new member

[Rozz]

Welcome from Texas, I agree with old pony, 72 and 73 has servaral differences that he has stated. Just a few I would add, the grill mounting hardware, grill lights and the head light trim bezel. 73 was the first year for a lot of emission and safety features for ford.

 

[Mustang Dynasty]

It’s great to find a group of guys (and gals) that also like the 71 -73 Mustangs. It seems like most old Mustang guys go for the pre 70’s and kind of look at the 71-73’s as an ugly stepchild. I love them.

The first care I ever bought new from a dealer was a 1973 Mach 1 with a 351 Cleveland 4V-HO with all the buttons and bows. The picture I have posted as an avatar is not of my actual car as many of us back then didn’t carry cameras with us much but it was the best likeness I could find.

I recently had the opportunity to pick up a green 72 Mach 1 from a guy in Las Vegas. When I showed the 3 pictures I had of it to my wife she said she didn’t know that they every made such an ugly Mustang. I was crushed, but being the head strong guy I am I went to Vegas and bought it anyway. Thankfully when I brought it home she thought it was a pretty cool car. Thank God!!! She could have crushed my dreams or remaking my old 73. Now she’s behind the rebuild (doesn’t want to spend the money but also doesn’t make all of the decisions when it comes to toys).

My wife is a 4’11” red headed Frenchwomen and when she puts her foot down you better not have yours beneath it!! In 2003 I built a pro-street custom V-Twin motorcycle. When I brought it home from the shop she jumped right on it and realized her feet couldn’t reach the forward mounted foot controls. I said “O Darn” and left it at that. When I brought home the 79 Corvette she did the same thing with the same results and again I had the same “O Darn” response. I know she won’t be able to drive the Mustang and I’m beginning to think this little gal just might be giving me enough rope to hang myself. Now my main question is…… How many ropes can I have?

Back to the point…. I want to turn this 72 into a 73 clone and I’m intent on getting that done. Any help and advice that can be given will be greatly appreciated.

Welcome from W. PA!::welcome:: my 72 convertible is a clone(concourse/racer) 71 1/2 Mustang, per se. I have submitted it for March's COTM as well have over 200 pics on my photo album.(also under name "Michael Kohan" on facebook you will see a 5 course program which a pictorial biography of every step I took in restoration.(pic id on fb is of my mustang in front of a mini Statue of Liberty and Pavillion in the right hand back ground. covers from acquisition/exhumation to complete frame up body restore and engine restomod w/details of blueprint and balanced. Mikke

It’s great to find a group of guys (and gals) that also like the 71 -73 Mustangs. It seems like most old Mustang guys go for the pre 70’s and kind of look at the 71-73’s as an ugly stepchild. I love them.

The first care I ever bought new from a dealer was a 1973 Mach 1 with a 351 Cleveland 4V-HO with all the buttons and bows. The picture I have posted as an avatar is not of my actual car as many of us back then didn’t carry cameras with us much but it was the best likeness I could find.

I recently had the opportunity to pick up a green 72 Mach 1 from a guy in Las Vegas. When I showed the 3 pictures I had of it to my wife she said she didn’t know that they every made such an ugly Mustang. I was crushed, but being the head strong guy I am I went to Vegas and bought it anyway. Thankfully when I brought it home she thought it was a pretty cool car. Thank God!!! She could have crushed my dreams or remaking my old 73. Now she’s behind the rebuild (doesn’t want to spend the money but also doesn’t make all of the decisions when it comes to toys).

My wife is a 4’11” red headed Frenchwomen and when she puts her foot down you better not have yours beneath it!! In 2003 I built a pro-street custom V-Twin motorcycle. When I brought it home from the shop she jumped right on it and realized her feet couldn’t reach the forward mounted foot controls. I said “O Darn” and left it at that. When I brought home the 79 Corvette she did the same thing with the same results and again I had the same “O Darn” response. I know she won’t be able to drive the Mustang and I’m beginning to think this little gal just might be giving me enough rope to hang myself. Now my main question is…… How many ropes can I have?

Back to the point…. I want to turn this 72 into a 73 clone and I’m intent on getting that done. Any help and advice that can be given will be greatly appreciated.

Just one up front of mine.

 

[whitesoc]

Welcome to the forum from Ontario Canada.

 

[OLE PONY]

Mike, just thought of another 73 difference. The magnum 500 wheels on your 72 were not available in 73. Ford switched to the Forged Aluminum Wheels. Your old 73 could have had them or maybe the trim rings and hubcap or sports wheel covers. Do you remember what your old 73 had?

 

[T-Tom]

Welcome to the site from Virginia. Great introduction. My wife still does not like my 73 convert because I bought from my high school sweetheart back in 74, but she tolerates it.

Not too many differences to make it into a 73 clone, of course the grille is different; but the biggest challenge would be changing to the 73 urethane front bumper. Different front fenders were used to fit the contour of the bumper. The rear bumper also has a filler piece and different bumper brackets so the bumper sticks our further to meet the new federally mandated impact requirements. The 73 Mach 1 has different side stripes from the 72's also. The tail lights on the 73's do not have the black accent around the lens either.

I'm sure other will chime in with other differences.

Enjoy the sight and feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks for the input. I was looking at the front bumper and thought there was a difference but couldn'd quite figure it out.

Welcome from the Gulf Coast.

Do ya think the person you bought it from might be the "rub"? Duhhhhhh. Just an observation....

I haven't posted a picture of my Mustang as yet. I'm probably too vain. Donstang65 says that I need to get it out and drive it as is but I won't until it's completely restored. My wife's MGB is in restoration at the moment and we hope to get it back by the end of next week. I ordered my car from the factory in February of '72. I took delivery of it in April. The only things that I regret not getting on it are intermittent wipers and an AM/FM radio. It's Dark Green Metallic with a White top and Ginger interior. It's one of 13 convertibles with the HO engine and one of one painted Dark Green Metallic.

 

[Mike H]

Mike, just thought of another 73 difference. The magnum 500 wheels on your 72 were not available in 73. Ford switched to the Forged Aluminum Wheels. Your old 73 could have had them or maybe the trim rings and hubcap or sports wheel covers. Do you remember what your old 73 had?

I had slotted wheels like the ones on yours. Mine were Ansens.

 

[Mustang Dynasty]

Mike, just thought of another 73 difference. The magnum 500 wheels on your 72 were not available in 73. Ford switched to the Forged Aluminum Wheels. Your old 73 could have had them or maybe the trim rings and hubcap or sports wheel covers. Do you remember what your old 73 had?

I had slotted wheels like the ones on yours. Mine were Ansens.

They are correct as 73 mag wheels option though I do not think they are Magnum 500's as Mustang One out of Georgia has after market Magnum 500's the are @ 17 or 18" wheels.

Mike, just thought of another 73 difference. The magnum 500 wheels on your 72 were not available in 73. Ford switched to the Forged Aluminum Wheels. Your old 73 could have had them or maybe the trim rings and hubcap or sports wheel covers. Do you remember what your old 73 had?

I had slotted wheels like the ones on yours. Mine were Ansens.

They are correct as 73 mag wheels option though I do not think they are Magnum 500's as Mustang One out of Georgia has after market Magnum 500's the are @ 17 or 18" wheels.

On another note: re: my last page of my photo album ie, brake failure when got car back from garage that had it since Sep. of which was for installing the overdrive and SSBC rear power disc brake conversion kit and returned the same day....just transferred it to another garage for an independent inspection on brakes to find that calipers and fitting on lines are leaking as well, soaked pads and leaking differential. see below.

 

[Mike H]

Thank you all for the very kind welcome and all of the input. The difference between this forum and the VMF forum is like night and day. I’ve always known that most Mustang guys go more for the 60-70 years and always thought it because they just didn’t know any better. Now I’m sure of it. As much as I loved my old 73, the more I look at this 72 in my driveway the more I like the 71-72 version. When I figure out how to use the garage I’ll post a bunch of pictures of the car as it is now and as I progress with the rebuild I’ll share that as well. I guess I also will have to learn how to post a new thread.

 

[luxstang]

Hi and ::welcome:: from Luxembourg, Europe.

You have to forgive your wife. How is anyone supposed to know anything about cars when they come from a country that not only makes Peugeots, Citroens and Renaults but also labels them as cars and offends the eyes of millions of innocent people on the streets?!?