Introduction

[Furnitureguyrm]

Hi everyone. I am a big fan of the 71-73 Mustangs. I do not own one at this time but I do have a chance to buy one. I joined this forum for advice on buying this car and hopefully I will be here while I restore it.

I hope you will be able to give me some advice and help.

I think I included a picture of the car. Not sure how tinypic works.

All I really know is the car has been sitting for ten years in a garage. It was just put outside. I want to get it out of the elements asap.

Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[DK73]

Welcome from Denmark Northern Part of Europe [WINKING FACE] [THUMBS UP SIGN] Regards Lars DK73

Sendt fra min E2303 med Tapatalk

 

[73pony]

Welcome from Iowa. Can you post up some info on the car? Maybe a pic of the data plate inside the drivers door.

 

[Vinnie]

Hi and Welcome from Amsterdam!

Advice: The state of the car (of which we know nothing although I believe I can spot the rust from here) dictates the amounts of $$$, time and location required to make this a good, driving car again.

Does it run? How much rust does it have? Please take your time checking the car out, make pictures of the bad spots for you to look at at when you get home and then think about wether or not this car is worth your money.

Do you have the VIN? If it's a rare car it could influence your decision.

Good luck!

Vincent.

 

[imusa76]

Welcome from Rhode Island.

you defiantly found the right place for 71-73 Mustangs, feel free to ask any questions before you buy.

 

[will e]

Welcome from Phoenix!

Since you don't currently own one and are new to the forum and asking advice and information I will share some thoughts. I apologize if my comments are too obvious.

The car is not stock. The paint is not a factory color. The stripes and the "Mach 1" are not factory.

I can tell from the back bumper placement it is a 1973. For the 1973 years they moved the bumper out slightly from the body. Since it is a 1973 model the front fenders are unique to this model year. This is important if you need to replace them.

Just because it has the sports roof does not mean it is a 'Mach 1'. The sports roof and Mach 1 had different body codes. Someone will chime in on which is which.

From the picture it sure looks like some bad body work was done to the rear quarter panel and it appears there is rust on the wheel well. Unless you are good at body work you are going to spend a lot of money to get the body work done and repainted. Perhaps the 'infinity' sticker is a bit of a prediction on the cost of restoring.

So a lot boils down to what you want to really do with the car. If you are looking at doing a high quailty close to original restoration it is going to cost a lot of money.

If you want something fun to drive and tinker on you might be able to make it work.

What is the asking price? Does it run? Do you know what engine it has?

 

[Boss1Ray]

Welcome from Oklahoma.

Some great info has been provided. Answer the questions honestly and your project will move more smoothly. Do not let the excitement of fixing and enjoying a Mustang pull the wool over your eyes!!

Keep it real.

Ray

 

[Vinnie]

Oh, and I don't know how cheap you get this one, but there are more Mustangs for sale than just this one so don't get sucked in too easy ;-)

Have you actively looked around for others that match your budget?

 

[timsweet]

Welcome from Tucson AZ. Look forward to more info on that car.

 

[luxstang]

::welcome:: from Luxembourg, Europe.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Welcome from West Texas!

Advice: The state of the car (of which we know nothing although I believe I can spot the rust from here) dictates the amounts of $$$, time and location required to make this a good, driving car again.

Does it run? How much rust does it have? Please take your time checking the car out, make pictures of the bad spots for you to look at at when you get home and then think about wether or not this car is worth your money.

Do you have the VIN? If it's a rare car it could influence your decision.

Now, where's the fun in that? If everybody went in all cautiously and armed with information, nobody would ever buy a rusty pile and have a cool "resurrected the dead" story like mine. :whistling: rofl

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Welcome to the forum. Don't think we are trying to discourage you from buying the car but like stated these cars were built before they used zinc coated materials and dipped them in vats of primer to coat everything.

Rust will be hidden everywhere on these and you can spend way more fixing that you can ever expect to recover.

You need to get a picture of the sticker on the drivers door that gives all the information for what model the car is. It could have started life with a 6 cylinder.

Ask the questions now before you buy the car. They are for sale all over the country for as little as a few hundred dollars to big money for a Boss 351 or 429 car. Having the original engine and transmission means a lot to the value. I myself would stay away from a L code 6 cylinder or F code 302. You want a Q code if you can find one.

I see Chicago as your location so anything that has been there has the salt treatment. If the car had Ziebart that helps but does not stop the rust. The cowl below the windshield is an area that rusts no matter where the car is from. Rain water and water from washing goes in and the raw steel loves it. So be sure to look under the dash and pull the carpet up. Yes they make lots of the parts but some are still not available. Better to pay more up front for a solid body than to try to rebuild a rust bucket. If the car has been there for 10 years there is a reason might not be more than a parts car.

Just like any investment go in with eyes wide open and all the information you can get. Never take the owners word for what is there see it for yourself.

I have seven 72 & 73 mustangs so I know them pretty good.

The only thing that was on a Mach 1 that you could not get on other models was the Words Mach 1, Mach 1 sports interior option, and the plastic insert in the carpet that only Mach 1 got. Mach 1 was just a name not a performance package as many believe. You had to add all the good stuff which could be had on any model.

 

[Furnitureguyrm]

First I would like to thank everyone for all the information.

Second I will get more information on the car on 11-23 and on 11-26.

I did bodywork as a young man and would not mind doing it again.

I don't know if it is a mach. I will know when I take a picture of the door and post it here. lol

I think the asking price is $4000. not sure if it is a good price or not.

the paint unfortunately has GLITTER in it. Yah GLITTER. lol

I am pretty sure I will have to strip it all off.

Again thanks for all the info. I hope to have more picture the next day to post.

 

[secluff]

Hello from Mississippi. I'll start by saying ownership not required, enthusiasm welcomed. Please don't be offended if you feel as though some are "Taking that car Apart". Those are words of caution spoken by experienced "Horsemen". Nothing derails a project like pouring your heart, soul, and money into a "Piece of Scrap" and after the dust settles, it's still a pile of scrap on wheels! Everyone here has the "Been There, Done That" T shirt. No one wants you to get discouraged because of a bad purchase and one that no amount of money and labor will ever get it back on the road again!

No matter if a Mustang, Camaro, 'Cuda, or a 4 door station wagon. These cars are 40+ years old and have seen a lot of "things" done good and bad! Some can be undone and some are past the point of no return.

Remember there are no stupid questions. I come from a Ford Family and worked with Ford products over 38 years and I still learn something new every time I sign in here.

So..lets gets some info on that car so we can help you spend some money on a decent project car.

Oh yeah...Welcome aboard!

 

[73pony]

I will throw this out there. Think about what YOU want to do with the car as well. I had always wanted a 71-73 Mustang. What I was not and am not concerned with is future value as I am not working on the car to sell it for a profit. I am also not a concourse restoration guy. I wanted a car to drive and have fun with. By fun I am referring to both the driving and cruising as well as the working on it with custom mods to suit what I want out of the car. When I found my car it was a low mileage (69,895 original miles) H code automatic Grande Coupe. The positives in my mind were as follows... 351C engine, ran and drove nicely (drove it 90 miles home that day), rust free car (this was big for me). The mods I am doing are geared mostly toward close to period correct and performance related. So the biggest question to ask is what YOU want the car to be, not what someone else thinks it should be. Hope this helps.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Welcome!

If the car runs and the floors are solid, it is probably worth the asking price.

What you do with it is certainly up to you, but I would only "restore" one with some degree of potential collectibility, but I would not hesitate to mechanically rebuild and hot rod any of the less collectible 71-73 Mustangs to suit my cruising desires.

You pretty much have to pull a front fender to see the vin on the chassis- the one on the dash is too easy to replace being mounted on a removable part of the car.

Sportsroofs that are well equipped are just as desirable to many of us a Mach 1's

 

[jbojo]

Welcome from TriCities WA.

 

[Mac]

Welcome from northeast Ohio.

A couple of suggestions:

- Don't rely on the data located in your door, doors are sometimes removed/replaced. A VIN number cannot be changed (legally anyway). If you car is a true Mach, the third and fourth digit in your vin will be "05", if it is a sportsroof, it will be "02". The vin location easiest to find is located on the drivers side dash pad near the base of the winshield ( two rivits attach the vin plate to your dash).

- Check into joining a local mustang club by you. Lots of good help close by is always a big plus.

Good luck!! ::thumb::

Mac

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

First I would like to thank everyone for all the information.

Second I will get more information on the car on 11-23 and on 11-26.

I did bodywork as a young man and would not mind doing it again.

I don't know if it is a mach. I will know when I take a picture of the door and post it here. lol

I think the asking price is $4000. not sure if it is a good price or not.

the paint unfortunately has GLITTER in it. Yah GLITTER. lol

I am pretty sure I will have to strip it all off.

Again thanks for all the info. I hope to have more picture the next day to post.

Thought I would send this link so you can see how they actually sell or don't sell. This is a Q code or was 351 4-V Mach 1. I talked with him and he says there are no holes in the floors only rust is in trunk. That is caused by lousy tail light gasket design used. They all leak and rust around the tail lights so the trunk and quarters get rusty. http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/5877909279.html

It was listed before with no buyers so he relisted.

I think $1,000 would buy the car. It is near me. I bought a 72 Q code vert off cl last year that was listed for weeks. It had tons of new parts $16,000 in receipts, engine just built on engine stand, trans built, ram air and a option loaded car for $5,500.

I myself have driven to Michigan a couple times for cars can make the trip in one day each way and dolly the cars. I look on cl for things that might interest me along the way and have purchased some great parts on those trips.

My point is that these cars do not sell high and are out there at great prices so don't over pay for something needing lots of work. Do your searching and this is the time to buy people wanting holiday money.