1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Boasts Original Paint and a Performance Option We All Love

Available with a variety of engines, including the relatively new 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet, the Mach 1 hit showrooms with a unique appearance package that included a matte-black hood, a "shaker" scoop, and spoilers front and rear. It also included a Deluxe interior with simulated wood grain and sports seats.

The Mach 1 didn't prevent Mustang sales from dropping for the third year in a row, but it was quite popular, moving 72,458 units in 1969. That's 24% of all Mustang sales that year and a figure that prompted Ford to discontinue the GT.

More than 50 years have passed since the Mach 1 arrived in showrooms, and it remains one of the most iconic and desirable iterations of the first-generation Mustang. It's far from rare overall at more than 70,000 examples made, but the range-topping Cobra Jet engine narrows it down to a more collector-friendly 13,261-unit figure. This Royal Maroon example is one of those cars.

An authentic R-Code car with an automatic gearbox, this Mach 1 is one of 4,053 Sportsroof units fitted with this drivetrain combo. The matching interior likely narrows that number to fewer than 200 built like this, but there's no way to know for sure without a Marti Report. But that's not the only thing that makes this 1969 Mach 1 a great classic.

This 'Stang is a fully-fledged survivor with no rust and still wearing most of its original paint. I say "most" because a portion of a front fender was repainted at some point, likely following a minor crash. Granted, the paint shows quite a few battle scars, but it's one of those features we rarely get to see on classics that are over a half-century old.

The interior is also highly original and looks even better than the shell. A previous owner recovered the front seats but used similar materials, and they don't look out of place. But everything else is in fantastic condition with minimal wear and tear. With proper maintenance, this cabin will be a nice place to spend time for many years to come.

The good news continues under the hood in the form of a numbers-matching 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine. Introduced in mid-1968 as a range-topping option, the four-barrel V8 delivered 335 horsepower and 440 pound-feet (597 Nm) of twist in 1969. It was the second most powerful Mustang unit after the 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Boss. Fitted in the limited-edition Boss 429, the latter came with 375 horses on tap.

And even though it hasn't been restored since it left the factory more than 50 years ago, this Cobra Jet runs well and sounds healthy. Check it out in the video below.