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39k Genuine Miles: 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1

There can be many casualties of a relationship breakdown, and the fact that this 1973 Mustang Mach 1 has only 39,000 genuine miles on the odometer is one of the more unusual consequences of such a situation. Due to a relationship breakdown, the car was parked in 1978, and it has only just emerged from hibernation. It is located in Waterford, Michigan, and is now looking for a new home. You will find it listed for sale here on eBay, where bidding has now reached $2,850.

The Mach 1 is finished in Medium Bright Yellow and has a Black vinyl top. The paint is definitely showing its age and doesn’t hide the fact that the car has suffered some accident damage in the past. The driver’s side quarter panel has undergone a repaint as a result of this, while the front fender on the passenger side has also been replaced. It’s a 1st generation Mustang, so it is no huge surprise that the car also has some rust issues that will need to be addressed. The worst of these is in the rear frame rails, although they don’t look to be too bad. The battery tray has also rotted, but the frame rail beneath is unaffected. There are also a couple of small holes in the trunk pan, but the rockers, floors, torque boxes, and the front frame rails are all said to be good.

Generally speaking, the Mustang’s Black interior presents quite reasonably. The seats, headliner, and the majority of the trim look to be quite good. Downsides include a crack in the dash pad and the fact that the door trims and rear parcel tray have been cut to fit aftermarket speakers. There are apparently some issues with the under-dash wiring, but it isn’t clear how extensive these are, or how they impact the operation of the vehicle and its accessories. Given the fact that this car is more a luxury car than a high-performance model, the inclusion of factory air conditioning should help to make life a bit more pleasant on those warmer days.

Powering the Mustang is the venerable 351ci Cleveland V8, producing 177hp. This power is sent to the rear via a 3-speed FMX transmission, while the Mustang also features power steering and power brakes. After sitting for more than four decades there is going to be some work required before this Mach 1 is fit to grace the road again. However, the engine does run on an external fuel source, and the car will move under its own power. The gas tank has been cleaned and sealed at some point in the past but has never been hooked back up. Due to the rotted battery tray, the car has to be started on an external jumper pack, so this will also need to be repaired. The engine wears a 4V intake and a brand new Holley carburetor, but the original 2-barrel intake and carburetor are included in the sale. There are a few other mechanical issues that will need to be attended to, the most obvious of these being a leaking power steering hose, so all of that should be enough to keep the next owner occupied for a while.

This Mustang Mach 1 is going to need some work, but the photos and description provided by the owner tend to indicate that it is a relatively solid car. By 1973, these were no longer a bitumen-burning proposition, but they were still a relatively comfortable and effortless cruiser. They are not a car that will command the sorts of high prices that other Mustang variants will, but a really nicely restored example will run out for between $30,000 and $40,000, depending on which option boxes the original owner chose to tick. This would appear to be another of those project cars that we see that would be a financially viable proposition if the next owner is willing to undertake as many tasks as possible for themselves. The fact that it is a Mach 1 with such low mileage would seem to make it worth the effort.

Comments

  1. Avatar poseur Member

    Aw heck yeah!
    Nothin better than profilin around in a stationwagon-sized “pony” car with a stout (nearly 180hp!) Cleveland V8.
    Personally I’d manually bang around that sweet T-handle shifter to stay in the powerband & blow away any and all wanna be challengers to my street supremacy.

    Like 6
    • Avatar Mike

      Give’er hell!

      Like 7
    • Avatar theGasHole

      My sarcasm detector is pegged.

      Like 6
  2. Avatar Cadmandan

    All of these issues in only 39,000 miles. Sure. Drove it around one winter, had a wreck, and parked it in a dirt floor barn. I have cars with over 100k, all original, that look much better than this thing. Maybe it’s 139,000, you think?

    Like 21
  3. Avatar Troy s

    Neat old stickers on the glass back there of numerous aftermarket parts. I always liked these despite their awful rear visibility, a lot of people don’t.

    Like 5
  4. Avatar Desert rat

    I always liked these mustangs ,not as much a 69/70s but I remember the James Bond movie Diamonds are Forever, with that red Mach 1, unrealistic stunts but still loved seeing that car move!

    Like 6
    • Avatar Mr.BZ

      Saw that movie in 71 at the Albany theater as an 11 year old with my cousin Jeff, who just passed away this week (RIP, JD). Aunt Nancy had to call my mom (who also passed this week, God love her) to get permission for me to see the PG movie! Been a rough week for my family, but that movie, the chase scenes and that car are etched in my brain, forever.

      Like 10
      • Avatar Gary

        Same here, I saw that movie three times. Loved the Mach I! Sorry for your loss Sir. Prayers!

        Like 5
  5. Avatar Desert rat

    I like these Mustangs ,not as much as 69/70s, but I was so taken by the Bond movie Diamonds are Forever ,with that red Mach1, unrealistic stunts but loved watching it move!

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Miguel

    Do the miles really matter if the car is in this condition?

    Like 9
  7. Avatar TCOPPS Member

    Rear window visibility? What visibility? Have had plenty of electrical gremlins on our 73 Mach I.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar 71Boss351

    Way too much work for the return on investment on this one!

    Like 3
  9. Avatar Gary

    I had a ’71 Mach I when I was a junior in high school.(1974) It was a beautiful green glow color. Loved that car! It was one of my favorites. It’s long gone, but I do have a ’68 Torino Gt Convertible. I am 2nd owner since 1983. It’s almost like family.

    Like 3
  10. Avatar Steve H.

    Wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole.

    Like 4
  11. Avatar Paul

    When I was a very young kid, I remember my neighbors daughter getting one of these cars on her way off to college and thinking at the time how ugly it was compared to the mustang that they had before. It was a white car and in Rochester N.Y. It was rusted badly by the time she graduated college……Ten years after that I really began to like this body style as well!

    Like 1
  12. Avatar TimM

    It wouldn’t be hard to get this old pony to gallop again!! With a few modifications to the motor like a cam headers, exhaust and a 4 barrel with an aluminum intake!!! It’s been sitting so long might as well get her running the way a car called a Mach 1 should run!!!

    Like 1

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