1970 Ford Mustang
First generation · Original / classic 1964–1973
The original pony car. Launched April 1964 (the famous “1964½” cars, titled as 1965s) and produced through 1973.
Photo: “1970 Ford Mustang Base in Medium Lime, Front Left, 08-14-2022” by Elise240SX / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1970 model year
Overview
A styling cool-down on the same platform — back to single headlamps (inside the grille), a flatter tail, and deleted rear scoops. The 351 Cleveland replaced the 351 Windsor, and the Boss 302 and Boss 429 carried over for their final year.
Specifications
- Engines
-
- 200 I6 120 hp
- 250 I6 155 hp
- 302 V8 210 hp
- Boss 302 290 hp
- 351 Cleveland 2V 250 hp
- 351 Cleveland 4V "M-code" 300 hp
- 428 Cobra Jet 335 hp
- Boss 429 (final year) 375 hp
- Transmissions
- 3-speed manual, 4-speed manual, 3-speed automatic
- Body styles
- Hardtop, SportsRoof, Convertible
- Base price
- $2,822 (base hardtop) ≈$22,800 today (inflation-adjusted) Original MSRP adjusted for inflation (CPI, 2024); not the car's current market/collector value. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (U.S. city average, all items), annual average.
Year over year
What changed
- Single headlamps (inside the grille) with a centered badge.
- Rear fender scoops removed; a flat tail panel.
- The 351 Cleveland replaced the 351 Windsor (some early builds were still Windsor).
- A facelift year on the 1969 structure.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Generation-wide rust.
- 351 Windsor-vs-Cleveland identification matters on early-1970 cars (different engine families and parts).
Worth knowing
Notable
- Final year for the Boss 302 and Boss 429 (both blue-chip).
- Twister Special (96 Grabber-Orange cars), Sidewinders, and the “Lawman” promos.
Famous variants this year
Sources
- Wikipedia — "Ford Mustang (first generation)"
- PowerNation
- Classic Industries
- MustangSpecs — per-year base MSRP
Other First generation years
Explore the Original / classic generation → All First generation · Original / classic years →