For those seeking a sixties pony car, the Ford Mustang is always worth considering since parts are plentiful and there’s really not too much of a shortage of examples to choose from. But it is refreshing to find one that was sold new in California and has stayed there under the care of only one family since 1969, plus being a Mach 1 doesn’t hurt either. Remaining in mostly original condition is a positive as well, so this one ticks a lot of the right boxes if you’ve been in the market for a late 60s project. The car is in San Diego and can be seen here on eBay where bidding has reached $29,200, enough already for the highest bidder to become the Mustang’s new owner.
The seller tells us his parents purchased the car new at a small dealer in Southern California in the fall of ’69, and that it remains one of the most original Mach 1s from this era you’re likely to run across. The Mustang is said to have been garaged much of its life with the exception of a period of about 2 years where it sat covered outside, and during this time is when the owner believes the surface rust under the hood developed.
Frequent driving was the norm during the seventies, with being on the road becoming more sporadic the following decade until the car was ultimately parked in 1993. The 351 Windsor is stated to be the original small block engine but it hasn’t been started in about 8 years, though the seller assures us it turns freely and has never been apart. There’s also a 4-speed manual transmission, making a fun combo for the next owner to work with.
We don’t get to view any photos of the pony outside of its stable, but the assortment of shots we do get to see appear to reveal a body in overall structurally sound condition with a few blemishes here and there, such as the rear quarter on the driver’s side where a motorcycle tapped the panel way back in the 70s. Hopefully, the cyclist was OK, and the good news is the mishap didn’t seem to cause anything serious enough to the exterior where the metal can’t just be straightened here.
A series of pictures from the interior seem to show enough different angles that we can see there are no major flaws inside, mostly just the kind of wear you’d expect from a 50-plus-year-old car that’s been inoperative for a long period of time. This one’s got a good variety of options too, including a rim-blow horn, air conditioning, and the desirable shaker hood setup. Some work will be required before this 1969 Mach 1 is ready for daily driving again, but the Ford appears to be at a good starting point for taking it to the next level. What do you think?
I think “roll it out and take some decent pictures of it”.
The seller sounds like a guy in his 70’s from his write-up
Spec sheet is worn wear it describes differential.. assuming a trac-lok was optioned ? Gear ⚙️ ? 4sp is super.
Beautiful car, in that color. May as well throw an Autolite 4-barrel on there too when restoring. Adds some jump to the great 351.
Nice!! This is worth a restoration.
I’m not a huge Ford guy, but liked the Mach 1 from its start. Too far, and I’m getting too old for another project. I like the color, it stands out from all the red and blue cars out there. I think someone will end up with a nice car. Heck, I’d probably get it running, fluids, address safety concerns, charge up the AC and drive it as-is. It would stand out at a cars and coffee for sure.
Someone writing this has rose colored glasses. While the car is definitely worth it, even being plain white, it’s not rust free. The hood has obvious rust through on the underside and leading edge. So bad the trim has popped off. The engine compartment is in ghe middle between surface rust and crusty. The driver rocker trim also looks half popped off.
No underside photos is a red flag of deeper issues.
Still, a complete, fairly unmolested and desirable car.
I would prefer to buy this from the original family and work on restoring it than one that is already done.
They are only original once, and this one hasn’t been touched by many hands. Tough to say that about very many muscle / pony cars.
I agree, and love the story. Mom rocked a 4 speed, shaker Mach 1, and then her girls drove it to high school. Some bad a@@ chicks in that family.
steve, I agree with you too on the girls driving Mustangs. I have 2 early memories of 69 – 70 fastback Mustangs (can’t remember if they were Mach 1s) owned by girls.
First was my 5th grade teacher had a white fastback with black graphics. I used to stay after school to help her clean up her room so that I could get a ride home in that car.
Second was visiting my large family of cousins that lived 8 hours away and one of my older cousins owned an orange fastback. I remember her driving us around with me holding on for dear life in the back seat.
Another nice California Mustang and this one is loaded with options! It’s almost a twin to the ‘70 429 Cobra in my brothers garage that came from the same west coast.Yes this would be great for restoration but would be very cool to run in patina after a good refreshing! Love these old FE motors!