1971 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: “1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 2” by Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1971 model year
Overview
The biggest first-generation Mustang — grown about 3 inches wider to swallow the 429 big-block, with a dramatic “tunnel-back” SportsRoof roofline. It was the last year of true high-compression muscle (Boss 351, 429 CJ/SCJ) before emissions rules took hold. (Horsepower figures are SAE gross.)
Specifications
- Engines
-
- 250 I6 145 hp
- 302 V8 210 hp
- 351 Cleveland 2V 240 hp
- 351 Cleveland 4V 285 hp
- Boss 351 "R-code" 330 hp
- 429 Cobra Jet 370 hp
- 429 Super Cobra Jet 375 hp
- Transmissions
- 3-speed manual, 4-speed manual, 3-speed automatic
- Body styles
- Hardtop (base / Grande), SportsRoof (base / Mach 1), Convertible
- Dimensions
- Wheelbase 109 in · Length 189.5 in · Width 74.1 in (widest first-generation)
- Base price
- $3,006 (base hardtop) ≈$23,300 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
- Major redesign — larger and wider to fit the 429.
- New tunnel-back / flat SportsRoof roofline.
- Revised front and rear styling.
- The Boss 351 replaced the Boss 302 and Boss 429.
- The 429 CJ and SCJ became newly available.
- A Spring Special arrived mid-year.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Generation-wide rust.
- The 1971–73 cars are large and heavy, and 429 cars are nose-heavy — factor handling and braking into any drive.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The Boss 351 stands out (black-out hood, spoilers, dual exhaust).
- 429 CJ/SCJ Mach 1s are sought after.
- “Last of the breed” high-compression desirability.
Famous variants this year
Sources
- Wikipedia — "Ford Mustang (first generation)"
- Hagerty — "1971 vs 1972"
- Classic Industries
- MustangSpecs — per-year base MSRP
Other First generation years
Explore the Original / classic generation → All First generation · Original / classic years →