Some classic cars hide their light under a bushel, which appears to be the case with this 1969 Mustang Mach 1. At first glance, this is a car that would appear to have a lot of problems. However, once you delve below the surface, you realize that it has a heart of gold. The owner has done a lot of the work to return the Mustang to a roadworthy state, so now it needs someone willing to return it to its former glory. Located in Putnam, Connecticut, you will find the Mach 1 listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has been pretty frantic on this one because there have been 37 submitted to this point. This has pushed the price along to $16,000, but the reserve hasn’t been met. That indicates that there are plenty of people who like what they see.

When you look over the exterior of the Champagne Gold Mach 1, there’s plenty of problems for the buyer to tackle. The panels wear an assortment of minor dings and dents, and the paint is well past its “use-by” date. The same is true of items like the bumpers and some of the chrome trim, although the tinted glass looks okay. We haven’t gotten as far as the subject of rust, but I guess we’re going to have to. As you can see in this shot, there is some for the buyer to tackle. It is in the usual spots like the lower doors and rear quarter panels, but it isn’t as bad as you might typically fear.

The floors have some surface corrosion, as do the frame rails and the trunk pan. However, there is only one small area of penetrating rust in the driver’s side front floor. This could be patched without any drama. Treating the corrosion would not be difficult, and it should be worth the effort if the Mustang is to remain rust-free long-term.

The story is no different with the floors on the passenger side, and the owner says that the shock towers are in a similar state. You would have been forgiven for thinking that the car would have some structural issues when you considered the exterior condition, so all of this has to rate as a pleasant surprise.

When we start poking around at the Mustang’s drivetrain, we discover further evidence of why the bidding has been so strong. Powering the vehicle is the H-Code 351ci V8 that would be producing 250hp. The power finds its way to the road via a 3-speed automatic transmission, while the original owner ordered the car with power steering and power front disc brakes. The Mustang has been sitting for around 40-years, but the owner has not only coaxed it back to life but has returned it to a roadworthy state. He replaced the fuel tank, fuel pump, sender unit and flushed the lines. A new battery was slotted in while the fluids were all replaced. It has also received a total braking system replacement and new tires. The owner says that it runs and drives perfectly, with no smokes or knocks. One thing that I like about the car is that the owner is not trying to portray it as something it isn’t. The engine wears 52-years of accumulated grease and dirt, and the owner hasn’t tried to remove any of it. He could’ve cleaned and detailed the engine within an inch of its life, and the result would have been positive. However, he has left the engine bay to wear its dirt and grease like a badge of honor.

The owner describes the Mustang’s interior as being almost mint, a word for which he seems to have a liking. I wouldn’t go that far, but it still looks pretty presentable. Its most significant issue is a split on the outer edge of the driver’s seat. This has deteriorated beyond the point of no return, so the buyer will probably choose to replace it. That begs the question of whether to replace the one cover, the ones on both front seats, or all of the seats to maintain a consistent finish. If the buyer chooses to go with a pair of fronts, these can be found for around $290. Replacing the complete set will cost under $500, and that’s the option that I would choose. The lid on the console is discolored, but this could be addressed with a high-quality vinyl dye. There are a few other items that the buyer might choose to address down the track, but the interior is serviceable as it currently stands.

We’ve seen plenty of 1st Generation Mustang project cars over the years here at Barn Finds, and quite a few have looked better at first glance than this ’69 Mach 1. However, when you dig below the surface, this one could be restored relatively easily. It seems that I’m not alone with this thought, and the bidding history to date seems to prove my point. Once the work is complete, this will be an eye-catching classic, and I hope someone can do it justice reasonably soon. It deserves it.