Sitting on this lift is a 1971 Mustang Mach 1 that has been in storage for many years. Its resting place must have been close to ideal because while it’s pretty dusty, it isn’t very rusty. A few spots will require attention, but it appears to be the perfect candidate for a DIY restoration project. The time has come for the Mach 1 to head to a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. The Mustang is located in Akron, Ohio, and while the bidding has reached $10,188, the reserve hasn’t been met.

It seems that the person who placed the Mustang into storage gave it some careful thought. It was left in an elevated position, and the shed was climate-controlled. The Bright Red classic has survived remarkably well, and the rust that is visible in the rear quarter panel in this photo appears to be all there is that is worthy of a mention. It hasn’t deteriorated to the point where a replacement quarter panel is required, and $120 would secure a replacement section that would knock this problem on the head. The panels wear their share of minor dings and dents, but all of these appear to be repairable. Looking around the car reveals a mixture of different wheels, but if the buyer is determined to undertake a faithful restoration, the deluxe Marti Report that is included in the sale should point them in the right direction. Some of the trim and chrome will require replacement, but the tinted glass appears to be in good order.

This photo that was taken on the lift tells the real story of this Mustang. The floors look spotlessly clean, with no evidence of anything beyond a light dusting of surface corrosion. It is a similar story with the frame rails, torque boxes, and the trunk pan. It is refreshing to find a Mustang project from this era that isn’t going to involve copious amounts of cutting and welding. This is the main reason why I believe that the Mach 1 is an ideal prospect for someone who wants to get their hands dirty in a home workshop.

The seller believes that the Mach 1 is a numbers-matching car. It comes equipped with a 351-4V V8, which would have been producing 285hp in its prime. Bolted to the back of this is a C6 automatic transmission, while the original owner also chose to order the car with power steering. This combination provided the vehicle with respectable performance levels, and it would have been capable of covering the ¼ mile in 15.3 seconds when it was shiny and new. The car has been in storage since the late 1970s, so you probably won’t be surprised to learn that it doesn’t currently run. However, the person who placed it in storage did go to the trouble of cleaning the fuel tank and undertaking a few other preventative measures to keep the car mechanically sound. As a result, the engine is said to turn freely. The owner has not attempted to coax it back to life, and I am relieved about that. Everyone has their own process for doing this, and the buyer will have the chance to do it their way on an untouched car.

Despite what the photos tend to indicate, the interior of this Mustang is largely complete. Many trim pieces have been removed, which provides us with more of a look at some of the rust-prone steel. Once again, it all looks good, which tends to support the idea of a DIY project. What it needs more than anything is a thorough clean. The dash and pad appear to be in good order, as do the console and headliner. There are no visible tears or splits on the seats, so this looks like an interior that will require time, not money, to be returned to its best. The original owner ordered the car with air conditioning, and while the compressor has been removed, it is included in the sale.

This photo provides an insight into the state of all of the parts that have been removed from the car, and nothing appears to be hidden. I suspect that the A/C compressor will need a rebuild, but the trim pieces look like they would respond well to some cleaning. I can’t spot anything that has deteriorated beyond the point of no return, and it all looks suitable for a driver-grade classic.

The 1971 Mach 1 has traditionally been a bit of an orphan in the 1st Generation Mustang range, and they haven’t commanded the sorts of stratospheric prices that we’ve seen with other derivatives. However, this is a situation that is beginning to change. Values have spiked over the past 12-months, and they are continuing to climb. This one requires no evident major work, and one of its greatest strengths, once restored, will be how much of its steel is original. If the work is completed to a decent standard, there is no reason why this Mach 1 couldn’t command a figure beyond $30,000 if it went on the market. Depending on where the seller has set the reserve, that could leave a buyer with plenty of room to move on the restoration before its financial viability comes into question. That makes it well worth a closer look.