Original parts that seem to go away

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Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
5,960
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Location
Oklahoma
My Car
1971 Boss 351
1971 Mustang Sportsroof
1972 Q Code 4-speed conv.
I guess it was just a matter of time.  As I look through 71-73 Mustangs being offered for sale I've noticed some very common things missing.

1. The number one item is the factory steering wheels.  Most have been replaced with the most generic steering wheels on the planet.  To me - most look like they came from an old boat! Some are cool but most are not.

2.  Second would be the non original front bumpers - especially on Mach 1's.

3.  This one not really missing but IMHO - just wrong - 71 Boss type stripes on EVERYTHING! ::devil:: :whistling:

Some call them the hockey stick stripes.   If any cars have the stainless trim below the doors - or for Mach 1's at top of black or argent lower body color - it did not come with stripes and looks very strange with them.  Again - my opinion.

Ray

 
I think why they change the steering wheels is they are so skinny compared to wheels of today. The old racers use to wrap their wheels to get them fatter.

On the stripes I have a Mach 1, a 72 and it has the argent lower side paint and the stripe and came that way. It is also a T-5. Here is a Ford ad showing the stripe and lower paint.







up load photos

 
1 - Original steering wheels, expecially the center button unit that came in my Mach were just butt ugly. It's only really in the last 15 years or so that wheel restoration has become mainstream and many cars suffered these travesties long before that. I had a nice wood wheel in one of my Machs and if you looked at it wrong, the rim would bend and crack the wood. I think a chromed chain wheel makes a great upgrade! ;)

2 - If only someone would make a repop of the urethane bumper. Honestly, I like the chrome B351 front bumper look. I might switch mine to that as the urethane is cracking.

3 - agreed. But a $200 stripe kit adds thousands to the value as it's now a Mach Boss Cobrajet 302!!! LOL.....

 
1 - Original steering wheels, expecially the center button unit that came in my Mach were just butt ugly. It's only really in the last 15 years or so that wheel restoration has become mainstream and many cars suffered these travesties long before that. I had a nice wood wheel in one of my Machs and if you looked at it wrong, the rim would bend and crack the wood.  I think a chromed chain wheel makes a great upgrade!  ;)

2 - If only someone would make a repop of the urethane bumper. Honestly, I like the chrome B351 front bumper look. I might switch mine to that as the urethane is cracking.

3 - agreed. But a $200 stripe kit adds thousands to the value as it's now a Mach Boss Cobrajet 302!!! LOL.....
You did see a new member posted a NOS rubber bumper for sale did you not this morning? I also have one that go hit just after being put on and one bad spot.

 
1 - Original steering wheels, expecially the center button unit that came in my Mach were just butt ugly. It's only really in the last 15 years or so that wheel restoration has become mainstream and many cars suffered these travesties long before that. I had a nice wood wheel in one of my Machs and if you looked at it wrong, the rim would bend and crack the wood.  I think a chromed chain wheel makes a great upgrade!  ;)

2 - If only someone would make a repop of the urethane bumper. Honestly, I like the chrome B351 front bumper look. I might switch mine to that as the urethane is cracking.

3 - agreed. But a $200 stripe kit adds thousands to the value as it's now a Mach Boss Cobrajet 302!!! LOL.....
Butt ugly...? I think they are kinda cool...

 
I think why they change the steering wheels is they are so skinny compared to wheels of today. The old racers use to wrap their wheels to get them fatter.

On the stripes I have a Mach 1, a 72 and it has the argent lower side paint and the stripe and came that way. It is also a T-5. Here is a Ford ad showing the stripe and lower paint.







up load photos
David - you misunderstood.  I did not mean to imply the lower body color paint (Decor Group) meant no stripes!!!  But if it had the decor group and the stainless trim at the top of that paint - well that meant NO STRIPES.   :cool:

 
Doubt we will ever see a repro urethane bumpers for a 71-72 and especially not for a 73! I've seen a lot of 73 cars lately at a few local shows with 71-72 bumpers and grills.

The one thing that I think is just wrong and bugs me is a NASA hood with high gloss clearcoat blackout instead of the original semi-flat black. Like the side stripes, I know lots of people like it, so to each their own, but not me. I say add it to the list.

 
It's my car, I'll have it the way I want it. Too bad:):):)

While we're discussing looks might as well see some pics:)

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
Very nice! Those seats look like they were made for it. I like the spoiler painted body color... its a cleaner look on the car since it does not have the lower back out and stripes. Is it an original four-speed vert or did you convert it? Really nice car!

 
It's my car, I'll have it the way I want it. Too bad:):):)

While we're discussing looks might as well see some pics:)

100e3912011781f8cc88795f02eda692.jpg


06f3344ce8bdef28a5e6d9494ed4d23d.jpg


e6fc1fdf0040179f5cfee2d51342e226.jpg


739aacb1d6dec53340002b3b6b4db607.jpg


c3a9f2314c551cdfc7a1b2929a74ce31.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
And a nice 73 conv it is.  Many tasteful mods.  Good attention to detail btw. And those seats look comfy!

I'm not telling anyone to not do what they want to their car.  Ray

 
Very nice! Those seats look like they were made for it. I like the spoiler painted body color... its a cleaner look on the car since it does not have the lower back out and stripes. Is it an original four-speed vert or did you convert it? Really nice car!

It was originally an auto, that's a 5 speed T5 in there now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
And a nice 73 conv it is.  Many tasteful mods.  Good attention to detail btw. And those seats look comfy!

I'm not telling anyone to not do what they want to their car.  Ray

Thanks I knew you weren't I'm just playing[emoji2]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
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It's my car, I'll have it the way I want it. Too bad:):):)

While we're discussing looks might as well see some pics:)

100e3912011781f8cc88795f02eda692.jpg


06f3344ce8bdef28a5e6d9494ed4d23d.jpg


e6fc1fdf0040179f5cfee2d51342e226.jpg


739aacb1d6dec53340002b3b6b4db607.jpg


c3a9f2314c551cdfc7a1b2929a74ce31.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Amen brother. I agree to do what you want with your car or you will never like it. It bugs me for the guys with the million dollar show rooms to put up a mustang for $35,000 and the whole underside has been rattle canned. Shiny used car. Your car is really nice but just a shiny used car. If that is what you want go for it.

 
Ray you've brought up some good points.

1. Until recently there hasn't been much to choose from for factory steering wheels. The one year utilization of the base 71 only wheel makes finding one of those almost impossible. No Mercury vehicles were equipped with that wheel. And since  it was also used on base Mavericks and Pintos, basically "Throw Away" cars, not a lot were salvaged when these cars were at the end of their life cycle. I believe Don (OMS) now has the repo two spoke deluxe wheel and the pad and horn switch. To my knowledge no one is reproducing the three spoke wheel. At least there are some restoration services available for them. And if you can save ALOT of your lunch money, Perkins has been know to let them go for $8500.00 !

The after market steering wheels are probably a lot safer now than the ones we were buying from K-mart in the 70's and 80's!

Be sure to wear your football mouth guard when driving with the chain link steering wheel!   Lol

2.  Agree with rackerm on this one. With no original engineering blue prints or molds, we may never see a repo urethane front bumper for the 71-72's and the one year only 73! I believe the original manufacturing company had been researched, and over the years had been involved in a couple of merger/buyouts and then eventually went out of business. Hope someone proves me wrong and figures out a way to build these bumpers!

3. The 71 Boss stripes.....on everything! Ray I know we have always stressed, it's your car, your free to do what ever peels your banana, and I still believe in that. (No Chevy engines please) I've even threatened to put them on one of my Mach 1's with the lower molding. The problem I've run into is people arguing that they know it did come from Ford with the stripes and molding, because it was part of the Boss 302 Super Cobra Jet Ram air two four barrel package that Ford only built for special customers in July! It guess it pays to know someone that can get all these special one of a kind cars built.   :whistling:

 
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I guess it was just a matter of time.  As I look through 71-73 Mustangs being offered for sale I've noticed some very common things missing.

1. The number one item is the factory steering wheels.  Most have been replaced with the most generic steering wheels on the planet.  To me - most look like they came from an old boat! Some are cool but most are not.
I'm not a full on purist, not everything on my oldtimer is going to be as it was the day it was made.

That being said, I wish repro steering wheels would be available in some of the other  interior colors

Mine isn't too bad, but someday...

I regret not saving the lower body trim on my Mach-1 back in '81, I have come to like the 71 non striped Mach-1 look. 

But I do like those darned hockey stripes...

 
Agreed, when you see one with the lower body trim, no hockey stick strips, and no hood blackout (non ram air car), it's like wow I haven't seen one of THOSE in a while. Even more rare to see one like that with no front spoiler or rear wing! Without really intending to do so, I just described the Bond DAF car. heh

 
Agreed, when you see one with the lower body trim, no hockey stick strips, and no hood blackout (non ram air car), it's like wow I haven't seen one of THOSE in a while.  Even more rare to see one like that with no front spoiler or rear wing!  Without really intending to do so, I just described the Bond DAF car.  heh
Agree!  I have always liked the non-striped look for the Mach 1.  From what I have heard- most of the 1971's produced with the 429 did not come with stripes.  But try and find one like that now! 

Ray

 
It's my car, I'll have it the way I want it. Too bad:):):)

While we're discussing looks might as well see some pics:)

100e3912011781f8cc88795f02eda692.jpg


06f3344ce8bdef28a5e6d9494ed4d23d.jpg


e6fc1fdf0040179f5cfee2d51342e226.jpg


739aacb1d6dec53340002b3b6b4db607.jpg


c3a9f2314c551cdfc7a1b2929a74ce31.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
All I can say is..... wow.  That is one clean car.  That interior in immaculate.   Very tastefully done car!

 
Agreed, when you see one with the lower body trim, no hockey stick strips, and no hood blackout (non ram air car), it's like wow I haven't seen one of THOSE in a while.  Even more rare to see one like that with no front spoiler or rear wing!  Without really intending to do so, I just described the Bond DAF car.  heh
Agree!  I have always liked the non-striped look for the Mach 1.  From what I have heard- most of the 1971's produced with the 429 did not come with stripes.  But try and find one like that now! 

Ray

Thats the way the 71 I painted this winter came. Only thing not original was front chin spoiler. Everything else went back the way it was. 







 
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