Here is a story that a lot of us may relate to or at least be jealous of. Most of us have memories of that special car from years ago that just slipped away. We think about it often, if only we had kept it based upon today’s prices. Here is a car where the owner did that with one exception, he kept it! In 1978, he purchased a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 428 4-speed, drove it for 3 years and then stored it for the next 38! Just out of storage in Milton, Washington state, he has it listed here on eBay. Bidding has been quite active, now at $47,000 with coincidentally 47 bids and 8 days to go at the time of writing. There is a reserve and the seller suggests he “may” let it go to the highest bidder, although the auction is not actually listed as having a reserve.
This car has accumulated about 78,000 miles in about 10 years of driving. Not a lot, but still enough to be used as summer daily driver for the original owner. A west coast car, it shows very well as indicated by the multiple pictures provided. There is very little to critique here, the pictures confirm the quality of the car. I will let the seller’s description paint the picture of the condition. However, don’t bother trying to contact the owner directly, in his words he doesn’t like talking to people. I’m not sure I understand or like that concept. I could certainly understand the phrase serious inquiries only, but if you’re a serious bidder with this type of money on the line I might just want to talk to a live person to confirm the story and car is exactly as represented. He does say not to expect to drive it home complete understandable for a car stored 38 years. Not that a serious buyer would seriously consider driving it much anyway. It would make one heck of an epic road trip though, driving a 428 CJ 4 speed home on bias ply tires in the dead of winter!
I am curious as to the story of this car and its relationship to the owner. He describes himself as not a car guy but purchased in his words the “holy grail” of muscle cars only to store it 38 years. Is he some sort of investment type, able to time the market perfectly? He certainly got in at the right time. Is this a forecast for all of us the price of the market has peaked?
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, these type of cars were known as super-cars in automotive magazines. The muscle car term hadn’t been used yet, but performance was considered super or superior to current offerings at the time. This car was clearly a show car at the time of storage. It is well documented and displayed with period correct 40-year-old bias ply tires. A driver at the time would have had radials; in fact, the spare is a 1970’s Firestone 500. The recall may still be valid on that one! The pictures shown of this car are just a sample. It takes time to load but there are multiple shots at varying angles. Some may be a little close but they do reveal an accurate time machine. This type of car is in a league all it’s own and I for one can’t afford the price of admission in this elite club. For fun, I sometimes tune in to the big auctions but don’t take the prices too seriously as a market forecast. However, I will be very interested to see what this auction tops out at in today’s prices.
Title has a typo – not a 68.
This looks legit. Even has the rimblow with a slight gap.
Did CJ’s have the GT looking rims in 69? Shame if so, needs to look more aggresive.
Bringing the bids. And deservedly so. Great car.
Not so sure about the seller’s attitude, even though everyone has his or her own way of doing things. Really unsure what eBay would think about an auction ending with “sold” and having a seller say “not enough money”. I guess that’s the only thing which bothers me here, people bidding so that the highest bidder may or may not get the car? The seller should simply relist and make a reserve part of the auction, this way isn’t right.
He started the auction with a reserve, it has been met and bid higher and higher!!! Nice, nice car
Not having been driven all those years is a bad thing. Be prepared for huge bills doing the refresh on this.
This is only a 428 Cobra Jet versus a 428 Super Cobra Jet ( different engine) or a 429 Boss. NOT the holy grail…
What it has potentially going for it is originality, that’s the value.
what’s the difference between a super cobra jet & is there such a thing? I never have heard of 1, think its bull. Don’t really matter, I got mine, 2nd owner
FOSSILIZED
This is an unbelievably nice original SURVIVOR !!
SCJ has 4 exhaust bolt holes around each port. Differences I know of are Lemans cap screw connecting rods, 10.7 pistons, 1.73 adjustable rockers, and prob more that my old brain can’t remember. I put one in a 68 Fastback when I was young. Lots of fun!
The Super Cobra Jet is a Standard Cobrajet 428 motor that has been beefed up by the factory. It is part or the Drag Pack option, along with 4:30 Rear End Gears. The SJC cars are Highly Sought after and the original engine alone adds about 40% to the value over an already popular 428 Cobra Jet powered car. The easier way to tell the difference is to simply look for the additional external oil cooler on the driver’s side and in front of the car’s radiator. This cooler is about 8” wide and 14” tall, and very easy to spot with the hood opened on the car. Horsepower is increased to 360 from the standard 335 on a regular Cobrajet car. I have one of these and it is blast to drive.
I’m a Chevy guy but I love the black and gold combo on this one, and then the 428 and 4 speed on top of that, its a amazing car.
Geez, that’s quite a listing. :D
It’s hard to see how someone can list a car without a reserve, and then refuse to sell it to the highest bidder without there being some sort of issue with eBay, however.
Nice find, though, and likely to bring some $$.
Stated before, this auction started with a reserve, it’s been met.
So where’s the brake pedal rubber? Typically gone from a vehicle that’s seen it’s share of road time. Well out of my price range and IMO will take enough $$ to get it road ready that unless the lottery comes through I won’t be able to even consider it.
Don’t understand your comment ” where’s the brake pedal rubber ” it has the correct disc brake pedal pad on it.
Take a look at the picture above of the pedals (last picture in the writeup). Note that the rubber on the brake is nonexistent. The clutch pedal has the rubber pad on it, the brake doesn’t. That’s what I’m talking about.
Look closer-that IS a disc brake rubber pedal pad !!! The silver circle say’s DISC BRAKES.
You’re right egads, I had one on my 65 Thunderbird and a buddy has one on his 67 LTD Galaxy, most Fords of that era had the same brake pedal pad with the round metal printed insert.
there needs to be a category identified as
delusional. throw in a couple magic moon
rocks and and some beans and there you
have it. I ran out of dilithium crystals so now I use
folgers crystals. talk about out of touch with
reality. really sad. I guess i’ll never understand…….
So who is delusional.The seller or the many bidders.
I don’t know if it’s ‘many’ bidders than just a few bidding against ego’s as it’s showing as a private listing, so can’t tell. I highly doubt it’s more than 7 bidders if even that. A $300-$500 increment at a time to get ahead of the previous bidder.
He says he is not a car guy but his completed listings and his feedback is all car stuff. Sounds strange to me.
My thoughts exactly, for not being a car guy seems to sell a awful lot of car parts.
yeah, gt350 username, but not a car guy…Bu77S#*t.
Dude seems to be a bit snarky with his comments and a little too detailed with his “cover his butt” statements concerning the condition of his “Holy Grail Car”. I’m assuming this guy is in his 60’s or 70’s and maybe was a lawyer at one time. Being that he is not a car guy (even though he’s owned the car for years) I would completely have this car checked out before paying a dime for it. Lastly I personally wouldn’t buy any car from a guy like this simply because of his attitude. I have no time or money for people like that, but that’s just me.
Yet another bit of cringe worthy language used in the classic car hobby. “Holy Grail” car, coined by none other than Dick Rawlings pal, douchebag Dennis.
This guy is located about 10 miles away from me. I would like to check it out not to see the car but to see what type of person writes in ALL CAPS and multiple exclamation points!!!!
Oh please – “I’m not a car guy” multiple times throughout the ad…yea, sure thing pal. I’m not buying it…or the car from someone who just can’t seem to tell the truth. He has every bit of ‘documentation’, including a Marti report (how would he even know who that is) that is cotton eye candy to all of the ‘car guys’. Gee, wonder just how he “guessed” which pieces to pull out and photograph…how lucky! (sarcasm) And his ebay ad; hmm…pretty well written and hitting all of the magic phrases for all of the car guys supposedly by a ‘non car-guy’. Whatever…just another player trying to capitalize on the whole elusive undiscovered rare treasure of a find. Potentially great car – but a lousy attempt at some skeptical marketing.
“I’m not a car guy” Truly I’m not. I enjoy browsing this site every day but the only car that matters to me is the one I currently drive and have to pay service on. I’m a vintage sledder acutally, ski doo specifically. During 15 years in the hobby I’ve restored a dozen of them to showroom condition and many others to rider quality.
I’ve also sold a number of them on line. Writing the ad is where the rubber meets the road or the track meets the snow. Naturally we’d all like to get the best price possible for our vehicle. I list all the flaws first and show all the photos. It hurts. I want my item to be the best. I can understand the reluctance to doo that as we think it will lower our final take. So sellers fall into two groups…those that have the courage and those that don’t. I don’t really think it’s an issue of honesty but rather a lack of a functional maturity. Those that hedge on the full reveal have yet to learn that honesty brings integrity which in turn inspires confidence and good will from prospective buyers.
Online bartering may seem annonymous but at some point you will have to meet face to face. After which you will have to look in the mirror and judge yourself. Assuming you have the ability to conceptualize that, of course.
The Marti report does not state tach dash, cluster has been swapped at some point so miles are really unknown. Claims not to be a “car guy” but sells a lot of vintage cars and parts. Yeah right.
Not to poo poo this or any car of this era, but most of the cars built in the late 60s and 70s were thrown away at 70,000 miles because they started falling apart around then. Not like today’s vehicles that can make 200k. I have to imagine this guy started having issues with the car at 79,000 and said I’m not putting any more money in this thing. Fast forward to today, his lack of interest is about to pay off. Nice lottery win here. Good luck to the person who buys it.
Nice but I believe the market has peaked & if not, no more than a year to go give or take. I’m not buying anything now, if so, then just waiting for the market to tank again as it won’t recover again back to where it is today. I’m 58 & had my share of the $1200-$2500 muscle cars of all types back in the day, ’69 Z 302 ($900), ’70 Chevelle SS454,4sp ($1800), 70 Challenger RT 440 4sp $1700), ’67 GTX 440 ($600), ’70 Vette Conv 350/350 4sp ($2500), etc, all in ex to near mint. Looking at the prices today is almost comical. There’s nothing that justifies the outrageous high prices unless it’s a 1 of 50 made or so with other rarities to go with it. Otherwise these stangs, camaro’s, chevelle’s etc are still too numerous out there & there’s plenty that bought so low & hung onto that when market changes, as it will, then there’s some that they’ll need the cash rather than sit on & you’ll get at your price, because of abundance. Boomers as myself, are looking at other finer things to buy RV motor homes, boats, etc, if buying at all. My own sons, 25 & 27, have zero interest in muscle cars of old nor inheriting any of my 3 Harleys worth over $80k market sold prices. Millenials, if so interested in ‘muscle cars’ will buy the newer ones for the ease of reliability (think of how many know how to adjust just 1 Holley 850 dbp pmpr or a simple clutch adjustment), wanting USB ports, paddle shifters & incredible handling, year round drivers, having not feeling like your driving a modified go-cart on just a sunny summer day! Sorry but it’s just how it is. If your patient & feel a ‘need’ to have a ’70 Chevelle SS 454, sit & wait it out a year or 3 as they’ll be in abundance for $25k in ex driving condition. Bet on it.
I agree with AI, the sixties/seventies muscle car market has peaked and is on it’s way down for these cars. Also most car buyers these days are preferring the eighties/nineties and newer cars because they’re a younger crowd. The people who had or know the 60’s/70’s cars are getting old, their priorities are on other things such as health concerns, retirement, etc. Lastly the old 60’s/70’s muscle cars cannot compare with the newer cars when it comes to speed, handling, and quality. Demographics are a changing folks!
Whoorah to you Al for hitting the nail right square on the head. Thank you ! You deserve an extra slice of Raisin Pie .
Wow! How old were you when you got that Challenger for $1,700 and what condition was it in?
It’s a shame your sons didn’t pick up your passion. Did you take them to shows and have them around when you were working on your cars?
That one was in spring of 1981, I was 20 1/2 then. Was a white one, looked like the one in Vanishing Point I think the movie was? Actually recall, it was $1200 bought for, kept 7-8 mos & resold for $1700. Thought making $500 was great!
If I had only done the same with the 69 Cougar Eliminator that I had as a seventeen year old.
428 SCJ 4 speed, Ram Air with Drag Pack option, Detroit locker. It had those same wheels.
I remember back in 2007 when the muscle car market exploded and prices for these old 60’s/70’s cars sky rocketed, especially for old Mopars. Fast forward to 2019 where the market for these cars have peaked and/or is on it’s way down. Those folks who spent stupid dollars for these cars back in 2007 are experiencing buyers remorse, at least those who thought they were buying an investment to flip for a higher price down the line.
Keith,
I don’t disagree with you…but in all fairness I’ve been hearing this same ‘demographic’ argument now for the last ten years…I’m tired of waiting, and I’m getting too old lol! So I’m doing my car guy buying now, while I’m still alive!
Maltese Falcon, true it’s better to make your move now before it’s too late. Me personally prefer the 80’s/90s cars which are very affordable right now. The new cars of today are way too expensive for me but I’m still young enough to wait them out for a better deal down the line.
If this is the holy grail I feel sorry for the people that paid millions of dollars for what they thought was the holy grail.Nice car, but let’s not compare it to the Hemi Cuda.
Guys please be carefull with this one we had an add here in New Mexico that was selling a 1969 Camaro Z/28 and taking bids because he was not a car guy and had a child that needed surgery, I almost fell for it I even got the loan for $6,500.00 before reality set in and I asked the guy if I could fly out to see it and he said no just send the money and he would ship the car, if this is legit nice find if not well it’s not. take care guys
Probably not his car, but attitude like that, I have a hard time with, it is a nice car, but the kind of money being thrown at it, is have to have the car verified, cause this guy isn’t giving much up, I like the Audiovox adj shaft 8 track, at least the dash isn’t cut, someone mentioned the gauge package, not belonging to that build sheet, is have this car checked thoroughly
I’ve notified him via an EBay message that he won’t be choosing who he sells the car to at the auction end as there’s no reserve and the highest bidder will be legally entitled to the car.
Let’s wait and see what happens.
Geez ain’t this fun?
Talk about some snarky people!! Some of these responses are crazy, this auction started with a reserve and it has been met. Some state this car is not worth this money, some must think it is because they are bidding on it. I don’t understand all of the hate on this one. (BJ, when were you elected ebay police??) Good luck to the seller and buyer, would love to have this mustang.
Nice “69” Mustang Mach I
Geez people!! Have none of you out their ever heard of jacking a bid? Do you really think all the cars at Barrett Jackson are selling at no reserve? I prefer to buy in person face to face. Buying at an auction to me is a crap shoot and too many times bravado gets in the way of rationality. Some auctions even provided free beer to bidders (Smart move).
As well as how many are shilling with friends doing the bidding right up to a cpl hundred before the reserve. SO common on ebay lol. If ever a sting to do as it’s supposedly ‘illegal’, every one buyer that makes reserve, can of worms should be opened on the previous bidders that bid just prior, their relationship to the owner! I’ll bet more than 50%, Wonder what the buyback is if dont meet reserve at Mecum & Barrett??
I posted earlier on this Mach 1. Note this is a Q code Cobrajet car…..meaning it is a non ram air car. At this price…..you are upside down! Trust me on this. I have owned several 69 Cobra Jet Mach 1 Mustangs. Currently own a pristine and correct 69 Super Cobra Jet, 4 Speed, Drag Pack Car. It is a 120K car. Don’t let the hype snag you. Caveat Emptor!!
Didn’t hood pins show up as stock in 1970 Mustangs?I don’t think they were on 1969 models…
Hood pins on 69 Mach 1 & round ‘twist’ hood retainers/fasteners on 70 Mach 1 Mustangs.
Good question!
10 mins left sitting at 55 Large. im officially out the muscle car market.
Just wait 3 years & buy almost all at close to half price if that. Will be so many more sellers with so many less buyers.
$65,200 sold.
Good move to pass on this one. I feel bad for the purchaser.
Someones gonna have buyers remorse after dumping another $35-$45k+ into it & in 3 yrs, lucky to get half back if that. Many dont realize just because it looks ‘complete’, you just have to replace whats there.
Let it go. You can do better.Q Code Cobra Jet Mustangs are very good cars, Q Codes are the lowest sought after and only a Newby Cobra Jet enthusiast would buy one, cause they are hard to sell. Get a Cobra Jet with Ram Air intake or a Super Cobra Jet. This car is not worth the current price