The engines for the 1973 Mustangs pretty well with the rest of the matched up the other models engines, but with some minor “tweaks”.
You couldn’t get a Mustang with a 4 cylinder (yet) but you could get with the standard 6. This was the 250 version, (250 cubic inches of displacement) the bore and stroke was 3.68 x 3.91 also used in the Torino. Topping it with a single barrel Motocraft carb and coupled with a compression ratio of 8.0:1 gave it a ground pounding horse power rating of 88 (Oh don’t worry, it gets worse in 1974).
302 remained the same for the Mustang and was the standard for the Mach 1. The 351’s (Cleveland and Windsor were available and they really remained the same as those for the other models.
Now you might be saying, ‘Well Tim, seems like you typed yourself in to a corner here. Those engines are the same.” But here is what made the differences – options!!!
With special intakes, valve springs, dampers, large 4300 D carbs, 2.5 inch diameter dual exhaust outlets and modified cam, you now talking increased breathing and exhaling capacity. Which we all know means…say it with me…..”MORE HORSE POWER!!!!!” But how much? I’m glad you asked.
The 351 with these types of option produced between 246 and 266 horse power. The 302 doesn’t show being configured with anything other than the stock options.
1973 351 Cleveland 2 barrel Intake
'73 351 Windsor 4 barrel intake.
Why didn’t they put the 400’s in the Mustang????
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Thanks for the info on Mustangs.
I’m curious to hear what the 351 Windsor had for 1974. My uncle bought a brand spanking new 1974 Gran Torino in late 1973. I do not mean to kid here, that car had the very best vynil interior of any car I have ever rode in-it was soft, comfortable, and that car had a ‘Lincoln’ quality ride.
Unfortunately, it had NO GET UP at all! I remember trying to emulate a “Starsky and Hutch” maneuver in the car on a quiet Kentucky rual backroad back when I was 16 and had the keys for a grocery trip. The car would not even squeel a tire with a neutral drop.
This was my uncle’s favorite car. He put a whopping 190K miles on it with never a major repair. The car was towed to the junk yard in 1989 with quarter panels half eaten in rust, and a slipping tranmission. He replaced it with a Plymouth Sundance that he still drives today, but that is another story for another day. (Always have to end these with some MOPAR line)