Introduced in 1969, the Mach 1 quickly became one of the most popular versions of the Ford Mustang. FoMoCo rolled out no fewer than 72,458 units that year, which prompted Detroit to discontinue the GT for 1970. But some Mach 1s are rarer than others.
That's because Ford offered different powerplants in the Mach 1. While the base version came with a 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Windsor V8, there was also an optional 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) FE V8. But the most powerful (and now the most desirable) Mach 1s were fitted with the 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet mills.
These Q- and R-code cars were built in far fewer numbers and not so many of them were fitted with the Drag Pack package. The Acapulco Blue 'Stang you see here is one of those cars and, amazingly enough, it spent most of its life in storage.
Documented by YouTube's "Auto Archaeology," this classic muscle car was taken off the road in 1974, after only five years in service. But it wasn't parked for safekeeping. The story goes that the original owner bought it to street race it, blew the original engine, replaced it, and then blew it again.
When the second engine went bust, he decided that his racing days in the Mach 1 are over and the yellow-striped blue coupe was forced into early retirement in the garage. The 'Stang lay dormant for a full 30 years until it changed ownership in 2004, but it went out of its resting place only to be parked in a different garage for 15+ years.
Come 2022, and the Mach 1 is waiting to return to its former glory. The process shouldn't be too difficult as far as bodywork goes, because this Mustang survived the test of time rather well. Even though it spent most of its life in Michigan, it doesn't have any rust and its patina is mostly about dust worn-out paint.
The interior is actually in tremendous shape, needing only a thorough cleaning to get rid of the dust and mold and shine like new. But the bigger issue here is that this Mustang needs a new engine. With the original 428 Super Cobra Jet blown and likely scrapped, this Mach 1 is in dire need of a period-correct mill.
But even so, it's a fantastic time capsule that not only looks fabulous given its age and past but also shows only a little more than 24,000 miles (38,624 km) on the odometer. And besides, with some 3,000 Q-code Mach 1s built in 1969, sourcing a 428 V8 should be a bit easier than it sounds.
Hit the play button below to learn more about its story and see it waiting for a heart transplant and a second chance at life.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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