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Ford Mustang first generation · 1964½–1973
Colors and paint codes
Class of '73 · Ford Mustang · 1971–1973 body · first generation
The last first-generation Mustang, and the first rise in production after six falls in a row.
Production rose 7.8 percent to 134,867, the first rise after six falls in a row from 1967 to 1972. MustangSpecs puts the rise at 7 percent, measured from its own 1972 figure.123
Convertibles rose 85 percent, to 11,853 from 6,401.12
The Mach 1 sold 35,440, just over a quarter of all 1973 Mustangs, and the Grandé 25,274.12
Only four engines were left: the 250 six, the 302 and two versions of the 351.14
The story of the year
By 1973 the Mustang convertible was the only convertible offered by Ford, and one of the few left in the whole industry.5one source
It was the last Mustang convertible until the 1983 model year: the next generation had none.67
Its successor was already planned as the 1973 car went on sale: the Mustang II, a smaller car based on the Ford Pinto, built for a market turning to economy cars and imports. It arrived for 1974.367
What tells it apart from a 1972.
Every 1973 has a larger, body-colored urethane front bumper, built for new government impact rules. On the 1972 a body-colored bumper was standard only on the Mach 1 and an option on the others, so the color alone does not prove a 1973.5891011
The parking lamps stand upright at each end of the grille. On the 1971–72 they lie horizontally in the valance below.58910
The grille insert has a new cross-hatch pattern, and each headlamp sits in its own square frame beside the grille. The Mach 1 has a black honeycomb grille instead.591012
The 1973 Mach 1 has a one-year-only stripe along the lower body, black or argent, with MACH 1 cut out of it at the front of the rear quarter panel.912
134,867 cars, by body.
| Body | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Hardtop | Standard | 51,480 |
| Grandé | 25,274 | |
| All hardtops | 76,754 | |
| Fastback | Standard | 10,820 |
| Mach 1 | 35,440 | |
| All fastbacks | 46,260 | |
| Convertible | Standard | 11,853 |
| All convertibles | 11,853 | |
| Total | 134,867 | |
Maine Mustang and CJ Pony Parts give the same rows.
4 engines. The letter is the engine code in the VIN.
Net ratings. The two sources differ by one horsepower on the six and the 302.
Base retail prices in 1973 dollars, before options.
18 factory colors, by number of cars. 14 of the 18 color names are confirmed by a second source113; the swatches are approximate screen colors, not paint matches.
CJ Pony Parts lists 18 colors that add up to 134,169 cars, 99.5 percent of production; the rest are not broken out. Maine Mustang lists 14 of the same names; Bright Green Glow, Light Pewter, Medium Ginger and Light Yellow Gold appear only in CJ Pony Parts' list. Maine Mustang's list also has Medium Brown Metallic, which is not in CJ Pony Parts' list. The counts come from one source.
A 1973 VIN has 11 characters. Type one in, and the decoder reads it against the code tables on this page.
3F05H100001 · Constructed from the code table: a 1973 Mach 1 with the 351 two-barrel. Maine Mustang writes its sample «3FO5H100001» with a letter O.
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 3 | Model year (1973) |
| F | Plant: Dearborn (others disputed) |
| 01 – 05 | Body: hardtop · fastback · convertible · Grandé · Mach 1 |
| L · F · H · Q | Engine code (table above) |
| 100001 → | Consecutive unit number |
Where to find it: On the top edge of the dash, driver's side, visible through the windshield.14one source
Ford built 134,867 for the 1973 model year: 76,754 hardtops, 46,260 fastbacks, 11,853 convertibles.123
Four signs, each explained under «How to spot» on this page: a bigger, body-coloured bumper; upright parking lamps; new grille, framed headlamps; the Mach 1 stripe.589101112
Four engine codes, from the 250 cu in inline-six to the 351 cu in V8. The engine table on this page gives every code and rating, and the rulings cover the disputed ones.14
Base retail prices, before options: hardtop $2,760; Grandé $2,946; fastback $2,820; Mach 1 $3,088; convertible $3,102.1one source
CJ Pony Parts counts 18 factory colors. The most common was Bright Red, on 14,827 cars.13one source
On the top edge of the dash, driver's side, visible through the windshield.14one source
Every conflict we found for 1973, and how we settled it. All rulings.
Settled
Our ruling: 134,867, which three sources give. Wikipedia's figure is 50 lower.
Open
Our ruling: Unresolved: one source each. We show both figures.
Open
Our ruling: Unresolved. We list the plant codes Maine Mustang gives for each year and flag the others as disputed.
Settled
Our ruling: We use 35,440 Mach 1s and 25,274 Grandés, which Maine Mustang, CJ Pony Parts and MustangSpecs give alike. Over-Drive's figures stand alone.
Keep going
1970Ford MustangThe second and last year of the Boss 302 and Boss 429, and a fall to 198,239 cars.198,239 built
1971Ford MustangThe biggest first-generation Mustang, and the year the Mach 1 made up almost a quarter of production.151,484 built1972Ford MustangThe first year of net horsepower ratings, and a production total that Maine Mustang and MustangSpecs both get wrong.125,093 builtDimensions, production year by year and every ruling, 1964½–1973.
