1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Mach 1: 767.269 Miles Per Hour. This 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 may not reach supersonic speeds, but it certainly looks like it could. Offered from Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a listing here on eBay, the car was recently re-discovered in a barn by a previous owner who had driven the car in high school. This first-year, 351-equipped Mach 1 came decked out as you see it. Aside from the stereo the interior seems to have been spared the plundering of grave-robbers, and you can 1-800 Hot Rod just about anything for these cars. When restored, this Resale Red color scheme will look as compelling as it did 鈥?9. A 302 stands in place for the long-gone 351. Though not in driving condition the engine runs. Buyers will need to factor in the cost and delay of tackling (at least) serious body and frame work, a date-correct engine, and a buffer for inevitable undiscovered needs. With more than 75,000 Mach 1 Mustangs built in 1969, this is not a rare car, but nearly any 鈥?0s Mustang rates as collectible, and that will only become more true over time. What do you think of this Mount Rushmore State Mustang?

The phony side scoops were also deleted on all models. The 351 V8's were now produced at Ford's Cleveland plant rather than the Windsor, Ontario facility and were of a slightly different design. Sales for the 1970 model year dipped to 190,727 Mustangs. The 1971 Mustang was extended by 2.1 inches of length, 2.8 inches of width, a 100lbs were added and an additional inch of wheelbase was added. Ford's decade of 'Total Performance' was reaching its end. Taken off of the lineup this year was the Shelby models, the Boss 302 and the Boss 429 models. The remaining engine choices were not great, as the 351 engine was detuned from 300 bhp to 285 bhp while the 429 Cobra Jet dropped 5 bhp down to 370 bhp. 1972 led to all power ratings being listed in net ratings which included all accessories. The end of Ford Mustang performance, this led to some drastic drops in power listings, which included the drop of all big block options. The Mach 1 ended up being the only model with any performance, as the Boss 351 was dropped. A total of 27,675 Mach 1's were produced, and 6,401 convertibles.

The top engine option for 1972 was a 275bhp 351 Cleveland. For 1973 emission controls were only tightened more, and all engine choices' power ratings were dropped. Mandatory bumpers that could withstand a 5mph collision were the result of new federal guidelines. These bumpers did not do much to improve the look of the Mustang. Producing just 156bhp, the top engine was a 351 V8. Sales picked up for 1973 and a total of 134,867 Mustangs were sold, Ford realized that it was time to rethink the Mustang. The fifth generation of the Ford Mustang was introduced in 1974. Unfortunately the Mustang II was considered by many to be too small, underpowered, feature poor handling, but surprisingly, it sold very well. Baby boomers were turning to smaller imported cars, and emissions regulations made the high-compression, high-horsepower V8's rather unstable. Ford decided to make the Mustang a smaller, more fuel-efficient car to keep up with the market.

The 1974 Mustang II was unveiled without the Falcon components that had been a standard from day one. The all-new Mustang was placed atop the basic structure and suspension of its subcompact Pinto. With an overall length of only 175 inches, the Mustang II rode on a very small 96.2 inch wheelbase and weighed about 400 lbs less than the previous years version. Though a smaller size, the Mustang II actually featured traditional Mustang styling features like the scalloped sides, the running horses in the grille and the three-piece taillights. The Mustang II was available as either a fastback hatchback or a notchback coupe. 3,674 for a Mach 1 hatchback. The 1974 Mustang II was the first Mustang to ever be offered with a four-cylinder engine and without a V8. Rated at a lowly 88 horsepower, the base engine was a single-overhead cam four that displaced 2.3 liters. The German-built 'Cologne' 2.8 liter OHV V6 was the only optional engine and it only produced a disappointing 105 horsepower.