Curious '71

[Mesozoic]

My '71 Mustang was the first car I ever owned... my Dad bought it for me when I was 15 so I could learn about working on cars and restore it. One of the 1st things I did was decode the VIN to see whether the car I had was a genuine Mach 1 or anything. The VIN is 1F02F117862. Now an F code car indicates that it would have had a 302 installed from the factory. However, my car was completely STOCK when we bought it and had the following spec:

1. 351CJ engine, decoded and verified as D1ZE '71 unit.
   
2. Factory air conditioning
   
3. Staggered rear shocks
   
4. Front and rear sway bars
   
5. Heated rear window defroster
   
6. Tilt steering column
   
7. Tach/speed and auxiliary gauge cluster with oil, water, amps
   

Is it possible that the dealer may have done an engine swap when it was purchased new? The car has the competition suspension which is supposedly only for 351 V8s and larger. I just don't understand how an F code 302 car could have been ordered with all these options.

 

[1971mach1]

It may have been "completely stock" in the owner's mind, who sold it to your dad.

It it looks like from the VIN that it was not a factory origional 351.

Competition suspension is a stand alone option on any engine except the 6 cyl. The rest could have been options too.

To find out how it really came from the factory and how rare it is, get a Marti report from martiauto dot com.

 

[Mesozoic]

It may have been "completely stock" in the owner's mind, who sold it to your dad.

It it looks like from the VIN that it was not a factory origional 351.

Competition suspension is a stand alone option on any engine except the 6 cyl. The rest could have been options too.

To find out how it really came from the factory and how rare it is, get a Marti report from martiauto dot com.

I know from the VIN that it should not have been a factory original 351, but the car was BONE STOCK when I got it. Nothing had ever been removed, rebuilt, or altered in anyway and the car was in awful shape. If a previous owner had swapped the 302 out he must've done it back in the 70s, because all the parts from the "original" engine are D1ZE pieces and worn out like a 40 year old car. I had to replace every component on that car and that's no stretch of the imagination. It even had the 351CJ air cleaner, sticker, and related stickers in the engine compartment.

 

[marks73]

It may have been "completely stock" in the owner's mind, who sold it to your dad.

It it looks like from the VIN that it was not a factory origional 351.

Competition suspension is a stand alone option on any engine except the 6 cyl. The rest could have been options too.

To find out how it really came from the factory and how rare it is, get a Marti report from martiauto dot com.

I know from the VIN that it should not have been a factory original 351, but the car was BONE STOCK when I got it. Nothing had ever been removed, rebuilt, or altered in anyway and the car was in awful shape. If a previous owner had swapped the 302 out he must've done it back in the 70s, because all the parts from the "original" engine are D1ZE pieces and worn out like a 40 year old car. I had to replace every component on that car and that's no stretch of the imagination. It even had the 351CJ air cleaner, sticker, and related stickers in the engine compartment.

Come now you should know that:

:worthlesswithoutpics:

 

[cudak888]

Marti your VIN number, and pull one of the fenders to check the shock towers.

-Kurt

 

[Boss1Ray]

This has been said before but anyway...

(dash plates with vin's on these things are a snap to change) by removing a fender and verifying the vin stamped on the frame just under the fender and matching the door sticker - aka "Vehicle Certification Label", you can get a better idea about your car.

Structural repairs, like replacement of the front sub-structure/frame would make this all quite confusing if not properly documented.

Sad to say - I'm sure there are many cars that have been repaired and even (gulp) rebodied with the curent owners unaware.

It pays to do your homework.

Ray

 

[mweeps]

+1 for Marti and Pulling the fender to see VIN also Check the engine block VIN. Interior and doors are easy changes. Post some pics of the Interior and the whole car for us to check out and help.

 

[bkdunha]

I suspect the VIN you are looking at is not correct for what you have. Pull the fender and look there. If the hard parts don't match the VIN assume the VIN is wrong.

 

[c9zx]

As others have said you should go to significant lengths to find out what you really have. The partial vin stamped the top edge of the fender apron/shock tower is usually the most definitive way to determine what you have. The staggered rear shocks are a red flag for me as that is not something easily transferred from one vehicle to another and should only have been installed on 351C 4V, Boss 351, and 429 CJ/SCJ in 1971. Having said that, there are several documented cases of vehicles leaving the plant with equipment they weren't supposed to have and others missing equipment they were supposed to have. There should be a partial VIN stamped on the rear of the block, driver's side close to where the head meets the block. The block casting number and casting date appear above the starter. There is partial VIN on transmissions. It is on the top of C6s where the tail shaft meets the case and is difficult to get a look at. Manual transmission are usually stamped on the top of the flange that mates the transmission to the bell housing. Is the Buck tag still on the car? It should be where the fender meets the radiator core support. The passenger's side seems to be most prevalent in 71 but could be on driver's side. The part number for the rear leaf springs should be visible at the shock plate, bottom side. The spring varied from option to option and may provide another clue. Let us know what you find. Chuck

 

[marks73]

Another possibilty is engine was replaced at dealership under warranty and all they had available at time was a 302.

 

[mweeps]

Another possibilty is engine was replaced at dealership under warranty and all they had available at time was a 302.

You meant 351 I am guessing . That would have been an awesome dealer upgrade!

 

[1971mach1]

If a previous owner had swapped the 302 out he must've done it back in the 70s, because all the parts from the "original" engine are D1ZE pieces and worn out like a 40 year old car. I had to replace every component on that car and that's no stretch of the imagination. It even had the 351CJ air cleaner, sticker, and related stickers in the engine compartment.

Believe it or not, people swapped engines and put stickers on in the 1970s an 80s too. All the stickers were available back then, and it was popular in the 70's and 80's to restore cars to "look" origional. The resto-mod trend hadn't happened yet. The "all origional look" was the way it was done, even though you put in a larger engine. Marti reports didn't exist yet, either so the term "origional" was more of an appearance than

how the car actually came from the factory. A 9" rear with staggerd shocks would have been easy to find

in the junk yard (and an easy swap), probably from the same car he got the 351.

Does the VIN match the VIN on the title?, if so, I would look no further. I think alot of swapping went on about 30 years ago with that car and it was probably used as a daily driver because that's what we did back then. The late 70's and 80s smog cars were JUNK performance-wise, so alot of people (me included) restored the 60s and early 70s muscle cars to DRIVE, not be show queens.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

In high school one of my friends drove a 427 powered 69 Impala that had been his grandmother's car from the initial purchase. An engine replacement was necessary when the dealer did an oil change and either the oil filter or the drain plug fell off afterwards. The stock 327 engine was trashed and the dealer installed the 427 and all matching parts. It was a one family car, so I am confident in the history.

Dealer engine swaps did happen

 

[cudak888]

A 9" rear with staggerd shocks would have been easy to find

in the junk yard (and an easy swap), probably from the same car he got the 351.

Adapting the staggered shock box under the trunk floor would be neither easy, nor would it be imperceptible.

EDIT: From the second photo you posted, the 1F02F VIN number is beginning to appear quite plausible. Aside from the incorrect repaint, a Mach would not carry the wheelwell brightwork (and I'd find it unusual for someone trying to build a Mach clone to have gone through the effort of sourcing them if they were never there to begin with):

The engine swap doesn't surprise me - the staggered shocks and sway bars do. It'd be worth it to Marti the car to see if it came with the competition suspension originally - someone might have screwed up the build at the factory and given it the competition suspension for the 351C 4V.

Marti it, even if only the Standard Report ($15): https://www.martiauto.com/itemselection.cfm?item=REP-1&selecteditem=yes

-Kurt

 

[jb73Mach]

Back in the late 70s/early 80s, my sportsroof had a 351W labeled as a 302 2 bbl, a nonfunctional NACA hood, a set of center gauges, a tach, a console, and lots more that never came with the car. Even then the junk yards of VA were full of cheap parts. It looked completely stock and had time appropriate part numbers. I know because I put it all in but you'd never know without the Marti. A Marti report would be money well spent.

(I wonder if it is still running around somewhere...)

 

[Mesozoic]

A 9" rear with staggerd shocks would have been easy to find

in the junk yard (and an easy swap), probably from the same car he got the 351.

Adapting the staggered shock box under the trunk floor would be neither easy, nor would it be imperceptible.

EDIT: From the second photo you posted, the 1F02F VIN number is beginning to appear quite plausible. Aside from the incorrect repaint, a Mach would not carry the wheelwell brightwork (and I'd find it unusual for someone trying to build a Mach clone to have gone through the effort of sourcing them if they were never there to begin with):

The engine swap doesn't surprise me - the staggered shocks and sway bars do. It'd be worth it to Marti the car to see if it came with the competition suspension originally - someone might have screwed up the build at the factory and given it the competition suspension for the 351C 4V.

Marti it, even if only the Standard Report ($15): https://www.martiauto.com/itemselection.cfm?item=REP-1&selecteditem=yes

-Kurt

Hold on, there... I repainted and restored the car! It did not have the polished wheelwell trim on the quarters or fenders, I added those. Also, I opted not to paint the bottom of doors and fenders black like stock. I did a new number of things that are totally not factory as my car is a restomod and not a concours restoration. I also have a US Body Source 3" cowl hood with the stock style scoops with custom paint and the 351 Ram Air decals on them.

The car definitely came with competition suspension from the factory - the staggered shock mounts on the body are stock and would cost a fortune in welding labor to add to a car that didn't come with it.

I'll look into the Marti report as it's a bit of an interesting case, isn't it?!

 

[droptop73]

How ever it got the way it is... it is a great looking car.

 

[smokem]

It may have been "completely stock" in the owner's mind, who sold it to your dad.

It it looks like from the VIN that it was not a factory origional 351.

Competition suspension is a stand alone option on any engine except the 6 cyl. The rest could have been options too.

To find out how it really came from the factory and how rare it is, get a Marti report from martiauto dot com.

I know from the VIN that it should not have been a factory original 351, but the car was BONE STOCK when I got it. Nothing had ever been removed, rebuilt, or altered in anyway and the car was in awful shape. If a previous owner had swapped the 302 out he must've done it back in the 70s, because all the parts from the "original" engine are D1ZE pieces and worn out like a 40 year old car. I had to replace every component on that car and that's no stretch of the imagination. It even had the 351CJ air cleaner, sticker, and related stickers in the engine compartment.

If you

1- did not buy the car new

2- never pulled a fender and checked the vin

You cannot say what it is.

Dash and plate could be swaped in minutes

New sticker put on door matching the dash and title

Seeing as you think the staggard shock bracket is un-touched and it all looked 40 years old. I would say the vin under fender is not a match.

At this point like someone else said, if your title and dash tag match leave it alone.

 

[cudak888]

Hold on, there... I repainted and restored the car! It did not have the polished wheelwell trim on the quarters or fenders, I added those.

Clears that up - and we're back to square one with the mystery. Definitely Marti time.

The car definitely came with competition suspension from the factory - the staggered shock mounts on the body are stock and would cost a fortune in welding labor to add to a car that didn't come with it.

I'm not sure it would cost a fortune in welding labor - just a lot of cussing from the fellow tasked to weld it to the frame while upside-down. The rest isn't that hard - took me all of 15 minutes to get my staggered box welded back to my trunk floor (from the top) after replacing the floor.

This is what it looks like from the top:

-Kurt