my 71 ???

71mustang302 · Jan 15, 2006

Hi, i purchased what i thought was a 72 mustang about 10 years ago, and am finally starting to work on it. I've been a mopar guy most of my life and so i really don't know much about mustangs.
--here's the problem.....
the data plate on the door says it's a 72 with deluxe ginger interior. My interior is black, and the door panels are the same a 1970 mustang door panel in my year one catalog.
My Vin number (on the dash) is 1f01F2256761 (with funny looking F's on either side)
-this tells me that it's a 1971
It has a Mach One hood and spoiler, but you can clearly see Boss 302 decals behide the front wheelwells. -They look exactly like the 1971 Boss 351 decals with the exception of the number. When i bought the car i was only 14 and the guy i bought it from said it had a Boss 302 in it when he bought it. Now there is no engine in the car.
I know that there wasn't supposed to be a Boss 302 in the 71's, but i have found pictures online of Ford's publicity shots of a 1971 Boss 302 fastback.

View attachment 491058
View attachment 491060
View attachment 491062
--anyone have any ideas on how to find out what exactly i have??

Platonic Solid · Jan 15, 2006

The Dash VIN is easily changed by replacing the Dash panel, so that's not very reliable. Check for a tag riveted to the right front radiator support.

Most parts are common between 71-73, but I've never seen 70 door panels on a 71-73. There are 2 styles of 71-73 interior door panels: Deluxe (shaped with molded in arm rests) and standard (basically flat with bolt on arm rests).

Door tags are also unreliable since 71-73 doors are interchangable.

edit: If you edit your post and hit return after each picture, they'll stack one on top of another and we won't have to scroll left and right to read the posts.

mudbilly · Jan 16, 2006

71mustang302 said:
View attachment 490932
--anyone have any ideas on how to find out what exactly i have??

i always thought that the 71/72's had horizontal lights inboard of the headlights and that the 73 had vertical lights

but then found a couple links to pics of a 71 that has a grill exactly like yours yours looks like a 71 at least from this aspect

http://coreybryant.com/misc/codes/mustang/1971.htm

http://www.mustangreview.com/1971vert.htm

Platonic Solid · Jan 17, 2006

Platonic Solid said:
Check for a tag riveted to the right front radiator support.

So did you look for this tag?

The only info I have shows Boss 302s available in 69 & 70.

whwright · Jan 17, 2006

View attachment 490804

Isn't this a coupe? Did they put the Boss 302 in any coupes, in any year?

I'm just curious.

Regarding this car, it looks to me like someone along the way has "customized" it. My gut feeling is that it wasn't a "Boss 302" from the factory.

x73mach1x · Jan 17, 2006

not a boss 302 at all its a coupe which a person put a 302 boss engine in at one time maybe and put boss decals on it.... the grill is like that because its a coupe and the interior could have been changed very easly or it has a new door did you check vins to verify the door matchs the dash????

Stang_1973 · Jan 17, 2006

That is most definately a coupe. Many people who are new dont realize the huge difference between a standard or "grande" Coupe and Mach or Boss for 1973-'73. That is the rear part of the car.

Here are some pics

Mach/Boss all look like this.http://www.cars-on-line.com/7200/71must7244-AA.jpg

Coupes look like this.http://www.maplemotors.net/Cars/379/4.jpg

So remember this A Fastback/Mach/Boss cannot be a coupe bodystyle.

However, not all fastbacks are Machs or Bosses. There are fastbacks that are just that simply fast backs.

The Boss only lasted till 1971 and it is only a Boss 351.

whwright · Jan 17, 2006

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there a "Boss 429" in 1971, and a "Boss 351" in 1971, 1972, and 1973?

whwright · Jan 17, 2006

71mustang302 said:
--anyone have any ideas on how to find out what exactly i have??

Getting back to the question in the original post, I suggest that you have a 1971 (or possibly 1972?) Coupe. It certainly didn't come with a Boss 302. It probably had a small-block 302 in it, and somewhere along the way someone thought it would be cute to put "Boss 302" decals on it. Or maybe they thought that a 302 with a four-barrel made it a "Boss." In my humble opinion, it really doesn't matter.

There are lots of folks out there that start with a fairly run-of-the-mill coupe, and turn it into a really neat ride. (Not to imply that yours is "run-of-the-mill," because I'm not smart enough to tell from your pictures.) If you like it -- BUILD IT!

Good luck!

Wayne.

71mustang302 · Jan 17, 2006

k guys, here's the deal.........the more i've looked into it, the more i think this car is "nothing special". i'm more of a mopar guy, and i think i'm gonna just work on my charger. --but, if anyones needing parts/a parts car, lemme know.......i'd much rather see this car go as a donor to help all of you finish yours, then to see it go to the boneyard or a crusher.

if you are interested in any parts.......

mwilebski@wiktel.com

whwright · Jan 17, 2006

After looking closer at your picture of the nose, I think I see brackets on each side of the front license plate that aren't on my '72 model. Those might be brackets that were added in '73 to meet revised safety standards, so your car might even be a '73 model. Then again, it's also possible that I never realized that I have two missing brackets on my car!

If I think of anything I need for my '72 (like those brackets?) I'll let you know. Thanks for the offer.

I'm sure most of the other players on this forum feel similarly.

I would also be interested in seeing pictures of your Charger. If you don't feel comfortable posting them here -- but don't mind sending them to me -- my email address is whwright@zrhd.com

Wayne.

Gud T.B. Blown · Jan 17, 2006

whwright said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there a "Boss 429" in 1971, and a "Boss 351" in 1971, 1972, and 1973?

the only boss mustang in '71 was the boss 351. there was a 429cj and 429scj engine option available for any model in '71. in '72 and '73 the largest engine available was the 351c. in '72 a lower compression of the boss 351 engine was available call the 351HO, but as a model, there was no boss 351 in '72 or '73. the 351HO was not produced in '73.

Gud T.B. Blown · Jan 17, 2006

whwright said:
After looking closer at your picture of the nose, I think I see brackets on each side of the front license plate that aren't on my '72 model. Those might be brackets that were added in '73 to meet revised safety standards, so your car might even be a '73 model. Then again, it's also possible that I never realized that I have two missing brackets on my car!

If I think of anything I need for my '72 (like those brackets?) I'll let you know. Thanks for the offer.

I'm sure most of the other players on this forum feel similarly.

I would also be interested in seeing pictures of your Charger. If you don't feel comfortable posting them here -- but don't mind sending them to me -- my email address is whwright@zrhd.com

Wayne.

the car is either a '71 or a '72. the '73's had the 5mph bumpers.

whwright · Jan 17, 2006

Hey Pushrod. It's not my intent to hijack this thread, but...

Here's a picture of the nose on my '72 model. Are there any major missing pieces that anybody notices?

BTW: I have a spoiler, I just haven't installed it yet.

whwright · Jan 17, 2006

pushrod power said:
the only boss mustang in '71 was the boss 351. there was a 429cj and 429scj engine option available for any model in '71. in '72 and '73 the largest engine available was the 351c. in '72 a lower compression of the boss 351 engine was available call the 351HO, but as a model, there was no boss 351 in '72 or '73. the 351HO was not produced in '73.

You're right, the "Boss '9" was the late 60's cammer motor. Stupid me.

65up2d8 · Jan 18, 2006

whwright said:
You're right, the "Boss '9" was the late 60's cammer motor. Stupid me.

Actually, the Boss 429 was a hemi-headed engine. The late 60's Cammer was the 427 SOHC, which was not offered in production vehicles and was only offered as a crate engine from Ford.

65ShelbyClone · Jan 18, 2006

65up2d8 said:
Actually, the Boss 429 was a hemi-headed engine. The late 60's Cammer was the 427 SOHC, which was not offered in production vehicles and was only offered as a crate engine from Ford.

Yup. I think the SOHC 427 came out in '65 and when all possibility of using it in NASCAR vanished, they stopped production(around '68 I think). The '69 Boss 429 Mustang was just used to homologate the hemi headed 429, but that was promptly outlawed also.....or Ford pulled out of factory-backed racing, I forget which happened first.

Gud T.B. Blown · Jan 18, 2006

whwright said:
Hey Pushrod. It's not my intent to hijack this thread, but...

Here's a picture of the nose on my '72 model. Are there any major missing pieces that anybody notices?

BTW: I have a spoiler, I just haven't installed it yet.

looks like all the correct pieces are there.

whwright · Jan 18, 2006

pushrod power said:
looks like all the correct pieces are there.

Thanks Pushrod. I can sleep a little easier now.

I'll get out of this discussion now, since I have thoroughly displayed my ignorance regarding FE engines.

Gud T.B. Blown · Jan 18, 2006

whwright said:
Thanks Pushrod. I can sleep a little easier now.

I'll get out of this discussion now, since I have thoroughly displayed my ignorance regarding FE engines.

actually the 429's are from the 385 family. the cammer is an FE though.

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