As a lover of almost everything bearing the blue oval, these photos are enough to make me whimper. This 1970 Mustang, with a genuine 68,000 miles on the clock, has definitely seen better days. I don’t really know what fate will finally befall this once beautiful car, but its future can’t be much worse than what it has already endured. The Mustang is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and is listed for sale here at Copart. I have to thank Barn Finder Nicholas T for referring this Mustang to us.
If the driver’s side of the Mustang looked bad, then the passenger side gets a whole lot worse. I really don’t know what this car hit, but I think it’s pretty fair to assume that whatever it was probably won the battle. At first, I thought that there might be some possibility of resurrecting the car, but there are enough kinks and bends visible in different locations to indicate that the shock from the impact has gone right through the shell, and the only thing to do would be to replace it. However, there are plenty of good parts and pieces still attached to the car that could be used on a new shell. Probably the biggest sticking point is the fact that the car now has a Tennessee Salvage Certificate, so how you would proceed from there varies across different states.
It looks like prior to impact, this Mustang was in good all-round condition. The interior certainly looks to be in great condition, and the vast majority of the interior trim and components look like they could easily serve in another car, or in a restoration project. What can’t be used is the engine, because that’s already gone. However, the manual transmission and the rest of the mechanical components all look to be present, and hopefully, they have survived the crash undamaged.
I think that the reality is that there will be one of two fates awaiting this Mustang. Someone may buy it for the tags and undertake a restoration using a donor shell. The other path may lie in this becoming a donor car to help someone to finish off an existing project. It will be interesting to watch this auction because with bidding only sitting at $1,750, I suspect that there will be a way to go yet.
Pick up truck high speed…
Who crossed the centerline?
Anybody’s guess…
I think someone else ran a red light from the right side.
Fitzrodss, actually it hit a SUV at the bottom of an off ramp. No one hurt seriously, put said SUV on it’s side. Came off interstate lost the brakes, SUV at bottom of ramp no where to go. Belonged to my Son-in-law’s father. Had just had the brakes gone over about a month before.
It’s heartbreaking to see this ’70 Mach 1 like this. I sure hope the owner had the car heavily insured. I would say whether one or two occupants in the front, either or both are lucky to be alive. I’m amazed at how with that amount of passenger front and side damage the passenger compartment stayed intact. I’ll let others take a guess at what order the damage occurred.
Nice goin’ yutz. Ruined one of the nicest cars made. Front end damage, especially this severe, is always the fault of the driver.
Last Saturday. 2/9/19. Temperature was 15 degrees. Roads were dry. Watched a yutz get a new Challenger sideways on Lebanon Church Road. There’s a time and place and knowing when is key.
hey Dave….you must live in Paducah Ky.
I…. you see… there just aren’t words. Most crashes are the fault of “the” driver. But how many drivers and which one.
True. THIS car is what hit something; not the other way around. You can tell some significant $$ was put into this prior to the accident; why on earth would ANYONE drive it so carelessly to have this happen?! I bet the poor sap is STILL crying over it. And the bar falls dead silent when he walks in, too.
Yeah, it looks a lot like a car I crashed when someone ran a red light and pulled out in front of me. It looks the same, down to the damages on the passenger side. So, it’s impossible to say it was the Mustang drivers fault.
Howard the yutz was my son-in-law’s father and the brakes went out exiting the interstate, SUV sitting at stop sign at bottom of exit ramp no where to go!!!!! Sadly brakes were checked out by a mechanic about a month earlier.
Junk
CHOP this up in little pieces AND throw it in to the english CHANNEL.
Time for a new Dynacorn body shell, add a little paint and then start swapping part.
Anyone notice all the glass remains intact ? Even the driver’s door?
Howard – how can you make such a comment – not knowing anything but what you see ?
Agree with Rough Diamond….
Here locally over the weekend we had two ambulance drivers on a call sent to the hospital at 3 AM in the morning by a driver – driving a truck – that ran a red light and was deceased at the sence – so no sobriety check completed on him
Apparently the truck that crossed over that time was my fault, I guess.
Because, look at the car involved. It’s not a Honda Civic. One of the most powerful cars made and someone, obviously not familiar with it, ran ‘er through the gears and lost it at a high rate of speed, couldn’t stop and plowed into something. A hit on the left side, or straight on, would suggest someone crossing center, or a T-bone hit, but this, it seems pretty clear to me, the driver screwed up.
Another case solved by Dick Tracy. One minor detail you wiffed on, Dick. It was hardly “one of the most powerful cars made”. Maybe you confused it with a Boss 429. Next time please add some diagrams of the crash scene. keep up the good work.
There’s some rich ignorance in Dick Tracy’s posts here. There’s a saying about assumptions……….
True Howard. Impact was to the offset front end, and it spun around causing further damage to the pass. side. All I can say is, I hope nobody was hurt badly. Cars come and go, and can be replaced. We can’t.
IDK, Frank, the ’70 Mach 1 351 4 speed was no slouch. 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and low 14’s in the 1/4, enough to intimidate anyone not used to that kind of power. Six two and even, over and out,,,
Unless the Mustang driver was proceeding through a green light and someone blew it, and he hit them. Or he was cut off from the right and hadn’t time to respond. Anyone ever tried pulling out of a driveway on a blind corner onto highway 219 north of Newberg, OR? A lot of things could have happened here, and it’s interesting to speculate, but that’s all we’re doing.
Parked while running.
I agree most accidents in someway could have been prevented by the drivers, BUT the catch to that phrase, is that includes the accidents you ,and I have been in,there is usually 2 drivers ,and some yuppie A-hole that drives his 70 hemisphere challenger like.pepaw drives his 99 crown victory sitting in his fluffy slippers eating a plate if wings telling everyone how stupid they were for enjoying their 69 mach while his dyno Corp reincarnation is sitting with a carpet runner and a drip can under it because the 19 yr old cracking head who does his oil changes at the jiffy lube stripped the plug. Drivers fault for sure.
Aren’t there new complete Mustang bodies available? If so, assuming the drive train is still viable, transfer that and the interior to a new body. Won’t be the same but better than it is.
Uh oh. Better get Dynacorn, and then Maaco.
It’s just a car – at least it was being used.
Looks like an intersection collision. It took it in the right front corner, then the back end came around and impacted to the right rear, I see it all the time.
Its a good parts car, not for a lot of parts but someone will need some of what’s left.
Ran when parked.
Oh man! That’s cruel. Funny, but cruel. Lol.
That’s a heart breaker for sure but the good thing is that it appears the occupants could walk away from this. That’s amazing considering how un-crashworthy these old cars are. The owner needs to go buy a lotto ticket..he or she is very lucky.
Looks as if the parachute failed to deploy
Looks like a 351 plate on the “scoop.” Actually, if conditions are right you should be able to generate that damage with a 6-cylinder.
I don’t know how long these Copart auctions last, but at $2,250 now, thats a whale of a parts car. From my boneyard working early days, my CSI says if the steering wheel is ok, occupants could be ok. There is a reason they are called bonyards.
Yiiiiikes this thing is hammered! I’m a local–maybe I should head over there and pay my last respects to this once-great pony.
M Code 4 speed wow. I’m surprised the glass is still intact. Full rear and interior, transmission possibly and Magnums look good so parts definitely equal more than asking price. Frame is gone and engine is a crap shoot. She will come back as part of some other beauty. RIP.
Parts car only
John Wick Edition
How did this car escape without the windshield turning to little pebbles or flying out of the opening? That interior shot looks like something out of the showroom literature when the car was new. That is, until you see the passenger door bowing inward. Certainly, a very good parts car and well bought if the price doesn’t get too crazy.
Who was driving this Mustang? John Wick?
This car has more damage than either John Wick’s or H.B. Halicki’s original Eleanor.
Damn nice parts car here! It could have been parked and smashed into by a dumb and dumber driver,just saying looking at the interior. I do feel bad if the owner had it punched to the floor,speed shifting, and then the “pucker”! As these are fast and can be tough to handle!
WOW the car did well! Looks like the people might have walked away.
Shame, it’s one of my favorite cars and I’m a Mopar guy. This is one reason I don’t drive my 69′ Dodge Dart Swinger 340 often. It has power drum brakes and takes a few extra feet to stop then the newer autos of today. You have to be a mind reader while driving so you can tell when the driver ahead is fixing to slam on the brakes or making a quick left turn in front of you. These older cars need extra room. Yes, I agree, that it is mostly the drivers fault with these older cars because you need to understand your car abilities.
Adam,
In your write up you say “What can’t be used is the engine, because that is already gone”. I believe you made that statement based on the listing putting a “NO” beside the engine area on their form. I believe that the engine is still in the car and that whoever wrote up the listing could not tell what size it was so they just put a “NO” on the form.
If you look at the hood in the photos you can tell that it has not been opened since the accident as there is no way the crinkled edges would match up like they do if the hood had been opened. Secondly if an insurance company paid off on this car they would want a complete car and would not allow the engine to be removed.
Looks like the car is still complete. I don’t think the hood had been opened in the picture.
A journey level body/frame guy with some good unibody/frame equipment would have that knocked out in a week or so…
Thumbs-up CATHOUSE,the chrome hood pins are locked in position,is the small block fried in place?Interior and glass look intact.
I’m assuming someone else already bought the motor. Just wonder on how many other items he or she has picked. Even without the motor the value of the “PART CAR” is well worth over the $2000 bid. Being “Totaled” the VIN # may be also “DEAD” and cannot be used again. Remember, many items on these can be bought aftermarket. There 9″ rear end and complete transmission set up alone is worth the current bid. Again, what a shame.
Humm I wonder where in Knoxville it is?Thats only 30 minutes from me.Bruce.
copart Knoxville is actually in Madisonville Tn
the listing under engine says “no” but if you look there is a blue valve cover seen In the side view. So this thing will bring 5k plus fees so about 6 to get it off the lot
Too many arm chair lawyers worrying about what happened to the car. It’s wrecked and now a parts car.
Hope that this car was well insured. Shame.
Everything wrecked on the tail of the dragon ends up at Copart Madisonville. Could have stomped on it out of a curve….
Years ago, I totalled my MGC, head on at 50mph. The doors shut cleanly, the screen stayed in. But the engine was smashed, the gearbox was smashed and so was the back axle.
One never knows, with a crash car, what’s salvable
f it was a KR 500 I would repair it back to factory specs.