1973 Ford Mustang

Description

Some of our favorite cars are the "could-have-beens," like this 1973 Ford Mustang ragtop. If they'd put their mind to it, the guys at Ford could easily have whipped up a Mach 1 convertible or even a Boss 351, and this car pays tribute to that idea with an awesome look and a stout small block V8 under the hood.

Now that the 1971-73 Mustangs are getting their justly deserved respect from collectors, it's easy to see why this is such an appealing car. While so many of these were pretty bland, this awesome Bright Red convertible turns up the heat to 11 and makes a bold statement that you'll either love or hate (depending on whether you're a purist). Personally, I think the stripes and blacked-out hood make these cars look right, regardless of the body style, and they emphasize the long, low, wide look that was so derided at the time but has aged rather well. The bodywork was done as if this were a high-dollar car, with awesome sheetmetal, a shiny coat of urethane, and accurate stripes that were laid down exactly right. The blacked-out NACA hood (not NASA) still force-feeds the 351 underneath and is one of the better-looking ram air systems of the period. Add in the body-colored urethane front bumper, a chine spoiler and wing on the rear deck, and you have a car that looks fast just standing still and totally shakes the image of "overweight and underpowered." This car is anything but!

The handsome black-and-white interior is a great combination of practicality and style. Obviously influenced by Chevy's houndstooth upholstery, Ford's upscale buckets look sporty yet remain comfortable while you're driving in the sun. Black carpets, console, and dashboard provide welcome contrast to all the white, and a woodgrained steering wheel just looks great. The factory gauges are beautifully finished, with incredibly bright and crisp markings, and you'll note that this car carries factory A/C and power windows among its many virtues. The door panels are perhaps the only part showing a bit of age, but it would be a shame to replace them, especially since you're going to want to drive this pony every chance you get. An AM/FM/cassette stereo slots neatly into the original dash and Mustang-logo floor mats are a neat accessory. A black top is exactly right on this car, working well with the stripes and hood, and it stows under a matching black boot, which is how I would have done it myself. The trunk is restored and painted, but needs a mat and a spare to be complete.

The gnarly 351 packs a gear drive for the cam, so it sounds wicked when you fire it up, and thanks to Edelbrock intake and a 4-barrel carburetor it makes quite a bit more power than the stock 2-barrel setup. We believe this is the car's original, numbers-matching engine, and with that coat of Ford Blue paint and the ram air intake, it certainly looks right. The A/C was just serviced in March, so it works as advertised and uses R134a refrigerant. The C4 3-speed automatic snaps off easy shifts and with highway gears out back, this is a great cruiser. Long-tube headers and Flowmaster mufflers build torque and sound awesome, so it definitely lives up to the aggressive look. Traditional Magnum 500 wheels are fitted with fat 235/60/15 BFGs, rounding out the performance image.

This is a really cool Mustang. If you're not a purist, you're really going to dig the look, and anyone could fall in love with the way it moves. Call today!