After sitting hidden away in a Pennsylvania barn for the past 25-years, this 1969 Mustang Mach 1 has emerged into the light of day once again. Its time in storage has not taken the sort of toll that you might typically expect, and returning the Mustang to its former glory would seem to be a straightforward proposition. If you feel up to the challenge, you will find the Mach 1 located in Bristol, Connecticut, and listed for sale here on eBay. With the bidding sitting at $15,269, I’m not surprised to find that the reserve hasn’t been met.

It looks like someone has commenced tinkering with the Acapulco Blue Mustang’s exterior because it does wear a pair of new front fenders. The exterior shots show some areas of surface corrosion, but penetrating rust seems to be in short supply. I can spot a small area in the driver’s door and possibly some small spots in the lower rear quarter panels. The owner also acknowledges that there is some rust in the left-hand drip rail. Overall though, it looks pretty good. It’s also worth noting that both doors have dropped slightly, but this could be wear in the hinges. In most cases, Mustangs of this era can be “automotive icebergs.” That means that the majority of the damage is below the surface. That doesn’t appear to be the case here. There are some small holes in the trunk pan, but these could be patched. I think that there is also a limited amount in the passenger-side torque box, but that seems to be it. The frame rails look good, and the floors still wear their factory undercoating. There are some areas of surface corrosion, and I would err on the side of caution here. It would be worth the effort to strip the underside of the car, treat the corrosion, and refinish the whole area so that the corrosion is knocked on the head before it has a chance to get worse. The rear bumper looks like it will need to be restored or replaced. However, the remaining trim and chrome, along with the glass, all look good.

Powering the Mustang is an M-Code 351ci V8, which is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. There is no power assistance for the brakes, but there is for the steering. This V8 should be capable of punching out 290hp, which is enough to fire the Mach 1 through the ¼ mile in 14.7 seconds. The owner believes that the Mustang is a numbers-matching vehicle. After sitting for more than two decades, it did need some work to coax it back to life. A new fuel tank and sender unit have been fitted, along with a new master cylinder. The owner has taken the Mustang for a drive, but it isn’t fully roadworthy. The power steering will need work, but new parts are included in the sale. He also suggests replacing all of the wheel cylinders, which would be a wise move. He was told that the engine was treated to a rebuild and that it had only clocked about 1,000 miles after this before the Mach 1 was placed in storage. This should be easy to verify if potential buyers scrutinize the vehicle carefully.

One area of the Mustang that will require a full restoration is the interior. When it was new, the White trim must have had quite an impact. Time hasn’t been kind, and a trim kit is probably going to be the most practical way of returning it to its stunning best. Someone has replaced the original shifter with one from the good people at Hurst. There is a hole in the dash where the original AM radio/8-track player sat. Otherwise, it does appear to be complete. A full trim kit can be sourced from several suppliers, and owners can expect to pay around $2,000 for a kit that will include everything to return the interior to a factory-fresh appearance.

Over the years, we have seen countless Mustang project cars here at Barn Finds. The level of work required has varied enormously, and there have been a few where I place a question mark over their viability. This ’69 Mach 1 looks like it’s a pretty good one, and at least the buyer doesn’t look like they will be sinking money into the bottomless pit of a complete rust bucket. It has been sitting patiently in a barn for 25-years, so 2021 should be the year that this classic finds its way back onto our roads. Will you be the person to do that?