1973 Ford Mustang

Description

Some of our favorite cars are the "could have beens." They're machines like this 1973 Mustang convertible dressed up in Mach 1 regalia, complete with stripes, NACA hood, and spoilers, but never built by the factory. Ford COULD have built a Mach 1 convertible in 1973, and it probably would have looked a lot like this, so this awesome ragtop suggests that the idea has a great deal of merit.

The vivid electric blue paint on this ragtop looks a lot like what was offered in '73, although the finish and depth of the surface is a lot better than anything the factory was applying back then. The '71-73 ragtops are very handsome cars with great proportions and when dressed up in Mach 1 stripes like this one, they definitely look aggressive. This one has obviously had a lot of money spent on the restoration, with straight sheetmetal, good gaps, and a lot of extra attention to detail. The Mach 1 stripes were expertly applied and fit the convertible just as well as the fastback, and while the look is distinctive, they stopped short of adding Mach 1 callouts on the car, perhaps to avoid angering the purists. On the other hand, things like the chin spoiler and rear wing give it an aggressive look that works even better on the convertible, and with those critical parts painted contrasting gray, there's no denying the intent. A few chrome bits add some sparkle, particularly out back where the bumper and taillight surrounds are in excellent shape.

The white bucket seat interior has all the right parts to be your performance ride of choice. The seat covers themselves are in excellent condition and show almost zero wear since they were installed, a tough feat with white upholstery. Black carpets work with the black dash and console to keep it from being too bright inside, and upgrades like the three-spoke steering wheel and drilled pedals work with the Mach 1 performance vibe. Factory gauges cover only the basics, so someone has thoughtfully added a unique trio of gauges under the dash, and they're all bright, clear, and easy to read. This is a factory air-conditioned convertible that's been upgraded to an R-134a system and an AM/FM/cassette stereo lives in the center stack. A white power convertible top fits well and seals up tightly and comes with a matching white boot, while the trunk is outfitted with a correct mat and spare tire with cover.

By 1973, our mythical Mach 1 would probably have been powered by a 302 cubic inch V8 very much like the one in this car. Dressed with finned valve covers and a chrome air cleaner, it looks the part of a performance engine, and hardware like the MSD ignition system and 4-barrel carburetor help build horsepower. It's a strong runner and sounds fantastic exhaling through long-tube headers and twin Flowmasters, and the C4 3-speed automatic transmission clicks through the gears with authority. And they didn't just slap on a set of decals and call this one done, as it also apparently received a makeover underneath because it's extremely clean. Flashy Cragar mags aren't factory-issue but are definitely period-correct and now carry 225/60/15 BFGoodrich radials all around.

A Mach 1 convertible seems like a great idea and this awesome convertible is proof of concept. If you like the look, there are no disappointments in how it runs and you'll love the speculations at shows when everyone starts saying, "Did they or didn't they?" Call today!