If you had enough money in 1970, you could walk into your local Ford dealership and drive away in something pretty special. The car in question could be as desirable as this Mustang Mach 1. The accompanying documentation indicates that on top of its sticker price, the original owner stumped up an additional 30% to transform this ‘Stang into a muscle car with serious performance credentials. It is a classic with so many positive attributes its difficult to know where to start. Therefore, it’s worth working through the finer points of this Ford located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and listed for sale here on eBay. You can then decide whether the BIN of $119,000 is fair or if you might be tempted to submit an offer.
Ford offered potential buyers a wide selection of paint colors when they ordered their new 1970 Mach 1, but the original owner of this car sought the personal touch. Therefore, he selected a Special Paint Order of Medium Green Metallic. Its rarity is reinforced by the decision because it’s 1-of-13 Mach 1s to wear that shade in 1970. This car is original and unrestored, and presents superbly, with no significant problems or issues. The paint shines beautifully, while the panels are laser straight with consistent gaps. The owner makes no mention of rust, and there is nothing visible in the supplied photos. When considering a classic in this price bracket, I recommend an in-person inspection, but this Mustang could be a winner if that reveals no problems. The chrome and trim look good for a survivor, and the tinted glass appears flawless. The original owner ordered the car with the optional Sport Slats. This feature remains present and as spotless as the rest of the exterior. However, this Ford’s beautiful presentation and exceptional level of preservation is the tip of a pretty tasty iceberg.
Ford offered no terrible drivetrain combinations in a 1970 Mach 1, but some were better than others. The original owner had a focus firmly set on rocket-like performance because they opted for the R-Code 428 Cobra Jet V8 that churned out an impressive 335hp. If that isn’t enough to whet your appetite, the news keeps getting better. Bolted to that monster V8 is a four-speed manual transmission that feeds this pony’s ponies to a 3.91 Traction-Lok rear end. If you hadn’t already guessed, that combination reveals this Mustang’s next secret: the original owner ticked “Drag Pack” on his order. The Drag Pack upgraded the Cobra Jet to Super Cobra Jet specifications automatically, pushing the power to an “official” 360hp. Of course, this was an era when manufacturers were being somewhat “frugal” with the truth to avoid heavy scrutiny from government authorities and the insurance industry. So, many experts contend that the SCJ’s power output was considerably higher than stated. Many suggest figures north of 400hp, which can’t be ruled out. Buyers could also order the Drag Pack with a Detroit Locker, but that component is less refined than the Traction-Lok for regular road use. So, does that make the Mustang fast? Just a bit! Let loose on a ¼ mile, the Mach 1 should make the journey a distant memory in 14.1 seconds. The car is fully numbers-matching, down to items like the carburetor and the Drag Pack components. Its engine bay presents as impressively as the rest of the vehicle, and when you consider its history, it is hardly surprising. It has 34,853 original miles showing on its odometer, and while the seller doesn’t mention verifying evidence, it may exist in the vast collection of included documentation. The buyer will receive the original Owner’s Manual, handwritten Buyer’s Order Form, Dealer Invoice, Gate Release, original Title, deluxe Marti Report, period photos, and correspondence between the original owner and Ford. The seller says that this classic is ready to be driven away by its lucky new owner.
Over the past decade here at Barn Finds, we’ve lost count of the number of classics that have crossed our desks where owners emphasize the uniqueness of their baby. This Mustang’s seller treads the well-worn path, but the included documentation can substantiate his claim. Ford only produced 1,371 examples of the 1970 Mach 1 equipped with the R-Code V8. Of those, only thirteen wore Medium Green Metallic paint, and a single car combined that with Medium Ivy interior trim and upholstery. No prizes for guessing this is that car. Therefore, I am willing to consider this a genuine 1-of-1 classic. As with the rest of the vehicle, there are no significant flaws or faults and no signs of wear. Apart from a column-mounted Sun tach, there are no aftermarket additions. With the original owner’s firm focus on performance, this Mach 1 doesn’t feature many creature comforts that would add weight or sap power. However, there is an AM radio for those who might not enjoy the sweet tune emanating from under the hood.
Due to its combination of drivetrain, paint, and other optional extras, slapping down the cash for this 1970 Mustang Mach 1 could represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The First Generation Mustang had grown in all dimensions by the time this car rolled off the production line, but even though it was larger and heavier, it still offered mind-blowing performance if the buyer knew which boxes to tick on the Order Form. The original owner of this car knew what they wanted, and from a performance perspective, this was about as good as it got behind the wheel of a Mustang in that model year. So, would you fancy finding this Mach 1 parked in your garage? Yeah, me too.
Perfect!! Must have it!
Who wouldn’t like to have it in their garage, but me personally I just cant get on board with the one of whatever because of paint or two cigarette lighters or who knows what. If it has something to do with unique drivetrain options I’m all in, but a value increase because of a paint code and interior color, I cant do it….what if it was some hideous color combination, say a salmon shade exterior, brown interior, with ” special one year only orange seatbelts”…but its one of one….is that gona increase the price….js
While I can see colour being a 1/1 issue, you are right about the other minor details. (A fleet car we got back in the 80’s arrived with RS trim on the passenger outside only. Is it potentially 1/1? What about the other car that presumably didn’t get RS trim on the passenger side?) I think Barret/Jackson has been making too big an issue of these things and it’s becoming a marketing ploy.
Cool car. Good to see one unrestored but in good shape.
Three mostly insignificant comments:
— $10 credit for substituting a regular outside mirror instead of the sport mirrors. Do you wonder why? Just a personal preference for the person who ordered the car, or perhaps there was a supply issue with the sport mirrors?
— that Worthington Ford sticker sure has held up well.
— the clerk of courts who signed the original title was local to my growing-up area. But I didn’t know him.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a Mach1 with out the sport mirrors. And yet, they forked out the money for the ugly non-functioning rear wing.
Front spoiler missing?
Even my ’75 Pacer had a remote color match sport mirror on the door.
Bob, are you a Columbus guy too?
Rex, I grew up in Fairfield County– Bremen to be specific.
I see, Bob. I grew up in Columbus and later in Granville in Licking County.
All that performance equipment, Drag Pack car too and no factory tach?
Are my eyes that bad, or is there no Traction Lok rear axle?
It seems to me that most of these cars aren’t really “barn finds” most of them are restored, older restorations, or very well kept originals and unless you have $30-$40K stashed away you might as well forget about even looking at them. What happened to the old affordable dirty dusty true barn finds? Never see those in this site anymore.
Sure you do! We feature 17+ finds every single day and try to have a good mix of every price range. You must just be clicking on the expensive ones!
No one has mentioned the ugly dealer sticker on the otherwise nice chrome bumper. What ever gave dealers the idea that it was alright to deface a nice car with their ugly and free advertising? Why as the public did we, and still do, put up with this crap? My wife got PO’d with me the last time I actually ordered a new car and made it very clear to the salesman that I did not want one on my brand new car. She said I embarrassed her. That is like saying she should feel embarrassed if I tried to stop a mugger from clobbering her over the head as he snatched her purse.
You are comparing your wife being mugged to someone putting a bumper on a car? Just want to clarify that.
Cars from the 1960’s that came from Mr. Norm’s, Royal Pontiac or Nicky with the backwards “K” carried a special cache.
Hah! same here, I bought a new truck last year an told the dealer if there was a sticker on my truck when I came to pick it up its gona stay on the lot….no sticker when I picked it up….I just spent 40k now you want me to advertise for you for free?…..I built houses for 30 yrs, I never left a business sign attached to customers houses when completed….
While that is true about the Mr. Norms, Royal, Nicky and such, people that bought those cars there also wanted other people to know they got them there….
Thankfully, a lot of dealers use the license plate frames here in NH – one for the front and one for the back.
The last few cars we have bought have come with them instead of the stickers.
Totally in line. I did the same thing when I bought my last new truck in 2011. It was in the detail bay, I did the final walk around inspection, I saw there was no sticker/emblem on it yet, and I told the sales lady that when I come back to drive away after handing over my cash, there better not be one. She whispered something to the detail guy (probably “this a-hole says don’t deface his truck”).
Up until the 80’s it was pretty common for dealers to not just put a sticker on but to drill holes into your deck lid to put a plate on the car. If you didn’t want it, you would be walking away from the dealer.
Yep, my ’65 Impala has the “Jerry’s Chevrolet” emblem with 2 screws right into the trunk. At least they were machine screws not wood screws- haha
You are comparing your wife being mugged to someone putting a bumper sticker on a car? Just want to clarify that.
No, I pointed out the absurdity of feeling embarrassed by someone taking advantage of you. Sakingsbury, I am with ya man. I too never told a customer that they needed to spread the word of my greatness. They paid for the service, what they did with it after that was of their choosing, not mine. Common sense, though in this world, that seems to have gotten lost some how.
Love seeing these with the black accents and matching optional rear wing. Perfect!
With original Boss’s selling in the 70-80K range,I cant imagine a 120K price will work. But there is no harm in asking. Nice car, but I never liked that color and time hasn’t changed my opinion. I would imagine if you took that bumper sticker there would be clean blemished chrome under it. It would look like a bumper sticker was missing. “Go see Cal!” I was a chopper pilot doing frost prevention on his Northern California vineyards years ago.
Amazing car – beautiful, rare and a beast. Well documented survivor – where you going to find another one? This car will only go up in value – look for it on Barrett Jackson in the coming years for more than asking price. This car reminds me of the “Black Ghost” ’70 Challenger (Hagerty video is great). Those two cars on a strip would be awesome to see and hear. Love it.
I must have had one of the rare puke green Mach I’s back in the day. It was so rare I painted it Midnight Blue. It had a 351C that could wind up faster that any 428.
Most dealers here gives free lifetime automatic car wash to all who leave there sticker on the back of the car its surely worth it for our family cars keeping them close to 10 years before getting another. My wife stops in on here way to town and always has a clean shiny car
Just another kick yourself moment…I had an opportunity to buy a car similar to this in 1985,not as good as this one,for $1500 dollars, the guy was getting a divorce and I was 15 with no money…it was my first love.
Mr. Clarke,
“Drag Pack upgraded the Cobra Jet to Super Cobra Jet specifications automatically, pushing the power to an “official” 360hp.”
Both 428 CJ and 428 SCJ engines were officially rated at 335 HP. They had the same heads, cast iron intake manifold, camshaft, and 735 cfm Holley. The 428 SCJ had different (heavier and more robust) lower end rotating parts, possibly for warranty reasons.
The 428 CJ was normally quicker than an equivalent car with the 428 SCJ.
I have owned, raced, and worked on many of both CJ’s and SCJ’s. Many of us learned the importance of lighter rotating and reciprocating mass.
I believe there may be some confusion about horsepower ratings on 1970 Cobra Jet engines. As @B302 correctly points out, both the 428CJ and the 428SCJ engines were rated by Ford at 335hp. But in 1970 Ford also offered a 429CJ (completely different engine) in the Torino body. The 429 was not available in the Mustang until the 1971 model year. The SCJ version of the 429 Cobra Jet was rated at 360hp
Sorry. Correcting my own misinformation about Ford’s official horsepower ratings of its various 1970 429 engines:
429-4V (360hp)
429 CJ (370hp)
429 SCJ (375hp)
The WORTHINGTON sticker seals the deal 4me—the biggest Ford dealer of the day in L.A.
Go see Cal Go see Cal. Go see Cal !!!😉
And his dog spot.
This Worthington Ford was in Columbus Ohio.
Very nice with low miles, but a bit high on price.
Very nice! and with the Drag Pack unique.
This car looks amazing, but at 119,000.00 this is one fool that him & his money won’t be departed
And they charged him for the gas they delivered it with. 4 gallons.
For $1.28 !!!! 31.9c per gallon.
Has anyone changed a spark plug on this Beast?
My brother-in-law had a 70 cj in either 73 or 74, memory not what it used to be. He could get all the plugs out except the, I think it was the passenger side rear plug…..what he did would make people cringe now….took fire scissors and cut through inner fender to access the plug…..It was a different, culture I guess you’d call it, in the 60s and 70s, you did what you had to do and thought not much about it.
My Big Block 68 Camaro was easy to change the plugs. Ford front suspension with the shock towers made the engine compartment cramped. I also owned a 69 Cougar, 351, plug access wasn’t too bad on it.
shelbyGT500,
66 thru 69 Fairlane, Cobra, Torino, Talladega, Comet, Cyclone midsize and 67 thru 70 Mustang, Cougar, GT500 ponycars with the FE engines were a good source of income for me back in the day. I put together a spark plug tool kit for myself with 3 different length spark plug sockets, 2 swivels, and 3 extension lengths.
For real fun I became the “expert” on installing Doug Thorley 180 Degree Headers for these cars !!! Go to http://www.fordfe.info/Exhaust/180FEHeaders.htm
You may have to page down to see an original DOUG’S HEADER add for the 180 Degree Headers for the ’66-’69 Fairlane.
I still work on cars and I can tell you that installing spark plugs and 180 headers on a 67 thru 70 Shelby GT500 is a pleasant walk in your favorite place compared to physically working on modern vehicles. Diagnostics on modern vehicles requires thinking, info, a good Diagnostic Scan Tool and experience. Physically replacing a part very often requires removing many parts, body contortion, small hands, cussing and praying. It is amazing how many pictures I sometimes take as I am removing something. A modern phone is needed to work on a modern vehicle! Today as I was doing a brake bleed on a 2010 Escape using a scanner (required when replacing the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit) for a short moment I chuckled thinking about vehicles with a single outlet master cylinder. Time and change marches on.
My brother has an original unrestored 70 Mach 1 428 CJ and 4 speed, in medium blue. Not sure if his is a CJ or SCJ though. Years ago before we realized it was going to really end up being quite valuable, I believe he was running 13.34 in the 1/4 with it. Since then he quit racing it and now it handles cruise night and car show duties, in addition to holding down the concrete in his garage.
When I bought my 69 road runner in 1974 It had the dealers plate on trunk lid
held on with three screws. I took three pendastars that are are the passenger side fender and put them on with adhesive to cover the holes. Every new vehicle I have had get’s the dealer sticker removed right away.
What a great car! What’s incredibly rare is a ’70 Mach with original wheels and covers as opposed to Magnum 500s, which Ford only installed on the Boss Mustangs that year (though Dealers’ might have added them)…
Thanks B302, because i hated when my Uncle called me every 6 months to go and help him to change the spark plugs while he had the car jacked up and the tires removed ,lol’
I just looked at the original listing on eBay. The seller wrote that it was purchased from the original owner in 2020, which makes him the second owner. But first in his list of highlights is stating that it’s a one-owner car. I would be wondering what else in the listing is inaccurate. Also, even if I were a millionaire, I couldn’t see myself dropping that kind of money on a car that’s too good to drive. That the second owner had it for only two years, if that, suggests to me that he only bought it with plans to flip it for a profit. I wonder what he paid for it…?
I did some digging…the original purchase of this car two years ago was from a public MECUM auction, listed here:
https://www.mecum.com/lots/FS1020-440448/1970-ford-mustang-mach-1-fastback/
…It had 34,853 miles then (as now apparently) — and sold for $99k.