1972 Mach 1 article

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Nice car, backwards spoiler, wrong hood paint and all!

It always shocks me when someone goes to the extraordinary lengths needed to get an old 71-73 restored to such beautiful condition, and flubs it on these two simple items...

 
Nice car, backwards spoiler, wrong hood paint and all!

It always shocks me when someone goes to the extraordinary lengths needed to get an old 71-73 restored to such beautiful condition, and flubs it on these two simple items...
Nothing shocks me any longer, but to continue along your train of thought, I would forego the modern rubber too.

Also I am not a fan of the Louvers, were they a dealer option ?

all and all a super nice car though.

 
Technically, anything could be a "dealer option", right? The dealers could sell and install any aftermarket parts they wanted.

The louveres are definitely not an original or an OTC Ford accessory. But they were very, very popular add-ons when these cars were new.

 
Nice car, backwards spoiler, wrong hood paint and all!

It always shocks me when someone goes to the extraordinary lengths needed to get an old 71-73 restored to such beautiful condition, and flubs it on these two simple items...
I see the spoiler... But what is wrong with the hood paint??

 
Couple things:

1) leading edge of black paint is 1" too far rearward, a common mistake thanks to an old incorrect article in Mustang Monthly. Seems like a minor difference but it is very obvious.

2) 72 "CJ" engines not available with Ram-Air, thetefore no tutone should be on it either.

But...I did not see it claimed to be "original equipment", so no matter. All easily correctible if new owner cared to do so.

 
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If the owner desires to get it a little more correct, these items could be reviewed. If they don't really care and like it like it is - all good - it is their car...

And I only share here for educational purposes... wow my PC disclaimer.

:dodgy::dodgy::D:D:cool::cool:

On to the meat and potatoes>>>>

Like I said before - this is a very nice car.

Depending on build date - "351-CJ" decal on breather cover could be incorrect. If build date before April 4, 72; it is correct. if build date is after April 4, 1972 it should read "351-4V".

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Blue color is too light for my tastes. Ford Corporate Blue is a darker shade of blue.

IMG_6688_1418937473020_11383807_ver1.0_640_480.JPG

Rear gas cap is incorrect. Pop down cap not available in 1972. He has also replaced the tail lights with repros - and they are not painted with the black areas as 71 and 72 are. Very common mistake...

IMG_6697_1418937521303_11383810_ver1.0_640_480.JPG

This is correct tail lights for 71 and 72

Boss 1 rear_____.JPG

Ray

 
All good points. Along with the taillight bezels, the upper and lower moldings between the taillights are also incorrect, insofar as missing the black paint that was on 71s & 72s.

Like you said, many people put new bezels and moldings on 71 and 72s without ever realizing there should be black paint on them.

 
Couple things:

2) 72 "CJ" engines not available with Ram-Air, thetefore no tutone should be on it either.
Set me straight. I understand only the 2V 72' had Ram Air...But are you saying only the 2Vs had the Blacked out Hoods?

 
In 71 & 72, the tutone hood along with hood pins was part of the ram-air package...no other way to get the tutone hood from the factory.

In 73, the nrw "exterior decor" option gave you the tutone hood with hood pins without the functional ram-bits.

In either case, the tutone hood never came factory-equipped without also including the twist-lock hood pins.

 
In 71 & 72, the tutone hood along with hood pins was part of the ram-air package...no other way to get the tutone hood from the factory.
Wow that is great information, thanks. No wonder when I bought my 72' Q code is was not blacked out.

 
What really sucked for '72 owners was that there was no way to get a factory-painted tutone hood/ ram-air system on the 4-V cars...just the 2Vs, as you already said.

At least in '73, you could order the "Q" code ( 4-V), and the " exterior decor" option. That way all you would have to do is buy the ram-air stuff from the Ford parts counter and bolt it...very easy to do. You would then have an exact ram-air/ tutone set-up that was factory-correct, on a 4-V engine, the way Ford would have done it...if they could have.

 
What really sucked for '72 owners was that there was no way to get a factory-painted tutone hood/ ram-air system on the 4-V cars...just the 2Vs, as you already said.

At least in '73, you could order the "Q" code ( 4-V), and the " exterior decor" option. That way all you would have to do is buy the ram-air stuff from the Ford parts counter and bolt it...very easy to do. You would then have an exact ram-air/ tutone set-up that was factory-correct, on a 4-V engine, the way Ford would have done it...if they could have.
Again all great info. I will add I am so glad I am not a stickler for 100% factory correct. Also glad it has never bothered me that I do not have ram air, and wouldn't trade my Non ram air 72' 4V for a 73' ram air 4V.

 
Ram-Air is an extremely popular option that you will find on many 71-73 Mustangs today...but many of those have been added years later.

Ram-Air just wasn't on as many of these Mustangs back when they were new or just a few years old.

It always suprised me that more OEM systems weren't factory-installed considering how cheap the option was.

I think the option cost less than $100 overall, which of course included the tutone hood, hood decals and the chrome hood twisty-pins along with all the functional under-hood stuff.

Today, it is rare to see a NASA-hooded Mustang at a show or cruise that is not sporting functional Ram-Air.

 
Found out the hard way on the ram air. Stationed in Ga and had finally saved enough money to buy my first new car. Insurance man laughed every time I mentioned Mustang. The new Gran Torinos were out and looked great and the Insurance man was happy. Ram air was an available option on the 72 "Q" code Gran Torino at the time I ordered. Car came in and guess what was missing? Salesman told me that Ford had notified them that there was an emissions related problem and was cancelled on the 4bl cars but was still available on the 2bl cars. Of course I thought he was lying because he forgot to order it. Typical white shoe wearing car salesman..right? Car was built May 15, 1972 so I received the chrome top with 351-4bl instead of 351-CJ. Was already incensed over the ram air issue. So now every time I raised the hood to show off my new "Ride" I hear "What happened to your ram air? or "Oh I see you only got a 4bl, what happened to the 351 CJ you were going to get"? Grrr..glad I'm on this site where people will understand my whining like a sick house cat over air cleaners and decals! LOL

 
Well nit-picking aside, I think it's a freaken awesome car! ::thumb::

Sure, the trunk spoiler needs to be reversed (for safety, more than anything)... but the practice of adding originally non-equipped OE options when restoring cars happens ALL the time, and typically don't even cost points in concourse events (they're allowed as long as they were offered on those year/models). For instance, the very car that inspired me had the TuTone without Ram Air or hood locks... and was a non-stripe/spoilers car from the factory as well... but you can bet it was loaded up with all of those 'unauthorized' items in the magazine.

As for the Duplicolor "Old Ford Blue" all over the engine and air cleaner, I think it looks great! I'm biased though, as it's the same paint I used on mine because I didn't know any better... but it also makes life a lot easier when trying to spot leaks. ;)

The TuTone looks great! I made the same "mistake" with mine (too far back because the painter can't read instructions... and then I had to 'hand-stripe' the whole thing because he put it on too far to one side), but at least this guy went flat/matte with his - unlike the blatant disregard for what's right in the world I committed when I had it all cleared. rofl

Too bad there's not some way to get in touch with that guy and get him to become a member. I'd like to hear more about his car and his efforts.

 
I'd like to see him join too and I hope he does. I also hope this thread wouldn't cause him not to join due to the critical words and tone of this thread. I think the car looks GREAT and I would have no problem enjoying it as is...well, except i'd turn the rear spoiler around.

 
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