These large, smooth cars were equal parts grand tourer and street brawler, and following Mustang tradition, they could be optioned from mild to wild, with six- or eight-cylinder power and plenty of luxury trimmings. They may not share earlier models’ build-from-a-catalog parts availability, and their road-hugging style may not be to everyone’s taste, but those who consider the 1971-1973 Mustang will find that they can get into a bona fide classic pony car for surprisingly little cash.
Changing tastes and a changing market were among the factors leading to the Mustang’s falling sales figures, which had gone from a 1966 high of 607,568 to 190,727 in 1970, but Ford did their best to reverse the trend with the new hardtop coupe, fastback Sportsroof and convertible designs introduced for 1971. Built on a 109-inch wheelbase, these 190-inch-long cars were fractionally larger than their predecessors in every dimension. Their long, broad hoods, truncated rears and thick-waisted styling blended classic Mustang elements with Italian GT cues. The convertible’s new soft-top design increased usable rear seat room. All new models shared a twin-cove dashboard design with deeply tunneled instruments and a prominent center stack.
This particular example has been resprayed in Bright Red quite recently, with the Mach 1 style striping on the hood, and the original interior (dyed black) is also very presentable. The Mustang emblems and grill surround have also been reapplied since thee puctires were taken. The factory 2 barrel Ram Air engine has been upgraded to a 4 barrel carb with and aluminum intake and runs smooth and is surprisingly torquey for an early seventies car. It is backed by the stout Ford C6 automatic, that has just been serviced, and the nearly indestructible nine inch rear with a highway gear, probably a 2.76 for easy low rpm cruising on the interstate. If you ever decide to stop riding, the front discs have been recently upgraded with slotted and drilled rotors and new pads.
The tires have great tread and the convertible top operates smoothly as it should and is in great shape. A top cover is also included for a smoother look when the top is folded down. Floorboards can be a problem on these cars, especially convertibles, but these are in great shape.;
