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Final Year Survivor: 1973 Ford Mustang V8

When the original owner of this 1973 Ford Mustang passed away, his daughter drove the car for a short while before parking it in this garage. The current owner purchased the ‘Stang and has returned it to a roadworthy state. It has a few potential flaws that the buyer will need to address, but that hasn’t stopped this classic from generating plenty of interest since it was listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in California City, California, and intense bidding has pushed the price past the reserve to $7,166.

Once the seller dragged the Mustang out of storage and treated it to some TLC, it presented quite well. The Gold Glow paint holds an impressive shine and is presentable, although there are a few chips and flaked spots that a meticulous buyer might choose to address. There is evidence of some minor repairs and repainting in the supplied photos, and the quality of some of the work isn’t as good as we might hope. There are a couple of gallery photos below, and one reveals some poorly finished Bondo. Since this is a First Generation Mustang, we need to turn our attention to the subject of rust. The panels look extremely clean, which you would expect from a car that has spent its life in California. However, the news may not be quite as positive when we climb under this vehicle. The second gallery shot below shows one rear frame rail near the forward spring hanger. It appears as though there is rust present, and if I’m right, it is an issue that the buyer would need to address sooner rather than later. Otherwise, the trim seems to be in good order, and I can’t spot any significant flaws in the glass.

The interior of this Mustang presents well, thanks to the previous owner treating it to some new trim and upholstery in 2016. The seats look flawless, while the same is true of the carpet and dash. The pad has several cracks that detract from the overall appearance, but with reproductions available for $160, that is a problem that will be cheap to fix. The original owner didn’t order the car loaded with luxury items, although ic-cold air conditioning and a factory tach are both welcome inclusions.

When the seller purchased this Ford, it had been sitting for a few years. He worked through the process of reviving the car, and its numbers-matching 302ci V8 runs well. It should be producing 135hp, which finds its way to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission. That owner also ticked the boxes on the order form beside power steering and power front disc brakes. It appears that the original owner treated the V8 to a rebuild in around 2014, which is positive news for potential buyers. The seller says that the car runs and drives as it should, with no vices or nasty surprises. He has hit the highway at 70mph, and his only suggestion is that the buyer invests in new shocks because the Mustang does “float” a bit. Otherwise, there seems to be nothing for the buyer to do but slip behind the wheel and enjoy the classic ownership experience.

While it may have a few issues, this Mustang is an original classic that has generated plenty of interest. With fifty-seven bids submitted at the time of writing, it seems that many people like what they see. That means that a new home is only days away for this classic, and all of that action should make it interesting to see where the price sits when the hammer falls.

Comments

  1. Avatar That Guy

    Nice looking old cruiser. Needs bigger wheels and tires though. I get what they were going for with the 1st-gen GT wheels but they’re just too small here.

    Like 11
    • Avatar Mike

      15 inch slotted aluminums always looked pretty good on these cars…

      Like 1
  2. Avatar rextreme Member

    How about a set of after market larger diameter style steel wheels?

    Like 2
  3. Avatar Ralph

    Never owned this year but always liked this one as much as the 65 fastbacks or 69 and on fastback stangs. Not even a FORD guy but owned maybe a half dozen Mustangs over the years. This looks like a great one to finish the work on, and just enjoy. Seems like a deal if the price stays reasonable. Some one will get a sweet ride here and if the selling price stays reasonable, will have enough cash left over to bring this one along to even better shape. Seems like that’s what this is all about to most of us who enjoy the cars. I am thankful the reserve or BIN price was not 25K for a change. Makes my day.

    Like 2
  4. Avatar Sam Shive

    E-Bay pictures, The Hood and Fenders don’t line up. The 73 Mustang DID NOT have a chrome front bumper and it also stuck out more than this one, First year of the 5 MPH. JMHO But this might have been fit in the front and had some repairs done, I’d check it over real good.

    Like 4
  5. Avatar Dave Australia

    Sam yes I agree, and with any car for that matter, one basic check they all should pass is taking both hands off the steering wheel on a flat road. That’s a basic they all should pass, if tyre pressures are good then yes you would want to examine much further.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar jerry z

    Never knew the 1st gen Mustang went from ’64 to ’73. That Mustang looks rough.

    Like 4
  7. Avatar Al

    Like that color never saw before on a Mustang. Except two-toned w/ black on my HD roadglide CVO.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Motorcityman

    Yep, I had a 72 White with black hood inlay Mach 1back around 1981, 351C auto……had a white front bumper, not chrome but maybe that was part of the Mach 1 package?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Christopher Gentry

      I thought 71 was the last year for the chrome bumper. In fact I thought this was a 71 till I read the story.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar Howie Mueler

    $8,400 now, ends today, yes those wheels and tires look stupid.

    Like 3
  10. Avatar Chris Cline

    Beautiful to look at but first year for smog and safety and 2.72 rear axle, would not perform and 14 miles per gallon, was a real let down for my first new cars, the good was only $3250 brand new.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Howie Mueler

    Sold $10k even.

    Like 0

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