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Author
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Topic: 71/72 stripes on a 73
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-21-2005 01:38 PM
   
The 71/72 style side stripes obviously fit on a 73(almost) and many have them on thier 73s.
What bugs me is that there seems to be this long-standing belief that the 71/72 style Mach1/Boss 351 side stripes were available as an option on non-Mach 1 73s.
There is a (somewhat) famous bright yellow 1973 notchback that has shown up in numerous magazines and even quite a few books sporting the 71/72 style side stripes. The car is said to be still in the possesion of the original owners, so it is surmised that this is the way it came from the factory. I don't believe it for a second. Maybe the dealer installed the stripes before the original owners took delivery, but I very much doubt it came from the factory that way.
First of all, the stripes don't even fit correctly.Due to the new-for-73 front bumper, the natural 'break' in the two-tone paint would have to fall a little lower on the front valance than in 71/72 to have the paint scheme fit comfortably with visuals of the new bumper. This means the paint break does not fit on a natural body line any more, so it looks goofy. Secondly, the lower section of the front fender decal has to be lengthened about 5-6 inches to fit the new paint scheme, which makes it look even goofier.
I have NEVER seen this decal set with the longer front section available from any supplier, and Ford has never shown it as available in any publication that I know of.
The design of the original decal just simply does not fit with the new bumper, which is clearly one obvious reason why Ford re-designed the decals for Mach 1s in 1973.
My peeve is that this darn yellow car keeps showing up as a 'factory original', when it should be obviuos that it is not.
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Hemikiller
Gearhead Posts: 653
From: Killingworth, CT
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 08-21-2005 04:33 PM
Oh, you mean this car? 
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-21-2005 07:21 PM
Yeah, that's the one! That's a nice car, for sure. But I just don't believe the stripes came on it from the factory. If you had a picture of it from the front 3/4s view, you would see what I was talking about.
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Fastback68
Gearhead Posts: 3523
From: Sucat, Paranaque, Philippines
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 08-21-2005 10:39 PM
Just to play devil's advocate ... We all know some funny stuff went on. I myself first related here at M&M a now thoroughly checked-out 71 six-banger with staggered rear shocks. There has to be at least a slim possibility that the factory worker dived in the 73 Mach 1 stripe bin only to find it empty, and grabbed a stripe from the 71-2 bin. Wouldn't you agree?
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mach1mike
Journeyman Posts: 77
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-22-2005 05:17 AM
I beg to differ.....
The 71/72 Mach1/Boss351 stripe WAS an option in 73 but NOT on the Mach1, it could be ordered on the Hardtop & convertable & is clearly shown on page 10 of the 73 Mustang sales brochure.My 73 Mach1 has got the 71 "Hockey stick" stripes on at the moment but they're coming off soon for the correct 73 Mach1 stripes when I have the car repainted.
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-22-2005 07:52 AM
Well, after checking my sales brochure and the 73 facts book, I see that the 'body side tape stripe' indeed was available on 1973 Mustangs. I never knew they were referring to this stripe. I thought it was the small 'Grande' style stripe.
OK, so I see it was an option, and I stand corrected. But it still doesn't 'fit' right...looks kinda goofy to me.
Now, about the possibility of a line worker in 1973 grabbing some stripes accidentally out of the '71/72 bin'?
Why would there be anything like a '71/72 bin' on the assembly line in 1973? The lines were not that random, no matter what some people think. Using up old parts is one thing, but I don't see that a supply of old parts would just be sitting around for someone to grab.
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ddenton749
Gearhead Posts: 689
From: Kennett Square, PA, USA
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-22-2005 03:43 PM
Take a look at this:http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/ford/sk404.htm My 73 convertible came with the argent stripes from the factory. ------------------
'73 Convertible, 351C 2V
'91 LX Convertible 5.0
Member: Valley Forge Mustang Club
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."
My Site
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-22-2005 04:53 PM
Interesting, but technically there can be no such thing as 71-73 Mach 1 stripes.
71&2 Mach 1 stripes are of one design, and the 73 Mach 1 stripes are of another.
Of course, the 71/2 stripes fit (kind of) on a 73, so I guess that's why they put them on.
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mustangs68
Moderator Posts: 23748
From: Buckroe Beach Va MCA#39406 M&M #12 Member Mustang Club of Tidewater
Registered: May 99
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posted 08-22-2005 08:04 PM
The interesting point would be the build date.There's many interchangeable parts that during the model year breaks/changeovers that found thier way onto the next model year.
Sam
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-24-2005 12:13 PM
Yeah, I agree, but my point is about the stripes SPECIFICALLY. No matter how they try to make them 'fit', they just don't.
The shape and size of the 73-style bumper necessitates the change in stripe style, hence the redesigned 73 Mach 1 stripes.
It's no big deal, really. Just one of my meaningless little pet-peeves.
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ddenton749
Gearhead Posts: 689
From: Kennett Square, PA, USA
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-24-2005 01:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by cobravenom71:
...No matter how they try to make them 'fit', they just don't....
What doesn't fit? I love that stripe on my 73. ------------------
'73 Convertible, 351C 2V
'91 LX Convertible 5.0
Member: Valley Forge Mustang Club
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."
My Site
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mach1mike
Journeyman Posts: 77
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-24-2005 07:36 PM
quote:
Originally posted by ddenton749:
What doesn't fit? I love that stripe on my 73.
Agreed! If I wasn't planning to repaint mine I'd be happy to keep my hockey sticks.
Heres a shot of mine during this years engine rebuild. 
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Hemikiller
Gearhead Posts: 653
From: Killingworth, CT
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 08-25-2005 08:20 AM
Here's some food for thought. A nice side shot of a '73 with the stripes. Not how much longer the section under the marker light is. I'm sure that in '73 Ford made a new section to accomodate the revised fender and valance.  Never assume the reproductions are correct, most aren't. Anyone with a '73-up Ford MPC could give you the number of the stripe kit.
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-25-2005 11:55 AM
Mach1Mike,
The picture of your car shows a 71-72 stripe on a 73...not a 'modified' 73-version of the stripe. The reason it looks funny to me is because the larger 73 bumper causes a goofy looking area where the black paint on the valance panel meets the yellow at the bottom of the fender. Because of the larger bumper, the color'break' does flow visually as it did with the smaller 71-72 bumpers...Hemikiller,
Now your car has the lower valance painted with the black section a little lower on the valance so that the paint 'break' will more naturally fit with the larger 73 bumper. But, of course a new section of the decal had to be created to make it fit.
Even though this looks way better than Mach1Mike's version, it still looks a little strange to me, having the paint break fall on a smooth, unnatural line on the valance.Plus, the natural 'line' formed down the side of the car is now disturbed somewhat it the front becuase of this new, lower paint break. Don't get me wrong...I love the cars, and the stripes...That's what I have on mine! I just feel that, overall, the 71-72 style stripes on a 73 Mustang look too much like afterthought. [This message has been edited by cobravenom71 (edited 08-25-2005).]
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mach1mike
Journeyman Posts: 77
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-25-2005 03:31 PM
Well, to be perfectly honest mine are not 71-72 stripes in the true sense of the word, they have in fact been painted on by the previous owner which is why I'm repainting the car so I can have the correct stripes & while I'm about it the colour will be changed back to the cars original bright red.
I understand your point Cobravenom71, the 73's longer beak does muck up the lines of the leading edge of the stripe which does partly explain the Mach1's new markings for 73.
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ddenton749
Gearhead Posts: 689
From: Kennett Square, PA, USA
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-25-2005 03:46 PM
Hey, mach1mike. I had the same thing with my 73 vert. The stripes were painted on. How will you do your front fender/valance? Will you paint the valance to the body seam or are you going to put the color divide at the bottom edge of the bumper?They stripe kit from Phoenix Graphics looks like it goes to the bottom edge of the bumper. (But it can be raised and trimmed for the 71/72) ------------------
'73 Convertible, 351C 2V
'91 LX Convertible 5.0
Member: Valley Forge Mustang Club
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."
My Site
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mach1mike
Journeyman Posts: 77
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-25-2005 04:58 PM
Well, I'm looking at a stock paint job, so I reckon on body colour bright red all the way down as per factory. The pity is I do like yellow Mustangs but as I've got to take the paint off to get rid of the old stripes I feel almost duty bound to put it back to stock colours.Might change my mind yet & have Yellow again who knows 
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-28-2005 02:39 PM
Yeah, from that angle the painted-on stripes are pretty obvious. That car looks great in yellow!
Geez, everybody's got a red Mustang(me included), but you just don't see too many yellow ones. I think you would get more looks with the yellow. I have often wished I had a yellow one.
It's funny, but I have yet to see a set of painted on stripes that were close to the shape of the originals, except for one time.
Back in 1979, a friend of mine in the neighborhood in Houston, Tx had a 73 Mach. He painted it dark 'royal' metallic blue with gold stripes and the ram-air hood paint. It looked great!
He claimed he painted the gold first and used the factory stripes as a 'mask', peeling them off after painting it blue, revealing the gold underneath. I never truly believed that could be done without screwing up the fresh gold paint, but it lookede great nonetheless!
That was the only really great looking 73 mach I remember ever seeing.
Just my opinion, but to me the 73 mach 1 paint-decal scheme looks a little 'soft'. The 71-72 style seems much more aggresive. Of course, it could be because mine is the 71/2 style...
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mach1mike
Journeyman Posts: 77
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-28-2005 06:41 PM
You know I'm not a great fan of the 73 Mach1 strips either CV71, but I reckon one of the colours they look really good with is yellow which may heavily influence my decision come repaint day
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cobravenom71
Gearhead Posts: 979
From: Poinciana, Fl USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-28-2005 07:29 PM
Well, now you got me goin' again!
Depending on the color, the 73 can look better than a 71-72.
If a car is two tone, like our Machs are, then I always think it looks better if the lower portion of the car is the darker color. So I like 71-2s with black stripes, but I don't really like the argent stripes, because the lower body side is argent also, and it looks kind of top-heavy to me with a darker color on top. The exception is the medium blue with argent trim 71-2s: Awesome!
Now a 73 looks better with the argent stripes (to me anyway) because the lower bodysides are vdark, and the lighter stripes are a little higher.
Just my own silly opinion, means nothing really.
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Hemikiller
Gearhead Posts: 653
From: Killingworth, CT
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 08-28-2005 10:51 PM
quote:
Depending on the color, the 73 can look better than a 71-72
Sorry man, the 73's, even though I love 'em, always look like they got a fat lip in a scuffle with the dealer's-lot bully, most likely a Torino...
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mach1mike
Journeyman Posts: 77
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 08-29-2005 12:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Hemikiller:
Sorry man, the 73's, even though I love 'em, always look like they got a fat lip in a scuffle with the dealer's-lot bully, most likely a Torino...
lol, yeah the front bumper is rather more "prominent" on the 73 but I reckon Ford did quite a slick job of it in comparison to some of the battering rams that were fitted to other Ford models in 73 CV71- the only 73's I liked with the argent stripes had the Blue Glow paint work, theres a nice fully restored Mach1 over here that goes to the shows & it looks stunning
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