Last time we looked at Mustangs, we finished at the 1968 model year. For 1969 Mustang gained a new, larger body, all the better to fit big blocks in. Even though Ford had some pretty potent small blocks, this was felt to be a necessity – probably to compete with the Camaro’s 396, and the 383 in the ‘Cuda. Fair enough then…
I remember how surprised I was to find the new Mustang had a four-headlight setup, and how the inner pair were mounted in the grille disguised as driving lights. I got the feeling the designers were my kind of people.
AMT dusted off the tooling for their annual Mustang kit, and periodically returns it to the catalog. However, at some early stage the kit was turned into a Modified Stocker (sacrilege!) and the restoration work to return it to stock resulted in a nose that doesn’t look quite right, and never seems to have been put right. The latest issues have a very good rendition of the Mach1 stripes.
Revell released a great kit of the Shelby GT500 in 1988, which periodically reappears in their lineup.
For 1970 the Mustang got a major facelift. The quad-light setup was abandoned, the grille widened, and a pair of scoops took the place of the outboard headlights, giving the front what I felt was more of a no-nonsense stripped-for-competition look. Other changes were minor.
Aside from the 1970 annual kits, which didn’t reappear, Monogram started the ball rolling with a model of the Boss 429. This has reappeared numerous times.
While the Boss 429 was nice to have, and that engine bay seemed full to the brim, the body looked somewhat plain without all the fancy stripes of the Boss 302, or the textured appliques on sides and tail of the Mach 1. Revell revised the tooling and it eventually morphed into a kit with the choice of building a Boss 302 or a Mach 1.
Boss 302 or Mach 1? You guys like making it hard, don’t you? My solution? I bought two, and built both versions. I’d tried a pseudo-Mach 1 based off the Boss Nine before, without much success.
‘71- ‘73
I’ve always been in two minds about these. The styling is so outrageous, especially that almost horizontal rear window, but they just seem so big! That front end is really way longer than it needs to be, as a look under that vast hood will confirm.
For what seemed like a long time, there was no model of these Mustangs. For a short time in the late seventies, AMT brought out a Trans-Am version of their ’73 Mustang kit. As it was the only one available, I bought it, and turned it into a street car of sorts, using bits from my spares box. I look at it now and think – orange seats?
But there had to be something better; eventually there was. MPC brought back their ’71-3 annual, with an amazing assortment of stock and racing parts. For a long time, the only model of these years of Mustang was the MPC ’71. Well, I’m calling it a ’71, but it could almost be a ’72. I’m usually pretty good at details about cars I like, but I still can’t remember the differences between the first two years the Mustang used this shell, they were so subtle.
This kit was reissued again and again, and I kind of went overboard. The latest versions come with an excellent stock decal sheet. The big shortcoming in this kit is the underhood side panels, which look more like a Chevy than a small Ford, and lack those distinctive spring towers we know and love hate which do so much to get in the way of plug changes and such.
But Revell brought out a new kit of the ’71 a few years back – It’s supposed to be excellent, but as I have built so many already, I really can’t justify buying one.
One last curiosity while we’re on these is this Japanese Otaki kit from the seventies. This is in 1/24 (so a but larger than the others in 1/25), is motorized and has opening doors but no engine detail. They had a series of early seventies American cars; there’s a ’73 Challenger and a Firebird (year not sure, haven’t seen it for ages) as well, and a ’72 Thunderbird. Possible also a Corvette.
But Otaki also offered an everything-opening, everything-working Mach 1 in 1/12 scale. Yes, that’s huge, 40cm long (15.6”). Motorized, with working steering and suspension, and cast metal wheels and suspension parts to help support the weight. I’ve had the kit for about fifty years; guess I’d better build it.
Not sure where we’ll go next time – but until then, keep the shiny side up!
Ask, and ye shall receive! I was one of the folks who was waiting for your built models of the 1969 – ’73 Mustangs, and this delivered. I love that you bought two 1969 – ’70 Sportsroof fastbacks so you could build both a Boss 302 and a Mach I. That sounds kike something I would have done, just to cover my bases.
I also agree that in general, scale models of the 1971 – ’73 Mustangs, whether kits or pre-built, are not that easy to come by. I recently refound an unopened box of a ’73 “Eleanor” that had been given to me as a gift over twenty years ago. I love both the original “Gone In 60 Seconds” from 1974 and also the ’73 movie car.
And now I’m wondering if you’ve got some Mustang IIs hidden in that vast collection of yours…
I’m with Joseph on this one; I lusted after a ’69, but never managed to get one! I was and am still a fan of the Mustang II! I have my DVD of the original “GISS”, and every time I see it listed on a TV schedule, I’m always disappointed that it’s not the original being shown. The story behind Tony Halicki and how he shoe stringed the movie into production is interesting in itself! 🙂
You want Mustang IIs as well? Okay, I was just sending some stories through to Rich yesterday – not about Mustang IIs, but including a reference or two to them. Coming up!
I’m not sure whether I’d prefer a ’69 or a ’70 – my opinion on that seems to change with the wind. Both have their attractions.
Thanks Joseph. Yes there are a few Mustang IIs here. I think I may have shown one or two before (green/grey, orange/orange, purple/black). But three models do not an article make, so I’ll have to combine them with something else. Watch this space…
I would have had a hard time choosing a Mustang if I was buying one in this ’69-’73 era. Such a range of colours, and graphic treatments, on top of bodystyle and engine/trans choices. And trim level. And all those factory accessories. And dealer options. Choice enabled you to express yourself, to have a car that might stand out or one that didn’t; that was up to you. Wasn’t it wonderful, while it lasted?
Good stuff again. Your yellow ’71 with the Ram Air hood might be the first of that generation of Mustang that I actually find attractive. The black mags help greatly. That was an excellent choice. Hallelujah! I’m saved! TY, and best wishes, sir.
Thanks. Yes, that’s my favourite of the ’71s I’ve built. It’s a difficult kit to get the stance right, as the axle and wheel back length places the wheels too far inboard by a scale six inches or so! I think I fitted longer axles and spacers to that one. As to the black mags, I saw a red Mach 1 with similar wheels in a book, and liked the look.
Peter, excellent quality and detail. I always wondered why the model kit makers, (except on the 1964 1/2-1966 Mustang), never had models with the coupe/hardtop roof line? It seems to be always the fastback/sports roof when the traditional roof was the top seller for Ford.
I don’t want to sound like a politician, but that’s a good question, Dave.
Here’s my guess – and it is JUST a guess.
Throughout the sixties, kit makers tended to go for the top of the range (Bonneville, Impala, Galaxie…), then this changed to the sportiest model of the range – Chevy Impala or Chevelle SS etc. Sportiest Mustang? That would be the Mach 1. Or the Boss 302. Both fastbacks. Ford didn’t make a sporty notchback. Not that you couldn’t build one via the options list, but that wasn’t the same thing. You didn’t get the graphics – or the image.
Now, back when they were new, Revell did a kit of the ’70 Grande. The luxury notchback Mustang most folk have probably forgotten about. The kit seemed to bomb – though I’ve heard it wasn’t very good. Revell (and the others) probably took note of the sales and went “Uh-uh! Not doing that again!”.
That ’70 Boss 302 looks great. Love the details. As a Curbside Coincidence™, I’m in my office right now looking at my bookshelf on which this little diecast was sitting. The car is even the same Grabber (I call it School Bus) Yellow as your model.
I was more of a fan of the ’69 than the ’70 facelift, as I really like the four light look in the front, although I think I like the ’70’s taillights better.
And I can’t believe (considering my handle here) that I missed Part 1 of this series (1965-68). I really like the teal ’67 GT from that post.
Thanks Rick. Have you found Part 1 yet? Feb 23rd.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/miniatures-toys/first-generation-1965-1968-ford-mustangs-in-scale-model-form/
There is something about the Boss 302 that just makes Grabber Yellow the obvious colour – whether it was publicity photos or whatever, that colour and that car just seem to go together. from what I can recall, I never thought of painting it anything else.
Here’s that teal ’67 GT again. I don’t think I showed this shot before.
That’s a different angle than the shot in your part one post, which I did in fact see based on your link at the beginning of this post.
Pretty car.
The “Grabber” color I like best is the Grabber Blue. Ford brought these colors back out for the Retro Mustangs, and even straddled a minor face lift of the 2012 & 2013 Boss Mustangs with stripe graphics that matched the 1969 & 1970 Boss Mustangs respectively. They were definitely paying service to Mustang fans with their special packages.
I remember reading about the Grabber colours making a reappearance. Revell had a kit with a Grabber Green car on the box.
Thinking so far outside the box that I couldn’t even see it, I borrowed some of Ford Australia’s Acid Rush, a very popular colour here in the late ’00s. I have this down as a ’10, so it predates the return of the Grabbers. Just.
Thanks for the excellent post.
Being a Mustang fan I’ve built over the years a few Mustang kits either AMT, MPC or Revell. I have a few stored downstairs in the garage. Limited space in our new home means model building is limited now. Older kits I have kept have been restored with a few cars on display now on the bookshelf behind me. It was a hobby I enjoyed from my elementary school age into adulthood. Good for the mind and I have one grandson who also likes building models. Cars and aircraft.
Thanks Garry. It’s a great hobby to learn about the parts of a car you don’t normally see – and some you might hope never to see! Wonderful that your grandson also likes them. My son picked up ‘the bug’, but does trains; his son is more into Star Wars and dinosaurs (now that’s some combination!).
I didn’t always have the space I do now, with a dedicated hobby bench, a some display ‘long term parking’, and storage for the rest.
Testors did a diecast kit of the ’71-3 Mustang a few years ago. Most of them as far as I know, were pre-painted yellow with black Mach I stripes. Decent little kit. You are missing out on the recent Revell ’71 kit. Available as both a Boss 351 and the red Mach I from the James Bond movie ‘Diamonds are Forever’.
I didn’t know about the Testors one; their stuff can be hard to come by down here.
Indeed I am missing the Revell kit, Jason, but as I had built so many of the MPC ones, I didn’t feel the urge to buy another Mustang kit. Building that 1/12 scale one should really get all the Mustang out of my system!