1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Unloved and Neglected, a Regrettable Decades-Long Existence


Sometimes in life, it is worth taking a risk. The original owner of this 1970 Mustang Mach 1 parked it in this shed way back in 1985. It sat unloved and neglected for decades. When he passed away, the current owners purchased the vehicle from his widow. They had no real idea of what they were getting themselves into, but it appears that they managed to back a winner. They have undertaken a meticulous revival process with the Mustang. However, they are now faced with the prospect of parting with a classic of which they are very fond. Therefore, they have listed the Mach 1 for sale here on Facebook. It is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and the asking price has been set at $35,000.

Now that’s what I call a transformation! When the current owners rolled the Mustang out of the shed and gave it a careful inspection, what they found was a remarkably solid classic. They note a couple of minor rust holes in the floor, but there are no issues with the rest of the vehicle. The panels appear to be very straight, with no signs of any invasion by the dreaded tin worm. They state that the Mach 1 has been treated to a repaint in its original Calypso Coral at some point before 1985. They have had to do little to the exterior beyond some hard work with the pressure washer and polish. They have performed no additional touch-up work, and have refitted the badges and other trim pieces that the original owner removed before placing the classic in storage. The bumpers are showing some deterioration, and they could be restored or replaced. The wheels aren’t original, but as you can see in the first photo, these were fitted to the car when the current owners purchased it. They say that the Mustang would make a fantastic base for a restoration project, although they have been using it as-is for some time. For someone hunting for a proud survivor, this is a car that might possess the right look for them.

Powering the Mach 1 is a 351ci Cleveland V8, which is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. This combination should be producing somewhere in the region of 300hp and should see the Mustang comfortably covering the ¼ mile in 14.4 seconds. It is worth noting that the vehicle was initially equipped with a 3-speed manual transmission, but this was upgraded by the original owner. After sitting for decades, this is a classic that needed some work before it could be considered to be roadworthy. The owners enlisted professionals to revive the 351, and these people fitted a new Holley carburetor in place of the original 4-barrel. They also replaced a few of the engine’s peripherals, along with the fuel tank, fuel pump, and all of the fuel lines. That has seen the engine returned to good health. Also, the entire braking system, including all of the lines, hoses, discs, and the master cylinder, have been replaced. The result of all of this hard work is a Mach 1 that is said to run and drive nicely.

When they were considering how to tackle the revival of the Mustang, the owners put a lot of thought into the interior. It would have been easy to source an interior trim kit and to have the interior shining like a new penny. They didn’t do that. They replaced the carpet and insulation but left the remaining Vermillion Knitted Vinyl trim original. It is showing its age a bit. There are a couple of splits in the seats and some obvious issues with the door trims. However, it looks quite serviceable and could remain untouched if the buyer wants to preserve this car as an original survivor. Beyond the upholstery issues, the rest of the interior seems to be in decent condition. There are no significant problems with the dash or pad, while the console also appears to be in good condition. Some aftermarket gauges are hanging under the dash, but the rest of the interior remains untouched.

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