People in the restoration business and collectors typically drool over first-gen Mustangs produced during the ’60s, especially if they’re all original, unrestored, and in good shape. Still, this 1973 convertible is likely to become an Internet sensation. The yellow Mustang is a museum piece. It looks unbelievably good and comes with complete documentation and an incredible story after rolling out the assembly lines.
eBay seller mustanger2002 explains the car was purchased by a Ford assembly line worker named Randy and his wife Donna to celebrate the birth of their first child. Because he was working for the American carmaker, Randy knew what the Mustang was all about. And more importantly, he also knew how special the convertible would soon become, as Ford suspended the production of models with removable tops until 1983.
Randy and Donna wanted the Mustang to be special, so they ordered the Medium Bright Yellow convertible with almost all the bells and whistles available for the 1973 model year.Donna used the Mustang as an occasional driver, so the car rarely left the garage. She already had a daily driver, which explains the reading you’ll find today on the Mustang’s odometer. The car has just 8,000 miles (12,800 km), and they are all original.
The woman drove the Mustang only on sunny days and with the top down, with the car spending the rest of the time in a garage.Fast forward to 1976, and Randy and Donna decided to purchase a second car to celebrate the birth of their second child. The two pick a Thunderbird, with the Mustang no longer getting much love. The couple moved to a new house in the late ’80s and parked both cars in a barn. Randy passed away in the mid-’90s, and the Mustang remained under a blanket.
A gun collector eventually discovered the Mustang, and considering how special it was, they decided to buy the car and sell it to someone who could give it the special treatment it deserved.The Mustang is now listed for sale on eBay with plenty of fixes and in impressive shape, still sporting the same low mileage.
Most of the car remains original, and the seller provided a detailed list of what they fixed and replaced in their eBay post. The 351 Cleveland 2V engine paired with a C-6 transmission starts, runs, and drives. The Mustang still comes with the original belts, hoses, spark plugs, and air filter, preserving an original coolness you can’t find today.
The 1973 model year was the end of the road for the first-generation Mustang, and many people in the automotive industry, diehard Mustang fans included, claim this was the latest “true” Mustang ever produced. 1974 witnessed the debut of a completely redesigned Mustang, mostly based on the Ford Pinto and having nothing in common with the performance appetite of the original model. Everything was about economical driving now, including the engines and the looks.
Ford allowed 1973 Mustang customers to choose from four engines, beginning with the 250 (4.1-liter) six-cylinder unit developing just 98 horsepower. The next in line was the 302 (4.9-liter) 2-barrel small-block rated at 140 horsepower. The more powerful options were the Cleveland engines (one of which is also powering this museum-grade Mustang here). The H-code models rolled off the assembly lines with a 2-barrel unit under the hood, producing 1777 horsepower. The top configuration was installed on the Q-code Mustang, sporting a 4-barrel carburetor and a 266-horsepower rating.
Ford produced close to 135,000 Mustangs for the 1973 model year, and the hardtop accounted for the lion’s share with nearly 51,500 cars. Mach 1 recorded a massive bump in popularity, so Ford produced approximately 35,500 units. This year’s least popular Mustang version was the standard fastback, with only 10,800 cars rolling off the assembly lines in this body style.
The 2-door hardtop was the most affordable version. It was available for $2,760, so it’s not surprising that it spearheaded Mustang sales in 1973. The fastback and the convertible carried the highest price tags, with Ford selling them at $2,820 and $3,102, respectively.
Returning to our museum-grade Mustang, a car this rare should find a new home very fast, but the bidding is yet to unlock the auction’s reserve. The top offer at the time of press is $25,000, and if you want to secure the car without a fight, you must pay $44,500. The auction will end in approximately one week, and I’m confident more bidders will join the battle in the final days, mainly as the Mustang receives more exposure. After all, you can’t find too many Mustangs in this condition, and certainly not with such low mileage.You can find the car in Birmingham, Alabama, and contact the seller to arrange all details of a potential in-person inspection. A plethora of original documents are also available if you want to double-check that everything the seller claims is accurate.