1973 was significant for the Ford Mustang in a number of ways. One, it was the end of the line for what many refer to as the “first generation” cars, the ones that started the whole pony car revolution. Two, they were the last year for some big V8s—never again would big blocks (or anything bigger than the 351, as a matter of fact) find their way under the hoods of Mustangs. 1973 was also the final year for Mustang convertibles for about a decade, and a Mustang lineup without a convertible is like a hamburger without a bun: just wrong. The larger 1971-73 Mustangs remain a very affordable way to get into the Mustang hobby and still own a genuine vintage Mustang, and they are still one of the most beloved cars in the world. Showing up in a car like this 1973 Mustang convertible still makes you a celebrity almost anywhere you go.

Why is this particular 1973 Mustang special? How about single-family ownership since 1974, 47,840 original miles, and incredible preservation? Oh, and it’s also got the top 351C engine, factory A/C, and a cool look that’s timeless, not dated. All for under $25 grand? Yeah, that’s just awesome.

This car came to us looking sparkling in its white livery, which is indeed the car’s original color and mostly original paint. The doors were repainted a few years ago to excise 40 years’ worth of parking lot dings, but the match is exact and if I hadn’t told you about it, you wouldn’t even notice. It was a little bland, however, so we added the black stripes, borrowing from the 1973 Mach 1 and the hood stripes used on the 1972 Sprint, and the look is awesome. A little more aggressive, still OEM in appearance, but with a bit of attitude that a Mustang should rightly carry. As a car that’s never been hit, wrecked, or fully disassembled, all the body panels line up just the way they did when it was new, with doors that close with a surprisingly reassuring solidity and a hood that never fights you. Even the urethane bumper tucks in tight to the front fenders, although as an original piece, it does show a few cracks that are typical. The paint shines up beautifully and all the chrome remains in excellent condition, making this a car with no needs that can be enjoyed immediately. We have to admit that we’ve caught more than a few people giving it admiring glances as they walk past here in the showroom—this Mustang has a fantastic look!

The interior isn’t white, it’s parchment, so don’t be fooled into thinking it’s discolored. That’s how it came from the factory. Those are original seat covers that remain in excellent condition with no splits or tears, the door panels aren’t cracked or delaminating, and the back seat looks and feels completely unused. The carpets were replaced a few years ago, but the dash pad and center console are original and do not show any UV damage or cracking. The steering wheel is the original woodgrained “rim blow” unit and yeas, the rim blow feature does indeed work correctly. The gauges cover only the basics, but they all work, including the warning lights, and show bright markings behind clear lenses. The original AM radio is in the dash and is ripe for an upgrade—what’s a Mustang if you can’t take your music with you? You’ll also note there’s factory A/C, which isn’t currently operational but could probably be made to work without a major investment. Overhead there’s a white power convertible top that was installed several years ago, and it folds easily with the touch of a switch, where it’s hidden by a matching parchment boot. The trunk is also correctly outfitted with what we believe to be the original mat, and there are no nasty surprises waiting underneath—the floors and inner quarters are very clean and wear their original spatter paint.

This is the car’s original, numbers-matching H-code 351 “Cleveland” V8, which was the top-of-the-line engine in 1973. Originally equipped with a 2-barrel carburetor (4-barrels were gone in 1973), it’s been upgraded to an Edelbrock 4-barrel with a matching aluminum intake manifold. There’s also a modern electronic ignition system with an aluminum distributor up front. Polished aluminum Ford Racing valve covers and a chrome air cleaner add some additional flash, but the rest appears to be quite OEM, including the cool power steering cooler hanging off the front of the A/C compressor. It starts easily, hot or cold, and never seems cranky, which is pretty impressive. The 4-barrel makes the most of the Cleveland’s deep-breathing intake ports, adding more performance than you’d expect from such a modest modification—this car feels downright fast! It’s also quite content to trundle around town, sit in traffic, or eat up miles of highway, making this a Mustang that’s ideal for the person who likes to drive. It’s about as vice-free as vintage cars can get.

The Cleveland is backed by a robust C6 3-speed automatic transmission and 3.00 gears out back, so it’s a nice highway cruiser and that tall gearing allows the big torque to move the car with smoothness that’s unexpected. The torque just moves the car without any drama. As a mostly original car, the undercarriage isn’t’ detailed for show, but the floors are incredibly clean, with two replacement pans in the usual locations in the rear seat foot wells, and the work was very professionally done. This isn’t because the car was driven in winter weather, but because convertibles tend to collect water under the carpets, where it works on the floors over a number of years. You’ll find that the rockers are solid, the torque boxes are like new, and everything fits together the way it should. No worries here. There’s a single exhaust system, as original, and it’s got a nice V8 grumble and I think the logical next step would be the installation of a righteously rumbling dual exhaust setup, which will also unleash a bit more horsepower. There are recent shocks at all four corners, new parts on the front end like fresh lower control arms, and plenty of evidence that this car has led a good life. Magnum 500 wheels are exactly the right choice, and they carry 215/70/14 white-letter radials with plenty of life left in them.

This is a heck of a lot of car for the money. It drives beautifully, with a tight feeling that you only get from low-mileage original cars. The V8 is bulletproof and offers a nice compromise between performance and convenience, and you can’t argue with the look, because this car has a ton of eyeball appeal. One of the nicer Mustangs we’ve featured, the fact that it’s so affordable is only icing on the cake. Call now!