1972 Mach 1 -Thin Blue Line Restoration

[Michael O’Harran]

1972 Mach 1 Mustang - Sold in California (1st pic (they posted out of order) is what car color was, but not actual car with Marti Report)- owned and raced in Maryland - blown motor&trans removed in 1983 and parked in dirt floor garage - I moved next door and bought for $300 in 2003. 2010 while deployed, 1st resto was done and got it running with a 5 speed trans and 351M build. Paid too much and maybe only put 1000 miles on it, constantly had different issues. 2019 I decided to have a full tear down resto done before I move into retirement. Currently being done in Southern Maryland by John Downing, not all original, some new age updates, and done with a Law Enforcement Thin Blue Line theme. Body work and paint done, most everything ready and wiring reassembly has begun. Also new 1972 351C motor was built with an estimated 360hp. I will update as more developes.

 

[Michael O’Harran]

1972 Mach 1 Mustang - Sold in California (1st pick is what car color was, but not actual car with Marti Report)- owned and raced in Maryland - blown motor&trans removed in 1983 and parked in dirt floor garage - I moved next door and bought for $300 in 2003. 2010 while deployed, 1st resto was done and got it running with a 5 speed trans and 351M build. Paid too much and maybe only put 1000 miles on it, constantly had different issues. 2019 O decided to have a full tear down resto done before I move into retirement. Being done in Maryland, not all original, some new age updates, and done with a Law Enforcement Thin Blue Line theme. Body work and paint done, most everything ready and wiring reassembly has begun. Also new 1972 351C motor was built with an estimated 360hp. I will update as more developes.

 

[71 gbvert]

Keep us updated - that thin blue line theme looks great.

 

[turtle5353]

Awesome! Love the theme!

 

[Michael O’Harran]

Thanks. I always hated when you wax a car and the stripes create the white edge of dried wax, so I have it where all the markings are painted and clear coated over. It’s like glass with no detection of coats or markings. I also didn’t want the top and bottom thinner lines in the stripes, the Mach 1 lettering or the ram air lettering to detract from the thin blue line over all look so I had all those parts done in a black pearl, almost like ghost lines, so they pop in the sun and you get the full Mach 1 markings and look, but step back or low lighting or while on the move you only see the Thin Blue Line. I wanted the double take of what you didn’t notice the first time.

 

[Sheriff41]

Wow! Nice work you've done there.

 

[Michael O’Harran]

Wow! Nice work you've done there.

Thanks. My guy John really needs the credit. He’s taking my vision and bringing it to life. It’s been a slow process up till now but hopefully the assembly goes much quicker as it near all stages and ready to just go together. Drastically downplaying the effort that goes into it, I know.

 

[timachone]

Great progress with a great car! Thank you very much for the story and the pictures. Keep us posted and stay busy on the car

 

[sr71kadena]

This looks great. I am in the same process, but I'll have the Grabber blue with the silver argent stripping. Hoping I can get the paint to look like yours. I have 1972, H Code. I do have a question on the rear-end painted black, did you use PPG black paint? It turned out really nice.

 

[Michael O’Harran]

This looks great. I am in the same process, but I'll have the Grabber blue with the silver argent stripping. Hoping I can get the paint to look like yours. I have 1972, H Code. I do have a question on the rear-end painted black, did you use PPG black paint? It turned out really nice.

My mechanic, John Downing, said, yes everything I used is PPG based. He also painted the rear end and many of the suspension components of the exact same color as the car. It’s straight 9000 black. But then he took odds and ends to create a contrast and pop and painted them grey against all that black. Then with the bits on blue like the calipers and shocks to match the car. I think it’s really starting to come together