The big Mustang. The one Ford put out right before they almost killed the car altogether with the 1974-78 Mustang II (I know they sold a lot—that’s not the argument). The Mustang with the almost-flat rear window. All of those things describe this 1971 Mustang Mach I 429 Cobra Jet, currently at auction here on ebay with only a few days left. It’s located in New Baltimore, Michigan should you bid high enough.
There are even more ways to describe this car. How about screaming monster muscle car? Gas devouring budget breaker? It’s verifiable when you realize how many words and letters it takes to fully describe this model. To that business about Cobra Jet above, add J-Code and Ram Air. All of that adds up to a horsepower number, wink wink, of 370. Torque was 450 ft.-lbs., again a number that existed to make it possible for someone to own this car and get insurance on it.
The claim is that this Mustang has but 32,000 miles. Too bad it’s not “original”—it’s had a repaint, which the seller calls “nice driver quality.” Then he says, “It appears there was some filler used in the body work as most do.” Well, OK, a high-build primer and skim coat are sometimes part of a high-end body restoration, but then there’s high school kids with buckets of Bondo. Which is this? And that Ram Air system that adds value? Gone. He suggests you buy one new, since they’re easily available. Makes you wonder how hard those 32K miles were. This big brute has taken something of a beating.
But it sounds good when running, and it looks all complete. Some images of the interior look better than others. Peeking in the driver’s door suggests some wear, where a shot in the passenger door has things looking newer and shinier. Under the hood could use some detailing, but adding up that space, the body and its potential needs, and an original interior which is intact but not perfect, gives you a local show car, not a national meet winner, and the seller pinpoints the car exactly as that. No matter what, if you can verify the provenance of that enormous engine block, and drive it yourself to see how straight and smoke-free it tracks down the road, you’d best jump in here if these bids stay where they are. This is muscle car royalty at a commoner’s price, for now at least.
I would want to see the jambs on this car, as well as, the inside of the rear valence. It looks like this car may have had the rear clip replaced. It’s definitely been in a rear end collision. The paint has not been matched properly either. Would need to see this one in person for sure before buying.
Waaaaayyyy too many questions on this one for $22,600. Something’s amuck here.
I am the seller of the Mach 1. I have the marti report, door tag, etc. it’s the real deal. The price of $23,000 seems low but it has nearly a week left. People don’t start bidding until time is winding down. Trust me it will go much higher than 23k lol
Is the engine original to the car? Can you share the casting numbers from the engine block, cylinder heads and intake manifold please.
Is the Mustang script underneath the Mach I on the front fender original to the car? Mine didn’t come with those. Those would be original to a grande and not a Mach I.
This car is too cheap,there are foxbody mustangs going for $20k.something is not right here.This is a “don’t worry about it…it fell off the truck” kind of price….
I guess you don’t understand how auctions work, either. It’s now up to $32,700.
Agree with most of the “Buyer beware” comments above, although not advertised as a MCA Thoroughbred winner, there are numerous items that give “cause for pause” ( ex: Mach 1’s would not have the Mustang script on the fenders-someone left them on, from probably the donor car and crammed the Mach 1 decals in on top of them, no honeycomb taillight panel- this one has the Boss 351- specific blacked out panel with no trim panel added meaning the (often rusty) taillight panel was probably replaced and the trim panel never reinstalled, seat upholstery is some weird “kinda close” but poor recover, has the very popular but not correct ‘73 pop-off gas cap, the blackout hood section is once again close-but-not-exactly right pattern. The overall presentation of this car smacks of “it needed a lot and it was done quickly with a number of corners cut”. Yes most if not all the Ram Air components are available as knock-off repops, but original components are gonna cost good money. With all that said- if she goes cheap enough (unlikely) , it might not be a horrible base to start from.
And Shawn P, yes- there are at least a few of us who appreciate the ‘71-‘73 big bodied Clydesdales. Keep the faith, Shawn – there are plenty of nice Lancias on the site for you to enjoy.
Happy Labor Day weekend to all Laborers and retired laborers!
some opinions are like noses..
ya, S.P., the only (eyes roll)
I don’t think you can find anything better for the price unless it’s a Corvette C3 with a big block or the 1990’s ZR1! There is something so cool about this body style with that flat glass rear window that just is bad ass ! I know I’m only 60 yrs old & many hate this model year but I grew loving it ! If only I had the cash I would vote with my wallet & show everyone my tail lights which would look cool , you would see lol!
I had a ’71 BOSS 351 with functional ram air, you would think…
My dream car right there.
I’d take a Boss 351 over any car ever.
?? S.P.
your comparison is off, and suggests larger women cant be hot, AND what size are you ?, are you even worthy of a ‘hot’ girl ? i bet your not that fit/trim yourself.
The size of the car is the result of the era it was designed in and purpose for: racing , high speed racing.
All the boys on here who need big blocks, well, how do you stuff a 429 in a mustang AND make it aero dynamic ..
Ya, hense this 71; get it ?
Plus size can not be hot
Well actually they can be hot if sweating is considered HOT
I like them tiny …
I am the seller. There is nothing dishonest. I have the marti report, door tag, etc. it’s the real deal. The price of $23,000 seems low but it has nearly a week left.
If this is a ram air car, where’s the original air cleaner?
68 square backs are all over.Negative comments suck.69 Mach One’s rule.What Mustang fan would not want one of the last real classic Stangs.✓ my last comment.P=poor taste or panzy.
These have grown on me (no pun on the size intended) nothing better than the 65-66. But these are sharp. Much better looking tyan the 70. Oddly the 69 is my 2nd favorite after 65-66. But the front clip on the 70 is UGLY in my humble opinion. And that’s all it is. I know 70 is some folks favorite.
It’s kinda ugly. And maybe a bitsa.
JMO.
Geesh, tough crowd here. The peanut gallery roars on this site.
I hope nobody here finds mine, when we list it for sale next year…
Tough crowd indeed. What’s wrong with the ford guys? It’s my car, looks runs and drives awesome. It is the real deal. Was never described by me as a show car or concourse winner. People are crazy!
They’re just tryin’ to get on your good side. Good luck with the sale.
Hi What color is this ?
You’ll be crying all the way to the bank, judging from how your auction is currently going! Good for you. It’s a beautiful car.
68’s didn’t get any 351, 69 had the 351 Windsor, the 351 Cleveland came out in 1970. Was your car retrofitted with the 351c, or are you misremembering the engine or the year of the car.
Something puzzles me. The seller says this is grabber green. I had a 71 Fastback in grabber green and it was a much different color than this car. I would love to see the Marti report
I love them, probably my second favourite models after the 69’s, we don’t all think alike.
Me too! My Dad bought a green glow ’72. I was 17 in,1974. I worked 30 hours a week after school. He gave me the car. I paid the payments. He insured it, until I got a couple of tickets. My fault, just a stupid kid. Dad sold the Mach. Never will forget it. I loved that car! I waxed it once a week. Good times!
Would be good to know details in body damage, aside from there may be some filler used. Most folks that know cars can offer honest details if they’ve gone over the car in person. I happen to like this body, the color, and especially the drivetrain. Would be good to hear about the repairs and what looks like variance in re-painted panels….since the seller is watching this thread.
When you read the owners description on eBay the grammar is off just a bit… Always makes me a little bit nervous
Get on the phone and call if it makes you nervous.
grammer is off ?!?,
so if a car enthusiast doesnt have perfect grammer the cars no good ??
Hey A. what world do you live in ?, car enthusiasts are not Engkish majors (typically) and even if so, its not a book report, its a car, a classified post ..
perhaps you watch too much TV ?, and theres always some bad guy and a detective
LOL
sometimes theres a car that isnt sold by a capitalist, that isnt asking the most money possible.
Sometimes, people just want to sell the car, move it on.
ahhh, anyway
on another hyper critical note:
this car is not a ‘barn find’
but
it sure is a find , and has AC !
someones dream is about to come true
This car sold at Mecum Auctions in Harrisburg 2023 for $20,000
Are you sure Terry? What you say to that seller, if true.
I am absolutely positive…I have the auction recorded on my DVR.
My brother bought a 1971 Boss 351, brand new ( in 1971) , he liked it enough to still have it today, 1 of 1806 , rarity speaks for itself
Dave, that sounds like a beautiful ride your brother has.
71′ Boss 351is a car I need before I die.☠️
Great model 71 + big block obviously needs work & complete body work to remove bondo + new paint whatever suits ya.
It’d be a smash hit here in Munich Germany.
A complete contrast to all the 911s.
I’ve seen a few old vettes a Cobra 1 challenger a snuff 69 camero a 57 Chevy & 2 Duece coupes that’s about it.
Here they think a 74 Chevy Malibu is a muscle car.
Plus they regulated out all mods – so a factory 🏭 71 big block that you can add Factory hi perf parts to is the platform.
Add side euro marker lights it’s good.
I think it go for around low 40s considering boomers have lost their minds regarding these cars from their highschool years
But then again so is a 74 Laguna S3 454, or doesn’t that count as a 1974 Chevy Malibu that has a BB and able to buy all sorts of after market Hi Perf Parts for lol? I was never a Ford guy but I always was told the 428 was the CJ and the 429 was a SCJ and never had a tag on the air cleaner as simply a 429-4V like a Low Perf station wagon version. I recently put Aluminum Hi Perf heads on a 77 Lincoln and got a 70 429 SCJ intake that I couldn’t use because the ports on the intake were the size of a medium plum and the heads were MUCH SMALLER too the point it kept sucking the gaskets in under it. A way to tell if it’s a real 429 Hi Perf CJ Engine is if it’ll smoke both rear tires 300 feet at HALF THROTTLE, if it don’t it probably ain’t! Everything on this looks like a mid 70’s 460 Lincoln engine too me, and I’ll bet it don’t even have a dual point distributor in it.
Yes 429’s were SCJ but they were also CJ and just a 429. I’d be interested in how THAT air cleaner would work with a ram air hood. All of this aside, he’s claiming that all of this is original and NOT add ons that Ford guys do know.
It’s already up to $32,100. You do know how auctions work, right?
Eleanor was my favorite movie car chase scene still is I think 1 tough ass hauling mustang
Thank you all for the feedback on the car, both positive and negative. My phone has been blowing up on it all day. So much interest it’s hard to keep up!
Again, many people think the asking price is $23,000. That is not the case- it is an auction and the bidding is over $32,000 now with a few days left. Someone is going to get a very nice and rare car.
I see a lot of comments on the “filler” I mentioned. Being truthful as possible there is some on the rear quarters towards the bottom. The car overall looks nice and definitely does not need repainted as someone mentioned above. Please view all pictures and video.
If you are interested please call or text me. My number is in the description. Thank you again.
You may not but I would. Chicks dig it (by the amount of photos they take by it). And mine is not as nice as this one is but there’s a lot of people out there that love this car. Everywhere I take it, someone has to come and say hi and ask about it.
The 1968 Mustang Model year did not offer a 351 V/8.
Some guys are brutal. Thanks to
Some for looking out for everyone.
Mr. P, You didn’t start at double the selling price so most of the negative is from bad intuition something that l’ve had many times at the Black Jack table and counting my losses l’ve been wrong a lot.
Wow! https://www.mecum.com/lots/1095687/1971-ford-mustang-mach-1-fastback/ This car does NOT have staggered rear shocks, which ALL 429 cars had. This car is a re-body. I doubt it has a 429CJ in it. The motor looks like a run of the mill 429. Someone is bidding way too high on this car, and the guy flipping it is on his way to a 50% return. Not bad. Caveat emptor.
@pastrarerides,
Can you please provide the casting numbers from the engine block, cylinder heads, and intake manifold? Block casting number is on the passenger side near the starter. Cylinder head numbers are in the middle of the head between the valve cover and exhaust manifold. Intake casting number is on top next to the carburetor.
I updated the eBay listing
Please view photos showing the Marti Report, ORIGINAL dealer bill of sale, vin tag and door tag.
Validating people’s concerns of the car not being authentic.
Thank you and good luck!
I love the color. My favorite year is the 67s but this car looks so cool.
Patsrarerides: The documentation you provided does nothing to prove that this car was NOT re-bodied. The door tag is clearly a Marti reproduction. The Marti report is computer generated. The VIN tag riveted on top of the the dash is likely original but even it can be reproduced, and the entire part holding the VIN tag can be moved from one car to another in less than a minute. The things that are NOT so easy to change are the partial VINs stamped on each of the shock towers or on the engine block or transmission. Even as a re-body the car can hold SOME value if the factory drive-train has been retained during said re-body. The one thing on this car that SCREAMS re-body is what appears to be NON staggered rear shocks. Please take 10 seconds to provide a picture from the back of the car showing the driver’s side shock in relationship to the rear-end. It should look like this:
It takes 1 minute to put a vin on?! Are you serious? You must be a good scam artist. Get a life, Ken
Do you know these cars Jerry? Because I do and I own 30 of them. The plate on the top of the dash that holds the VIN tag slides into the dash with three clips. The 71-73 Mustangs are the easiest to swap numbers of pretty much any car made during that time period.
Surprised Noone has mentioned the Marti report lists a 4 speed. Pictures show an automatic trans.
Please read the description before commenting. It clearly states it was converted to automatic.
This picture clearly shows that the car does NOT have staggered rear shocks which ALL 71 429CJ cars had. 4 speed swapped to auto. Motor looks like it came out of a Thunderbird. Car has A/C but the car left the factory without A/C. Original color was Grabber Green Metallic and this car is covered in 1970 Grabber Green. Someone is going to be very disappointed when they find out they bought a re-body and one that was not done right at that.
With all due respect- you are a jokester. Please educate yourself. I will take the “10 seconds” for serious buyers. Not you clown.
I am no jokester. I take these 71 Mustangs very seriously and have owned over 100. I still owned over 30 and some are the rarest ones in the world.
Pat, hahaha, you have no idea who you are taking to. You’re just angry because Kevin is calling it like it is. He has forgotten more than you will ever know about these j codes.
If you want to shut the critics up once and for all, pull a fender and post a picture of the partial VIN you find. I bet you won’t!
Kevken1959- Before you comment nonsense look closely! You can clearly see the car has staggered shocks (zoom in on the left side where it’s viewable)
Also, that is clearly not a T-Bird Motor (I am a Thunderbird enthusiast, club member and owner) it has an aftermarket intake and air breather but indeed a 429 motor. Also I owned a 71 SCJ. The seller stated it has an automatic swap completed and missing Ram Air components.
Your remarks are false.
Jerry, are you talking about the picture I posted that shows the shock with the orange paint daub? That is a car with staggered shocks. The other picture I posted was of his car showing what appears to be non staggered shocks. Please post the picture to which you are referring. If I am wrong I will admit it. If you own a 71 SCJ, then you know the difference between painted steel valve covers and finned aluminum valve covers. At least show me a picture of the DOOE-R stamped on one of the cylinder heads. That would at least show that the heads are Cobra Jet heads. Here’s a picture of a 1970 Thunderbird with an N code 429. Sure looks like the same motor to me.
Uhhh, show us, jerry. Would love it if you imparted your vast knowledge of j code 71 mustangs upon us! SHOW US!!
I like this car. Haters gonna hate, I guess. Beautiful paint color, fit and finish, everything clicks for me. I just live too far away and don’t have the dinero.😢
Not hate when an expert like kevken weighs in with actual observations that could and should save somebody a lot of money and grief.
There’s two choices on steering wheel .
2 spoke ( standard) or 3 spoke woodgrain rim blow. This has some aftermarket
3 spoke with mustang emblem attached to the hub …..am I the only who sees this???
A very interesting thread. An expert who has concerns, a seller who seems legit. I see a lot of small things that give me pause, I mean who does a paint job on a car like this, but just tapes, rather than removes, the chrome trim?
If I were interested, (I’m not as I don’t like this years styling), I’d be pretty pissed if I spent the time and money to inspect it in person and find the truth was somewhere in the middle.
A Mecum sale speaks volumes as a LOT of people looked at it and it only drew 20K.
Excellent points, Jay!
Oh! And it has an 8 inch rear end in it, LMFAO!
You can’t even see enough of the rear-end to tell if it’s a 8″ or 9″, and only a 6 or a 302 would have an 8″
You CAN see enough of the bottom of the rear end to tell that it is in fact an 8 inch rear end if you have looked at thousands and thousands of pictures like I have over the years, and you are correct that the 8 inch rear ends only came on 6 cylinder and 302 cars. Hence my conclusion (with all the other dozens of dependencies on this car) that the VIN plate from a J code 429 car was transplanted onto a donor car that in no way was anything like the original car. Not one piece of the original drive train is there. Not the motor, or the transmission, or the rear end which are all very high dollar components to replace. Ignorance on the part of the seller could be accepted as a reason for passing this car off as the “real deal,” but he is an experienced seller on Ebay, so I believe he knows what this car really is and is being deceptive to try to dupe someone into buying it.
Well, even though he has the right to sell it to anyone willing to pay the price. If he’s being honest (and that’s what it seems like) and someone having done their homework OR not, is willing to pay the price, then good for him. Good luck with the bids and hopefully the buyer knows what they’re getting.
It’s these peer to peer feeds that you see on Barnfinds, and BaT that I appreciate most when looking at dropping 10s of thousands of dollars on a vintage car that I cannot go and see before purchasing. Yes, it is easy to change the VIN plates via a Marti Repro – so this isn’t the tell all. The difference between a 429CJ “clone” and original car is also 10s of thousands – and would make sense (if it’s true) that this car sold for under $25k at Mecum. Calling this stuff out, doesn’t make you a hater. What is obvious on this car is that there has been some sloppy body and paint work – just how much filler, (some at the bottom, etc isn’t informative) and the details are impossible to tell from compressed online photos and video. There are, however, tell tale signs if you know what to look for. Right rear, a bow in the hood, mis-aligned panels, and door stripes. Only you can tell if this is a deal-breaker for you, maybe not, but does inform value for resale. Buyer should beware – a 429CJ should have a 9″ rear-end, and this is definitely an 8″ rear, and definitely not staggered. Also – on a 429CJ car, a 3.50 ratio was not available with AC – it would be 3.25. Sure, any of this stuff could have been changed and mixed over the 50 years this car has been in circulation – but ask yourself why, and know what you’re getting into, this is NOT a “survivor” car.
’68 with 351 in any form????
Must’ve been transplanted, huh?
What a bunch of crybaby comments, everyday we see total rust bucket junk on here for this kind of money, and the nitpicking over every little detail is ridiculous, so the car isn’t totally original, who cares, a 100 years from now, it ain’t gonna matter, it’s a great looking car nevertheless. Good lord almighty.
I have nothing to gain by nitpicking the car, but I do feel sorry for the guys bidding on this car because the seller is being down right deceptive in the way he describes the car. I have been burned on many many deals like this over the years, and I wish someone more knowledgeable had taken the time to steer me away from those deals. $32K may not seem like a lot, but for these cars they generally don’t bring the money you would think. I would not give $15K for this car.
Read the description nothing is deceptive. I plan on bidding! You’re a cry baby. I personally think the car looks fabulous. I’m also not a purist looking for a show winner. Maybe you are but the car was not described as that. Thank you for informing those interested. I’m sure I’ll get it cheaper that way. 😃
Jerry, if you had a shred of a clue about kevken and the cars he has or had you would eat your words and eat your heart out.
You are just clueless!
There is absolutely nothing “deceptive” about the post. The amount of pontificating and nonsense on this thread is astounding. Yes, YOU can tell 8″ from 9″ just from looking at a picture. SMH. . . So sad. This seller has nothing but positive reviews. And those who actually know what they are talking about have this car bid up to $32800.
Too bad barnfinds has attracted so many know-it-all trolls.
Well, Brian K – lots of interest from this posting, so congrats on that. Also lots of very knowledgeable people (as usual) on this site. And, for the most part, we’ve kept the comments somewhat civil. What a wonderful privilege it is to live in a such a wonderful Country where we can voice our opinions, favorable or not… and throw the occasional rock at one another. We’ll all live another day to comment on the next cool car… or discuss what we see as potential flaws with it. Sharing knowledge and opinions is one thing that make Barnfinds different from most any other site.
Yes, I don’t think I’ve had this many comments generated from an article I’ve done here, ever. I don’t think of the article as a finished piece, of course. You guys write the other half of the story with your comments and debates. My article is just the starting point. I do, however, appreciate good comments and civil ones. The odd correction is welcomed, too, but shredding people (writer or fellow commenter) is really uncalled for. I’ll keep reading now. Thanks for your comment.
Whoever buys this and expects a real 1971-429CJ is going to be really pissed when he pulls a fender back and discovers a different vin # on the shock tower. There is so much out of place and incorrect that I’m surprised the current bid is $32k.
Those who are attacking critical posters either don’t know what you’re looking at or are probably friends of the seller!
Or the owner using a fake name!
Kevkenbaby
Sep 4, 2023 at 5:26pm
Read the description nothing is deceptive. I plan on bidding! You’re a cry baby. I personally think the car looks fabulous. I’m also not a purist looking for a show winner. Maybe you are but the car was not described as that. Thank you for informing those interested. I’m sure I’ll get it cheaper that way. 😃
WOW, Kevin! How frustrating is this? If these people only knew your experience with these cars they would probably not be so unkind to you. Even the seller doesn’t know half the things that are wrong, or just chooses to ignore them, who knows? You have been very honest with the issues with this car, trying to point out the obvious problems and everyone thinks you have a personal vendetta against the seller. Couldn’t be farther from the truth.
From my experience with the SEVERAL 71-73s I’ve owned, this car has soooo much going against it, not just nitpicking things but MAJOR things wrong with it. This car SCREAMS re-body!! Which is a FELONY in the U.S.
all you can do is try to inform the uninformed. There are no shortage of uninformed enthusiasts on this site!
If the seller wants to be a good, solid, honest guy then pull the fenders back and show the world what numbers are under the fenders. Show the world what casting numbers are on the block, heads and intake. That will be total transparency. I would then, only then respect his honesty.
Where is the 9 inch with the 3:50 posi gears?
Where is the staggered shocks?
Where is the 5/8 rear sway bar?
Where is the competition suspension?
Where is the honeycomb panel?
Where are the numbers from the block and heads?
Where is the rev limiter?
Where are the cast aluminum valve covers?
It is a nice ride but those of you who would happily bid on it, then please do. Kevin and I would love to see the look on your face when you get it home. If I was to consider purchasing this, I would be putting eyeballs on it!
Those of you who are throwing stones at those who “intimitatley” know these cars are the village idiots here. Instead of casting stones at the few educated ones, turn off married with children and educate yourselves. Knowledge is power! Try it sometime.
Don’t let the monkeys ruin your day, Kevin. Glad you and a few others chimed in to try and help.
“Nothing is more dangerous than sincere ignorance & conscientious stupidity” – MLKjr.
Thanks Kevin, I appreciate your knowledge and honesty.
Thanks for the kind words Rob. I really appreciate you and dsafian as well. Yes, it is very frustrating. But I think most people on this thread get our point, and I do believe the ones hating me are friends of the seller who are trying to support him. In the end, the car will sell and the new buyer will make his way to one of our sites and he will undoubtedly be very sorry he bought the car once he is educated. His only recourse will be to give negative feedback to the seller, but he only has a limited time to do that. The information we shared here will likely not get to the bidders before the auction ends, but we tried. All this information, however, will be here for anyone, including the new owner, to reference for many years to come. The funny thing is that this car is perfect to sell on Ebay because they don’t have the free flow of information like we see here on “Barn Finds” or on “Bring a Trailer.” This car would be crucified on BAT. Those are some really tough critics!
Maybe I should put mine on ebay.
This is a Ford 8″ rear housing
This is a Ford 9″ rear housing, see that big indentation – the car in this ad doesn’t have one of these in it. A “real-deal” 429CJ would. Period. You can sell any car you want, and claim any thing you want – but if you misrepresent what you’re selling be prepared to get called out. This may be a beauty at 10′ but there’s more here than meets the eye, do your homework and don’t talk smack if you don’t know.
In other words – Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.
That said – good luck with the sale!
Wow! There is a lot of scrapping going on with this car. To the extent that I’m surprised it hasn’t been moderated. One thing for sure there is a wealth of knowledge on this site. On a lighter note my friend sent me a text yesterday asking my opinion about a car his neighbor let him borrow to take his drivers license when he turned 16. The original owner promised to give him first dibs on the car when he decided to part with it. Car is supposed to be all original except for the current wheels and convertible top. 100,300 miles 351 2V auto. To me the cars history is just as important as the vehicle itself. Think he stole it considering.
I found this post from our car club. People are seriously calling the seller and giving harmful threats. You people are sickening. Barn finds is not a good site.
Don, with all due respect, sites like Barn Finds are necessary to inform people in the car hobby about issues with certain cars or certain sellers. How else is anyone going to get the information they need if they either don’t have the time to physically inspect a car or if they don’t know what to look for? No one wishes the seller any harm. They, like me, know what it feels like to be burned on a car that is misrepresented, and their allegiance is to the guy about to get screwed and not to the guy doing the screwing. This car is being posted and spoken about all over the web, not just here. You can’t prevent that. 429CJ cars are the “Holy Grail” of the 71 to 73s, and they will be highly scrutinized. Anyone owning one should be aware of that.
I’ve been burned many times. The car looks nice and has all the ford paperwork everyone asked for. It’s not being sold numbers matching this and that. You guys are brutal. Go mopar!
Kevin, and everyone else, I just noticed one other very damming piece of evidence that solidifies this car as a 72.
I will reiterate that simply being in possession of a vehicle that the VIN has been tampered with is a FELONY, in all states. PERIOD. Taking one VIN and putting it on another car is a FELONY. The feds do not care what the circumstances are. I will put this in caps intentionally.
**THIS CAR IS BEING MISREPRESENTED. CLAIMED TO BE A 71 J CODE. THE BODY IS A 72**
if the seller was unaware or unwilling to share this. He is aware now.
Im a trans person of color, I have reported many people on this posting but I will not be silenced myself. Remove some of my posts and I will post more
My first look at the underside photo I was focused on the turn down pipes coming out of the mufflers and totally missed the 8″ rear axle. The seller still hasn’t provided the block, cylinder head and intake manifold casting numbers I have asked for twice so far. Kevken and a few others here are well aware of what I am about to share about the engine. Aside from the standard (Thunderjet) air cleaner assembly, we are seeing standard stamped steel valve covers, not CJ/SCJ valve covers. For those not in the know, these covers will not fit an engine with a CJ intake manifold. Also, A standard intake manifold will not work on an engine with CJ cylinder heads due to a massive port mis-match. The non-staggered rear shocks along with the 99.9% certainty that the car has a Thunderjet (passenger car) 429 are huge red flags that the entire original drive train has been removed from this car. If it is even a CJ car to begin with. As has been pointed out, the seller should pull the fender back and show 100% proof that the car matches the VIN shown in the ad. As has been mentioned, the buyer will be in for a huge surprise/disappointment when taking delivery.
Good points!! I have done some studying and there are several details that tell me this car is clearly a 72. I won’t go into all of them here.
The reluctance of the seller to reply to our questions tells me he knows.
This car is on several other forums and the truth is out that this is a rebody.
**the VIN has been documented this car will NEVER be a true J code.**
I feel bad for the next owner. It will be nothing but a nice driver.
@Rob S,
Yes. You would think at this point, with more than 24 hours left in the auction, the seller would do the right thing and add text to his listing, along with notifying bidders, that the car does not have a CJ engine, 9 inch rear, or staggered rear shocks. He should pull a fender as well to make sure he is not selling a VIN swapped car, which is a felony in all States.
My posts are getting deleted…..looks like we are being censored now
This car is a 72. LOTS of 72 specific items on it.
This is being misrepresented. The owner should know this by now. Why won’t he answer these hard questions?
Rob, Kevin, & educated others: please look at the very 1st comment on this car. And then the seller’s response. I seen it as an imposter right outta the gate. At 67, I’m still pretty sharp. I’ve certainly enjoyed y’alls “banter” back & forth tho I must say. Quite entertaining for sure.
Good catch rickrick! Very sharp eye!😉👍
Thanks. But seller was taking ?’s & seemingly playin’ ball but has disappeared. Hmmmm….I just wonder if it was dishonesty or felony that silenced him. Now I wanna see if the car actually sells.
Good call on spotting the fraud Rick! I’m 63, so we are close in age. All good points David and you taught me a few things. Rob, you’ve got me curious on the 72 thing. I know there were a lot of body specific changes from 71 to 73, but I can’t think of 71 to 72 changes you’d be able to spot in the pictures. If you are on the 7173Mustangs site hit me up and let me know.
Kevin, I am on 7173 forums. 6972boss. Shoot me a pm I will elaborate.
So I just thought of something else on this car. If they did a crappy outer body paint job without removing the moldings, which it sounds like, do you really think they repainted every square inch of the car? I wonder what color paint is under the carpet or behind the dash? Probably not Grabber Green Metallic I bet!
Thanks for all very knowledgeable information. I really appreciate it. Coming from me that don’t know very much about classics. But love mustangs. Hoping to own one some day
From all of us, you’re so welcome, Grovie! We’d love to have you. This is a good site to start with for more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/7173mustangs
Sold $41,766, 58 bids.
Truly unbelievable. I guess that’s good news for people who own the real deal. Their cars should be worth three times what this hacked up pos brought.
VIN / SERIAL 1F05J141211
(For when the detectives do a Google search on the vin# in the fraud case!)
Wow it’s hard to believe this car was bought 1 month ago for 20 grand when every other 71 scj 429 mach 1 sold recently for close to 100grand to a quarter mil. And then sold for 40 grand 1 month later . Seller just nicely doubled his money . But as a buyer I’d feel I just gave away 20 grand. How did this cars value double in a month ?!? Lol what could the buyers end game be ? Are they planning to buy and install the real scj components like a 9inch , a manual trans and an actual 71 429 out of an actual 71 scj mach 1 and then if all that is possible try to sell it for 100 grand to maybe make a profit. Id be scared to ever try to sell it as is with the vin saying 1 thing but all the drivetrain being incorrect. I can’t believe it just sold this way without the seller having to disclose all the obvious discrepancies. This car has got to have courts and lawyers in its future..
I totally agree Kirk. In all my years dealing with cars, I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s like the seller hit the jackpot. I’m usually lucky to break even on a car deal. I’ve never doubled my money on anything in a month, especially not a car. I do, however, pride myself on going out of my way to be as honest as possible when describing a car. I guess nice guys finish last :(
Whomever paid $41k+ on this car is unfamiliar with the detailed specs of these cars, and their value to the car – but in all likelihood, they will be VERY familiar by the time they get this car sorted.
It’s a bummer to see someone get fleeced – too bad they weren’t Barn Find subscribers, Lol. Gonna definitely keep my eye out for this seller on eBay (nickyp71), he seems to have quite a few cars for sale – although mostly trucks, nothing like a real 429CJ car. He’s obviously not a Mustang guy, and simply may not have known any of the details everyone was pointing out. Maybe he just figured he was right with the paperwork he had in hand, and thought everyone was just trolling him. Plausible, but irresponsible.
As a dealer it’s unethical at best, criminal at worst, that he would ignore all the info being thrown at him without at least consulting someone that knows…but as Rob S. said…the liability will be all his if the Buyer goes after him once he realizes it isn’t a “Real-Deal 429CJ car” as he advertised it.
Oh well, on Any Given Sunday…!
See ya on the next one gents!
Whomever paid $41k+ on this car is unfamiliar with the detailed specs of these cars, and their value to the car – but in all likelihood, they will be VERY familiar by the time they get this car sorted.
It’s a bummer to see someone get fleeced – too bad they weren’t Barn Find subscribers, Lol. Gonna definitely keep my eye out for this seller on eBay (nickyp71), he seems to have quite a few cars for sale – although mostly trucks, nothing like a real 429CJ car. He’s obviously not a Mustang guy, and simply may not have known any of the details everyone was pointing out. Maybe he just figured he was right with the paperwork he had in hand, and thought everyone was just trolling him. Plausible, but irresponsible.
As a dealer it’s unethical at best, criminal at worst, that he would ignore all the info being thrown at him without at least consulting someone that knows…but as Rob S. said…the liability will be all his if the Buyer goes after him once he realizes it isn’t a “Real-Deal 429CJ car” as he advertised it.
Oh well, on Any Given Sunday…!
See ya on the next one gents, it’s been enlightening!
Just a thought, if they think Mustang guys are bad, imagine if this was a Corvette sale!?
Those Vette guys would be rabid…Lol.
(I’m actually both, but wow!)
Maybe the buyer has stupid money and knows nothing about the 429CJ Mustangs and just wants bragging rights to one? But if that were the case, you’d think he’d find a real one. Not all people who have a lot of money know how to hang onto it. Maybe he just fell in love with the wrong shade of green on the car? A lot of buyers are attracted to the color of a car and overlook everything else. Maybe it will end up in a warehouse and never see the light of day again? It’s for sure, I think, that the buyer is oblivious to details about these cars that drive their values, like dsafian said. There are a lot of questions I hope will get answered. I for one and dying to know.
Amazingly, this car has a second life as it appears again here on Barnfinds 11/12/23. I guess the “sale” fell through.
https://barnfinds.com/no-reserve-cobra-jet-1971-ford-mustang-mach-1/