Mustang Mach 1 History

Mustang Mach 1 History

The spring of 1964 proved to be a time of relief and celebration for the Ford Motor Company. On the heels of the disastrous crash and burn of the Ford Edsel in the late 1950s, Lee Iaccoca and his team could finally release the Blue Oval鈥檚 latest concept car: The Ford Mustang. Iaccoca, Henry Ford II, and other prominent individuals within the company proudly introduced the Mustang at the 1964 World鈥檚 Fair in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, New York. A series of advertisements on America鈥檚 three biggest television networks coupled with the grand unveiling at the World鈥檚 Fair led to an initial surge in sales of the Mustang. The early fireworks dazzled automotive enthusiasts from all walks of life, which led to a remarkable 22,000 units sold on the pony car鈥檚 first day in existence. The Ford Mustang proved to be the ultimate combination of affordability and performance, and American motorists could not get enough of it. Ford unloaded 559,000 units in 1965 and eclipsed 600,000 in 1966, which still marks the highest number of Mustangs sold in a single year.

The total dipped to 472,000 in 1967, which is still good enough for the vehicle鈥檚 third best-selling year ever. But as has been the case throughout automotive history, nothing good can last forever, and organizations must adapt to remain relevant in the ultra-competitive industry. By the late 1960s, Ford鈥檚 chief rivals, Chevrolet, Chrysler and Dodge, all laid down the gauntlet in what became a war to build the best American-made, performance-oriented vehicle. Chevy countered the initial success of the Mustang with its version of a pony car, the Camaro, which grew in popularity following its 1967 introduction. Between the Camaro鈥檚 396 CID big-block engine and what the Dodge muscle cars began sporting under the hood, the team at Ford knew that they had to do something to counter the sudden rise in competition. The Mustang was still critically acclaimed, but it was no longer the latest and greatest thing in the industry.

The Mach 1 Mustang first hit the dealerships in the fall of 1968 in an effort to attract younger auto enthusiasts and to make Ford cool again. What Is the Mach 1? True to its name, the Mach 1 package stood for speed and performance, ranking among the top tier of the brand鈥檚 legendary performance offerings. Available only in the SportsRoof body style, the 1969 Mach 1 featured a host of cosmetic changes that separated the performance package from other fastback Mustangs. The black hood stripe, chrome exhaust tips, and a Shaker hood scoop were some of the many distinctive aesthetic modifications that wowed the masses from day one. The sporty exterior combined with the 351 CID engine under the hood allowed the Mach 1 to stand out from the crowd, both visually and performance-wise. The 5.8L V8 Windsor motor was standard equipment, with a quintet of additional engine options later becoming available, including two different 428 CID in (7.0L) V8 engines. The 4-barrel Q and R-Code motors could push out up to 335 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque at 3,400 RPM.

Speaking of choices, unlike other special edition Mustangs, the Mach 1 was completely customizable. If there鈥檚 one thing that muscle car fans love more than speed, it's flexibility, and the Ford Mustang Mach 1 allowed Ford fans to get creative. Along with the six engine options, Mach 1 owners could select one of sixteen distinct exterior colors, three interior colors, five transmissions, and ten different axle types, creating hundreds of different potential combinations. Like the 1964.5 Mustang, the Mach 1 became something of an overnight success story. In 1969, Ford sold a remarkable 72,458 units. Viewed throughout the corporate offices in Detroit as a roaring success, Ford welcomed the performance package back with open arms the following year. The 1970 Mach 1 remained mostly unchanged from the previous model, minus the relocation of the headlamps. For the second rendition of the Mustang Mach 1, Ford integrated the headlights with the mouth of the grille. In 1970, the Ford Motor Company unloaded an impressive 40,970 Mach 1s, which accounted for more than 21 percent of total Mustangs sold that year.

Ford elected not to reinvent the wheel for the second year of the Mach 1, but that would change in the stretch run of the pony car鈥檚 first generation. In 1971, just two short years after its initial release, the Mach 1 received its first major redesign. Keeping with the power of choice theme, the 1971 Mach 1 boasted the widest selection of engine options yet, ranging from a 302 CID Windsor V8 to a massive 429 CID Super Cobra Jet motor. The 7.0L 4-barrel engine could put down a whopping 375 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque at 3,400 RPM. Along with the changes under the hood, the 1971 Mach 1鈥檚 body was significantly larger than the 1969-1970 units. Ford added significant weight to the second generation Mach 1s, while also making the vehicles several inches longer and growing the wheelbase by one inch. The immensely flat backline was the most noticeable exterior change from first to second generation Mach 1s. The lack of rear visibility was a major issue in 1971-1973 units as there were plenty of blind spots.