Buying a classic car will always be fraught with danger because you can never be entirely sure whether the vehicle in question has been treated with care. Finding a car like this 1972 Mustang Mach 1 can lessen that burden because the same person has owned it for many years. That reduces the chances that it has been abused throughout its life, although, of course, it doesn’t rule that possibility out entirely. However, the signs do look positive in this case. The Mach 1 is located in Hillsboro, Oregon, and has been listed for sale here on Craigslist. Hand the owner $22,900, and you can drive away in this beauty. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder MattR for spotting the Mustang for us.
The Medium Bright Yellow Mustang presents extremely nicely, although the owner goes to some trouble to point out that it isn’t perfect. He says that the paint has a number of chips and marks, all of which would be typical on a classic of this age. He also mentions the fact that there is rust in the rear quarter panels, although once again, this isn’t visible in the photos. He doesn’t mention any other rust issues, which is quite reassuring. The panels appear to be straight with no apparent dings or dents. The panel gaps are as tight and consistent as you are likely to find in a Mustang, while the stripes and decals are in good order. The vehicle also features a front and rear spoiler, along with a louver on the rear window. These all appear to be in excellent condition, as does the trim and glass. The Mach 1 rolls on a shiny set of Magnum 500 wheels, and these have been wrapped in a set of BF Goodrich tires that have little wear.
The Mach 1 features a 351ci Cleveland V8 under the hood, along with a 3-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power front disc brakes. The owner doesn’t indicate which version of the 351 we’re talking about because there were three available in 1972. However, I believe that it might be the 351-2V, which produces 177hp. That means that it is a car that should be capable of covering the ¼ mile in around 16.9 seconds. Keeping that positive news coming, the Mustang is said to be numbers-matching. The owner purchased the car in 1997, and he claims that he only accrues around 300 miles per year. It is always garage-kept and has a genuine 94,000 miles on the odometer. He also says that the vehicle can be a little stubborn when cold but that it runs and drives nicely once it is past this “cold-blooded” phase.
Opening the doors and taking a peek inside the Mach 1 reveals an interior that is pretty hard to fault. The black upholstery looks to be in excellent condition, with no signs of any rips, tears, or wear. The carpet shows no appreciable fading, while the dash and pad appear to be flawless. I can’t see any aspect of the interior that a buyer might be forced to spend any money on, and there would be no shame in rocking up to a Cars & Coffee with an interior that presents this well. The car isn’t filled to the brim with luxury features, although there is a tachometer, a trip meter, a remote driver’s mirror, and an AM/FM radio/cassette player.
I think that we’ve all seen our share of classic cars that have been abused and thrashed within an inch of their lives. These are the cars that we tend to avoid because the list of components that have reached the end of their useful life can be enormous. Finding a classic that has been owned by the same person for decades might not eliminate that possibility entirely, but it increases the chances that it has been treated with respect. That is what this 1972 Mustang Mach 1 would appear to represent, and everywhere that you look, there are indications that seem to support this. The fact that the owner is candid about the faults that we can’t see also increases potential buyers’ confidence. If you fall into that category, maybe this is a car that is worth a closer look.
Eye-catching car, looks to be in very good shape. Not really a fast muscle car, but to me that’s just fine. Treat it more like a cruiser and you’ll be happy. I’m with Adam, there is a lot to be said for long-term careful ownership.
At the time a few decades ago, I considered my 1972 Mustang Mach 1 (with 351/4bbl) the worst and least enjoyable car that I had ever owned.
But, this was before back-up cameras existed. Without one, you could never safely back out of any! parking spot. It made taking the big horse out for a drive anywhere with a stop, a real pain in the saddle.
I had a 72 Mustang fastback in high school- it was almost impossible to see out the rear window!
Great car, I bet this one would drift awesome too!
I knew someone back in the day that had a blue one. I sat behind the wheel looked into rearview mirror and said WTF!! How can you back this pony into a spot. He said.. very carefully!! Today yes a backup camera would help
And a stroker 347 with 3:73 gears would more this pony along. Otherwise good looking Mustang.😃
A lot of car for the money.
very nice car based on this listing and reasonably priced. Not a hot rod, not fast but if looked over and maintained properly a very nice, enjoyable and reliable cruiser.
Hello. Just one question about the the car. When you said ” power front disc”, what does it mean? That just the front brakes are the kind of disc and callipers? I am speaking from Brazil, so this words sometimes made me confused.
Ariel.. yes disc with calipers and brake pads. Also you have a brake booster with the master cylinder. The brake booster works with the vacuum off the engine to give it that power of stopping. I hope this helps 😃🇺🇸
My buddy in high school had one of these which he proceeded to jack the rear with air shocks (along with cragars) must haves.
Literally, the rear window was parallel with the road.
There’s no missing it from even a few miles away! That is as yellow as it gets, not the same year but reminds a little of the yellow Mach 1 in the original Gone In 60 Seconds. The engine has at least dress up items but I can’t see in there well enough. I’ll just assume it has an aftermarket intake and that open air cleaner will make for a little rough starting in cold weather.
Overall a real nice cruiser. The lack of rearward view will flat out scare some folks, I turned a nice one down years ago for that reason only.
Years back, the guy next door to me had one similar (351 Winsor) and we used to kid each other who was fastest. I insisted my 327 4 speed Camaro was best, he of course, felt differently Never did test it out to see who would have a better run at a stop light. More fun just to happily brag, if one of us would have bettered the other, might have dampened the fun.
A good (wide angle?) back up camera, and some horsepower would make this one just about perfect.
Beautiful Car….I really like the bigger 1971-73 Mustangs and a lot of collectors are starting to take notice.
Tommy Saxondale would approve….
The return of the “Elonore” gone in sixty seconds!!!
There’s 2 Mach 1 Mustangs(both 71s) within 2 miles of my house,both 2 owner cars & 90% original,one black one red,amazing cars
Cool I love the old mustangs,the newer mustangs,but not those in between year ones.i do love the older ford trucks back when they made real trucks,as for ford it’s nope!!
I drive a 1971 Mach 1 Mustang, 429 SCJ, in Grabber Blue, everyday here in west central Florida. As long as your sport mirrors, especially the passenger side unit, are well paced, driving and parking is not a problem. In fact, its a lot of fun.