1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1

1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1

HER late father used to race them, so it was almost predestined that Danni Miller would one day own a Mustang. Have you always been into cars? Dad raced Mustangs, though he died when I was quite young so unfortunately I don鈥檛 know which models or his racing history. Yet it left me with an emotional tie to Mustangs; I just love them. Though I was into 4WDs and bush-bashing at first. I had a beloved Nissan Patrol 2000 GU, with the jacking kit, bullbars and all. When did you get it? In January 鈥?6 while at a car display in Ararat with my partner Damien鈥檚 2008 Ford FG GT. I saw the Mach 1 on display, and as I stood there ogling it, the owner wandered up and mentioned that it was for sale. I quickly responded with: 鈥淚t鈥檚 sold! 鈥?I didn鈥檛 even know how much he wanted!

Nah, I already knew the Australian history of it. It was imported in 2008 and I鈥檓 the fourth owner; the second owner was the president of our club - the Falcon GT Club of Geelong. So there are a few members excited to see it back in the mix. And I don鈥檛 plan on selling it! Tell us about it. It鈥檚 a matching-numbers 鈥?0 Mustang Mach 1 and it鈥檚 about 95 per cent original, with the big difference being that it鈥檚 black instead of the factory Grabber Blue. It鈥檚 running a 351ci Clevo 4V, Top Loader four-speed close-ratio manual transmission and nine-inch with original 3.25 Trac-Lok. Any plans to mod the Muzzy? We鈥檙e currently building a 1971 XY GT-replica ute. So once that鈥檚 on the road, we鈥檒l restore the 鈥橲tang. Full concours is the go, but I鈥檓 not a big fan of the Grabber Blue. I鈥檝e got a bit of time to ponder on that.

What do you get up to in it? I love Sunday drives down the Great Ocean Road. It handles so well, it just grips the road. And as it鈥檚 a manual you can really drive it. I also recently won a trophy: Best Original at the 2017 Colac Car show. What do your family think of the 鈥橲tang? My step-dad loves it so much that he鈥檚 pestering Mum to buy one himself. But Mum and my friends think I鈥檓 mad 鈥渨asting my money on it鈥? but in truth it鈥檚 appreciating in value. None of our three grown daughters have any interest in it, so I guess it鈥檒l be in an estate sale when I die. We hear the car has impending special duties! We鈥檙e getting married soon, and this along with Damien鈥檚 GT will be part of the wedding. There鈥檒l be 12 cars arranged in a horseshoe; we鈥檙e getting married in the middle of them.

Unlike the Mach-E, it can鈥檛 seat five people in comfort, and obviously emits dead dino fumes. With no engine taking up space, there's room under the hood for storage. The Mach-E's frunk includes a drain plug. The Mach-E鈥檚 Mustang connection is already proving controversial in car nerd circles. Obviously this four-door, five-seat electric crossover shares no parts with the old-school muscle car, and a current Mustang鈥檚 gasoline-swilling image stands in total contrast to that of EVs. 44,000 electric car to name a fast Ford, and I bet that 100 percent of them will answer Mustang. Ford鈥檚 rolled in Mustang design elements throughout the badging, grill, and lighting elements. That Ford is using its most valuable badge for this Mach-E speaks not only to this vehicle鈥檚 make-or-break importance to the automaker, but also to the way EVs are beginning to resonate with the buying public. Teslas aren鈥檛 just exciting because they鈥檙e green; they鈥檙e exciting because they鈥檙e fast. Some things never change: people still prefer buying fast cars, especially ones that pollute less. The Mach-E shares lighting elements with the rest of the Mustang range. 81,000 and is only available in limited numbers.

But that Tesla鈥檚 innovative image has come to define what a desirable car looks like as we enter the earliest stage of the transition away from internal combustion. That Ford is offering pretty much the same thing at around half the price is significant. What press photos can鈥檛 capture, though, are all the ways a massive corporation like Ford is able to leverage its economies of scale for your benefit. Live in San Francisco and want to drive a Tesla? Your life鈥檚 going to be reasonably easy. Not so much. Unlike a Tesla, you鈥檙e going to find Mach-Es in any color you like at the Ford dealer in every town in America starting late next year. Want to take one for a test drive? No problem. Want to trade in an old Explorer? Same deal. Need to finance your purchase? Ford Motor Credit Company is one of the largest lenders in the world. Have a problem with your new Mach-E?