Same Owner 39 Years: 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1
The Mach 1 arrived in Ford showrooms in the Fall of 1968 as a performance/ appearance option on the Mustang. It would initially be popular, comprising nearly 25% of Mustang sales in the first year. It was only offered in the SportsRoof body style (aka fastback) and could be equipped from mild to wild. The seller has owned this 1970 edition for 39 years and the goal was to eventually restore it. But that’s never happened and it’s time now for the project to move on to someone else who will.
Try as they could, Ford couldn’t stop the market share erosion of the Mustang. From a peak of 607,000 units built in 1966, the total was less than half that in 1969. Increased competition was most of the reason, so Ford decided to breathe new interest in the car with the Mach 1 in 1969. They had a hit on their hands at 72,000 copies in ’69, but the euphoria was probably short-lived. Mustang sales dropped to less than 200,000 in 1970 and the Mach 1 fell to sales below 41,000.
The seller’s 1970 edition was running when he/she bought it in 1985. We don’t know when the car quit being driven, but the accumulation of dust suggests many moons ago. It has a 351 cubic inch “Cleveland” V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor and 4-speed manual transmission. The rated horsepower was 300 and the optional Ram Air scoop on the hood probably helped add more. The seller theorizes that fresh gas and a battery might just help get the engine to turn over.
This Mustang has a rear spoiler and the optional louvers over the rear window (SportsSlats) which probably doesn’t help with visibility. The body seems fair, and the paint may have once been Lime Gold. The black vinyl interior seems nice but it’s mighty dirty from sitting for years. The odometer reads 85,000 miles which is probably legit, and the car is available near Omaha, Nebraska, and here on craigslist. The seller is asking $30,000 or the best offer but won’t entertain low-ball offers. He says he knows what it’s worth.
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Comments
Pretty car, well optioned. Unfortunately it has signs there is significant rust. The asking price seems high, but I don’t follow Mustang prices, if there is a small block Mach 1 in this condition worth the asking price, this would be it.
Steve R
Being a shaker hood car and a 4 speed, its potentially one of the more highly sought after 70 Machs. The interior is the nicest part Fully restored you better expect to buy it for your own enjoyment because its not gonna be worth much more than youll have in it. Love that color
Man, what a waste of machinery
I had a chance to buy one about 7 or 8 years ago. Same car except it was painted a bluish green colour. Body was perfect and but was probably an older restoration. Power steering but no power brakes. Car didn’t have the get up and go that you might expect from a classic car like this. But I still liked it. Should’ve bought it. Mechanic was selling it for $25k cdn.
Shoulda’, coulda’, woulda’. We can probably all sing that song, more or less.
Looks like it was stored with the windows down.
If owner was so sure of its worth he’d pull it outta storage & clean it up. He’d also get a battery & fresh gas for 30g’s. I mean this is my favorite classic of the Stangs. If I were an interested buyer, why would I visit? More pics are necessary to peak my interest also. At least it’s optioned nicely.
Its only worth selling for what someone’s willing to pay for it. As we said long ago in the car sales arena & still today, there’s an ass for every seat. So we’ll see what its worth to someone. Me, $20k MAX!
You are right on both counts. People often overlook the effect price. A long time ago, when CL was more relevant (early to mid-2000’s), someone had a project Chevelle listed in the SF bay area for years. It was a high end project, probably professionally done, it was to the point where the jambs were painted but needed paint and some assembly. The seller wanted over $40,000 at a time when well executed modified cars were asking in the mid-$20,000’s. I’m not sure what happened to this car, me and most if my friends stopped using CL on a regular basis while it was still listed, but it would likely still be considered overpriced today.
Good deals sell, overpriced items, even if advertised well tend not to.
Steve R
Worth lots more if it could get up onto a trailer under its own power….
As I’ve said in other posts, Mustangs were, for the most part gutless wonders that could not compete with Camaros on the street. They did fine in TransAm but in those days, drag racing was where it was at and Mustangs got their doors blown off by nearly every other performance car with 4 inflated tires on straight rims.
Having to do a partial engine extraction at every tune-up didn’t help.
What saved them was that they looked great and that is all that’s keeping them relevant now.
I had one. It was embarrassing to own.
I’d sure like to see some undercarriage shots of it. It looks like the flairs might be hiding the rust. The sports slats didn’t really affect rear visibility because it wasn’t really good to begin with. 🤣
I always loved the “I KNOW WHAT IT’S WORTH, DON’T LOWBALL ME” line on cars like this. I want so badly on some of those ads to ask them if you truly know what it’s worth why is it so nasty and covered in barn dust with 4 flat tires? If this is how you take care of a rare classic I’d hate to see your house, or your wife and kids lol.
Yep you know the deal.u
Wow!… Goin’ after a guys wife and kids because he has a dirty old car in his garage?… Is that what this site is about? I like to think that the car is dirty because he spends the majority of his free time with his family… I would be willing to bet that his family thinks he is a great guy and they couldn’t care less about his old car!
Yep you know the deal.
Well, the owner has had for 35 years so I can’t imagine he/she is a spring chicken. He/she may be ill, no one to assist (which happens a lot) but this does not mean his house, his wife, or his kids (if he has any) look like the Mustang. This would need a very close inspection and could be a real find for someone who is looking for this ride. Comments on situations that are taken out of context and without the entire story have no place in this forum. This may be one of us some day.
Excellent point Mark. I was mostly incapacitated for over ten years until pure luck intervened and I was able to regain energy, ability, flexibility and initiative at the beginning of this summer just past. I believe that most of these actual barn finds are the residual of tragic events and/or declining health of the previous owner(s).
I’d say there isn’t one of them with a happy story in its recent past.
With my recent reprieve and my advanced age, I’m taking advantage of my luck while I can and cleaning up my project cars as fast as I can go. You never know when an accident like a fall in your garage can end everything.
Do I have time to make everything perfect? Nope. There will be things I know need doing, know how to do, but I can’t gamble that I have all the time I need. So they won’t get done.
In the meantime, doing the work provides the exercise I need to keep going. Plus, it’s fun and a great way to relieve stress.
So when you see dirty cars that could have been cleaned up to sell for higher dollars, pause and think about what would have to happen to you for your pride and joy to end up on Barn Finds in that state. Chances are, something similar or worse happened to them.
I had three Mach 1s.. 1-69 427 slush box. 2- 73s 351c slush box (slush box = automatic trans). All would blow the doors off comparable Camaros and Chargers with no problem. The 427 ate hemi Cudas for lunch. That’s all I can remember other than still wishing I did not sell them..
What year was the 427? If I’m not mistaken, the 427 was never an option on the Mustang. If it was an earlier model side oiler, it would definitely create a real street sweeper,
You’re right Charles, the 427 was discontinued in 1968.
It was offered three different ways:
1963 – 1964 & 1966 to 1967 with one Holley carb, 715 – 780 cfm making 410 hp
1963 – 1967 with two Holley carbs 1080 – 1560 cfm making 425 hp
1968 – with one 600 Holley making 390 hp
In 1969 the 351 Shelby Mustangs were running 15.5 in the quarter.
The Shelby 428 ran a best of 13.87
I was wrong about the 429s they managed a best of 12.32 but generally they were a second slower than that.
In 1970, the Mustangs were all almost a full second slower due to being equipped with Autolite carburetors. No Mustang could perform well with one of those carbs installed.
Hi Charley. I guess my memory slipped after 55 yrs.. My 69 had a 428. Ford dropped the 427 Mustang after the 1968 production year.
Thanks
I don’t want to be a contrarian, but Ford never offered the 427 in the Mustang. (Just me being picky)
You don’t provide any necessary pictures of the car but you can demand a certain amount of money for it. I just don’t understand the mindset of some sellers. You don’t respect the buyers or the car. Maybe I’ll start a sellers school and charge 5 percent of the sell.
Hey Greg G…..Well stated. See my comment. I’ve seen better representation on FB for standard items under $25. I’ll take 1.5% & you can take some days off.