Why is the 1971 through 73 Mustang SO BIG?
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- čas přidán 8. 02. 2022
- How the 1971 to 1973 Mustang grew to have the largest footprint ever for a Mustang. It's actually pretty simple to connect the dots you need go back to 1911 when Henry Ford bought a bicycle company.
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Ive had my 1971 since 1977. My mom used to call it "The Monument" After a motorcycle accident that left me with limited rotation of my neck, it more or less sat in the driveway. That flat back window only gave me a peek at traffic at times. Here I am at 62 still looking at my car in my driveway. It was my youth and I still love this car.
Thanks for watching and sharing your story. I hope you get to enjoy it once in a while.
Had a couple of cameras on it and have it hooked up in a something on the center console or up on top the dash so you have better vision behind you. Now that is assuming that you still drive the car from time to time and it hasn't just sat there in the same spot for 40-plus years. I've got a 68 Chevy truck at sets on the back of the family property it reminds me of my youth. It also reminds me that I must have a purpose for still being here. These pieces of metal become family after awhile. Congratulations on keeping your mustang 🐎 all this time.
They're shitty looking cars
What a waste, to have a nice car like that just sitting there.
Bought my 1973 Mustang fastback 6 years ago at 21 years old, rebuilt the whole car with an explorer 302, t5 and 9" with factory 3.70 gears, limited slip and 4 wheel disc brakes. Best car ever, I'll never sell it and always a blast to drive.
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing!
sell it.
Trade it for a MOPAR and start getting the blonde hair blue eyed pretty girls....
Good for you ! I did the same at 21 ……46 years ago. It still turns heads. Wasn’t supposed to be my forever car, but glad she’s still with me.
You will need 3.70 gear to get that boat moving with a 302 out of a explorer.
My first car was a 1973 Mustang convertible, and I still have it. To me, the 1971-1973 mustang are, by far, the most beautiful!
Thanks for this. I always wondered why the front end grew SO large and ugly! Now I know.
Awesome man
I still have my 1971 Mustang
It's been a love affair ever since 1977 for me. I'm 63 and nobody has ever driven that car BUT me.
@@annemarie5273 I have a mint low mile 73'. It's a time capsule.
I take it out on occasion. Most people have never seen one and don't know what it is.
I agree 100%
I owned all of the 71-73 Ford Mustang models back in the 70s and 80s paying an average of $1500 for each car used. As a kid, I would race all my friends, and drive the hell out of these cars. I did a lot of maintenance to make sure mine kept going. After seeing the movie Smokey and The Bandit, I switch to the 78 Pontiac Trans Am and went to work as a GM Master Technician for 42 years. How time flies. Thanks for the history.
Thank you for watching!
I have both!
What was the room in the trunk in one of those like, and did you have one with the folding rear seats? Got to see one and it almost makes me want one in place of my 89 fire chicken
@@Athoroughgamer The trunk is about the same size as the gen 2 firebird. There's room
Don't remember all the details about them but think the trunk was about the same size as my 78 Trans Am or maybe a little bigger. @@Athoroughgamer
I had a 73 Mach 1 as my first car. Definitely the most beautiful body style made, imo. Thanks Bunkie.
love 73 mach one love tohave one, had 24 other mustangs but not that
The 71-73 mach 1 is my favorite car of all time. That was the car that opened my eyes to how cool cars can be when I was 12
Awesome thanks for sharing!
I like the 1969 Mach 1 the best
@Scot Mandel damn. That's really interesting. But it's weird. I looked all over, and I simply could not find where anyone asked.
@@timr31908 Agreed. Lots of them around when I was young. 1969 was the best year for many cars, Camaro, Toronado, Firebid, GTO and of course the Dodge Charger and others that I'm probably forgetting.
It was great to be alive back then which is more than I can say about today.
Me too. It took my breath away...still does.
The 1971-73 Mach 1 was ahead of it's time. On the real life streets they are the biggest head turner.
All of the first generation Mach 1's are great, including the 1971 to '73. They were ahead of their time and gone too soon. The OPEC gas crisis of the early 1970's killed the muscle cars.
The Mustang is supposed to be a compact nimble sports car not a bloated Torino rival. Yeah, 71-73 weren’t bad looking in certain guises but you were never going to see them carving up road courses. That era probably would’ve gone down as the time Mustang lost its way were it not for the supremely hideous Mustang II.
@Stuff Happens Agreed, the mustang 2 was an ugly duckling, but it did serve to keep the mustang brand alive during the mid '70s oil crisis. My brother owned a '73 Grande/ 351 Cleveland. Not the most desirable stang but after a little tuning and a gear in the rear end it was a hard running little Ford. Years later I ended up buying this same car. Sent the motor to a race shop to have it rebuilt with some added features. Man, those were the days, right.
@@l.l.c. Yes. All good points. I agree. When I look back at how life was and how it is now it’s obvious the fake gasoline/energy “crises” was a preview of (not so good) things to come.
If that’s true why don’t nobody have them?
Ford never listened to Carroll Shelby who in the mid 60’s told them that the Mustang needed to be smaller and to keep the weight down .
He was a racer, light weight is vital for performance
The 71 thru 73 was a timeless design , it looks as modern as tomorrow.
To each his own. Of course, I cannot complain. I drive a ‘22 Mach-e.
What I recall is the front end of the damn thing (1973) losing ground contact at speeds of 110 mph or more. It was pretty sketchy to say the least.
I agree & like the 71-73, almost bought one new, but I went Comet GT , & built up the 302 to be a fast one.
The Fiero has the same timeless look. Had couple, & the V6 was pretty Quick in a 88 Formula.
It looks as seventies as it is. That's not a bad thing, but timeless design it is not. It's very much a car of its time.
@@duroshebanja6810 Loved the Fiero!!
I was always a big fan of the 1971 and 1973 Mustangs
Myself also, especially the 71 and 72 Mach 1,s. With 71 having the Best Engine Options, Boss 351, and the 429 SCJ !
Yes, the 71-73 was bigger than the earlier Mustangs, but they are smaller and lighter than current Mustangs. The biggest problem they had was the government smogging the power out of them.
I can't argue with anything you have said. I always wondered how it came about and once I found the answer I thought I would share the results in a video.
I don't get how the current pony cars(Challenger, Mustang, Camaro) weigh so much..they actually don't look that big, more like mid-size, not huge like the '58-'60 Lincolns, '71-'76 GM full size cars, or even the '92-up crown Vic for that matter...and what makes it even more puzzling, is how they use so much plastic and aluminum to "save weight", yet they weigh so much?? (I don't actually own any modern or semi-modern car, so maybe I am missing something)...
@@dyer2cycle a lot of the weight is due to the safety reinforcements. Even though there’s more lightweight plastics in a lot of places, The metal is heavier and thicker in the places that count . Door reinforcements, rollover protection, etc, all add weight in places that you can’t see.
Knowing that he came from Pontiac explains the BEAK nose on the 71 Thunderbird. It’s similar to the Pontiac beak that was just as strange looking during that time.
@@dmandman9 A friend of mine owns a body shop, and he gave me a dented late model Challenger fender..it was EXTREMELY thin..but not as thin and flimsy as the torn aluminum bed side panel he had cut from an F-150 bed!..I couldn't believe they would make a truck bed so thin and flimsy...I thought maybe the weight was from all that unnecessary electronic do-dads and crap they add to everything these days...
My uncle owned one of these, back then. And we never gave a thought to "how big" it was!
Still don't care, even today. These were great cars!
after almost twenty years of ownership I still enjoy every mile in my 72 mach1 .turns heads , and people take pictures , get lots of thumbs up .not a cheap car to run and maintain , but you know , one life enjoy it!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
The 1971 thru 1973 Mach 1 were as said on the original Gone in 60 seconds, "the last of the great Mustangs"
Dude. As much as I love the remake with Nicholas Cage, the original holds a special place in my heart. Strongly agree.
71-73 are great cars. They were larger but handled better and could fit a big block between the shock towers. Plus the driver position was perfect. I sold my 429 Mach 1 but still have a couple 351 cars in the back field.
I personally love the Mach 1...especially the elegant version used in Bonds Diamonds Are Forever, and The Mechanic, the Charles Bronson film .love it!
Plus the original Gone in 60 Seconds.
And a black one in Steven Segal's Marked for Death. Road Warrior with Mel Gibson had a 73 Ford Falcon GT V8 which is very similar also to the 71-73 mustang Mach 1's
My personal favorite body out of all of the first generation. I had a 72 coupe that I miss sorely…very unique among Mustangs and always an eye catcher
Hi i Got one of does, My dad Got the car shipped from California to Denmark in 2004 or there about
It's actually pretty cool to see the love that the "Clydesdales" are getting. It's a very clean, straightforward design that has aged far better than some early 70s cars.
Vive la différence!
"Clydesdales" - - that's funny !
I was at the 64/65 Worlds Fair for the unveiling of the Mustang. Even at 10 years old I was a car nut. They had a pavilion where you could get in a Ford convertible that was on a track that took you on a tour of the Ford factory. Only every 4th car was a new Mustang. Unfortunately, we didn't get to ride in a Mustang. I'm still pissed about that 😢. The promotional build up to that release was amazing.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your story! it must have been exciting to be at the 64/65 Worlds Fair!
@@TonysFordsandMustangs Yes it was. We went there several times. When the fair closed, most of the displays wound up in Orlando's Disney world. The Hall of presidents, It's a Small World and others are still at Disney today. But NOT the Mustang display. Damn!
@@motorman857 I often wonder why they stopped having the Worlds Fair. I recent stopped in San Francisco and the location they had it there is a public park and amazing. I also stopped at the Parthenon but the one in Nashville Tennessee that was also a Worlds Fair location. Now I have something else to look into. 🤔
Hey Jerry! I’m 66 years old and I too saw the 64 1/2 Mustang debut at the Ford auto display! That’s the first thing I wanted to see at the Worlds fair! My dad worked at Di Blasi Ford in Queens N.Y. So naturally I grew up loving and owning Fords. I owed 3 Mach 1 Mustangs over the years. I’ll never forget seeing that 64 Mustang for the first time in person! I’ll also never forget watching the motorbike Officers coming out of their station at beginning of their shift at our local precinct in on their Harley Davidsons! That led to another passion of mine, owning and riding Harleys!! By the way I love watching your CZcams channel “ Ride like a Pro”. I hope to meet you one day! Ride safe, & keep the shiny side up!
@@glenngarver687 About a year after the Mustang debut a family friend showed up at our house with a new 65 Mustang GT convertible to show off his new car and take my father and I for a ride. It was a beautiful summer day and I can still remember how good that dual exhaust sounded as we cruised around. I finally got my 1st ride in a Mustang. Thru the years I've been lucky enough to have owned an 85 GT, A 94 Cobra conv. a 95 GT, a 2005 GT and a 2007 California special conv..
I remember back in 1973 when the T.V. actor Ted Knight who lived down the street from us bought his son a yellow one of these for his High School Graduation. My oldest brother rode in it. He was friends with the son. They were very good looking muscle cars.😊
Ted Knight was awesome! Thanks for sharing!
By the time the '71 "Square Stang" went into production, plans were already on the table to return the Mustang to something closer to its original size. Final production design of the '74 Mustang was set in 1971. That 400+ pound downsizing wasn't a bad idea, especially if it could have been matched up with the engine choices that existed at the time plans for the downsized Stang were being laid in 1970 - '71. However, by the time the downsized Mustang entered production as a 1974 model, various government regulation and auto insurance industry changes had brought an end to the Big Three's first golden era of horsepower and torque. I also think the name they chose, "Mustang II", was unfortunate. It made it seem like it wasn't a "real" Mustang. The '74 wasn't the failure many have made it out to be, however. Mustang sales in '74 were the strongest they had been since MY '67, and roughly tripled the yearly sales of the '71 - '73 models.
In a way, it was a return to the Mustang's origins, which was intended to have only an inline six. Ford had already given in to V8s, allowing the 221 and 260 cube versions of its new "Windsor" small-block into the Falcon, which the Mustang was based on. Ford did experiment with high-performance inline sixes, akin to what Mopar had done a few years earlier with the "Hyper Pak" on its Slant Six, and Pontiac would do with modifying the basic Chevy Six into an OHC engine. However, the "suits" at Ford stopped any performance upgrades to the sixes, which were intended to be basic, "grocery-getter" motors, and simply drop a small-block V8 for "performance". The Pinto, on which the Mustang II was based, did get the larger, domestic 2.3 liter four-banger, which at least had enough displacement to be a replacement for the smog-strangled, rather old British Ford "Kent" OHV-four, which had put out only about 55 ponies in its final year. When the Mustang II debuted in 1974, it did also come with the German-built Ford "Taunus" 2.8 liter V6, which was intended to be all the engine the platform needed. It was consumer demand that caused Ford to drop a 302 Windsor into the Mustang II, but in the TWO-BARREL form ONLY. These "wheezy" V8s put out a miserable 139 bhp, which was a complete JOKE to the otherwise smart "Cobra" styling package. By no means was this a unique failing, most of Detroit's "iron" was smog-strangled and completely GUTLESS as the "Malaise Era" wore on.
@@selfdo And remember when the "Boss" was back. 82 Mustang with a warmed over 302. Had the 351W marine cam with a bigger 2 barrel and I think it was rated at 157 hp. Next year came the Holley 4 barrel rated at 175 but really over 200 and it laid the next years upgrades to roller cam and finally fuel injection. I had a warmed over 302 in my 76 Cobra 2. Had 289 heads and 268 Comp cam with torker intake. Problem was it had an automatic. Poor fuel mileage and 13 inch 4 bolt wheels. With decent wheels they would have completed with the 65 Shelby for handling.
The Pinto Mustang
I am from that time period. Never heard anyone call it a "stang".
Most guys that were into speed would build up the engines, just as they would to the Firebird, Camaro etc, and government regulations didn't stop them.
Crager mag wheels (the 5 spoke), traction bars and air shocks to push up the rear end were common "ad ons" as well.
@@ericblair8380 That's somewhat true, just as the original production Mustang was based on the lowly Falcon.
I had a 1971 Mustang Convertible from August of 1982 till June of 1983. Best car I ever had !!!
A buddy of mine stuck a 302 out of a crunched up Boss in his '74 Celica back in the 80's. Getting that little thing to hook up was a delicate procedure. It liked to dance.
Friend of mine had a 71 Mach 1 around 1975 while he was in HS. In 1976 I helped him shovel a 460 into it. Monster car and a looker too.
In '76 I bought a '73 Grande that was equipped with the 351 Cleveland 4 barrel engine Q code. The fastest car I ever owned. It was awesome.
Thanks for sharing!
Very nice to find a Q.
Had a '68 fastback once. It was a good car, yet I've come to appreciate the notchback styling of the '64-'68 models. As for the '71-'73 Mustangs, the convertibles are the ones I'd want-specifically for their notchback styling.
That is my favorite era of the Mustang. I would love to have one of those.
I got sober in 1992, and the next year I bought a rusted out 73 Grande for $400. It was a great car! I had it for years. Anything went wrong with it, I would just break out my Chilton's manual and fix it in my apartment parking lot. I also had a 74 Mustang II hatchbacks when I was in high school back in 1980. It was a great running car, very reliable.
Thanks for sharing!
71-73 are my favorite era of Mustangs
I liked those big '71-'73 Mustangs, created lots of room for big motors and improved handling.
(and I had no problem with the appearance of the '70 T-bird. Pontiacs had beaks, and so the 'bird had a beak!)
They commonly left the showroom with those dog dish hubcaps but wore them surprisingly well.
@@vanpenguin22 lol, and a lot went out that way because the owner drove the car immediately somewhere to put aftermarket chrome wheels on 'em. 😉
Speaking of Fords,
What kind of name for an upper level trim package is "Grabber"?
Clinton was nowhere near in office yet.
@@rayrussell6258 A surprising number also wore them a while
@@vanpenguin22 yes perhaps, but they did have Woodstock back then. 😉
Well thank goodness for Shinoda, I have a 13’ Boss and I freaking love that car. I’ll never get rid of it!!
I had the pleasure of owning a 1972 Mach 1. I bought it with 44K miles on it. It was super clean. It was originally yellow and black. I had a top notch silver and black painting done to it. It was beautiful and a pleasure to own BUT the intake manifold and carb change in '72 really took the life out of the 351 Cleveland mine had in it. Cheers from America!
On a Saturday afternoon you can change the cam, timing set, intake and carb and still have time to install headers. Get all the power back, and then some.
I was at one of our clubs many visits to Gale Halderman's barn and we were looking at my 73 Mach 1. He told the story about how Knudsen had come to the studio when the first clay models were produced and found the rear end had been shortened nearly 12 inches. Someone informed him that Iacocca had told them to whack it down and they did. Knudsen then told them to "put it back on". I guess we saw who won that argument. Gale passed away a couple years ago and was one of the most wonderful people you could have ever met. His stories about life at ford in its glory years of the 60's and 70's were incredible. He was truly a legend.
Knudsen won for a while till he was shown the door. Iacocca wasn't far behind him however. Thanks for sharing that's an awesome story & the point of my video. :)
2 big pros of the 71-73 Mustang and cousin Couger. It made it easier to put in 429/460 engines. Also the quicker ratio power steering gear box replaced all the old bendix slave junk hanging under the car.
I had about 12 of these cars including one of the first 73 mach 1 produced. Sorry we moved to our new house in fall 72& neighbor had a new 73 Mach 1. Fell in love have pictures of that car! Loved my 71-73's
I had a "73" it was my favorite car I've ever owned. Life circumstances forced me to sell it, I'd love to have it back.
Have to say the same thing happened to the Mercury Cougar too...in my opinion the '67-70 models were the best looking, especially the optioned out '70 Eliminator with the 428 SCJ. By the late 70's the Cougar looked like a big boat Continental.
Mom bought a 68 Couger new, Cherry Red paint, Cherry Red leather seats, auto, 302 ci I think. She was the total cool in her scarf and Wayfarar sun glasses. I was young in 68, 15 year old. I can still see her smile as she dropped the shifter down into low and took off and really nrw how to watch the tack and use that slap shift. She daily drove that beauty for 22 years daily. Traded it for a new model and that big luge was an insult to the legendary 1st generation Cougar.
.
i think this car was ahead of its time it,s a great looking car
Agreed with the stripe kit and spoilers. Not a fan of the notchbacks. To each their own.
Wow I never knew how deep this went, Good Video lots of new info!
Glad you liked it and Thanks for watching!
Good video, and I like the overall design of the big Mustangs as long as it has the right options. I remember the '70 T-bird well. My grandfather was on the original Thunderbird design team, and for his contribution he received a new Thunderbird every year. The day he brought the 1970 home, I remember him closing the door angrily, walking towards the house, then stopping to glare at it and tell me "That's not a Thunderbird!". He was in a bad mood for a while after that, lol. Thanks again for the video, and it was fascinating to watch.
Thanks you for the the kinds words and I can understand your fathers frustration.
The 71-73 is probably my favorite based on looks the way its proportioned makes it look so damn low and sleek even though its not really any lower than sny other car
Owned a '71 fastback for 28 years. Daily driver for 10 years. There is nothing I haven't done in that car. Worst mistake of my life was selling.
They are getting really pricey especially the 71's. Thanks for sharing!
I have the exact regret selling my ‘73 Mach1, 351 CJ 4 speed😩
Thanks, Bunkie, for some of my favorite Mustangs and Pontiacs.
If you look through the comments you will see you are not alone.
Thank you for this explanation about the Mustang Mach1 - This car was probably and continues to be one of the most beautiful cars produced in the entire world. The first time I saw it was in Goiânia, capital of the state of Goiás in the interior of Brazil, around 1975.
Thank you for the kind words and for watching!
The Mach 1s are truly a classic.
I always wondered why the 71 car got so big. I knew of Bunkie from his days at Pontiac. He, John DeLorean and Jim Wangers were responsible for the original GTO in the early-mid 1960.
Bunkie oversaw some goofy looking cars. He was the one that made the early 70's Gran Prix with the super long hood and a bubble top. Pretty sure he didn't influence the GTO much 😉
Why did the Thunderbird get so huge?
Great information, I enjoyed the video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Good video, well presented. I learned a few things.
Thank you very much and thanks for watching!
I don't know why, but the '70-'71 Mustang fastbacks always were my favorite. I'm guessing it's because the proportions just looked right to me, regardless of the size/weight. It looks like a highway car, not a pony car- which is why I like it.
I have restored two 70 Torino Cobras which are about the same size. I love the styling on those cars. You really realize just how long they are when you strip all the paint off one. Those quarters seem like they will never end.
Those are 2 different eras, the 69-70 were prior to the 71-73 style. I've had several of both Mach1s and Boss 302 and Boss351 too. The &0 may look a bit more of a muscle car, but the 71-73 were more aerodynamic and more stable at high speeds, I had my 72 HO uo to 155 mph and it was good, my 70 Boss 302 got a bit light in the front end at 120 mph and needed constant steering
The fastback versions of those cars always looked like a "flatback" to me..almost like the rear window was a sunroof, nearly horizontal...too extreme for me..I always wondered how you could see out of the back of them...
@@dyer2cycle They seem to be a return to the long flat sweeping fastbacks that FoMoCo used on the larger non-mustang models in the later 60s; like the Torinos and the Galaxies (somewhat on the Galaxies, they didn't go all the way back to the absolute end before blending into the trunk).
@@dyer2cycle You just have to know where certain parts of the car are. It helps in traffic and in parking lots. My first car was a '72 Sprint Decor fastback with a 351-C 4-V and a Toploader 4-speed. But it had been repainted black and it wasn't until years later when I realized what it was. My keeper is a '73 Mach with a 351-4-V and a C-6. I've had it since mid-summer 1985. It has 325k miles on it and it runs and drives great because I've kept up on the maintenance. And I've never beat on it, which helps. 😁👍
What most people don't realize is it's still light to many cars of today. My 13 Boss is 3600 pounds, and my once very expensive C6 Z06 is almost 3100 pounds. So yes the 71 may have been heavy in it's day, but today fit, or a little trim compared to many, lol.
That is spot on. Thanks for watching!
@@scotmandel6699 What? Todays Mustangs are heavier and wider just not as long.
Th3 New York Worlds Fair was the first time I laid eyeballs on the new Mustang when I was a kid. I saw the same one in this video as it went round and round on this pedestal at the Ford pavillion.
We all know the 1969 year was the pinnacle of Mustang design. It's never been matched.
The 1969 Boss 429 in Raven Black is my all time favourite and the 1971 Boss 351C is also a favourite of mine and I have a friend who has owned one for over 20 years!! Gorgeous car!!
Thanks for watching. A good friend of mine owned a Boss 351 from 1985 to 2018. We used to take that car everywhere. Drive Ins, the beach for the weekend. It was his daily for a couple of years when we were younger. It was great car.
Well lets put it this way! - I absolutely loved the 71 and 72 , the 73 was ok too, but the Performance of the 71 especially was absolutely Awesome even though the Extra Size. In Fact I Loved my 71 Boss 351 more than my 69 428 car!
Then Look what happens to the 74, even if it would have had a Great Powerplant comparable to the SD 455 GM stuffed in the Firebird, the 74 Mustang almost Took Ford Out of the Mustang Business in my opinion, that's what the Smaller Version did!
By the way Awesome story!
Thank you sir! I love those cars as well. I have been actively looking for one and that's what peaked my interest as to why. A good friend had a Boss 351 for 40 years. We went plenty of places in that car.
Definitely Agree with you on the 71 and 72, over the 73,s. And 71 the Boss 351, and the 429 SCJ were that Model Year only. I really like those model years, even better than earlier Mustangs. They were quite the impressive performers too.
What a cool video topic, something I always wondered about in the back of my mind
Glad you enjoyed it! I had the same question in my mind.
I've never gotten to drive one, but back when I was about 20, I did a lot of work on a blue '73 Mach 1, that a guy outside of town was restoring.
I was so excited too, because at our shop, if you were the one working on it and then did the finishing alignment, you had to go out and test it and make sure it was right. So the whole time I was working on it, I kept daydreaming about that part, until the time came, and my boss burst my bubble.
He said, "No, you're not test driving it. You'll kill yourself.
🫨 What? Bill, no. No, Bill, please?! I'll be really careful. I promise. 😢
That's a tough break. Thanks for sharing!
1969 is my cut off point.
I always loved the big Mach 1s. My friend's older bother had a silver & blue junker in high school, but it was still beautiful to us. Just looks powerful sitting there. That T-bird though, ugh.
That size is part of the reason I love this car.
Make a toast to Bunkie Knudson next time you have a drink. He's the guy that made it happen.
Always liked the yacht sized mustangs (almost got one but chose a 65 instead as my first car). Though my 69 I ended up with isn’t as long, I still prefer the 68 and priors smaller size. Really like the latest body style. I’d definitely take a 71-73 over a mustang 2. No disrespect to those that love that model but in CA you can’t mod them too crazy because of smog laws.
You can modify a 74. No smog checks!
Thanks for that interesting bit of history. I’m like you, initially I hated the 71-73 Stangs but I now love the Mach-1’s and would really like to have a Boss 351.
I had heard the 71-73 Mustangs were upsized to compete with Camaros and make room for Big Block engines. Detroit just didn’t see the gas crises coming. I did read that Iacocca hated them.
One of my best friends had a Boss 351 for the better part of 40 years. We used to take it everywhere it was a fun car but it got to be so valuable recently that he couldn't enjoy it anymore and let it go.
The Boss 351 and the 429 SCJ Mach 1,s are my Favorite Early Mustangs. And yes i heard a big reason why the 71 Mustang got Larger, especially up front was for the addition of the Mighty 429 Cobra Jets and Super Cobra Jets.
Very informative 👌 thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Love your videos bro 😎
Thank you very much!
71 to 73 Mustangs were the best looking Mustangs ever made.
No argument from me on this.
Yes they are.👍🏼
Dimensions-wise, both the s197 and s550 are VERY similar to the 71-73. And they weigh more on average too. Cars just tend to grow over time.
The S550's are widest and just a tad shorter than the 71 - 73's and yes they weigh about the same depending on the options on each. Cars don't have to grow over time. Sometimes they do because someone decided they should. 😉
Wheelbase wise, very close. Front overhang was a big trend in early cars. Late mdl cars eliminated this. The Fox body Fairmont Futura from '78 to early 80s, is famous for its rear overhang abundance.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs I hadn't bothered to check our Gt500 @ the front spindle CL (width). Yet it's visibly wider @ frnt fenders to accommodate the 305's, & possibly to accommodate future Track Camber Settings?. I gotta say Tony. All these S550 cars are pretty awesome. The Bullitt, gt350, Mach 1, & the 500. The 10spd, 7 spd DCT, & the Tremec manuals. Only thing I can really bitch about us the Mt82-d4 in the Bullitt. The ratios are terrible, & only good fir squeaking out a bit more Mpgs at best.
I just wasn't willing to do what it tk to put the Tremec in the green pp1 car. The Mag ride in both our s550 cars is quite nice. Probably not necessary on the Bullitt. Yet I'd never want 1 w/o the adjustable shocks. We are Extremely lucky to hav access to these cars in 2022. & just like the early 70s crushed the original muscle cars. The early '20s is doing its part to once again, to repeat the fate of muscle car history. I like your channel Tony!. Keep doing what you do!
When I moved to LA got a 1973 Mustang Mach I convert with Ram intakes. 351 Cleveland . Of course fire engine red with white interior. Cruising down Sunset Blvd top down at 26yo with two blondes was my idea of heaven on earth. My favorite car for obvious reasons.
Thanks for sharing Bruce. When you say "Those were the days." you are not joking in the least.
Don't believe there ever was a factory Mach 1 convertible.
I've had my 73 sportroof since 96. I had just bought my 96 Mystic, my wife saw the 73 on a local lot. It's in deep restoration now.
1974 I had a 71 Mach 1 with 19000 miles, Pewter color with red interior.
351C engine, 4 speed, duel exhast that had a nice sound. It still had original Firestones on it.
Paid $1600 for it.
I agree they were ahead of their time.
I don’t believe how many mustang guys didn’t like it at first probably because mustangs are meant to be light small muscle cars but it’s grown on many guys
I think most Mustang people appreciate the car now. Thanks for watching!
Yup, it sure did grow on me. And funny how small they look to me now too.
Thanks ! I owned a used '72 Grande auto brown on brown and loved it in'79
Thanks for watching! Grande not my style but to each their own.
I had watched this video sometime back and liked it. Saw it again today and like it even more. (Had a 71).
Anyway, thank you and well said!
Wow, thank you very much! I get a lot of grief from the many owners of these cars and I can't understand why. I wanted to know how they got to what they were so I looked into it few a couple of weeks and decided to make a video.
You can't satisfy everyone.... Stay well.
They're designed around a race winning platform and fitting big blocks... They're physically larger but they're not significantly heavier in any meaningful way. 71 Mustang was also the fastest out of ALL of them with the Boss 351.
I never said they were slow just bigger, and a big block was only fitted into the 1971 (429 CJ & SCJ) and there isn't any more room between the shock towers than in a 69 or 70 so the big block argument isn't going to fly. I did a video on the 8 fastest Fords of the era and this body style took two spots. The Boss 351 was forth and the 429 CJ was 8th czcams.com/video/rW1I1JB9HCI/video.html
Actually I've read multiple sources state that the engine bay is larger, and was designed to accommodate the 429 big block without modification.... and if memory serves, I believe there were even plans for 500+ cubic inch engines.
@@bigc6310 Yup, it's why they changed to the Torino platform. Easier to support big blocks with the increased size, weight and suspension and brake needs.
Down here in Australia and NZ, we had the kinda similar, but far better looking (IMHO) Falcon GT Hardtop (coupe) with 351 4V and 4spd top loader (auto was an option) the "XA" had flat NACA style bonnet (hood) scoops, but the "XB" model (the letters denote years built, XA= 72/73 XB=73 to 76, XC=76 to 79 etc) had the exact same bonnet scoops as the Mach 1. Mad Max's black "Pursuit Special" is a modified XB Hardtop, and in the first Mad Max movie they used XB Falcon sedans as the Main Force Patrol Interceptor vehicles. The performance GT Falcons could also be had in a 4 door sedan, and later model GT's (90s to 2016) could only be had as a sedan.
@@uhtred7860 Very familiar with them, there's a few here in the states I've seen collectors brought over. Got to park my 72 Mach1 next to a Falcon Cobra which was a once in a lifetime chance!
Check out the size and weight of new Mustangs and you will see that they really aren't that big or heavy by todays standards in the overall scheme of things
I understand that they are not much bigger than the S550's which are also much bigger than the original Mustangs. They got to that size because of Bunky not many people knew this and I wanted to get the story out. I do really like those cars.
I had a 69 Mach 1 back in the early 70's but always loved the 71 body style............absolutely timeless...............
The 1971-73 Mustangs are my favorite of all time. So clean and sexy. (I really like the 2023 as well.)
A 73 is 98% the same as a 71 and 72. A couple easy motor mods and they make the same power. You can easily put back the ponies Ford took out. To say you like 71 and 72's but not really 73's is kind of dumb.
It has nothing to do with horse power. I do not like the new front bumper, the vertical turn signal indicators, the grill, the stripe kit, or the wheels. It's personal preference and I would prefer to have 71 or 72 Mach 1 over a 73.
My father has owned all three years. It’s funny I used to hate the front bumper on the 73, but over the years it has become my favorite. The big crash bumper almost gives it a fat lip, more aggressive look from some angles. It’s definitely a personal preference.
I was always a fan of small, chrome bumpers too.
71 & 72 are the same size, 73 was the longest mustang produced, the front fenders make the difference. I have a 73 coupe my Mom bought from the original owner in '79.
I had a '72 back in 1993. I loved that car and miss it everyday. I had a 351W in it, car was orange/red in color, white interior with a black vinyl top. I put a Mach 1 hood on it and straight off the headers side pipes. So mad at myself for getting rid of it. I still have a trunk key. 😭
Really nice content here. subscribed.
Never disliked the 1971-1973 Mustangs. I just always wish they’d been a bit smaller in almost every physical dimension.
Thank you very much! It is appreciated!
My buddy in High School had a 71 Mach Mustang in the mid 80s. Cool car but did always wonder why it was soooo big and Kind of odd compared to all the small 60s, Charlies Angeles, and 80s Mustangs. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for watching!
When you put 50s in the back and 70s on the front it's a mean looking ride
Thstnks man my name is Tony, my first car was a yellow and black pin strip 71’, my biggest regret in life is selling that car to my cousin in my late 20’s. It was sitting in my parents garage, I had yet to get married and buy a home, I sold it to my cousin thinking I’ll just buy it back from him later, we’ll that never happen. To this day I still think of the fun I had in that car and how much everyone enjoyed looking at it.
Thanks for sharing.
My dad had the 351 Boss in the early 70's. My understanding is that the power and gearing was such it was one of the quickest off the line. There wasn't a back seat I would hold onto my baby brother back there when we rode around lol.
Your understanding is correct. The Boss 351 is one of the quickest Fords made pre 1985.
71 through 73 Stangs need love too. The extra pounds means there's that much more to love.
My grandpa had a 71 Mach 1 with the notorious 351 Cleveland. My mom drove it to school for a while.
Bought it new. One of my uncles put it in a body of water and stood on the roof. It sat for many years. My dad and I got the radiator fixed (reason it sat) and it ran better than the rebuilt 454 in our 74 corvette that I drove to high school in the late nineties.
Love the Bunkie Beakbirds, esp the 4door...so much style, maybe polarizing, that you will never see again. and love the big Mustangs...I have a '70 Mach, but the 2nd gen looks fast standing still.
I like the 71-72 Mach 1's but that T-Bird looks like a seagull to me. To each his own. You have to give Bunkie credit for applying his stamp on the company but some of those cars are misses. Thanks for watching!
The Bunkie Beak worked for the Grand Prix
The 71-73 mustangs are my favorite and still are.
I remember my Dad’s comments on the Knudson style, big-beaked, front ends. He was a Ford employee from 1950-80. He hated the look.
You won me mate. Great impartial history lesson.
I'd love to understand more about how they thought bigger was better then; I'd love to understand why cars are so big and heavy now.
Glad you enjoyed it! The thought was the customer was getting more for their money. In case it was mostly more hood and front fenders.
Same reason modern trucks and SUVs keep getting bigger, status symbols, profits, and fashion.
I was in the Marines and had a friend with a Boss with the 351 Cleveland engine. It was a beast and we actually could get four Marines in it for a ride to Fayetteville. If you ever saw the back seat and I do use the term loosely, you would know what I mean. It would absolutely fly...as long as it was going straight down the road. It could not hardly turn a corner at 40 mph...
Oh, I had another friend and his grandfather died so he bought cars. One was a Pantera, another was a Triumph and the third was a new yellow Corvette. I remember driving with him on a North Carolina limited access (almost interstate) one day and he was going like 140 mph...and the vette started flying... Yes, it took off and he had no control over it and it sort of floated down and starting to cross the road.... All I remember was both of us holding our breath for a few seconds until the tires bit again... Oh, the good old days when your brains hadn't fully matured yet. Me? I had a Vega, almost bought a Gremlin...
I built the AMT 1/25 71 Mach 1 James Bond model kit about a year or so ago... I'm also hoping to pick up the new Revell 1/24 71 Boss 351 when it comes out...
Good show 😋👍 those are everyone's dream cars💞let's see some custom mustangs from different car shows👍
Thanks for the kind word!
Love the 73 Mach 1 had one in my early 20s and spent the rest of my life trying to replace it. Took me 40 years but I finally did it.
Congratulations on finding your car and thanks for watching!
Young whippersnapper here. But when I was a kid, Gran Turismo 5 introduced me to the 71 mustangs, and BOY did I love the car. I raced every challenge I could with the car making it as beefed out as possible, adding on that Nascar styled spoiler. I felt like I could race anything short of a LMP car.
Boy am I out of place here, lol. My 1st car (and many more) was a 70 Tbird 2 door with that fastback roof. That big 429 4bbl purring down the highway at 90mph was pure bliss for me 30 some years ago! It is quite a polarizing design!
You are not out of place. There is a reason they make different models of cars. Everyone's tastes vary. I am not fan of a majority of Bunkie's designs but there are a lot of people who are.
Coming from a Mopar background, the 71-74 B-bodies (Charger/Roadrunner) also became really big cars...
Yes they did.
They did get heavier, but the wheelbases were the same. Same problem as with the big Mustang. The high-performance engines you could have gotten in prior years, like the 340 Magnum, 340 Six Pack, 383 Magnum, 440 Magnum, and 440 Six Pack, were all HISTORY. In fact, except for a very few Police cars and very limited, special order packages, you couldn't even get the 440 4 bbl, the 400 B-block was as big as it got, and only the most expensive trim package even had the 400 four barrel...and that only as of '73. Else, whether the "grocery-getter" 318, or the then-new 360, or the 400, they all were stuck with that "wheezy" Carter BBD TWO-BARREL. Frankly, I think the 71-74 B-body two-door coupes were very good-looking rides; they just need some "aftermarket love" to reach their POTENTIAL.
Great explanation. Cheers
Thank you very much and thanks for watching!
Yeah, I could never get into those '71-73 Mustangs. My first car was a '66 Mustang that I bought in 1973 when I got my first license. I would go onto own a second '66, a '68 a '69 and a '70. The '70 I owned in my 20s during the 1980s. I restored it, it was a great car with a 351 Cleveland. I remember seeing "Diamonds Are Forever" in 1971, with Sean Connery back as Bond, driving a '71 orange/red Mach I and thinking to myself what happened to the Mustang. But it got worse a few years later when they debuted the Mustang II in 1974, a 4 cyl car based on the Pinto platform. We were all appalled.
My favorite era Mustang though I'm a Mopar guy at heart. Always loved the long hood short deck styling even if it put on a few pounds.
You are from from alone in that camp. Thanks for watching!
Increasing safety standards had a lot to do with it as well, larger side beams, increased door belt line heights structure behind the bumpers etc were all available in the Torino platform, made sense to to change, updated styling and compliance both accomplished
Wayne, I'm not sure any of that played into the decision. All of those thing were accomplish with the Maverick and the Pinto. Bunkie wanted the car to look that way it looked and he was in charge.
Not true. They put the Mustang II on a Pinto chassis. We all know how unsafe that was.
@@3644Darrell MII was derived from Pinto, but is not the exact same chassis, Tony explained in another video.
Very cool, important information..
Glad you think so!