Like many other vehicles from...
Like many other vehicles from the '73 model year, the front end of this Mustang had an energy-absorbing front bumper while the rear bumper arrangement had yet to be changed. For '74, the big-bodied Mustangs were gone and replaced by the Mustang II, which had energy-absorbing bumpers both front and rear.
Tony and Teresa Paulek of Springfield, Illinois, are the original owners of this mildly modified '73 Mustang Mach I-lucky enough to actually have ordered the car new in 1972 with just the options they wanted. When delivery day came on February 27, 1973, the Mach I odometer read a scant 0.3 miles. As the Mustang was unloaded off the car hauler and had its first wash job, Tony remembers writing out the check for $2,970.25-the balance due after subtracting the value of his trade in. He still has the cancelled check sitting in an envelope with all of the Mustang's other paperwork. Tony can also remember being told by the dealership to stop by the gas station and put in five dollars worth of gas "on the house." It nearly filled the tank. Gasoline cost about 36 cents per gallon; we can remember those days very well.
Fast-forward 36 years and we find the Paulek's car in basically original condition. The OE slotted dish mags look factory fresh and the white interior is still spotless. The car saw service as a daily driver, and as the years went by, Tony became more interested in attending car shows. He recalls having a great time in his car at the Car Craft magazine Summer Cruise events back in the 80s.
Although he had a lot of fun at these shows, his car was never quite nice enough to win. The decision was made to get the Pony perfectly squared away after so many years of service. Tony became committed to the restoration of this Mach I and has developed a take-no-prisoners philosophy. He tells us that when he arrives at a car show, he wants everyone to think, "Oh no, here comes the competition."
To get the Mach I to show its best, Tony took the car to Bill's Mustang Restoration of Buckhart, Illinois, for a complete exterior refurbishment. This included all of the bodywork needed to bring the car back up to snuff, followed by a fresh coat of DuPont Chroma Premier in the original Medium Copper Metallic.
We're always a sucker for...
We're always a sucker for a white interior, and when contrasted with the unusual exterior color, the combination is especially attractive. During this period, Ford furnished its "taxi cab" steering wheel even on heavily optioned special edition models. This is the nicest dash we've ever seen on a big-bodied Mustang; the obvious care taken over the decades shows. The instrument panel, glovebox, and air-conditioning registers are all pristine.
Functional Ram Air was added, along with air conditioning. Tony liked the Cleveland engine and 9-inch axle just fine. However, the time finally came when he could no longer withstand the 1:1 final drive ratio. Even though the car has an axle ratio of 2.79, Tony says he was still buzzing down Illinois freeways at 3,300 rpm. The solution was found in the form of an AOD four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The Cleveland has the same bell housing pattern as a Windsor, and the transmission was a bolt-in swap. With a final drive ratio of 0.67:1, the engine rpm is down to 1,800 for freeway cruising.
The Mustang is now able to travel great distances much more economically, and with reduced wear and tear. After over 100,000 miles, the 351 Cleveland engine has never been touched-not even a valve cover gasket-uses very little oil, and still runs perfectly.
Tony is no stranger to great Ford automobiles. In addition to various late-model Mustang GT convertibles, he has owned a '60 Thunderbird convertible, two '66 Mustangs, and a '69 Mach 1. After so many years, we know that to Tony and Teresa this car feels like a member of the family. We suspect that if we were to question them about which Ford has been the all-time favorite, this milestone Mach would be the choice.
The Details
Tony Paulek's '73 Mustang Mach I
Showroom-stock is the order...
Showroom-stock is the order of the day when it comes to the underhood appearance on Tony's car. Every hose, clamp, and component is correct. The air conditioning was added by Bill's Mustang Restoration, but you can't tell because all factory-style components were used.
- 351 Cleveland 4V
- Four-bolt cylinder block
- 4.00-inch bore
- 3.50-inch stoke
- 355 lb-ft of torque @ 3,400 rpm
- 266 horsepower
- 8.6:1 compression ratio
- 4V open-chamber cylinder heads
- 77cc chamber volume
- 2.19 intake and 1.71 exhaust valves
- Hydraulic camshaft, 0.490-inch lift, 270/180 duration @ 0.050
- Cast-iron factory 4V intake manifold
- Autolite 4300 600-cfm carburetor
- Single-point vacuum-advance distributor
Transmission
AOD four-speed automatic overdrive
2,500-rpm stall speed torque converterThe '71-'73 Mach Is used the...
The '71-'73 Mach Is used the same rear spoiler as the '69-'70 Mustang. As you can see, there is no shock-absorbing provision on the rear bumper. Car models that were carried over to '74 were redesigned to have energy-absorbing bumpers both front and rear. This shot also shows how small the 14-inch wheels look by more modern standards. With those enormous wheelhouses, a 16- or 17-inch wheel could easily fit and still have good proportions when compared to the overall size of the car.
Exhaust
Stock dual exhaust
Ford mufflersSuspension
Front: Stock, Autolite shock absorbers
Rear: Stock, Autolite shock absorbersBrakes
Front: Stock 11-inch disc, single-piston calipers
Rear: Stock 9-inch drumWheels
Front: Factory forged aluminum 5-slot, 14x6
Rear: Factory forged aluminum 5-slot, 14x6Tires
Front: BFGoodrich Radial T/A, P225/70R14
Rear: BFGoodrich Radial T/A, P225/70R14Interior
Original white vinyl interior, high-back bucket seats, black carpeting, Custom Auto Sound stereo, twin 6x9 speakers, three-point seatbelts, factory A/C conversion
Exterior
DuPont Chroma Premier basecoat/clearcoat in original Medium Copper Metallic color, functional Ram Air hood conversion