Dreamer Needed: 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1

A roller but a car full of possibility. That’s how you might see this 1970 Mustang Mach 1. Or you could call it a blank canvas. Since the original drivetrain is gone, and since by the seller’s declaration it was never more special than a two-barrel 351 to start with, you might as well dream big, especially if you’re going to spend the kind of money that a total redo entails. Even on a car like the Mustang, for which parts prices are fairly reasonable, the level of need here is profound. If you’re so inclined, the car is available here on eBay, with a bid short of the reserve at around $3,500. It’s currently located in Hampton, South Carolina.

The Mach 1 was a popular option first available in 1969 and carried over into 1970 with a few changes. That year, it consisted of a choice of mandatory V8 engines, handling upgrades, interior upgrades including to the trim and seats, and go-fast appearance goodies on the outside starting with a non-functional hood scoop, unique wheel covers, and a Mach 1 callout on the lower front fenders. For those with racing aspirations, the Mach 1 offered the possibility of a functional Shaker hood scoop for cold-air intake. Unlike in 1969, in 1970, that goody was available with any V8 from the 351 to the mighty 428. Judging by the photos, this car did not have the Ram Air set-up.

Saving this particular Mach 1 offers several paths. Restoring it to stock is the first possibility. Original 351 blocks are certainly out there to be had. Resto-modding it with a big-cube crate engine is another idea. Still a third path might wind a restorer into modern running gear territory to drop a Coyote engine between the shock towers. First, the car will need further disassembly and a trip to the blaster to strip off layers of old paint and body filler. What paint spots remain suggest that the car may have been Grabber Blue, but to know for sure, it would only make sense for the new owner to commission a Deluxe Marti Report before doing any work. Whatever form the car will finally take, the current owner estimates that at least the right and left quarters need either work or replacing and that the hood, doors, and decklid are suspect. Inspecting the photos shows at least one hole in the front floor covered by replacement metal. There’s no word about the rocker panels, and it’s hard to tell in the photos what state they are in. The trunk floor is said to be OK. In general, there’s more than surface rust on most of the bottom side. Let’s just say the day the media blasting is complete will be either a very happy one or a very frightening one for the new owner.

That more than twenty bidders have already waved the paddle on this project suggests that there are a lot of brave folks and dreamers out there. For one of them, the statement, “You can see the end from here, but it’s a long, long way in the distance” will come quite true.