1973 was the last year of the first generation Mustangs. The early 1970 Mustangs were all about power and luxury. With the 1973 oil crisis and subsequent stock market crash, Ford felt the need to go back to the drawing table and produce a new Mustang that would better fit the needs of the current world. The 1974 Mustangs would be known as the 2nd generation and had more in common with the Ford Pinto than the previous Mustang generation. Yes, 1973 was the last year of the Ford muscle car!
CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS
The 1973 Mustang came in five model options; Hardtop, Sportsroof, Grande’, Convertible and Mach 1. The 74 Mustangs sported a new re-designed honeycomb textured grille, new color keyed hood and fender moldings, and new urethane front bumper. Many previous options had now become standard and racing side mirrors were now available on all the models. They also came with the new option of knitted vinyl interior.
One variation from the previous year was that the Mach 1 now came with two options for the vinyl top, full vinyl top and 3/4 vinyl top. In the latter model the vinyl top extended from the windshield to the back side windows. To accentuate the vinyl top options the roofline was meticulously designed. Mach I’s could also come with TuTone NASA hoods Some of the new standard features included the new honeycomb black grille with a new verticle sportlamp and a new sweeping bodyside and rear tape treatment.
The Grande’ saw a few upgrades such as racing side mirrors, a new deep inset grille, new energy absorbing bumpers and sculpted lip moldings.
See Other Year’s Information
1973 Mustang Facts
Production
| MODEL | AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| Convertible | 11,853 |
| Coupe | 51,430 |
| Coupe, grand | 25,274 |
| Fastback | 10,820 |
| Fastback, Mach 1 | 35,440 |
| TOTAL | 134,817 |
Engine Options
| CID | V | CYL | HP | CODE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 1 | 6-cyl | 99 | L Code |
| 302 | 2 | V-8 | 141 | F Code |
| 351 | 2 | V-8 | 177 | H Code |
| 351 | 4 | V-8 | 266 | Q Code |
Transmission Options
| Gears | Type |
|---|---|
| 3-speed | manual |
| 4-speed | manual |
| 3-speed | automatic/C4 |
| 3-speed | automatic/C6 |
| 3-speed | automatic/FMX |
Color Options
Measurements
| US | METRIC | |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 109.1 in. | 2,770 mm |
| Length | 193.8 in. | 4,923 mm |
| Width | 74.1 in. | 1,882 mm |
| Height | 50.8 in. | 1,290 mm |
| Curb wt-CP | 3,126 lb. | 1,418 kg. |
Original Prices
| MODEL | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Convertible, standard | $3,102 |
| Coupe, standard | $2,760 |
| Coupe, Grand, standard | $2,946 |
| Fastback, standard | $2,820 |
| Fastback, Mach 1, std | $3,088 |
