1973 Ford Mustang

Description

1973 was the last year for the first generation Mustangs. They still came in the same three body styles, coupe, sportsroof, and convertible. 1973 would be the last year for a convertible Mustang until 1983.

Horsepower ratings again declined as manufacturers struggled to meet new pollution standards. The top 351 Cobra Jet engine this year was rated at 266 hp.

For 1973, the front signal lights were vertical instead of horizontal, and a new, larger body-colored urethane bumper was used on all Mustangs. Also, the headlights were surrounded by a square bezel, either chrome or black.

The rear panel had a black grained insert on regular Mustangs or a honeycomb panel on Mach 1s.

The side stripe on the Mach 1 was now straight, wider, and placed lower on the car, with the "Mach 1" name on the rear fenders instead of the front fenders. The 1971-72 style Mach 1 side stripes are often seen on 1973 Mustangs, however.

1973 Mustang Key Differences

1973 Mustangs can be easily identified by their vertical signal lights in the front grill. '73 Mustangs also had body-colored front bumpers rather than the chrome ones used in '71 and '72 (All Mach 1s were supposed to have body colored bumpers from 1971-73, however many can be seen today with chrome bumpers.)

Similar Years

1971 to 1973 Mustangs all had the same body style. 1973 Mustangs had different front signal lights and a different front bumper than the 1971 and 1972 models.

How to Identify a 1973 Mustang

Overview

• Fourth version (1971 - 1973) of the First Generation Mustang (1965-1973)
• Convertible body style shown
• The 1973 Mustang could be had in coupe, convertible, and SportsRoof styles (1965-1973)

1973 Mustang Signal Light

• Vertical signal lights set into the grill are an identifying feature of a 1973 Mustang and exclusive to this year (1973)
• The headlights were surrounded by a square bezel, either chrome or black (1973)
• The grill on regular Mustangs was a rectangular grid design (1973)

1973 Mustang Mach 1 Grill

• The Mach 1's grill had a horizontally stretched honeycomb pattern (1973)

1973 Mustang Front Bumper

• On all 1973 Mustangs, the front bumper was body-colored urethane (1973)
• To meet the new crash regulations, the bumper was larger than last year, and it extended out further out from the car than the previous year (1973)

1973 Mustang Rear Bumper

• The rear bumper also protruded further out from the car than last year due to the new bumper standards (1973)

1973 Mustang Grill Emblem

• For regular Mustangs, a large running horse emblem in a rectangular corral dominated the center of the grill (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Mach 1 Grill Emblem

• Mach 1s had a small horse emblem mounted on three vertical colored bars (1971-1973)

1973 Mustang Tail light

• The tail lights remained the same (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Rear Panel

• The rear panel on regular Mustangs had a grained plastic insert (1973)

1973 Mustang Mach 1 Rear Panel

• The rear panel on Mach 1s had a honeycomb pattern (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Trunk Name Plate

• All Mustangs except for Mach 1s had a "Mustang" name plate written in script letters on the right side of the trunk lid (1972 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Side Emblem

• All Mustangs, including Mach 1s this year, had a chrome "Mustang" badge written in script letters mounted on the lower front fenders (1971 - 1973 for regular Mustangs) (1973 only for Mach 1s)

1973 Mustang Gas Cap

• All Mustangs used the same gas cap for 1973 (1971 - 1973 for regular Mustangs) (1972-1973 for Mach 1s)

1973 Mustang Mach 1 Hood

• The Mustang Mach 1 hood was the same as before (1971 - 1973)
• Optional chrome hood latches could be ordered (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Mach 1 Side Stripe

• The Mach 1 side stripe was completely different for 1973 (1973)
• The older 1971-72 side stripe can be seen on some 1973 Mach 1s

1973 Mustang Front Spoiler

• The front spoiler was again optional (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Rear Wing

• The rear wing spoiler also was optional (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Rear Window Louvers

• Rear window louvers were available on SportsRoof Mustangs (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Dash

• The dash remained the same for 1973 (1971-1973)

1973 Mustang Seats

• The high-backed bucket seats could be ordered in a number of different color combinations in both vinyl and cloth (1971 - 1973)

1973 Mustang Wheel

• One of the many different wheel options for 1973 Mustangs

More 1973 Mustang Pictures

For more photos of vintage 1973 Mustangs, visit the First Generation Mustang Gallery at the Muscle Car Jungle.

If you have any comments, or would like to report any errors or omissions, contact us at feedback@oldcarsguide.com