Nancy Lindstrand wanted a 1968 Mustang fastback when her brother discovered a 1973 Mustang convertible back in 2001.
Initially, Nancy was lukewarm about the newer Mustang because it was not her ideal pony car, but her brother persisted and sent Nancy a collection of photos of the ’73 Mustang drop top.
Jim Sutherland
Her brother added this message: “If you don’t buy it…I will”. His assessment of the car and a substantial portfolio of photos won over Nancy in a big way, so much so that she fell in love with the ’73 Mustang convertible.
Nancy weighed the parental obligations in her life at the time, including funding two children through university programs, against purchasing the classic pony car, and concluded she would find a way to fit the 1973 Mustang into her world. Nancy summed it up: “You can find money if you want to”–and she found money for the car.
She bought the stylish convertible and revived it from seven years of storage, a process that can be challenging but turned out to be easy because the vintage Mustang was stored properly prior to Nancy’s purchase.
The short to-do list included a minor tune-up and a new convertible top. She told MyStarCollectorCar the replacement top was actually a GM top because she could not find a Ford replacement top at the time.
Lady Luck was clearly on Nancy’s side when she became its owner, given the short list of repairs to make it ready for the road, a situation she called “the right place at the right time”.
Ownership of a classic convertible is like owning a classic rock star because they draw plenty of attention from the public. Nancy mentioned her car has a strong young fan club who range from ten to twelve years old and go wild whenever they see the Mustang on the road. They wave and yell their approval because the retro convertible is a big hit with the pre-teen crowd.
The 1973 Mustang convertible also has grown deep roots in Nancy’s family, including her own daughter who used the car for her high school graduation during the early 2000s.These days the Mustang has become a part of Nancy’s grandchildren’s world because they have grown up with the convertible and love it.
Nancy’s 1973 Mustang convertible was pampered by its former owners and that tradition continues under her watch. She takes the car to local shows and limits the strain of long-distance travel with her vintage pony car.
The driving experience is exceptional because Nancy’s car left the factory with Ford’s famous 302 four-barrel small block and 3-speed automatic transmission, so it has an ideal powertrain for lively and reliable performance.
Nancy was also impressed with the convertible’s comfort levels when the top is down (and the windows are up) because passengers are sheltered from the wind. It’s an experience she described as “really, really good”.
Nancy added the car “handles like a dream and makes me feel very safe”, so it’s clear this love affair will continue to last for many more years to come. Talk about a car girl’s happy ending.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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