This page will
document my project from beginning to end, with details and
photos.
Here's how it all started, stipped and
hidden at a wrecker/salvage yard in Odessa, TX.
Here's how she looks today, complete
body and most of the interior, getting ready for
paint.
Here's where we want to end up.
I discovered the car while helping
my buddy, Stan, pick up a 455 from a local semi-salvage yard. The
car was sittings in the middle of a group of cars that they had
set asside not to crush or part out.
It was fairly
stripped down with no drivetrain, but VERY straight and amazingly
rust-free. Stan and I looked the car over and quickly realized
that it was a Mach1. It had no windshield, door glass, or
rearend. The passenger door was laying across the cowl area and
the hood was laying on the '69 coupe that was sitting next to it,
just as you see in the pic above. It was missing the trunk lid
and all of the front end, except for the hood, cowl panel and one
fender extension with headlight. There was a pile of parts inside
the car, including a 4V rear valance, which Stan immediately
grabbed and said he wanted to see if they would sell to him.
I checked the
VIN and saw the "M", which made sense with the 4V rear
valance being in the car. The owner said he didn't want to sell
any parts off of the car and that someone was coming from up
north to buy all of the cars in that group for $1,500 each. We
left it at that and decided we would check back later to see if
the car was still there. And that's exactly what I did. I knew he
expected $1,500 for it and I was willing to pay that for an
unwrecked and unrusted 1969 Mach1 chassis. I asked if his buyer
had come to buy the cars yet and he said "not yet". I
asked if he would be willing to sell it right away for
cash-in-hand since his "buyer" was stalling. He said
"well, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to let go of it for
less than the other guy offered, which was $1,500". I could
tell that he said it as if he expected me to think it was too
much. However, I asked "when can I pick it up" and it
was a done deal!
I returned on November 9th of 2006 and purchased the car. Over
the next few days, I attempted to locate a rearend so I could
dolly the car to my better half, Kristan's, garage. The '69 coupe
next to it had a 4 lug rearend, which I would end up scrapping in
the end, so I wasn't willing to buy it just to move the car. I
eventually found a rearend laying in the rear of their yard. It
was 1 inch wider than the car should have, but was a 5 lug and
only $50, so I bolted it in and got ready to bring the Mach home.
My buddy, Bill, and I returned the next day with a car dolly and
loaded her up.
I was told that
they had got the car from a guy who had it sitting around as his
"parts" car and "junk parts shed". This is
one of the straightest and most rust-free "junker"
fastback Mustangs I have EVER seen. I can't imagine what his
"keeper" car was if this was his "junk"!
The body was very straight and amazingly mostly rust-free. The
only rust was a half dollar sized hole on the lower LH quarter
panel, a few spots around the taillights and on the floor pan,
behind the brake pedal.
The car had no interior when I bought it, except for the visors
& kick panels.
The car had no motor, transmission or rear end when I bought it.
I have acquired a 428 4V & C6 to take the place of the
missing 351W.
1969 Mustang Mach 1
351W 4V
This was
originally a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 in Candyapple Red w/Flat Black
Hood and Black & Gold stripes, a white interior, 351 Windsor
4V and FMX Automatic transmission.
Original
Sticker Price:
A base 1969 Mach 1 was $3,139
Production #s:
72,458 Mach 1s were produced in 1969.
She's coming
together and now has a complete, all original Ford body, original
Mach1 rims, 90% of the interior package that is mostly original
ford and a rebuilt C6 transmission from a '69 Mach1. I have
purchased a 428 & C6 to drop in, but it's not date correct.
Once I acquire the last few pieces, it will be time for the body
work & paint.
