and frame ought to be in pretty good shape.

This thing is in the weeds, and it's wet.

^

Mods: I'll take down that statement when we get more information. In the meantime, I'm shoving all the caveat emptors up here that ought to be noted until proven otherwise.

-Kurt

 

[RacerX]

With that Vin 3 is 1973; F is Dearborn assembly plant; 02 is fastback, not Mach I; H is 351 Cleveland 2V engine.

Consecutive unit number is 202956 and I'd guess it's a springtime 1973 produced car.

If you have the data from the door sticker, that will tell more about the options like paint, interior, transmission and rear axle ratio.

Sitting in the backyard for 20 years with the weeds, the floor pans and possibly frame rails are gone. I saw your location as Arizona and thought about the dry, desert climate.

Probably a low $500 parts car if the doors, fenders and hood are usable and not rusted, just a guestimate.

 

[caspianwendell]

I have an early 63 C10 that I bought 31 years ago that is actually a 62 but factory VIN'ed it as a 63 so I guess ford could VIN a 72 as a 73

 

[cudak888]

I have an early 63 C10 that I bought 31 years ago that is actually a 62 but factory VIN'ed it as a 63 so I guess ford could VIN a 72 as a 73

Never. By the time production started 1973 models in August (IIRC) of 1972, they were being VIN'ed as 1973 models as per federal law. Furthermore, all auto manufacturers were forced to conform 1973 models to NHTSA front end regulations if so - no skinny chrome bumper for those models.

It wasn't like the seatbelt regulation in '72 which took place promptly on 1/1/72, resulting in approximately 5 months of 1972 production without the additional "Fasten Seat Belt" light on the dash (or so is claimed).

Additionally, 3F02H202956 is a Feb 1973 car. VINs assigned for that month: 148200-205200. It's squarely in the middle of production, and well past the first month of '73. No way around it; the car to that VIN has to have been built with the same '73 front end that every other '73 has.

Im not trying to pull anything over on anyone, this was my fathers first car he died 14 yrs ago we are just now trying to sell it, we got the vin off the title its 3F02H202956, not trying to dup anybody just trying to understand what its worth so we can sell it for a reasonable price either in the town that I'm in or to someone that wants to fix it up. Just looking for more info.

Thanks for the VIN. As I said, I'm not saying that you're trying to pull one over on anyone, but a bit of extra info is needed here. I'm more than willing to help (as is the rest of the forum, as always), and I apologize if my analysis of the situation was perceived as a personal attack.

As RacerX pointed out, the VIN corresponds with a 1973 (3) Sportsroof (02) that had a 351 2V in it (H). That's close, but not quite what we're looking at here - did he ever experience a bad front-end collision in that car?

When you get a chance, go to the car and read the VIN that's on the dashboard and on the left door panel. They look like this:

Let us know the VIN's that you find.

-Kurt

P.S.: Not that it matters that much for ID, but did your father ever speak of doing the interior on the car? Do you know whether it was bought new or used, and from where?

 

[mweeps]

Front end is a mish-mash of a '71 LH fender, '71 chrome (not Mach sourced) bumper, '71 valance, and '73 RH fender.

The red paint job over blue on the hood and fenders seems to be be emulated by the roof and quarters as well; chances are that the front end bits in this color are original to the car; ditto for the front end trim and valance. Hence, I have every reason to believe that the shell we're looking at is of a 1971 or 1972 Sportsroof.

But that's the least of it:

The interior was yanked from a '73 Grande, according to those seats. Given that the OP claims this to be a '73, I'm certain the dashboard was swapped with the Grande as well, and so was that left hand door to make the VIN swap complete. That LH mirror pedestal is for a standard mirror - not the sports mirror - which only further confirms my suspicion of a hardtop/Grande as the source.

Who's bet is it that the VIN starts with "3F04..." and that the real VIN of this car is hidden under the shock towers?

Honestly, the ambiguity of the car plus the ambiguity of the ad (posted by a newcomer who's only other prior activity was to ask how much this thing is worth, no less) has my dander up just a wee bit more than usual - parts car or otherwise. It smells like a long-lost stolen car, an ancient VIN futz job to get a car with a dirty title past the DMV, or a swap to get around high insurance rates back in the day (the latter being quite unlikely though). At any rate, I want to see some VIN numbers and some transparency from the seller before anything else.

I'm not saying that the seller is purposely trying to pull one over on someone, but when you have a car with any VIN tag discrepancy, it is the seller's responsibility to be completely open-book about the issue, whether a new member to this forum or seasoned veteran, and whether a mint car or the worst parts junker in the world. As it is now, we essentially have a car with a possible illegal VIN swap, sold as a year that it isn't, by someone who hasn't told us anything about it except the wrong year and trim level. B.S. meter to the roof.

-Kurt

If it's an Arizona car, the body and frame ought to be in pretty good shape.

This thing is in the weeds, and it's wet.

^

Mods: I'll take down that statement when we get more information. In the meantime, I'm shoving all the caveat emptors up here that ought to be noted until proven otherwise.

-Kurt

Why do you say the seats are from a 73 Grande? I have seen those seats in Boss 351s


did he sell the car?

 

[matrixx]

Maybe someone wanted the 71-72 front end and started gathering parts to swap it over. I know I'd much rather have the skinny bumper than that bench seat attached to the front of my car.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cudak888]

Why do you say the seats are from a 73 Grande? I have seen those seats in Boss 351s


did he sell the car?

Would love to see that, as I'm partial to those covers. Got a photo? What interior code would that be?

-Kurt

 

[mweeps]

Why do you say the seats are from a 73 Grande? I have seen those seats in Boss 351s


did he sell the car?

Would love to see that, as I'm partial to those covers. Got a photo? What interior code would that be?

-Kurt

http://image.mustangmonthly.com/f/29716581/mump_0910_08_%201971_boss_351%20green_interior.jpg


http://www.mustangandfords.com/featured-vehicles/mump-0710-1971-ford-mustang-boss-351/


http://www.boss302.com/smf/index.php?topic=65167.0

I have also seen it in person in a Blue and silver Boss 351 from OH at the All Ford and Mustang Chili Bash put on here in Charleston, WV. Those pics are on Dad's computer somewhere.

 

[cudak888]

http://image.mustangmonthly.com/f/29716581/mump_0910_08_%201971_boss_351%20green_interior.jpg


http://www.mustangandfords.com/featured-vehicles/mump-0710-1971-ford-mustang-boss-351/


http://www.boss302.com/smf/index.php?topic=65167.0

I have also seen it in person in a Blue and silver Boss 351 from OH at the All Ford and Mustang Chili Bash put on here in Charleston, WV. Those pics are on Dad's computer somewhere.

Marti lists it as Decor Boss 351 cloth, interior codes beginning with "B." Same as the Grande striped seats, but (obviously) a one-year-only deal for any Sportsroof body style, limited to Boss 351's only.

I revise what I said before then - the interior came from either a Grande or a '71 Boss 351 (unlikely), neither of which this car is.

To the OP: Any word on the VIN's on the dash and door yet?

-Kurt

 

[73vertproject]

Honestly, the ambiguity of the car plus the ambiguity of the ad (posted by a newcomer who's only other prior activity was to ask how much this thing is worth, no less) has my dander up just a wee bit more than usual - parts car or otherwise. It smells like a long-lost stolen car, an ancient VIN futz job to get a car with a dirty title past the DMV, or a swap to get around high insurance rates back in the day (the latter being quite unlikely though). At any rate, I want to see some VIN numbers and some transparency from the seller before anything else.

I'm not saying that the seller is purposely trying to pull one over on someone, but when you have a car with any VIN tag discrepancy, it is the seller's responsibility to be completely open-book about the issue, whether a new member to this forum or seasoned veteran, and whether a mint car or the worst parts junker in the world. As it is now, we essentially have a car with a possible illegal VIN swap, sold as a year that it isn't, by someone who hasn't told us anything about it except the wrong year and trim level. B.S. meter to the roof.

[/quote=cudak888;188045]

Kurt - the disrespectful tone of your post is completely out of line with the values of this website, and I am responding to it publicly so that anyone who sees this thread understands that we are here to support ALL owners of 71 - 73 Mustangs and their projects. There is no forum guideline that requires sellers to include specific information about their vehicle - potential buyers can ask for any info they want, and if it's not provided, they can decline to buy the car.

I am not surprised that the OP has not responded for requests for additional information. After making a simple "for sale" post, he saw that he had your "dander up" and that his post was "BS". That's not how we treat visitors to this site, ever. As a moderator, I won't tolerate it.

Doc

 

[cudak888]

Kurt - the disrespectful tone of your post is completely out of line with the values of this website, and I am responding to it publicly so that anyone who sees this thread understands that we are here to support ALL owners of 71 - 73 Mustangs and their projects. There is no forum guideline that requires sellers to include specific information about their vehicle - potential buyers can ask for any info they want, and if it's not provided, they can decline to buy the car.
I am not surprised that the OP has not responded for requests for additional information. After making a simple "for sale" post, he saw that he had your "dander up" and that his post was "BS". That's not how we treat visitors to this site, ever. As a moderator, I won't tolerate it.

Doc

Doc, I do not contest your viewpoint. In retrospect, my post was indeed too harsh, and I apologize.

I had considered editing it following the OP's response, but given that it has been quoted twice, I thought it would also show a certain amount of cowardice to go back on what had already been committed to words.

That said, please remove it in its entirety, if you see fit to do so.

-Kurt

 

[73vertproject]

Thanks, Kurt. On behalf of the website, I accept your apology, and your perspective of your post. Since this thread is still active, I'm going to defer to other mods as to its deletion or not at this point in time.

Again, I appreciate your reply and your apology, Kurt.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I say leave it up, in case the OP comes back: He'll be able to see that our forum is fair and less like some of the others... as well as the fact that Kurt is really a good guy and owns up to any misunderstandings that might occur.

 

[mweeps]

We can just tell him Kurt suffers from "Foot In Mouth Disease" now and again :angel: Just kidding Kurt!

 

[Steve73QMach1]

That plaid interior is shown here on a well optioned brown 1973 convertible. This photo is from the Mustang Recognition Guide published in 1981 (Larry Dobbs, Donald Farr, et al). This photo is on page 212 of the 1973 section.