Going into 1969, Ford was looking to generate some more excitement for the Mustang, which had been in production for five years. One of the solutions was the Mach 1, a performance model available only in the new “SportsRoof” body style (aka fastback). It sold well, but Mustang sales in total were down. In 1970, the styling was a little less aggressive, yet the Mach 1 (and Mustang) would continue to decline in demand. This ’70 Mach 1 is a rolling project that has already been treated to some new sheet metal, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Located in Jonesboro, Louisiana, this Mustang awaits even more attention (and budget) for the project to continue. Available here on eBay, the bidding stands at $7,000.
The VIN confirms this was a Mach 1 when it rolled off the assembly line. But the seller has been rebuilding the car using a regular ’70 fastback that was no longer viable. Speculation is that a 351 cubic inch V8 is under the hood, which is the correct displacement also according to the VIN, but whether the motor is original to the car is anyone’s guess. It will turn by hand but that’s about it since a lot of key parts are missing, like the radiator. The transmission is an automatic and the shifter is not installed but available.
The undercarriage of the Mustang has a lot of new pieces, such as the floor pans, seat risers, trunk floor, taillight panel, and front valance. There is no sign of the gas tank. However, the quarter and body panels are still in need of attention. Except for the windshield, which is cracked, this Ford has all its glass and parts of the exterior brightwork. Some of the interior is there and some is not. The seats will need to be redone along with the dash pad. No mention is made of the door panels.
If you were to take on the rest of this project, there’s no reason not to continue down the path of restoring it as a Mach 1 because that model would be more valuable. For purposes of carrying it home, the Mustang should roll just fine, and it has disc brakes up front to help it stop.
$7000.00? A bargain at twice the price!
More of the Shell Game…
Too little info, too much price for this one. By the look of the motor in this one, someone going to need some deep pockets to finish this one.
We need a site called Mustang finds.
Its rough to be sure , but its a lot better than many Mustangs that get posted here . If all the outside sheet metal is factory Ford and repairable that’s a big plus over aftermarket replacements. the interior ? heck ,on any restoration most old interiors are chucked anyway and interior replacement kits for Mustangs are plentiful . The engine ? original or not, you’d still be pulling and rebuilding it ;as long as its rebuildable you’re still ok. The bad ? you would really have to check out the repairs done already especially the welded in parts. The big question for me is – was this the Mach 1, or was the parts car the Mach 1 ? It kind of reads like “this is a Mach 1 because the vin says its a Mach 1” and “you can redo it to a regular fastback if you want but it has a Mach 1 vin” , so was there some vin swapping? Its not hard to do , especially when you have (had ?) another fast back for parts. I know its illegal, but I’m sure it happens a lot more than most realize
The engine is a 351W, not a 351C as the seller thinks. That makes it highly unlikely to be the original engine. The seller must not be much of a Ford person since he does not know the difference between a 351W and a 351C.
My parents had one of these when I was a kid. My dad traded a 68 L78 396 Chevelle SS for it because my mother had trouble with the clutch. The Mach 1 had a 351 & automatic, my mother absolutely loved that car. My dad traded it for a new K5 Blazer in 73, & my mother is still not happy about it almost 50 years later. Sold for $11k, seems like well bought to me, but I have too many projects to finish already, even if I did have the space for it.