1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Sees First Daylight in Decades, Has Numbers-Matching V8 – autoevolution

Before it went into indoor storage for a few decades, this Mach 1 was driven for around 76,000 miles (122,310 km). And it shows. There are quite a few dents in the body, mostly visible on the passenger-side door and rear fender, as well as on the front bumper, which is crooked. The driver-side door has been replaced altogether, but it’s been painted gold to match the rest of the car.

However, whoever did it didn’t bother to paint the Mach 1-specific black stripe, so that’s something that needs to be done for an authentic look. The replacement door also has a dent, so it’s far from perfect. There’s some rust on the lower body sides and the nose, but nothing too serious. Apparently the floor is rust-free, which is amazing for a 52-year-old car.

The interior looks a bit better than the exterior, but the upholstery has a big split on the driver’s seat. The original steering wheel has been replaced, but the owner still has it. Whoever gets this car will need to fix the clock, heater, defroster, and dashboard lights. The gauges work, as does the original AM radio.

Not surprisingly, the 351 Windsor V8 engine wasn’t working when the car was brought out of storage earlier in 2021. But the owner did a mild mechanical restoration in order to put it back on the road. The Mach 1 features a new Holley carburetor, plugs, and wires. The water pump, radiator, hoses, and fuel tank are also new. The entire breaking system was also replaced, so stopping power isn’t an issue.

Speaking of power, the 5.8-liter engine is a matching-numbers unit and still mates to its original automatic transmission. When new, this H-Code Windsor mill was good for 250 horsepower. It wasn’t the most powerful V8 available at the time, but it slotted above the 302 V8 and the 200 six-cylinder units.

1969 was an important for the Mach 1, the first to offer this iconic badge. Almost 72,500 examples were sold for the 1969 model year, which accounts for a little more than 24% of all Mustang production that year. Definitely not the rarest 1969 pony, but you won’t find too many finished in this stunning Champagne Gold.

While the car runs and drives like it should, it needs a good restoration to recapture its former glory. But if you like the beater look, it’s a muscle car that will run as is for a while. This 1969 Mach 1 can be picked up in Overland Park, Kansas, assuming you win the auction set up by eBay seller “kebar-0.” With two days to go, bidding is at $23,500, which isn’t a lot for a 1969 Mustang in this condition.