Why so much attention for our cars?

[will e]

I have a thought.

I pulled into a gas station today and a guy was pumping into a nice late model challenger. White with a retro stripe package. Good looking car.

It seems to me our years are finally catching on. Prices seem to have gone up and they are getting more attention.

Do you think it is because, while old, they have more modern styling queues than the earlier mustangs?

One thing about the 70 models is they look a lot like the 65. Not a bad thing, both good looking cars, but our years were a real departure from 'the look'.

Thoughts?

 

[Luke]

To me our cars have a more modern look,I think it sort of ties with the lambo,pantera vibe our cars have. Also if you haven't been exposed to the 71 73 worst of the breed beat up like lot of younger people haven't, what you have is a car that has some old school street creed for a fair price that looks fast sitting still

 

[Kit Sullivan]

It just seems that way. Other years of Mustang rise and fall in popularity also. Ours are becoming more sought after due to economics: they have not commanded as high a value as older models which makes them more affordable to guys who buy them to use as a nice driver or cruiser, as opposed to the mega-dollar examples that trade hands purely as static investment opportunities.

Using that criteria, to me...cars like an original BOSS 429, a Superbird, or a 69 ZL-1 Camaro are not "authentic" to me for the most part anymore, simply because thier value precludes an owner of any of them to just drop the hammer at a stoplight, shredding the back boots in anger just because the guy in the next lane with the primered-up Roadrunner sneered at you and blipped his throttle.

To me, this is what they were made for.

 

[Mister 4x4]

My first thought was: "Because they're SO freakin' COOL!!" rofl

Honestly, I think because the Mustangs have departed from the original style for such a long time, people have almost "forgiven" Ford for the departure from standard Mustang doctrine with our models. Partially because of the Mustang II, Fox-body, and later models being so much more of a departure than merely stretching, lowering, and widening, as our models did. But I would also figure, and this is a parallel for our cars as well, the more current Mustangs have been taking aggressive-looking styling cues from Shelby and incorporating them into their concurrent models.

Case(s) in point:

• 2010 Shelby Super Snakes come up with inboard projector lights w/outboard parking indicators/signal "slots," when the base model went with outboard 'normal' lights and inboard parking indicator/signal "slots." People love it or hate it (I love it, personally).
  
• 1967 & '68 Shelbys have full-size driving lights in the grille opening (placement varied by application) - Ford likes that look, discontinues the Rally Lamp package and incorporates full-size high-beams in the grille opening (one of their better ideas, IMHO - it just looks mean).
  
• Shelbys come with woodgrain inserts, Ford follows suit. (I'm not much of a fan of that, but most people liked it I'm sure)
  
• 1971 Mustangs went with the nose treatment and NACA ducts ala 1969 Shelby styling cues - which was a good thing, if you ask me.
  

I'm torn with the change of direction, only so far as to say that I'm a big fan of the '69-'70 Mustangs... and equally as much the respective year Shelbys. But, transitioning to our model year designs was merely a natural progression, as "low, sleek, and wide" was the trend for sports/performance cars of the time. Not to mention, spreading out the shock towers to stuff in the big blocks was simply 'staying in the game' with the muscle car wars... which unfortunately fell off during the run of our model years.

The current sense of nostalgia for the older muscle car-era best-sellers has been somewhat realized by the manufacturers bringing back major styling throwbacks (Charger, Challenger, Camaro, Mustang, Nissan Z-cars, etc.)... but, it looks like it's time to move on again - hence, the 2015 Mustang design. If it's successful, look for the others to soon follow suit and stretch, twist, contort, and otherwise "ruin" the looks of their throwback model designs.

Just my observations. Don't know how close to reality they are, but they make sense to me.

 

[1972MustangSVH]

Well said, I bought my car in '83 and they still carried the stigma and folks just didn't want to like them even if they did. Now people see them, dig them, and are often surprised that they are Mustangs. (not so much the car crowd, but people in general) My son-in-law was around for several years and the mustang sat in the corner of the garage disassembled. I assumed he knew what it was but we hadn't ever discussed it. One day while staring at it he asked, "Is that some kinda Ferrari or something?" I immediately educated him and he was astounded that it came from that era. These cars are coming into there own and I for one am glad of it.

 

[rpmcarter]

It just seems that way. Other years of Mustang rise and fall in popularity also. Ours are becoming more sought after due to economics: they have not commanded as high a value as older models which makes them more affordable to guys who buy them to use as a nice driver or cruiser, as opposed to the mega-dollar examples that trade hands purely as static investment opportunities.

Using that criteria, to me...cars like an original BOSS 429, a Superbird, or a 69 ZL-1 Camaro are not "authentic" to me for the most part anymore, simply because thier value precludes an owner of any of them to just drop the hammer at a stoplight, shredding the back boots in anger just because the guy in the next lane with the primered-up Roadrunner sneered at you and blipped his throttle.

To me, this is what they were made for.

That would fall under the heading "drive it like you stole it" which I believe you are against?

 

[Ron Tanzi]

I see the GT 40 as the design inspiration. And remember folks our cars have a trunk floor that is not the top of a fuel tank. The integral power steering system is a big plus albeit it did come from GM. (Saginaw made a great PS Box).

 

[rpmcarter]

You've stated this before.... help me see the vision. I love the GT 40 and the beautiful lines but I see NO connection with our cars. Can you post some pic's and explain the vision? My oldest daughter is an artist and I ask her....she didnt have an answer.

Just like our current Mustangs I see the design like the 69 and 70 with a tiny bit of the earlier cars and NOTHING like our 71-3's

 

[Luke]

You've stated this before.... help me see the vision. I love the GT 40 and the beautiful lines but I see NO connection with our cars. Can you post some pic's and explain the vision? My oldest daughter is an artist and I ask her....she didnt have an answer.

Just like our current Mustangs I see the design like the 69 and 70 with a tiny bit of the earlier cars and NOTHING like our 71-3's

I never made the connection until I seen this. It's mostly how the grill of the mustang looks like the front grill opening in the gt40

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[Kit Sullivan]

The GT-40 connection is most evident in the "Kamm-back" styling of the rear end. A very short trunk, with a high lip and an extreme drop-off is basically a Kamm-styled tail. The GT40 to a small degree and the Daytona coupe to a large degree both show the design.

Personally. I have always thought the 71-73 fastback style resembled a watered-down, more conventional version of Pantera styling. But that is probably because I love Panteras also.

 

[Luke]

The GT-40 connection is most evident in the "Kamm-back" styling of the rear end. A very short trunk, with a high lip and an extreme drop-off is basically a Kamm-styled tail. The GT40 to a small degree and the Daytona coupe to a large degree both show the design.

Personally. I have always thought the 71-73 fastback style resembled a watered-down, more conventional version of Pantera styling. But that is probably because I love Panteras also.

I see the pantera thing too. There is a touch of lambo and Maserati aswell

 

[will e]

The GT-40 connection is most evident in the "Kamm-back" styling of the rear end. A very short trunk, with a high lip and an extreme drop-off is basically a Kamm-styled tail. The GT40 to a small degree and the Daytona coupe to a large degree both show the design.

Personally. I have always thought the 71-73 fastback style resembled a watered-down, more conventional version of Pantera styling. But that is probably because I love Panteras also.

I see the pantera thing too. There is a touch of lambo and Maserati aswell

This was posted in the 'gone in 60 seconds' thread.

Without the panels they do look a lot like a pantera

 

[Mister 4x4]

Gee - I wonder where they got their ideas for the side profile from... long hood, short cabin, fastback to tall trunk area...

Maserati Ghibli:

Ferrari 365 Daytona:

Ferrari 365 Daytona Spyder:

Ferrari Daytonas are my most favorite Ferraris ever... squint REAL hard at that last pic and think "1971-1973 Mustang convertible." It'll come to you.