1969 Mustang Mach 1 428CJ R-Code Barn Find!
Ernst Mach was a noted 19th-century physicist and philosopher and his surname influenced the naming of this model Mustang. Mach will be forever identified with speed. He’s quoted as saying “If our dreams were more regular, more connected, more stable, they would also have more practical importance for us”. Who doesn’t dream of owning a classic pony/muscle car! Well stop dreaming and start your bidding here on eBay. Right now there are 21 bidders and 152 dreamers…er watchers. The once gorgeous Candy Apple Red paint is now faded and scorched after being left outside to the elements since the owners passing. One old photo captures what was once his gleaming pride and joy and another showing various car show plaques when this beast prowled the roads of Virginia where it was originally sold.
The interior looks great with the faux teak trim and pleated vinyl, high backed, bucket seats. The dash pad is cracked though and will need attention. Tinted glass, PWR disc brakes and AM radio were also spec’d out. A Hurst t -shifter tugs at the 4-speed close-ratio tranny, which is connected to a 3.50 rear. All this is mentioned in the Marti Report.
I’m sure Ford engineers had high speeds in mind when they stuffed this 428 CJ engine between the needed reinforced shock towers. Rated at 335hp and 440 lb/ft of holy smokin’ PolyGlas torque. Those numbers were good for mid to high 13’s in the quarter-mile. I guess that’s why so many folks equipped traction bars. The “R” in the partial VIN denotes this as a ram-air inducted engine, though I believe they shared the same HP as the “Q” codes. Weird? The engine bay looks pretty tidy too, after a claimed 45k miles. The owner also says that it drives well and is “a very strong runner”.
Ford’s Sport Roof designation means sleek styling in profile and add in that menacing, blacked-out “shaker hood”( a year before the Mopar shakers) with slats/fender intakes and it looks like something that should be testing out at Edwards AFB, especially with its high desert, minimal rust patina. While the Magnum 500 wheels look so right, they weren’t an available option in 1969. I’d leave them though.
What would you do with this Mach 1? Restore it to crazy Concours standard or leave it as is to show, drive and enjoy like the original owner once did. I like it as is and wouldn’t touch a thing. Dream away.
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Comments
Two Mustangs and one Camaro with rockers in one week. Beautiful car!
Wow! love to own this one!
I would wash the undercarriage and then apply undercoating to keep the elements away. Then I would have the car repainted and replace the dashpad. As long as all the mechanicals are good, I would just keep up with maintenance.
The dash pad is cracked, OH THE HORROR
what a nice car, love to see it in person.
Way too special to be cheap and not repaint under the guise of “original patina”. Wish I had the money. Heavy sigh.
Based on the car show plaques, this car was still pristine at least as late as 1992. What a shame it sat outside but glad it is still is in decent condition for someone to enjoy.
Ohhh mercy.
Give her a good steam bath underneath and undercoat the bottom, then fresh paint and stripes. Keep the wheels, they look good on there.
I sold several good cars because I had no inside storage. I could not bear to see them rot into dust thanks to our lousy Pennsylvania weather. A 69 GTO and 77 Grand Prix. Practically gave them away. This is sad this car was nice and put outside instead of a useless SUV.
Recognize the building in the pics?
Once again, the same seller from the 9/12 posting of the 69 Mach 1 and the 8/30 posting of the Sea Foam 68 GT.
Anyone know the seller? He has one serious collection, great connections, or possibly selling on consignment? Regardless, some really nice Mustangs. GLWTS
A neighborhood friend had one just like this.
If I was a big lottery winner, I’d buy this one. Also a specific selection of other muscle cars. Then I’d have a big party at the Woodward Dream Cruise, and invite all of the guys I grew up with, and present each one with the car they wish they still had. Why? They were, and still are, great people. Who I am today is partly due their friendship during the formative years. Good times we had. Not done yet.
The List:
1. This Car.
2. 1969 Mach 1 (428/4, Maroon/Black no Shaker)
3. 1967 442 (4spd Blue/White)
4. 1969 Corvette (427/4 Blue/White/White)
5. 1967 GTO Convertible (4spd, Red/White/White)
6. 1969 Mustang (Green/Black, 390/4, kinda Bullitt)
7. 1969 SS396 Chevelle (TH400 Console, Frost Green/medium Green buckets/Dark Green Vinyl Top) *My car*
Others which showed up in the neighborhood (friends) or belonged to family members/classmates/neighbors without sons/kids in the group:
1. 1968 Cobra Jet Torino (428/4? Red/White)
2. 1969 Nova SS (396/4 (Silver/Black)
3. 1969 Charger 383/Auto (Green/Black)
4. 1970 Chevelle SS454 (LS6/4 (Silver/White)
5. 1965 Satellite (426 wedge, Dark Blue)
6. 1970 Barracuda Convertible (Hemi/4, Triple Black)
7. 1965 Satellite Convertible (383/4, Cream/white/white)
8. 1968 Firebird 400 (4spd, light Green/Green)
9. 1969 W30 (4spd, Dark Blue with White stripes/light Blue)
10.1966 Bonneville Convertible (421/Auto Red/White/White)
11.1968 Delmont 88 Holiday Sedan (455/Auto Willow Gold/Willow Gold ) *Dad’s car*
12.1965 Olds 98 LS 4-Dr Sedan (425/Auto Sterling Mist/Blue/Dk Blue Vinyl top) *Grandma’s Car*
13. 1972 Hurst Olds (White/Gold Stripes/White with a Sunroof)
People who missed out on that time in automotive history, and those cars…. Probably can’t understand why I wax nostalgic for those days. It really was special.
I love the list and I think I would include a Chrysler 300H to it.
christopher george lawrence,
Thanks. Close, the family at the end of the street did for a while have a big Chrysler. I’ve been thinking that it was a New Yorker, but it may have been a 300. Approximately a 1964?
White with a light blue interior. I recall distinctly that it had a pillow-shaped, partially clear steering wheel. Also AC ducts on the rear shelf that would freeze the back of a little kid’s head.
This reminds me of it, just not quite right…
https://www.mecum.com/lots/CH1014-195574/1964-chrysler-300/
Oh, and reading my own list, I found a mistake. Dad’s car was a Delta 88, not a Delmont!
Beautiful car and with a little care could be a show stopper. I had one a 1969 428 CJ. You had to disconnect the motor mounts and jack up the engine to change the spark plugs. I paid $4,800 for it used in 1970. Put a big cam in it and a 1100 holly carb with an Eldabrock manifold. . Ran like the wind. It still sits in my buddy’s back yard…
Go and get it!
Don’t take no for an answer, give your buddy a reasonable profit on his investment from long ago (you sold it to him, or just parked it there?); bring the car back from it’s coma. Tell him that he can drive it before you do. Both of you will be glad for doing something together. Old friends are great friends!
Lawdy, 40 large and hasn’t hit reserve yet!! Sweet pony. Good luck to the new owner!
Cheers
GPC
Patrick, I was really liking you until you used the word “fitted”!
Adjective:attached to or provided with a particular component or article.
“a pistol fitted with a match-grade barrel”
Adjective:attached to or provided with a particular component or article.
“a vehicle fitted with aftermarket exhaust”
Nice write up, very readable. Embellished just enough to make it entertaining. :)
Very cool but who orders a car like that with an open differential?
Who said it was an open rear? There is no mention in the ad either way. It just says 3.50 rear axle ratio.
Marti
junk…..ship it to me & i will recycle it…i will pay the freight& send you a coupon for a used vehicle of your choice from my car lot………lol
Yes, open diff and “T” shifter should be mutually exclusive terms/options!
It’ll buff out
Dream away indeed! That looks like one well preserved, honest car!
The first car we saw after leaving the Air Force in 1970 was a RED MUSTANG FASTBACK-wow, …..
I would do a repaint, and replace dash pad, cleanup an undercoat the bottum and enjoy the ride.
Didn’t most pony cars back then(even Shelby Mustangs & Z28’s) have 1 big sideways muffler(not sure how restrictive-but were heavy)) behind the gas tank tucked up high(for ground clearance reasons) with 2 pipes goin in & 2 pipes going out, & no crossover?
This car now has a crossover pipe &, oddly, 2 big what appear to be passenger car(midas?) mufflers – they are not turbo mufflers & certainly not flowmasters.
I’m quite sure flowmasters would have been illegal – back in the 60’s & you would have gotten pulled over.
Today? I bet it’s quite rare a car(or non stock mortocyle) gets a ticket for a loud muffler(s) – else why so many fart can ones out there too? & so many flowmasters fitted to classics w/o issues. Ironically, they stopped drag racing at Englishtown because of noise complaints, but there’s plenty of super loud ninja motorcyles racing on HIGHWAYS on weekend nites.
Go figure.
One of the best cars ever made!!! I’m not surprised at the price!! Right motor, right transmission, right color, the right car!!!
428 cobra jet combined with the still fairly light, short wheel base ’69 Mach 1…..killer machine all the way. A car like this truly earned its image and is probably thee quickest classic Mustang, limited by the rear tires ability. I think the four speeds had different shocks in the rear or staggered, I can’t remember.
Brutal car, it took some driver skill to get these into the thirteens stock, as the saying goes ” there’s no replacement for displacement!” If you can handle it.
My ex-boss had one that was bright red. It had the factory “drag pack” with the 4:10 locker and oil cooler. He worked me really hard, but when I looked ready for a melt down. He would hand me the keys and say “take a ride!”. Our dealership was at the base of a mountain, so a nice smooth 2 lanes in each direction, racing lines and twisty, blast up the mountain was all I needed to calm down and get my head back on straight! That (unfortunately) was his only positive benefit as far as being a boss was concerned. Boy,do I miss the monster torque and a relatively high rev (for the year of the car) charge up the mountainside! It handled much better than I thought it would. Naturally once the “set” was in for the corners, the loud pedal was the steering devise.
want the mach1 . but only pay 2,000 cause need the rest oj the restore money tp pur rgis one back to origonal condition.think about it, but if you want to sell it to some one who will take care of it then i am that person. like i said think about it and call me at 740 575 4215, no anser leave message will get back to you,or email me at kenny moran 22 @ yahoo.com