The 1972 Mustang was not very much different in style than the 1971 model. There were more options to upgrade the vehicle, but that was about it. Of course, the lineup took a big hit with only the Mach 1 hanging around for a performance model.
The reason the Boss Mustangs were dropped is because of new fuel regulations as well as the Clean Air Act. The Mach 1 was as much performance as was available in a Mustang in 1972. As far as performance was concerned there were only 2 V8 engines, the 302 and the 351. The horsepower fell to a range of 140-275. The actual power potential was not changed, but the output was in order to meet federal regulations. The loss of performance in a performance car like the Mustang really affected sales. The big blocks were not included in the '72 lineup either and this resulted in the Boss Mustang being dropped. The Mustang Grande with its luxury options was still offered, as well as the Mustang Sprint, however the Mustang experienced the lowest sales ever of 125,813.
1972 Mustang Lineup
Powertrain and Performance
The 1972 Mustang saw some big changes where power and performance were concerned. The Clean Air Act had been passed by the federal government and there were fuel economy regulations in place that greatly affected the popular muscle car. All of the Boss Mustangs were eliminated from the 1972 lineup due to these changes. The 351 and both 429 engines were also eliminated. There was a specialized 351HO introduced in early 1972. It was basically a Boss 351 engine with low compression, mechanical lifters, high lift cam, four barrel manifold, and forged aluminum pistons. The Mach 1 remained available in 1972, but it was the only performance model, if you could still call it that, available.
The engines that were not dropped in 1972 did all receive some work in order to reduce emissions. This is to say that they lost a lot of horsepower. Mustang's base engine was a 98 horsepower 250 ci inline six. This was a big drop in power from standard engines in the past and consumers were not pleased. The Mach 1 received a 302 ci V8 that powered out a minimal 140 horsepower. There were also two 351s available. The two barrel sported 177 horsepower while the 351CJ had a much more powerful 266. The 351 engines were Clevelands. The most powerful engine available was the 351 HO engine that had low compression and 275 horsepower. Approximately 1000 of these engines were used in the three different Mustang body styles. Options accompanying this engine included a four speed manual transmission, dual exhausts, 3.91:1 rear axle ratio, 15x7 inch chrome Magnum 500 wheels, and a competition suspension.
Many Mustang fans blame the government for Mustang's fall during the early '70s. However, with the new regulations the pony cars were required to reduce horsepower. And, horsepower is what made the Mustang a muscle car so without it the famous pony car began to fall out of favor with the public.
The specifications of the 1972 Mustang are as follows. The wheelbase was 109 inches, the height 50.1 inches, width 74.1 inches, track f/r 61.5 inches, length 189.51 inches, and the weight was 3560 pounds.
Exterior
Distinguishing the 1972 Mustang from the previous year's model is pretty difficult since they were so similar. The one giveaway was the Mustang logo on the rear deck lid. The 1972 models simply had the logo above the right taillight written in script while the 1971 models had the name written all the way across the deck lid.
The grill was also a telltale sign of the model year in the early '70s Mustangs. The 1972 Mustang sported a plastic honeycomb grill as did the 1971 model. The horse in the corral on the grille was also a feature. The Mach 1 grille also featured a honeycomb style with parking lamps on each side.
The basic Mustang bumper was chrome and there were two different styles of bumper guards. These guards either covered the front edge of the bumper or else ran from the lower front valance to the lower bumper. Another interesting feature of the 1972 Mustang was that it used a standard twist cap rather than a pop open one.
The basic hood design on all Mustangs in 1972, other than the Mach 1, was a flat design. There was also a hood that sported two non-functional NASA scoops on the front that was an option in 1972. The ram air hoods had two hood locks and a plastic plenum underneath. The non-ram hoods did have holes, too, so that a ram-air plenum could be installed if the owner chose to do so. The Ram air could be added to only the 351-2V engine by mid-1972.
Also, the Mustang no longer had the power it once had so going fast was no longer an option as it once was. However the Exterior Décor Group allowed drivers to at least look like they were driving a fast muscle car. This was available on the convertible and hardtop. This exterior option was combined with hood and fender moldings, sportslamps, honeycomb grille, color-keyed front bumper, the Mach 1 trim ring and hubcap combination in addition to the paint treatment on the lower body. Mach 1 tape side stripes were also an option to truly complete the look. Another package available was the Sprint package that was offered on the Mustang SportsRoof, hardtops, and about fifty convertibles.
The wheels were the same for 1971-73. They were a basic steel wheel cover that had rectangles cutout on the outer side of the rim.
Exterior colors for the 1972 Mustang included Wimbledon White, Bright Blue Metallic, Medium Yellow Gold, Bright Lime, Medium Lime Metallic, Bright Red, Medium Green Metallic, Dark Green Metallic, Medium Brown Metallic, Gold Glow, Medium Bright Yellow, Grabber Blue, Maroon, Ivy Glow, Light Pewter Metallic, and Light Blue.
Interior
The interior of the 1972 Mustang was very much the same as the previous year. A deluxe two spoke steering wheel replaced the previous standard wheel in the Mach 1 Sports Interior. The bucket seats remained standard as did the three pod dash. Otherwise, there were not many changes to the Mustang's interior.
Final Thoughts
The 1972 Mustang was truly a remake of the 1971 Mustang. Of course, the net horsepower was reduced considerably and lower compression ratios were used in order to reduce the amount of emissions released. For example, the 250-cid six was reduced to 98 horsepower and the 302 down to 140 horsepower. The lack of power and performance is more than likely the reason why Mustangs were losing favor with the public. The big power engines in the Boss Mustangs were eliminated and only the Mach 1 was left to offer a performance package.
As a result, sales for the 1972 Mustang were low. In fact, only 125,813 Mustangs were sold for the 1972 model year.
