What's your favorite first-gen Ford Mustang? Do you like the basic, early 1965 model, or are you into the sportier design that Ford introduced in 1967? Or maybe you prefer the 1970 version with the headlamps mounted into the grille? Well, I'm a fan of the 1971 'Stang. There's just something about that tall rear end and slanted front fascia. Especially if it's a Boss 351, like the fantastic survivor you see here.
Redesigned for 1971, the first-gen Mustang grew longer and wider and gained significant visual updates over the 1970 version. But these changes didn't stop Mustang sales from going down. With 149,678 units sold, production decreased by 36% compared to the previous year.
The convertible turned out to be the least popular body style, with only 6,121 units sold. However, the rarest 1971 Mustang was the Boss 351. Based on the Fastback version, the Boss found only 1,806 customers. This Grabber Blue example is one of those cars, and it's as original as the day it left the factory.
The muscle car comes with an interesting story too. The guy who owns it first sat in it when he was a 14-year-old kid. He fell in love and chased the car to buy it for decades. The previous owner finally agreed to let him have it in 2015, and he spent another three years raising the money to take it home. Talk about determination!
But I would have probably done the same. Just look at how gorgeous this Mustang is after 51 years. The Grabber Blue color still pops and the silver accents make it downright gorgeous. On top of that, it has a powerful engine to brag about.
The Boss 351 left the factory with a beefed-up version of the 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Cleveland V8. Fitted with a four-barrel carburetor, it came with 330 horsepower on tap, 90 more than the H-code and 45 more than the M- and Q-code models. What's more, this one uses a four-speed manual gearbox for row-your-own fun.
And get this, it still sports its original hoses, belts, and air filter! And, of course, that 351 V8 sounds badass when the gas pedal hits the floor. The spec sheet also reveals a few cool goodies, such as a Hurst shifter, competition suspension, dual ram induction, a cooling package, and color-keyed side mirrors.
Check it out in the video below, and make sure you don't miss the V8 grunt at the nine-minute mark.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News