Ford chose to apply some stunning colors to the panels of the 1969 Mustang, but one of the more unusual shades was Black Jade. It wasn’t the most popular choice, but there’s no doubt that it adds a touch of class to any Mustang. That is what we find with this Mach 1, but it will take a lot of work by a dedicated buyer to return it to its best. If you feel up to the challenge, you will find the Mustang located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has been about as spirited as you might expect for any 1st Generation Mustang. Thirty-nine bids have pushed the price to $20,000, and since this has edged past the reserve, a new home is mere days away for this classic.

This Mach 1 must have turned heads when it was new, but those days are a long way behind it. There’s really no way of sugar-coating this, but this Mustang has some pretty substantial rust problems. That’s probably also no surprise to the majority of our readers. The external tin worm you can see in the rear quarter panels, rockers, lower fenders, and door corners is only an entree. The buyer will be faced with the pleasure of replacing the floors, trunk pan, and torque boxes. I also have a sneaking suspicion that it could be developing in the cowl as well. Whoever buys this car will eventually be on a first-name basis with the business that supplies replacement steel. I always subscribe to the fact that there is virtually no car that is beyond salvation. It just takes someone with enough money and the will to see it through to completion. It is also worth noting that the wheels that we see in the photos aren’t included, although the owner may be willing to negotiate on these if the bidding goes high enough. It appears that all of the exterior trim could be restored while there are no apparent problems with the glass.

When this Mach 1 rolled off the production line, it came equipped with an M-Code 351ci V8, a 4-speed manual transmission, a 3.25 rear end, power steering, and power front disc brakes. Emission regulations hadn’t bitten into the performance figures for the Mustang at this point so that 351 would have been producing 290hp. With the 4-speed bolted in place, it would’ve blasted the ¼ mile in 14.7 seconds. That’s the theory, anyway. Sadly, the Mustang isn’t numbers-matching, and what we find occupying the engine bay is a 302ci V8. This V8 starts and runs, and the vehicle does drive. That’s the first piece of positive news. The second is that the owner has a date-code correct 351 M-Code that is included in the sale. It needs a refresh, but it will offer the buyer the chance to perform a faithful refurbishment.

If this classic Ford has a highlight, it is probably the interior. The buyer will have to spend money on a new headliner, but the rest of it doesn’t look bad. The cover on the driver’s seat is split, but that is one of the few faults with the upholstered surfaces. The rest looks good, as does most of the plastic. Someone will need to splash the cash for a new dash pad, but the rest of the dash seems quite reasonable. A previous owner has replaced the original radio with a radio/cassette, while a tachometer is mounted on the steering column. Swapping both of these items would be easy, and they would allow the interior to present in its original state.

The person who buys this 1969 Mustang Mach 1 is going to need to be dedicated and determined. They will also need a thick wallet because returning it to a structurally sound state will not be cheap. That brings us to the question of its financial viability. This is a 1st Generation Mustang, and if history is any indication, its value should do nothing but increase in coming years. Recent sales results suggest that it should be worth at least $50,000 if the restoration is completed to a high standard. That figure could creep as high as $60,000 if the owner pays a lot of attention to the smaller details. With the bidding at its current level, its financial viability in the short term is getting to the point of being questionable. That means that if someone is looking at this car to restore and make a quick buck, they might not make it. However, if someone considers this as a project that they can complete and retain long-term, it has potential. What do you think?