1970 Ford Mustang

The 1970 Mustang truly followed in the footsteps of the 1969 model. There were some very slight body changes in 1970, however the new look of the Mustang was completely different and greatly appreciated by fans. There were some other changes in 1970 that affected the Mustang as well. For instance, the GT was not carried over and it would be the last production year for both of the Boss models, the 302 and 429. The Mach 1 and Grande were also available in 1970. Also, the 390 engine was eliminated while the 351-2V Cleveland and 351-4V Cleveland replaced the 351 Windsor model that was previously available. Otherwise, there were no big changes in Mustang's lineup. The basic design changes were definitely noticed in 1970.

A great example is the reduction of the extra set of headlights that were placed on the grille of the 1969 Mustang. The year 1970 saw dual units again. The scoops on the quarter panels were eliminated and the rear taillights were shaped differently.

Congress also passed the Clean Air Act in 1970 which meant the Federal Government had control over regulating vehicle emissions. This would certainly impact Mustangs and all other vehicles in the United States although it did not affect the 1970 Mustang model year it would begin affecting Mustangs soon enough.

Unfortunately, the Mustang was falling in sales for 1970. As a result, the year 1970 only saw a total Mustang production of 190,727 vehicles.

1970 Mustang Lineup

1970 Standard Mustang

The coupe, convertible, and SportsRoof fastback were part of the standard Mustang lineup in 1970. The hardtop coupe cost $2721, the convertible $3025, and the SportsRoof $2771.

1970 Ford Mustang Grande

The Grande was back for 1970 and remained a luxury, standard Mustang. The extras included wire wheel covers (optional), two tone paint stripes, Deluxe D�cor Group, color keyed dual mirrors, and the words "Grande" on the C pillars. There really were few changes to the Grande from the year before. A half vinyl roof did become an option and hounds tooth fabric was used for the interior. The Grande cost $2926 in 1970.

1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1

There were a few changes for the Mach 1 in 1970. The outboard headlights of 1969 were replaced by simulated air intakes and a brand new style for the front end. Rear taillights were accented by honeycomb trim and had a new recessed appearance not present in past years. The hood color was also changed. A black stripe replaced the matte black. There were some new twist in hood pins that complemented the non-functional hood scoop as well. The addition of aluminum rocker panels was really cool and the fake scoops on the upper quarter panels were finally eliminated. The standard engine for the Mach 1 in 1970 was the 351 cid V8 that powered out 250 horsepower. The price for all these horses? $3271.

1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister

The Mustang model year 1970 also had a twist with the Mach 1 Twister. Late in 1969 the American Raceways, Inc., filed for bankruptcy leaving Ford with several pace car wannabes being modified. During this same time period Ford was approached about producing high performance Mustangs specifically for the Kansas City region. Ford immediately jumped at the opportunity to reroute the intended pace cars to Kansas City with some basic modifications. The pace car design was used as well as the Mach 1 logo with a twister logo on the rear as well. This produced the Mach 1 Twister that was a regional Mustang. Only 96 of these special Mustangs were produced, all Grabber Orange, and the plan was with a hi-po 428 Super Cobra Jet engine. However, only half of the Mach 1 Twisters actually received this engine due to a shortage and the other half received the Cleveland 351 V8 instead.

1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 and 429

The Boss 302 was created in 1969 and introduced to the public. It was a special Ford 302 cubic inch engine that happened to have more power, bigger valve heads, and was more efficient. Significantly more Boss 302 Mustangs were produced in 1970 than its first year of production.
The changes for the Boss 429 in 1970 were very few. There were more interior colors, a new rear end, and single headlights replaced the double headlights from the year before. Other than that the Boss 429 did not change too much. The power and performance stayed the same. The specifications remained outstanding and at its best it was as good as the 428CJs.
Of course, the Boss 429 is one of the most unique Mustangs that ever existed. There are several reasons why, including the engine, its rarity, and the amount of modifications that were necessary for the Boss 429 engine to fit in the standard Mustang. The Boss 429 engine had difficulty fitting into the engine compartment, so the shock towers had to be moved outwards by hand, the suspension lowered and moved outward, as well as other modifications that made the Boss 429 handle much better than any other Mustangs with big blocks. The point of the Boss 429 was for NASCAR racing and was a limited production.
The 1970 Boss 429s were painted Grabber Orange, Grabber Green, Calypso Coral, Grabber Blue, or Pastel Blue. All of the hood scoops were painted with a glossy black. The large hood scoop and fender logos are about as much decoration as the 429 received. There were no special chrome exhaust tips, blacked out trim, stripes, or even moldings on the wheel or rocker panel moldings.
All of the 429 Boss Mustangs were built at the Kar Kraft factory in Brighton, Michigan. Features included front spoiler, engine oil cooler, fender decals, manual hood scoop, trunk mounted battery, chrome 15x7 Magnum 500 wheels with F60x15 Goodyear RWL Polyglas GT tires, � inch rear sway bar, close ratio four speed manual transmission, 3.91 rear axle with Traction Lok, 8000 rpm tachometer, AM radio, and the Deluxe D�cor interior. The Boss 429 cost $4928.

Powertrain and Performance

There were not too many engine changes from 1969 to 1970, although there were some. The 390 was eliminated and the 351 c.i. V-8 became part of the Mustang engine lineup. Two new 351 V8 engines were added, these were known as the 351 Cleveland engines. They were available in both two and four barrel with 250 and 300 respective horsepower. The cylinder heads on the Cleveland engines were not unlike the cylinder heads used on the Boss 302. Of course, the two barrel engines had heads with smaller valves and ports while the four barrel heads used the same size valves and ports that the Boss 302 did.

The Windsor 351 c.i. 4V V8 was eliminated, yet the two barrel 351 could be a 351Windsor or a 351Cleveland. The Windsor and Cleveland engines were practically interchangeable and although Windsor engines were supposedly dropped, there was some availability in 1970.

Again in 1970, the 428 CJ could be upgraded to the 428SCJ if the consumer also ordered a 3.91 or 4.30:1 axle ratio. This axle ratio was available in 1970 as part of the Drag Pack option.

The Boss 302 and 429, as well as the Mach 1, were maintained in 1970 as far as power and performance are concerned. The Boss 302 was produced significantly more because it was perfect competition for the Camaro Z-28. There was also a cylinder head design that was new for the Boss 429s. The hemispherical head was an addition to compete with the 426 Hemi by Chrysler. However, the 50 fewer horsepower made this difficult. Two Boss 429 Lawmen were produced with 1200 horsepower, however they were never sold publicly and were only used for US servicemen tours. Only one of these Lawmen still exists today.

Interesting enough, no Shelby models were produced in 1970 although there were some available. This is because the leftover 1969 Shelby models were retagged as 1970 models to help them sell better although they were not in production at that time.

The wheel base remained the standard 108 inches. The height was 50.3 inches, the width 71.8 inches, length 187.4 inches, and the weight was 2980-3910 pounds depending on the model. The following engines were available in 1970:

200 ci I-6 1V Carburetor
This engine had a C.R of 8.0:1, horsepower of 120 at 4400 rpms and torque of 190 at 2900 rpms.

250 ci I-6 1V Carburetor
The C.R. was 9.0:1 and the horsepower was 155 at 4000. The torque was 240 at 1600.

302 c.i. V-8 2V Carburetor
This engine boasted a C.R. of 9:5, horsepower of 220 at 4600, and torque of 300 at 2600.

351 c.i. V-8 2V Carburetor (Windsor or Cleveland)
The Windsor or Cleveland engine sported C.R. 10.0:1, horsepower of 250 at 4600, and torque of 355 at 2600.

351 c.i. V-8 4V Carburetor (Cleveland)
This engine had a C.R.11.0:1, horsepower of 200 at 5400, and torque of 380 at 3400.

428 c.i. Cobra Jet 4V Carburetor
The big engine was powered by C.R. 10.6:1, horsepower of 335 at 5200, and torque of 440 at 3400.

Exterior

The exterior of the 1970 Mustang received a light redesign. The headlights that were double in 1969 reverted back to singles in 1970. They were seven inch units that were placed inside the grille. The outside headlights were replaced by non functional scoops and the rear taillights were recessed rather than concave as previous models boasted.

The SportsRoof model saw some changes on its exterior when the side scoops were eliminated in conjunction with the side vent on the convertibles and hard tops. There was an option for SportsRoof owners to upgrade to rear window Sports Slats, a Shaker scoop, and a rear deck wing, as long as a 351 c.i. engine or larger was also ordered.

The exterior colors for 1970 Mustnags inlcuded the following: Silver Metallic Blue, Raven Black, Light Ivy Yellow, Dark Metallic Ivy Green, Calypso Coral, Yellow, Grabber Green, Medium Metallic Lime, Grabber Orange, Grabber Blue, Red, Bright Hold Metallic, Medium Metallic Gold, Wimbledon White, Medium Mtallic Blue, and Pastel Blue.

Interior

The changes that occurred for the interior of the 1970 Mustang were minimal. They included the high back bucket seats becoming standard and a new location for the seat release. A new steering wheel was used in 1970 and was oval shaped. The claim was the new shape made it easier for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle. One of the biggest interior changes was the location of the ignition switch on the steering column. Its new location allowed it to keep the steering column locked when switched off.

Final Thoughts

As far as performance is concerned the 1970 Mustang was still providing what consumers wanted. Unfortunately, this model year saw a huge decrease in sales and it was practically the end of the first generation of Mustangs. Ford already had the second generation planned and only the future would hold how the public would respond to the new Mustang generation.

The lack of a GT model this year seemed unreal since the GT had been around since Mustang was introduced. However, with sales falling like they did Mustang realized the Mach 1 and other models were making more impact on consumers. So, the GT was dropped and energy was focused on other models.