Like / dislike of 71-73 Mustangs

[Mister 4x4]

Check out the Vintage Mustang Forums sometime - the lack of respect for the '71-'73s is only somewhat less than their hatred for the Mustang IIs.

 

[Lazarus]

Sucks for them that the Boss 351 was superior to all of theirs in every way (except maybe rear visibility).
 

I think our body style was just too much of a departure from prior years for the purists. I guess I kinda felt that way toward 2nd gen Camaros when I had my 67.

I personally think until 69 the earlier Mustangs look more classy than muscle carish. I do think the 69 and 70 are very cool, but until John Wick they didn’t get enough respect either. 
 

Every time I drive mine everybody (except those 65-70 dudes) go nuts for it.  

 

[1sostatic]

Look guys -- I'm glad in a way 

If these cars were so famous - say Marty McFly said the words "...you built a time machine ....out of a Mach 1?" 

then I wouldn't be able to afford any of them 

 

[Lazarus]

A Cleveland can easily produce 1.21 gigawatts. 

 

[midlife]

Like: the convertible with the top down is one of the best designs out there.

Dislike: on 71/72's, too much wiring goes between the fuse box and the green connector on the back.  It is a real bitch to stuff the wires back in.

 

[7173Vert]

I have never cared what other people thought about the 71-3’s... I like them, would never own any other. Nothing wrong with the 73’s either....

 

[Kilgon]

I really find the 71-73's a great car to own. I feel that at that time period to many models were blending in from one year to the next.   The 71 -73's caught the attention of those looking for a change.  In my eyes these cars stand out and are noticed by anyone that knows cars. I have been to several car shows and cruise-in's and have notice that people spend time looking at it and ask questions.  Although I like the 64-70's I really don't care what that group thinks about us.  If I did I would own one.  As with anything there are the likes and dislikes, but my biggest is that it wasn't built for someone who is 6 ft and weighs 230.  :biggrin:

 

[tony-muscle]

Mustang purist are not going to like our years because when the Mustang first came out it was supposed to be a light weight "nimble" car. From 1964 on, the Mustangs grew and gained a lot of weight so they could fit bigger engines. That's just the way it is. I like my car and don't worry or care about it.

My only dislike is how bad was the management of external water throughout the car, but I guess that was the "normal" in the 70s.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Mustang purist are not going to like our years because when the Mustang first came out it was supposed to be a light weight "nimble" car. From 1964 on, the Mustangs grew and gained a lot of weight so they could fit bigger engines. That's just the way it is. I like my car and don't worry or care about it.

My only dislike is how bad was the management of external water throughout the car, but I guess that was the "normal" in the 70s.

Considering that the 'huge increase in size & weight' is measured by just a few inches and couple hundred pounds, I'd say the 'vintage Mustang snobs' need to pull the stick out a little.  They also technically started getting bigger and heavier in '69, but the '69-'70s are still revered.  I would also think with as much as there is for anything Shelby, '71-'73s would have the love, considered how much the noses are alike.

 

[detritusmaximus]

Considering that the 'huge increase in size & weight' is measured by just a few inches and couple hundred pounds, I'd say the 'vintage Mustang snobs' need to pull the stick out a little.  They also technically started getting bigger and heavier in '69, but the '69-'70s are still revered.  I would also think with as much as there is for anything Shelby, '71-'73s would have the love, considered how much the noses are alike.

It's funny...back in 90 I had a 70 fastback with a 302. And I can tell you that even though it was a fastback it was not 'revered'. When talking with Mustang owners and non-owners, too many times it was revealed that that they either preferred or had a 'classic' Mustang, not a 70. Unless you had a Mach1,  not many people cared.

And God help you if you had a couple....might as well be a Falcon.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I remember seeing tons of '70 Mustangs (mostly Boss 302s) as the topics of articles in Mustang Monthly way back when (probably because the editor, Donald Farr, had one at the time).

Funny you should mention 'Falcon.'  I've been trying to come up with a clever zinger relating the 'classic Mustangs' to being not much more than new carpet & drapes on a Falcon chassis.  :banana:

 

[detritusmaximus]

At least MY steering column won't kill me!

 

[Spike Morelli]

  I first saw  a '71 Mustang walking home from High School in '71, brand new, sitting in a neighbors driveway. Compared to what I had been used to seeing in the muscle car/pony cars of the day, the new '71s struck me as ugly. The one I saw was Medium Yellow Gold.......kinda "American Cheese" looking, and I didn't care for the color either. 

Today, after owing a '66 GT-350, a '65 Hi-Po GT coupe, a 1970 Olds 442 W-30, a '69 GTO Judge, several assorted vintage hot rods,.....I've changed my opinion from when I was 18. I dig my '71 Mach. It's been very dependable to me for a good many years now and is sort of my buddy. How in the hell did I end up with a Medium Yellow Gold car too??

Well, I think my '71 has an agressive look to it. Most new Hondas are faster than my car, I think, but I don't care. Most people who see my car think it's cooler than a new car ( probably because it is!)    Oh yeah, no offense to Chevrolet fans, but, the magazines are full of Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, so having one of those doesn't really stand out, as often as you see them. The '71-'73 model Mustangs are fewer between at car events, even at Ford car events, making the cars different from the "me too" crowd. Saginaw steering is a definate improvement over the early push-pull steering system, and a 9" rear end is never out of style. I'm sure there's something about the cars I don't care for, but then again, I don't tend to dwell on it.

Funny how things appear with time. I remember just hating the 80s New Wave music. Now, with all the Rap B.S.,  "She Blinded Me With Science" feels rockin'........ 

 

[MKSpeedlab]

One of the biggest things I LOVE about my 72 is being able to drive with the windows open. It may sound strange to say, but so many new cars have such bad buffeting if you try and open a window that its almost painful in your ears driving with the windows down. But I love that in the 72 you can blast down the highway with the windows down and still be comfortable and have a conversation in the car. And I do also like that its unique and less common now. Thats why I want to build the cleveland in it, again not a ton of clevelands out there now it seems. 

As for things I would improve, the trunk is big but with a tiny little access to actually put anything in it. Seats could be a bit better but Im remedying that in mine and it was probably par the course in the 70's. I definately echo the fuse box placement. And the only other thing that surprised me a little is how narrow the interior can seem despite the size of the car. Im not a tiny guy, and if you have 2 broad chested guys you will be fighting for the arm rest lol. 

But overall I love this thing. Im obviously biased but I think they are an under appreciated car since they had suspension/steering and other improvements over the earlier Mustangs. 

 

[detritusmaximus]

Funny how things appear with time. I remember just hating the 80s New Wave music. Now, with all the Rap B.S.,  "She Blinded Me With Science" feels rockin'........ 

What's wrong with Thomas Dolby?...

 

[Spike Morelli]

Nothing wrong with Thomas Dolby. Actually, "science' wasn't all that bad when I first heard it. Boy George I thought was just B.S. But who am I to judge, as I have found DEVO to be more of interest. Still, I think I'm turning Japanese and eating Iguana in Tijuana on a Mexican radio whoa-whoa.....

 

[detritusmaximus]

Yeah, I agree on Boy George...

When I had my first Mustang, the 73 Grande, Devo and the Vapors were a major part of my listening...still are.

The major 'like/dislike' of that 73 was the avocado interior. I liked it, but everyone else disliked it!

 

[MeanMachine]

I remember seeing a 71-73 fastback, in person, for the first time in 1989, and I was hooked. It was a maroon and black striped, '73 Mach 1, and I decided right there that I had to save my pennies to get one. I worked on base at the time and saw another '73 fastback running around with big tires and aftermarket wheels, this one white with black stripes. I spoke with the owner at the commissary one day where I got a close up of the 460 engine swap, increasing my desire to have one.

I think the design from the rear is menacing (especially the fastbacks), the ram-air hoods look like they mean business and fit the car so well. I really like how well these year Mustangs drive and the interior is big enough for someone my size. I also like that I can fit just about any powerplant I want in to the engine bay. I'm not a big fan of the totally all-stock appearance so both my classics are lightly resto-modded.

These year cars are truly unique and I enjoy all the thumbs-up and honks I get whenever driving mine. -I once had a guy tell me my '71 was the meanest car he'd ever seen!

My only critiques are the slightly longer than need be front end and the bad press our cars usually get:  'Too big and too heavy' (sigh)

 

[Fredensborg]

I would also think with as much as there is for anything Shelby, '71-'73s would have the love, considered how much the noses are alike.

I like everything about our Mustangs, this is my first classic car and will always be my favorite! Maybe if Shelby had goten ahold of our cars they would get more love from the 64-70 crowd. I found this on wikipedia, don't know anything about it but imagine if their had been a Shelby version of the 71-73's....maybe if I find junker shell someday I could do a clone restomod a '71 Shelby 429. Red and white like the Danish Flag!!

1971 Shelby Europa[edit]​

Although production of Shelby GTs in the USA had ceased, a total of nine 1971 "Shelby Europa" GT-350 and GT-500 Mustangs were produced under license by Belgian dealer Claude Dubois for the European market.[26] Seven Fastbacks (Ford used the term Sportsroof) and two convertibles were produced; of which seven were M-code and one H-code cars. One 429SCJ J-code Fastback was produced, though its whereabouts today are unknown.[26][27] Both convertibles and one fastback were modified to GT-500 with 351-HO. Both convertibles are located in Finland. All 1971 Shelby Europas were based on 1971 Mustang, none on 1972 Mustang. Previously it was believed that 14 cars were produced, but the total production number of nine cars was confirmed in 2014 by cross-check of Claude Dubois' files and Ford Factory Mustang production data.

 

[Horsin' Around]

A little California Special, a touch of Shelby, mix in a bit of Torino Cobra and the economy of a 250!

 

[mrgmhale]

Sucks for them that the Boss 351 was superior to all of theirs in every way (except maybe rear visibility).


I think our body style was just too much of a departure from prior years for the purists. I guess I kinda felt that way toward 2nd gen Camaros when I had my 67.

I personally think until 69 the earlier Mustangs look more classy than muscle carish. I do think the 69 and 70 are very cool, but until John Wick they didn’t get enough respect either.


Every time I drive mine everybody (except those 65-70 dudes) go nuts for it.

Boss 351s ROCK! If we had room for another pony in our corral I would be hunting one down.