Ford introduced the Mach 1 in 1969 as one of its new high-performance Mustangs. These would prove to be popular and lasted through the Mustang II era which ended in 1978. One out of every five Mustangs sold in 1970 would be a Mach 1, including the seller’s car. In reviewing the photos provided by the seller, it appears this Mach 1 could be one of the rare Twister Specials of which only 96 fastback Mustangs were built. The seller doesn’t mention this key point at all, so perhaps it’s a clone, but for the asking price, we could also assume it’s the real deal. Located in Mentor, Ohio, and part of a collection for sale, this Mach 1 is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $59,000.
The Mach 1 name would resurface in 2003-04 and again in 2021. Ford first used the name in the 1969 display of a concept car called the “Levacar Mach I” at the Ford Rotunda. This display used a cushion of air as propulsion on a circular dais. Early Mach 1’s only came with the “SportsRoof” fastback body style, never on a hardtop or convertible. Besides some performance upgrades, the Mach 1 was also a visual package with a matte black hood treatment with pins, hood scoop (including optional Shaker scoop), competition suspension, chrome pop-open gas cap, revised wheels with Goodyear Polyglas tires, and more.
Thanks to an ill-fated program with American Raceways International, Ford partnered with its Kansas City sales district to accept delivery of 96 specially prepared Mustangs which would be called the “Twister Special.” Half of them were fitted with the 428 Super Cobra Jet V8 and the other half received the 4-barrel 351 Cleveland engine. All of them wore Grabber Orange paint with side stripes, special rear quarter decals, and the shaker hood scoop. This sounds like the seller’s car which has the 351.
The seller’s car is one of the remaining automobiles from a collection, many muscle cars, which has been thinned to under 20. We’re told this Mach 1 has been driven 84,000 miles but has spent the last 40 years of its life indoors. With a manual transmission, the automobile is said to have had only two owners. The body and paint look good, as does the interior, but everything is dusty from sitting. The seller does not mention if the car runs or how well.
Online price guides suggest a 1970 Mach 1 can be worth more than $80,000, so if the seller’s car doesn’t need a lot of work, the asking price might be considered a bargain. But if it’s one of the 48 Twister Special 351s sold out of Kansas City in 1970, would that be worth a premium? Or this may be just one more car the seller is parting with and doesn’t know much of the history of the automobile.
This is neither a 70 Mach1 or a twister,,, there were no rear quarter scoops on the mustangs in 1970.
Shaker is off a Torino also.
In looking the add over, I am going to say that this is indeed a Twister Mustang. Everything looks right and I don’t believe that those Twister add-ons for the quarters were reproduced. The seller is very forthcoming about how to contact him and payment in the ad. More information about this potentially very rare Mustang would be helpful, price and car considered. Selling your car can at times be a somewhat stressful process granted, but there are ways to verify funds during the process. I myself sold my BB Mopar thru a Broker to a gentleman in Norway. I was indeed nervous about the process, especially an out of the country sale, but the Broker used excellent communication and made me feel at ease. $59K is a lot of coin. An individual wanting to potentially hand it over in the sale should be taken in with polite consideration. IMHO of course. :)
Here, you can buy the entire Twister graphics kit for $161.95…
https://www.ebay.com/itm/301571844600
Gus, whatever happened to your Volvo wagon? I’d love to buy it and I don’t think….well, let’s face it, you won’t be driving it anymore.
Interesting, but I wonder why someone swapped the original shaker for a Torino shaker.
Most likely not an original shaker hood car. Has a shelby style roll bar and 1969 grill emblem. Just stuff people did in the 70’s. All the cars look like they have been sitting a long time. All on old bias ply tires and dirty from sitting. Someone had a nice collection that was neglected towards his/her end…Cool car, and asking all the money for it.
Seller is a little off. $59k for this? Outrageous
If it’s indeed a twister, a Marti would tell, all twisters came with shakers.
Wheels aren’t right either…but can’t say as I blame the owner for that. The original wheels were ugly…
Its the baby Twister Cleveland.
I would race to Cleveland for the 428 edition 😉
One thing that makes me question this car is the that the body doesn’t appear to be a 1970 or at least the rear quarters are 1969 since it has the side scoops. 1970’s shouldn’t have them. The side scoop is the main reason I prefer 1969 Mach 1’s to 1970’s.
I agree the 69 front end and side scoop made it a better looking model year. Is it possible this was made mid year 69 and a half that might explain the 69 rear quarters and 70 front end?
The lack of punctuation in his “ad” is bad enough.
The quarter panel scoops hint at something being shade with this car.
A 1970 front end on a 1969 chassis doesn’t bode well. Also has the incorrect shifter. Seller wants proof of funds, but seller offers little detail. At a moment show the Marti along with a partial VIN
It’s a Clone.. Not the Real deal! All Twister’s start with 118 on Vin numbers.
Pretty high for just a 351 70 Mustang.
it’s not even a 70,,, it’s a 69 with a 70 front clip… quarter panel scoops give it away on the outside,,, seatbelt cups in the center console give it away on the inside…
There are a number of non-1969 details. The 1969 had hood latch pins, not the push and twist latches. The grill is 1970. Mach I seats had red backrest inserts.
A Marti Report with verification of a Kansas DSO would be warranted for this kind of money.
I could be wrong, but the rocker covers don’t look like they are from a Cleveland, they look like they are from a Windsor. Rather have the Cleveland,
1) for the rarity,
2) for the added stock performance, alot more torque.
Nice car, but again a Marti Reprt and VIN Check would be a must.
Could be wrong, went to the FB ad, the rockers are Flat, just like a cleveland. The picture on Barnfinds looks like the flats are canted out…
A rare Mustang Twister Special should be easy to prove, it’s called a Marti Report which is relatively inexpensive. My guess is that it’s not mentioned in the ad because this was already done and it came back as a Mach I Mustang nothing more. Now that you have that knowledge you can’t claim otherwise so it’s best not to say anything at all and just let someone think/hope its truly a Twister Special, I mean it has to be right? Color, stripes, shaker…………
Looking at the photos and surrounding cars this is truly yet another case of an owner collecting more cars then they have time to enjoy or not having adequately accessible storage wherein the cars end up shoehorned in as a result not able to be driven and enjoyed by owner and admired by others.
In the end, based upon what the owner paid, the cars will likely be sold for more than cost to purchase years ago but inversely that depending upon many factors (costs to insure, store them, etc) it may not have been the best return on investment especially if never got to enjoy them unless their thing was to enjoy simply knowing they owned them.
I will say that although such ownership saddens me, it is nice if they “preserved” them for others to someday enjoy. And this is better than the cars that end up bought and never enjoyed while not stored correctly or bought as a project but never completed.
*than
Maybe they are asking that price because of the HO slot car set in the back of the car.
Pretty sure I had that slot car set. 69 Camaro and Mustang.
70 front sheet metal with a 69 body and looks like a Torino scoop.
Fake. Worth about $15-20K. It would be $25-30K but, you’d have to unf&$% it.
You too can make your Mustang a Twister Special for only $161.95!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/301571844600
70 Front End, 70 Tail Lights ……..69 Quarter Panels, E-Bay Stickers. What’s Not To Love. I might have to make my 2002 & 2019 F-150’s Into Twister Specials So I can double the price.
Shaker hood scoop is off a Torino, ‘69 scoops are a dead giveaway also.
The Aurora Model Motoring Raceset in the back of the car was sold from 1965 thru 1969. The sets back then did not always come with the cars pictured on the box.
The Aurora Model Motoring Raceset in the back of the car was sold from 1965 thru 1969. The sets back then did not always come with the cars pictured on the box.
The Aurora Model Motoring Mustang Mach 1 was sold from 1970 thru 1972. Colors are yellow, white, red, medium blue, and dark blue.
RaceMasters AFX released a 1970 Boss 429 in Grabber Orange in the last five years or so. AFX slotcars are alive and well and can be bought from local HobbyShops and online hobby shops. Many shops also sell on eBay. I have five GrandSons that race and collect AFX Slotcars.
There are other brands of HO slotcars but after buying a half dozen my GrandSons told me they are junk. Young Boys don’t hold back, they come right out and let you know what’s up.
No reinforcement under the hood for the shaker ring ????
After reading all the comments if it were cheaper I’d buy it and name it “Frankenstang.”
What’s that old saying: buyer beware
The car definitely looks to be pieced together. There are a lot of tell tale signs it is a 69 that has been made to look like a 70. It has the 70 steering column with 69 Mach 1 wheel. The drivers door panel has the 69 rectangular remote mirror bezel. 70 is round. 70 seats with gray stripe and 69 console. I’d like to see the tail light panel and remove door panels to see if door glass is glued in or bolted in. Also take a look at the brake booster if it has power disc. The plunger attached to the pedal should be straight not offset and pedal is different as well for 70. IMO the car is suspect.