1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1:

1973 was the last year for the fastback Mustangs, with ’74 bringing us the ill-fated Mustang II.  The ’73 model was detuned as a result of new federal emissions regulations, decreasing its horsepower from 275 to 256 in its top engine, a 351 cubic inch V8.  1974 also brought about new regulations that required a bumper able to withstand a 5 mph collision, forcing Ford to replace the Mustang’s chrome bumpers with plastic ones, causing the car to take on a more bloated appearance.  With a zero to sixty time in 8.5 seconds and a quarter mile over 16 seconds, this was a disappointment to muscle car lovers all over.  The car’s weight, a bloated 3,115 lbs, had seen a jump of roughly 700 lbs from the 1970 model and certainly didn’t help it live up to the Mustang legend.  The car originally cost $3,088 and Ford managed to sell 35,440 of them in 1973.

Our example is all-original and has been owned by Joe Vieira for a number of years after he purchased it from the original owner.  Painted gold with black racing stripes, this is a prime example of the end of the original Mustang.  Our experts pegged the value at $22,000, a respectable number for what amounts to a disappointing revision and a “C” on the Sports Car Market Collectability Scale.  Although the car reached $20,000 at auction, Joe decided he wants something in the range of $28-30,000 before parting with his favorite car.