Over the past few weeks, we’ve profiled a number of high-powered Mustangs that were being sold as bare skeletons at best. This 1969 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback might look at first like a better place to start than those were, but demons still lurk close under the skin. If you want it, you’ll find it here on eBay. It’s bid up over $10K with an auction running all the way to Friday. There appears to be no reserve, so raise the paddle with confidence, but carefully. Then get to Tyler, MN to collect your winnings.

The Mach 1 package debuted in 1969, coming with any of five V-8 engines from a 351 2-bbl to a 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air. This particular model was sent out the door with the aforementioned 351, but that, and the rest of the driveline components, are missing now. It was an automatic-equipped car, not a four-speed. Back in the day, Mach 1 goodies included interior appointments like high-back bucket seats and special carpet. On the outside, there was a low-gloss black hood and cowl, a non-functional hood scoop (on non-Ram Air models) with integrated turn signals, and engine ID. Further marking the model as special were racing-style hood pins and a Mach 1 stripe on the body side and rear of the trunk lid. The Handling Suspension was standard. No wonder there’s demand, not to mention how beautiful and powerful the Sportsroof body style presented.

So everybody wants a Mach 1, which has led to ever-more-rag-tag versions coming out of barns and yards. This one is worse than many. Let’s start with the obvious: it’s rusty almost to the point of being terminal (except that it’s a Mach 1). The quarters are original, which the seller makes a virtue, but look at them—they’ve got loads of primer sprayed everywhere, and what’s under that if, of course, rust. The driver’s floor simply does not exist any longer. And while the top-side photos in the trunk area don’t look too bad, the seller, and credit him for his honesty, says that the car needs some repair on the back six inches of the rear rails amongst other places. That’s exactly what you don’t want to hear. One Barn Finder commenting on a similar need on a car recently profiled compared this kind of welding to complicated surgery.

It would be really nice to know how much it would cost to take this hulk from where it is now to finished. The value when it’s complete ranges to the high-90s, according to the value guides. Let’s assume, however, that you do a restoration in your garage, and that you’re good but not world-class in your skills. The car you end up with might be worth $60-75K. How much will you spend getting there, and how long will it take?