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Torn Out Of The Barn: 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Ford introduced a new, hot version of its popular Mustang in 1969, the Mach 1. In its first year, it was one out of every four pony cars the Ford division built. The company suits continued the strategy into 1970 with the usual yearly styling updates, such as going back to single headlights. This ’70 Mach 1 was finished in red paint with a black interior, the hottest Mustang color combination. But in the early 1980s, it found itself tucked away inside a pole barn, and more stuff got piled in front of it as the years went by. This is the story of how the once primo car got its freedom, with the full skinny here on Motorious. Thanks, Larry D, for another cool tip!

A barn-find hunter got wind of a Mach 1 that was held captive in the middle of rural Michigan. He had been wanting one of these muscle cars for himself, not something to flip that would keep driving up vintage car prices. Upon arriving at the scene, the car’s savior determined that digging the auto out the “regular” way wouldn’t get the job done. It was in the far corner of the barn, and you’d have to take everything else out to get to it. That would include another buried car, an RV, a tractor, and tons and tons of anything else you can imagine.

So, the best solution “the team” came up with was to take apart the wall that the Mustang was backed up to. The operation was quite involved and sometimes dramatic, so it was documented with a video that you can check out for yourself. Once the partial disassembly of the building was completed, the car was finally extracted, and the hunter was able to better assess what he had gotten himself into.

After being loaded on a trailer and getting a bath, the Mustang looks a lot better than you might expect after 40 years. And the hood scoop indicates that a 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet V8 came with the Ford when new, further sweetening the pot for a performance machine that saw the production of more than 40,000 units in 1970. We hope another story pops up after the car is back on the road so we can learn the challenges that may have surfaced in making the barn-find hunter’s dream come true.

Comments

  1. Avatar angliagt Member

    I knew a guy who bought one just like this in (I think)
    the same Reddish/Orange color about 1975.It was in near-
    perfect shape,& I remember him saying that he paid $1000
    for it.
    Oh,how times have changed.

    Like 13
    • Avatar Bruce Armstrong

      I bought a Shelby GT500 for $1000 in 1974 with 63000 miles on it . Still have it in Australia :)

      Like 8
      • Avatar Desert Rat

        Bruce i hate you… just kidding but, boy am I jealous.

        Like 4
  2. Avatar T. Mann Member

    My 70 Mach1 had a 351 Cleveland and factory shaker hood.
    Looked Real Bad, wasn’t.

    Like 10
  3. Avatar T. Mann Member

    It was light blue.

    Like 4
    • Avatar TCOPPS Member

      Was it a 4-speed? My mom has that exact spec car only it’s now midnight blue

      Like 1
    • Avatar T. Mann Member

      Factory 351 Cleveland
      Factory shaker hood
      Factory 2 BBl carb
      I did not know that combination could be ordered?

      Like 1
  4. Avatar ThunderRob

    Saw this a week ago on Jerry Heasley’s youtube channel,he is the #1 barn find reporter(i guess he’s a reporter of them?) in the U.S. written many books..featured monthly in MCR among other things.Highly recommend his channel plus his downhome relaxed style.

    Like 11
  5. Avatar DAVID B. Member

    I have always loved the style of the 1970 Mach 1 I guess that’s why I have owned 6 over the years and still have one that I will never sell. The prices of these cars now is crazy!

    Like 5
  6. Avatar Jay E. Member

    The video is great, especially when it comes across the 428 on the hood, the louvers, the wing, the wheels, what a find. Joe must have treated the owners very well and with respect as there is no sadness in their demeanor. What a car, once in a lifetime for sure.
    OK, THIS might be the greatest true Barn Find ever.

    Like 6
  7. Avatar Desert Rat

    Well, as usual when I see a 70 mach 1 I have the worse sellers remorse. I had a 70 mach it was only a 351 but it was a true msch 1 and at the time about 12 years ago the prices were no where near where they are now. It came down to my 69 camaro that I had owned for several years or the mustang, I could at the time build both so being a chevy guy I sold the Ford was too cheap. so that bothers me but I still wish I had a car like this but doubt I’ll ever get a nother and that really bothers me…

    Like 3
  8. Avatar douglas hunt

    looks killer while he’s washing it ……

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Larry D

    @Russ Dixon

    You are quite welcome, Russ. And thank you, too.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar RMac

    Thunderbob and Jay e ever see Tom Cotter’s episode 5 of barn find hunter? He finds a 67 shelby GT 500 hidden away and buys it he has many awesome episodes and many books also

    Like 3
    • Avatar Cattoo Member

      I also really liked the episode where he found that for 28 four-speed station wagon one of one that he bought that car is sweet.

      Like 0
  11. Avatar RMac

    Yes that 68 country squire 4speed 428 wagon is sweet he drives that quite a bit instead of the woody I have seen him driving both

    Like 1

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