This is a fantastic Car to drive and enjoy
A 1973 Mustang may not be the most desiriable to restore, but I have had mine 24 yrs and think they are great cars. In fact mine is back in the shop for total restoration.
This car has never let me down, its always started and gone the distance for me.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 25th November, 2006
This thing isn't no wusses car, it's a man's car!!! It's a pimpmobile
I am currently restoring the Mustang. The body is no good and neither is the interior. The motor was rebuilt 12 years ago, but they only put 500 miles on it since. It has a 4-speed with a Hurst shifter.
This car has some serious power. She will probably do 130 mph at the least. She probably could peel rubber for 150 ft. I call it Eleanor. Please give some comments on what color I should paint it, yellow with black stripes or red with black stripes. Be serious please. Amazingly, I paid $1500 for it. The 351 is the biggest engine you could get in that car in 1973.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 25th February, 2004
An underrated bargain of a Muscle Car
Due to lack of maintenance by previous owner:
Transmission slipped.
Transmission leaked.
Engine burned oil.
Engine stalled.
Wrong alternator.
Due to age:
Interior beat up.
Suspension sagging.
The first thing you notice is the style. It's huge for a Mustang, and the bloated styling is polarizing. I happen to like it, it's sleek and very, very muscular.
The engine, despite its 351 cubic inch (5.8l) displacement, is lackluster under about 3500 rpm. We had it rebuilt, and when its enters its powerband at about 3500 rpm, it feels like God kicked it in the butt. The reason it has to wind up so much is the 351 Cobra Jet engine: it has MASSIVE ca. 2.5 inch intake valves and 1.9 inch exhaust valves, combined with intake ports approximating those on big-block engines. With C6 automatic and 3.25:1 gears, 0-60 is firmly in the 6-second range, and the 1/4 mile is probably in the high 14's or so. With the 5-speed and 3.55:1 gearset later put in it, both could be cut by a full second. A torque mill it is not, but it is one of Ford's best high-performance engines.
The C6 automatic was rebuilt as well, and shifts extremely firmly and quickly. Under part-throttle, it tends to shift a bit too soon, although with gas prices where they are, maybe that's not such a bad thing. The 5-speed built by Tremec which we replaced the C6 with had long, notchy shifts, but suited the peaky powerband of the Cobra Jet much better.
The interior is in somewhat rough shape and parts are not as readily available as for '65-'70 models, so be prepared to comb ebay, swap meets, and do some improvisation. For the chrome trim, we put on aluminum tape with good results. Fake wood veneer is easily put on the wood parts, and spray paint takes care of the rest. From a design standpoint, the dash is more ergonomically correct than previous models, but unfortunately it's all plastic. Also, the dash sticks up very tall and with the (sexy) fastback styling, it's a bit hard to see both forward and over the shoulder for lane changes. In other words, anybody shorter than 5'7" need not apply. The front seats are plenty comfortable, but the practical fold-down rear seat should basically just be left down and reserved for punishment for anyone over 6 years of age.
The suspension needs new bushings - it squeaks, even after a new suspension was installed to take care of the original setup. Otherwise, the 3400-lb car handles very well, although it rides firmly, bordering on punishingly. We chose 620lb front coils and 4-1/2 leaf mid-eye rear springs from Mustangs Plus. Curiously enough, this exact same setup elicits a far more agreeable ride in a lighter '68 Mustang we have.
Other than that, the problems we have had were due either to age or the fact that the previous owner never saw fit to maintain it.
Gas mileage sucks, its tremendous thirst compounded by its picky taste: it pings with anything but the highest-quality premium-grade, usually from Shell or Unocal. But if you're seriously looking at this, you didn't seriously care about that, did you? If you have to know, its 13/city, 13/freeway, making for a (do the math if you don't believe me) 13mpg average!
The car is devilishly fun to drive and is faster than it feels. If you're patient enought to let the engine have its head and build up revs, putting your foot into the throttle rewards you with a firm push into the seat and more than a few thumbs ups.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 3rd June, 2003
I have a 1973 Mustang, and I like it. Do you have the 351 2 barrel or the 351 4- barrel? I have the bigger one. It has some get up and go. I suggest you look for a 429 motor and beef it up and you would have a pimp car.
Raad the description, it has a Holley 4-barrel.
I have a 1973 Mach 1 with a 4 speed manual. Leave the 351 Cleveland in it, parts are hard to come by, but when you find them, you can make some big horse power gains. Mine is all original, if you need to know how and where to get some parts email me a willsuggs@hotmail.com. (351C CJ.475 hp at the rear wheels, with only bolt on parts, no boring)
26th Feb 2004, 17:43
"Amazingly" you paid $1500 for a rusted out Mustang with a rotten interior?
Must be a real letdown from the Aston Martin DB5 you (say) you owned before.
What color should you paint it? How about the pinkish gray color of bondo?-- won't have to use as much paint that way.
And how would you know whether "Eleanor" would do 130 or lay any rubber, since you haven't put any miles on "her" since 2001 when you (say) you got "it"