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1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Emerges Out of Abandoned Building After 30 Years

While not as rare as the Shelby GT350 and GT500, the first-generation Mustang Mach 1 is now a desirable collectible, especially if it comes with one of the larger Cobra Jet engines under the hood. But lesser Mach 1s get a lot of love too. This one, for instance, was saved from an abandoned building after 30 years in storage.
1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 barn find 6 photos
Photo: 187 Customs/YouTube
1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 barn find1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 barn find1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 barn find1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 barn find1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 barn find
Last driven back in 1992, this 1970-model-year Mach 1 spent a whopping three decades in a concrete room alongside other classics. While storage conditions weren't as bad as in a barn, the building began to deteriorate and the muscle car was no longer safe within those walls.

Thankfully, the folks over at YouTube's "187 Customs" decided to save it and give it a second chance at life. They also documented the entire process, so we can see the Mustang resting in storage before being loaded onto a trailer. And I must admit that it looks better than expected given the amount of time it spent off the road.

Sure, the tires are dead flat, the paint is in awful condition, and the interior will need a lot of work to shine again, but at least there are no major rust issues and the engine appears to be complete. There's no word if this Mach 1 still sports its numbers-matching mill or if it's an H- or M-Code unit, but it's definitely not a Cobra or Super Cobra Jet.

Ford offered the Mach 1 with four different engines in 1970, starting with the 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Cleveland V8. The two-barrel version delivered 250 horsepower, while the four-barrel mill came with 300 horses on tap. The bigger 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet units were rated at 335 horsepower in both Ram Air and non-Ram Air configurations.

But none of that matters. What's important here is that this Mach 1 was saved from a sad life in a derelict building and that it will be put back on the road sooner than later. Maybe the folks over at 187 Customs have a Murder Nova-like plan for it, which would be just as cool. Meanwhile, see it emerge out of storage in the video below. The fun starts at the 29-minute mark.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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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.
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