This 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 spent over four decades hidden in a garage. The seller recently dragged it into the light of day, revived its 390ci V8, and returned the car to a roadworthy state. It runs and drives well, but needs further work to present at its best. Unsurprisingly, there are rust issues that will eventually require attention, but the revival included treating them to prevent further deterioration. The seller has listed the Mach 1 here on eBay in Knoxville, Illinois. The sole bid of $25,000 is below the reserve, though there is also a BIN option at $35,000.
Released in 1969, the Mach 1 would take less than twelve months to displace the GT as Ford’s high-performance Mustang variant. The only thing that could have saved the GT from extinction was that the company offered the Mach 1 only in Fastback form, but with dwindling sales, the GT disappeared at the end of 1969. This first-year Mach 1 has an interesting history, with a previous owner parking it in their garage in 1979. It spent over four decades in that location before the seller purchased and revived this classic. Unsurprisingly, there were rust issues requiring immediate attention, and the buyer will face further repairs before the car is genuinely rock-solid. The car would have been a handsome vehicle in its prime, finished in classy Black Jade. There is obvious rust in the front fenders and some lower body extremities. The seller sandblasted the floors and painted them in Red oxide. However, given the obvious steel penetration, completing the restoration will require replacing the floor pans and torque boxes. There is also obvious tin worm in the front inner fenders, which may mean pulling the engine to eliminate the problems.
Speaking of the engine, this Mach 1 features the mighty S-Code 390ci V8. It should send a factory-quoted 320hp and 427 ft/lbs of torque to the 3.00 rear end via a three-speed C6 automatic transmission. The car also features power steering and power front disc brakes. The originality of this classic extends to the entire drivetrain, which is numbers-matching. The seller’s revival included replacing the fuel tank and fuel lines, the master cylinder and brake lines, rebuilding the front and rear brakes, and rebuilding the original alternator. They also installed a new ignition system and rebuilt the factory carburetor. The effort paid dividends, because this Mach 1 is a turnkey proposition. The odometer shows 69,000 miles, and since the car was only active for ten years before being parked, that figure should be genuine.
The Mustang’s interior presentation further supports my belief that the odometer reading is genuine. The seller only deep cleaned it during the revival, performing no restoration work. Trimmed in Black vinyl, the overall appearance is comfortably acceptable for a survivor-grade classic of this vintage. There is no visible wear, the faux woodgrain is in good order, and the carpet is clean. The seller confirms that the wheel has cracked, and that someone removed the tilt-away wheel mechanism. The car’s air conditioning system is complete, but with no compressor belt, it is unclear whether a recharge will bring it back to life. There are no visible aftermarket additions, with the factory AM/FM stereo radio intact.
The concept of treating the underside rust on this 1969 Mustang Mach 1 seems sound, but I view it as a short-term solution. There is obvious steel penetration in the floors, and moisture will undoubtedly find its way through beneath the carpet, which will act as a moisture trap. Therefore, the rust will inevitably worsen over time. It means that someone will eventually have to bite the bullet, cut away the offending areas, and weld in fresh steel. The Mustang could be stunning once restored, but is that a task you might choose to tackle?
The 1969 Mach 1, a favorite model of mine. And Black Jade, a favorite color. From my perspective it does need more work, but (for me) this one well-restored would be terrific.
I wish we could see the Marti Report.
Thanks Adam.
It’s a nice starter to fix.
The car needs to be viewed in person with all the rust underneath.
The time spent spraying underneath should have put pans in the car and torque boxes.
The comment their only original once on eBay made me chuckle some with rear rails, trunk and quarters worked on and needing torque boxes plus more.
I do like it but that line should’ve been left out.
GLWS!
Lots of rust, everywhere. Look at the top of the inner fenders fore and aft the shock towers. The floors have lots of pitting, the seam in the firewall looks questionable, the rear end housing has significant pitting which would be representative of the undercarriage. It may have been parked since 1979, that likely means it was subjected to 10 winters.
What can you find for $35,000? There are a lot of 1960’s and early-1970’s muscle cars in driver condition that can be found if you are patient.
Some of the best advice I was even given about cars, start with the best car you can find and afford.
Steve R
Mighty clean interior, the underside looks scary.