This 1969 Mustang Mach 1 doesn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary. Yes, it rolls on a set of aftermarket wheels, and it sits closer to Planet Earth, but there are no visual indications that this is a fire-breathing monster. However, this is a beautifully engineered custom build, and it has more than enough power to keep most enthusiasts happy. How much power? How does 650hp sound? As you will see, the amount of thought that has gone into every aspect of this classic’s development has been astonishing, and it does represent a total package for its next lucky owner. Located in Pleasant Hill, Oregon, you will find this Mach 1 listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $60,100, but the reserve hasn’t been met.

The Mustang rolled off the production line in January of 1969 wearing Black Jade paint. It has retained that color, and it still presents beautifully. Frustratingly, the owner only supplies two photos of the exterior, but what they show is a car that is hard to fault. The paint shines beautifully, while the panels are laser straight. There are no signs of any dings or dents and no evidence of any prior accident repairs. There is also no evidence of rust problems, and none are mentioned in the listing. It features front and rear spoilers, along with a rear window louver. The car has been dropped 2″ using Ford springs and lowering blocks, while the 17″ American Racing Torq Thrust II wheels are as much a matter of necessity as they are about good looks. Hiding behind them are enormous drilled 4-wheel disc brakes (13″ at the front, 12″ at the rear). The rear air scoops on this Mustang are far more than cosmetic. They feature custom stainless steel tubing to direct cold air to the rear brakes. The tinted glass is immaculate, while the Boss 429 hood scoop suggests that there might be more to this Mach 1 than meets the eye.

If you walked into your local Ford dealership in 1969 with a bulging wallet (or an understanding bank manager), you could drive away in a Mach 1 with 360hp on tap. This was a car that could storm the ¼ mile in 13.9 seconds. It wasn’t a car that asked for respect. It demanded it. If that sort of power figure had that effect, what would be the result if the same vehicle had 650hp at the driver’s disposal? This Mach 1 started life with a 390ci V8 under the hood, which produced a relatively puny (in this case) 320hp. The previous owner wanted more from the car when he purchased it in 1987, and so the transformation began. It was completed in around 2004, and by that stage, he had reached the ripe old age of 76-years-old. He sounds like a man after my own heart! The gentleman was a machinist by trade, and his knowledge and engineering skills have been brought to bear on this beauty. The 390 and its Top Loader companion have been consigned to the pages of history. In their place, we find a 428 FE Side-Oiler V8 and a 5-speed Tremec transmission. Once again, this is an engine that is anything but average. The previous owner’s upgrades could fill a medium-sized book, but no corners were cut on this one. It features aluminum heads, solid lifters, and roller rockers. That’s just the entree because you can throw in TRW pistons, a Ford steel crank, a Mallory Pro Master distributor, an Edelbrock Cross-Ram intake, and a pair of Holley 750cfm carburetors. The whole lot has been blueprinted and balanced, and it’s held together throughout with ARP fasteners. Everything has been port-matched, and spent gases exit via a set of Hooker headers and a custom 3″ exhaust with Flowmasters. There is so much more there, but that should give you a taste of what to expect. The result of all of this hard labor is a big block that pumps out a whopping 650hp. Is that enough for you? No? There’s also a Barry Grant/Nitrous Works kit fitted, and this adds a further 280hp to the mix. All of this has to find its way to the road, so between the V8 and the Tremec is a Center Force dual-friction clutch. From there, all of those raging stallions head to a heavy-duty Ford 9″ rear end that has been blessed with 4.10 gears and a cooling pump. With so much power and torque on tap, there would have been a real chance that the car would have twisted like an old training shoe when the right foot was buried. The previous owner fitted the Mach 1 with Custom Frame Connectors, along with a custom-engineered engine brace. The owner says that the Side-Oiler sounds incredible, and that’s a claim that I have no trouble believing. He doesn’t indicate how well the vehicle drives, but I suspect it would be pretty well.

The Mustang’s original Black Knit Vinyl interior has been refurbished, and it appears to be perfect. There are no issues or problems to report, but it is no surprise that there are plenty of custom touches. It features a Shelby wheel, and sitting behind that is a column-mounted Autometer tach with shift light. The original AM radio has made way for an Exhaust Analyzer. This is a smart move because it allows instant monitoring of the fuel mixture. The last thing that the buyer would want is for that incredible V8 to run lean and suffer catastrophic damage. The nitrous system has a quick-activation switch, and this is mounted on the shifter knob for convenience. There is a pair of 3″ lever-lock racing harnesses for safety, while both the cabin and the engine bay feature their owner fire extinguisher systems.

There’s no other way to say this, but this 1969 Mustang Mach 1 is a monster. With 650hp on tap, and the ability to have an additional 280hp available at a moment’s notice, it would be a seriously fast car. Vehicles like this can be temperamental and have the potential to be unreliable. However, this one would seem to be a different kettle of fish, and I say this with some justification. When you scrutinize its specifications carefully, you realize that the previous owner focused on engineering and building the vehicle beautifully. There have been no corners cut, and nothing has escaped his attention. The work was completed in 2004, and the Mustang has managed to survive the following 17-years largely untouched. That in itself indicates how beautifully the work has been executed. It is not a cheap classic, but speed will always come at a cost. How much would you be willing to pay?