There are few situations worse for a passionate enthusiast than to be forced to sell a cherished project car due to failing health. That is the situation that faces the owner of this 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1. When you consider the massive collection of parts included in the sale, you get the impression that he wasn’t going to cut any corners in this restoration. It is a situation that is never easy, but the parts will help the buyer down the road of realizing the dream that is now out of reach of the current owner. If you feel that you could do justice to this car and the seller’s vision, you will find this Mach 1 located in Anacortes, Washington, and listed for sale here on Barn Finds Classifieds. When you step back for a moment and consider what is on offer, the asking price of $15,000 looks extremely competitive.
Ford offered some pretty amazing colors in its 1970 palette, but Grabber Blue has to rate amongst the best. That is what this Mustang wears, although a repaint will represent part of this restoration project. The owner is candid about this car’s need for some significant rust repairs, but he has given the buyer a better than even chance of getting on top of them with the amount of fresh steel he includes with this classic pony car. I can spot new floors, some nice-looking front fenders, and plenty of other new pieces. It seems that there is something there to address every one of this car’s existing metal shortcomings. When you add new bumpers and lights to the equation, this is becoming a very tempting proposition.
This interior shot shows some of the new steel that the owner has accumulated, but it doesn’t tell the whole story of this interior. The buyer will need to source a new carpet set, but that appears to be the extent of their expenditure. It seems that the owner has all of the remaining trim and includes a fresh dash pad. Even if the buyer isn’t willing to tackle the metal repairs, fitting all of the interior trim is something that they could potentially undertake themselves. Having been through this process, I can vouch for how satisfying it is to step back and survey the magnificence of an interior that you have assembled with your own bare hands. It provides a real sense of accomplishment, which the buyer could potentially experience firsthand.
This Mustang’s engine isn’t numbers-matching, but the rest of the drivetrain appears to be. The 351ci Cleveland that comes with the car is a 4V block fitted with 2V cylinder heads. It wears the correct date code for this car and should be capable of producing 250hp. That power is fed to the rear wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. The VIN indicates that the Mustang rolled off the line with the M-Code 351, which would’ve brought 300hp to the table. The buyer will potentially consider updating the top end to those specs because that will leave the Mach 1 capable of producing a sub-15-second ¼-mile ET once it is returned to active duty. Even in its current state, the performance would be pretty acceptable. Of course, who can’t use more power from their classic?
My heart goes out to the owner of this 1970 Mustang Mach 1. Sometimes life can deal us a bad hand, and that has been the case here. Coping with significant health issues can sap a person’s inner strength, but sometimes it is the more obscure consequences we fail to consider. This person is obviously a passionate enthusiast with a vision. I hope that the right person buys this classic and achieves the lofty goals that the owner had set himself. To me, that seems the correct course of action to take. If that person is one of our dedicated readers, there are two further things that I hope that they will be willing to do. The first will be to keep us updated on the project’s progress so that we can share this journey with them. The second wish is probably more important. I hope that when this car is returned to its former glory, its current owner gets to see it and, perhaps, go for a drive. Life has dealt him a bad hand, and there needs to be some justice in those cases. That could be it in for this Mach 1 and its dedicated owner.
Fair amount of rust showing but if the parts and panels cover most of that repair you have to consider the new parts are probably half the asking price. I’ve stated before that we’ve taken on restorations a whole lot worse than this car will ever be so can’t see why this car shouldn’t be straight forward metal work and that “gorgeous Grabber Blue paint baby”.
Unload it before you unload it.
PARTS HAUL????LAUGH OUT LOUD or LOL. REPRO CHINA JUNK, means nothing will work right, nothing will fit, and it will look it!
I feel for this seller but most of the buyers of these are people who are getting up in years. As we age, sudden health crises become more and more likely. That’s why it would make sense to buy a car already done, so you can enjoy it.