72 351 HO Fender Decal

[KT-69]

This is etched very firmly in my mind and I was a living breathing muscle mustang fanatic back in early 70s. No hockey stripe just a lower body black treatment with a 351 HO MUSTANG fender decal. I remember the hO in the day not decades later. my memories do not match what I now find as historical documentation. I feel there is definitely something missing?

351 HO

MUSTANG

looked very much like the Boss 351 decal only with 351 HO replacing the Boss 351.

A google search shows only Mach 1 fastback trim including the HO engine option.....not the way I remember it at all. I do find one notch back with this decal but no fastbacks. Anyone else recall this 72 HO decal?

 

[luxstang]

AFAIK the 72 HO only came in standard Mach1 livery, without any indication of its special status, which is probably one of the reasons that those cars do not get the respect they deserve.

You need to look for the "R" code in the VIN.

By the way, here's some pics I took of a friend's original 72 HO. Looks just like any generic Mach1.

http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-luxstang-and-r-code?pid=224816#pid224816

 

[mustang7173]

All,

Had to look up the air cleaners for the (F) Mustangs and here is the result. No mention of the 351C H.O. air cleaner. Also, Jim Osbourne did not have any listings for 351 H.O. fender decals.

Source: Ford Master Parts Catalog C/R: May 1975

Jim Osbourne Reproduction has the 1972 351C H.O. air cleaner decal.

http://www.osborn-reproduction.com/catalog/ProductDetail.asp?rsProduct_Position=FIL%3ACAT+%3D+%27FM1A%27ORD%3AABS%3A50KEY%3APAR%3A

Interesting enough, the 351 Spl has the largest air cleaner @ 19.70 inches in diameter.

mustang7173 :bravo:

 

[Boss1Ray]

To the best of my knowledge the 1972 351 HO motor option could be ordered in any body style.

The main difference between it and the 1971 Boss 351 beside the slight engine changes was that the Boss 351 was an actual unique order model. Even though it only has the "02" body type, it also must have the "R" for the fifth digit in the VIN. No other 1971 body types could have been a Boss 351.

For 1972 the HO was an engine option for ANY body type. It required the wide ratio 4 speed. They breakout like this:

1972 HO's

14 Hardtops (2F01R)

5 Grandes (2F04R)

366 Mach 1's (2F05R)

13 Convertibles 2F03R

For a total of 398.

There were no external marking of any kind that indicated the HO engine in any of these cars. I have seen a few homemade (incorrect) ones similar to the Boss 351 fender one you show in your pic and I have even seen one years ago that had it on the trunk. I have also seen MANY 351 HO cars with Boss 351 fender decals. Of course this is incorrect also but they liked it so they put them on their cars. One more note: ZERO 1972 351 HO cars were originally equipped with functional Ram Air. I have seen many with it added. I am sure some dealers could have placed the Boss 351 stickers on the fenders as well as added functional ram air. And many original owners could have added these just after purchase...

Ray

 

[rocket366]

http://www.mustangandfords.com/featured-vehicles/mump-0706-1972-mustang-ho/

 

[mustang7173]

rocket366,

Wow! What a rare mustang. One thing, I do know where a genuine Ford 351C H.O motor resides on a motor stand. $$$$$$

mustang7173

 

[secluff]

I've checked all my books and can safely say that there were no 351 HO fender decals ever production installed by Ford. The "End" was near for this generation Mustang and Ford was concentrating on the Mustang II launch and mostly letting our cars whither on the vine. I'm surprised this engine was even offered one more year. Like Boss1Ray mentioned it was available on all body styles with no exterior markings proclaiming it as a "HO"car. And since Ford had a emissions compliance problem with the 72-73 4bl 351's, there were NO ram air HO's produced. The only identifiers were the 5th digit "R" in the vin and a chrome air cleaner lid like used on the 351 CJ's but with the (D2ZF-9C611-BA) 351-HO lid decal.

 

[73pony]

That's weird. I've seen a photo from back in the day of that same decal as well. It was on a Sports roof.

 

[secluff]

If the decals did ever exist they could have been on a prototype car. A lot of photos both Official and "Spy" type show up all the time showing a lot of things that never made it into production. Many last minute changes are made by various departments at Ford, including the "Bean Counters" that could of decided that they could save six cents per vehicle by not installing a decal on a low production car. There are photos out there of 71 Boss 302 Mustangs, but as we know they were prototypes and never released for production. While they do look good and I believe something like that should of been done to give that engine the recognition it deserved, it just did not make it into the Ford parts system.

 

[73pony]

Makes sense to me. Being a bean counter and all.

 

[secluff]

Makes sense to me. Being a bean counter and all.

Lol! They do have the final say on a lot of things. Now 73Pony, we need to let everyone know that No "Bean Counters" were harmed during this posting! ::thumb::

 

[73pony]

You bet.

 

[KT-69]

Thanks for all the response sounds like all are somewhat correct.....still if not an official decal someway somehow the decal did exist and they looked exactly like the decal on the side of the yellow coupe? I know this 44 years have past and back in the day not everything was 100% NOS Ford that went out the dealers doors. And right out of the door first things to go were the 70 series wheels and tires. When I see a judged 100% factory correct car I have to laugh because very few actually looked like that for very long... a real representation of a 72 Stang would not look factory...... raised white letter N50's rubber, air shocks, slapper bars, CB plus stereo, aluminum hi-rise, Holley, Hurst comp shifter T-handle, black or white headers, additional spoilers, lo-profile chrome funnel shaped fly-eye air cleaner, Accel coil and points, side pipes or cherry bomb header muffler exhaust, rear drum F-150 brakes, deep dish mags, angel hair on the back deck, Holley chrome fuel pump, aftermarket stickers on the windows, 6-pack in a small cooler iced on the rear floor board, roach clip on the mirror.

 

[Boss1Ray]

Thanks for all the response sounds like all are somewhat correct.....still if not an official decal someway somehow the decal did exist and they looked exactly like the decal on the side of the yellow coupe? I know this 44 years have past and back in the day not everything was 100% NOS Ford that went out the dealers doors. And right out of the door first things to go were the 70 series wheels and tires. When I see a judged 100% factory correct car I have to laugh because very few actually looked like that for very long... a real representation of a 72 Stang would not look factory...... raised white letter N50's rubber, air shocks, slapper bars, CB plus stereo, aluminum hi-rise, Holley, Hurst comp shifter T-handle, black or white headers, additional spoilers, lo-profile chrome funnel shaped fly-eye air cleaner, Accel coil and points, side pipes or cherry bomb header muffler exhaust, rear drum F-150 brakes, deep dish mags, angel hair on the back deck, Holley chrome fuel pump, aftermarket stickers on the windows, 6-pack in a small cooler iced on the rear floor board, roach clip on the mirror.

Yep some of us will admit to remembering some of those things! :chin:

But the modifications you mention were the trick things to add back then! So many cars were 'treated' to those mods early on. And because many owners did some or all of those things - well it makes those that have not been done that way or those have been restored to more original very rare cars. Heck I still see some for sale with shag carpet in them. - usually right above a severely rotted floorboard!!!

Ray

 

[secluff]

Thanks for all the response sounds like all are somewhat correct.....still if not an official decal someway somehow the decal did exist and they looked exactly like the decal on the side of the yellow coupe? I know this 44 years have past and back in the day not everything was 100% NOS Ford that went out the dealers doors. And right out of the door first things to go were the 70 series wheels and tires. When I see a judged 100% factory correct car I have to laugh because very few actually looked like that for very long... a real representation of a 72 Stang would not look factory...... raised white letter N50's rubber, air shocks, slapper bars, CB plus stereo, aluminum hi-rise, Holley, Hurst comp shifter T-handle, black or white headers, additional spoilers, lo-profile chrome funnel shaped fly-eye air cleaner, Accel coil and points, side pipes or cherry bomb header muffler exhaust, rear drum F-150 brakes, deep dish mags, angel hair on the back deck, Holley chrome fuel pump, aftermarket stickers on the windows, 6-pack in a small cooler iced on the rear floor board, roach clip on the mirror.

KT-69, were you in my group of Gear Head friend's and I just don't remember your name? Lol What you described right up to the very last line was just about what you saw on a typical cruising night then. In the mix of all those N-50 tires, aftermarket stickers proclaiming allegiance to your favorite headers, intake, etc , was my car with the "Budman" decal on one Quarter window and "Spuds McKenzie" on the other! Those were some great times, almost like "American Graffiti" some nights.

 

[KT-69]

KT-69, were you in my group of Gear Head friend's and I just don't remember your name? Lol What you described right up to the very last line was just about what you saw on a typical cruising night then. In the mix of all those N-50 tires, aftermarket stickers proclaiming allegiance to your favorite headers, intake, etc , was my car with the "Budman" decal on one Quarter window and "Spuds McKenzie" on the other! Those were some great times, almost like "American Graffiti" some nights.

I was there on many live motion car shows and loops on Saturday nights. Those were righteous times indeed.::thumb::

 

[Bru]

I found this on "gearhead.com":

cobravenom71

04-21-2008, 05:06 PM

With all the hoopla surrounding the supposed recently-unearthed 'only' 71 BOSS 302 ever made, there have been lots of other big-'Stang articles floating around out there.

(Everyone seems to forget that Ford of Canada bulit a few regular-production 71 BOSS 302s in late 1970)

One in particular states that (and has pictures of) Ford applied "351 HO MUSTANG" decals on the fenders of cars that were ordered with the 'R' code 351 HO engine. This apparently was only on base-model coupes and fastbacks...not Mach 1s or convertibles.

The picture shows a yellow coupe with Mach 1 style lower black paint, and the decals are in the exact style of the 'BOSS 351' decals from 1971, only they say '351 HO', with the word MUSTANG underneath them, again just like the BOSS 351 decals from '71.

I have seen many, mnay wierd and rare Mustangs over the years, but never have I seen one of these cars. Is this for real? Has anyone else ever seen one of these?

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I found this on "gearhead.com":

cobravenom71

04-21-2008, 05:06 PM

With all the hoopla surrounding the supposed recently-unearthed 'only' 71 BOSS 302 ever made, there have been lots of other big-'Stang articles floating around out there.

(Everyone seems to forget that Ford of Canada bulit a few regular-production 71 BOSS 302s in late 1970)

One in particular states that (and has pictures of) Ford applied "351 HO MUSTANG" decals on the fenders of cars that were ordered with the 'R' code 351 HO engine. This apparently was only on base-model coupes and fastbacks...not Mach 1s or convertibles.

The picture shows a yellow coupe with Mach 1 style lower black paint, and the decals are in the exact style of the 'BOSS 351' decals from 1971, only they say '351 HO', with the word MUSTANG underneath them, again just like the BOSS 351 decals from '71.

I have seen many, mnay wierd and rare Mustangs over the years, but never have I seen one of these cars. Is this for real? Has anyone else ever seen one of these?

There is an extensive chain of info about the 71 Boss 302 here and yes there were two and only one survives. Marti got excited when it came to light and he did document it. It was bought cheap off eBay because they did not know what they had.

This site tells about some of the Regional Special Mustangs they made. http://www.mustangandfords.com/news/mump-1210-special-edition-ford-mustangs/photo-gallery/

A dealer could have made and put the 351 HO stickers on it did happen back then anything to sell a car.

I am still looking for the info on one of our cars that was a fastback and something to do with Texas and it had a full vinyl roof that looked like leather. Even the trim did. I was probably a dealer build model and I have only seen the one here where I live.

The clue to all the Specials in the article is the DSO is like my 73 vert a six digit that tells you it was a Special order.

David

 

[Boss1Ray]

Dealers would do about anything to a car to sell it! I remember when the 1982 Mustangs first came out the automotive press went crazy - probably because Ford had a huge marketing budget! There had been a serious lack of power in Mustangs since 1972. The '82 GT was placed on the front of a magazine that read, "The BOSS is BACK". We bought one of the first GT's in OKC. The dealer soon put a decal package on the cars that placed Boss 302 stickers in different configurations on the cars. Luckily ours was 100% stock. Very fun and balanced little cars for their day!!!!!

These pics show a car just like ours. BTW it was my sister's car but I drove it about a month when it was new to 'check it out' and make sure it didn't need anything!





Ray