It’s All About That Bass: 1972 Ford Mustang Grande
This 1972 Ford Mustang Grande, a 351 Ram Air version, starts with the legendary bass rumble and growl as witnessed by the short video the seller has posted in the ad found here on eBay. To refresh your Mustang history – the Grande version was quite popular (with sales over 22,000 units) and was marketed to potential buyers who wanted to retain the model’s legendary performance, but not give up creature comforts.
The Grande’s significantly more collectible brethren models were the Mach 1, the Boss, and of course the Boss 429. Where these versions were based on pure performance increases (and cosmetic attributes), the Grande Mustang had a snazzier interior with “luxurious” faux wood trim, a softer ride, and 55 pounds of extra sound deadening materials.
This surviving example, to me, looks like a particularly fun restoration project. At a $7.5k “buy it now” price, it seems to be priced right in the middle. Nice Grande examples in the high teens are available, and others requiring quite a bit more work priced well below this asking price. What draws me in, however, is that it’s a rolling ready restoration project – with all the original attributes still hanging in there.
With just a bit of cleaning, and the necessary motor-work to get a 20-year sitter back on the road – it would be ready for a summer of sanding, light rust repair, then paint and trim application. Let’s say you only put another $3k into the project, a bit over $11k altogether, and you could be an active and proud member of your cities chapter of the Mustang Club of America!
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Comments
The only thing that makes the car interesting is the Ram Air. I think you buff the paint, make it road worthy then drive it.
Steve R
…and the cragars have to go…mho
Comes with two of my least favorite options,cheesy valve cover bolts and a butchered fuel line with plastic filter. Can’t see the battery cables so if it sports the spark inducing cheap,quick fix two bolt clamp on a new end type, it has all three of my favorites [NOT].
Would be concerned about the condition of the vinyl roof and primered rocker panels.
I remember a seeing a product on TV in the mid ’80’s that could make your old vinyl car top look like new. You can also just put on asphalt roof cement and sprinkle on a granular coating. Tried to put shingles on once, dented the hell out of the roof, darn nails wouldn’t take..
Had a 1969 Grande with the 351/290hp,auto, fdb and a 9″ out back…fun car until it got t-boned from a Jack-N-Box customer coming out to fast from the drive thru. Great car to part out…….
I don’t think his asking price is all that bad, just put a stock dizzy back in where you can put the original air cleaner back on, get rid of the telephone pole valve cover bolts and fire hazard fuel filter. Get the brakes working / new tires and buff the paint then use it as a daily driver that you don’t have to worry like it was a 5 or 6 figure Mustang. This one car I might even let the grandkids use for prom night.
It’s definitely not a Grande, but it does look like it has the exterior decor group (an option package that added the Mach 1 grille with sport lamps, the color-keyed bumper, and the available side stripes). The ram air also looks original (blacked out hood with hood pins), as it was available in late ’72 and ’73 only with the 351 2V.
I thought something looked odd, so I checked the VIN. This is, in fact, not a Grande. It’s a regular hardtop with a vinyl roof. If it was Grande, the body code would be 65F and the VIN would contain body code 04. It would also have the “deluxe” interior with faux wood. I think the seller fell into the usual trap of thinking all hardtops are Grandes, and the vinyl top really threw things.
Luckily, that doesn’t change the value at all. Speaking as a ’70 Grande owner (also with “H Code” 351C-2V), I can confirm that there’s little to no premium for them, even with the Boss dead by 1972…
I agree with posters here – it would be interesting to just do the basic cleanup/tune up work and just drive this. That’s essentially what I’ve done with mine, though mine started with better paint. The ram air/hardtop combo is cool and interesting and I’d get that air cleaner back on in a heartbeat!
I wish he was selling that r/a air filter separately!
For a long time these were the least favorite of the classic Mustangs. That has kept their prices low and more affordable. Later cars like this are usually better equipped than 65-66 models. Most have V8s, automatics, power steering and power disc brakes, and many times A/C. Styling is subjective but these have grown on me. I sold my ’70 coupe a couple of years ago and would like to get one of this generation. This particular car is a great example, it carries the “Spring Special” Mach One type grille and hood and striping/ This car would be great driver.
No factory air conditioning leaves it out of my desire to acquire it. But, adding aftermarket air conditioning may be of interest to anyone else who might want to get this vehicle anyway. I added Classic Air air conditioning to our 1973 Mach 1 with excellent results. But, I think my next vintage Mustang is going to need to have oem a/c and other nice options (power disc brakes, power steering). The roof under the old vinyl is always a concern re: potential for rust up on top. The price seems fair enough. But, I guess I prefer to pay a premium for a Mustang kept in far better shape that is one is in.