I can't remember if it was an actual thread, or if it was just continually updated in the 'What did you do to your Mustang today' thread. But, I did put a blog together with all of the pics and entries from those threads. Like most blogs, the newest stuff is up front, so to start from the beginning, gotta go to page 11.
https://mister4x4.net/mister4x4/category/mach1/page/11/
Probably about 70% of the sheet metal, including floor pans, trunk pan, taillight panel, quarter panels, trunk lid, fenders, front and rear valances, and 'just' the whole front clip... oh, and patched the cowl panels.
My avatar pic was one of the ones from the Craigslist ad, and my signature pic is what it looks like now.
It didn't have any sentimental value - I've just wanted a '71 Mach 1 since I was 14 in the early '80s. It has the sentimental value of 'priceless' [to me] because I can honestly say I built that car from the ground up. I had basic welding skills (I could run a bead and have it hold), but I learned a LOT working on that car. Every project I've successfully taken on has just given me more confidence to try new things that look doable enough. When I first started in on it, just about everybody I knew couldn't see me ever getting the car done, or that I'd reach a point that I'd give up on it, or that it was too much work, time, effort, and money involved to be worth it. Well... that just emboldened me because those negative thoughts were based on their shortfalls, lack of skill, patience, and motivation, and I just fed off it. Once I got the new front clip welded on, a lot of them had to eat their words, and many came around to become more like cheerleaders than nay-sayers. Of course, now that it's done, most everybody can't believe it's the same pile of rust I started out with, and that I have some kind of mad skills or something. That's not exactly the case - I was just determined to succeed, but even more to not fail (if that makes any sense).
When I jump into a project like this, I go all-in. My vision for a 'vert project would be to build the coolest 'vert ever - better than Foose's nightmare, the Pegasus, Count's Kustoms '72 'vert, and other 7173 restomod abominations that are out there. I would start with Schwartz Performance G-machine chassis with a Coyote engine (not sure if I'd go manual or stick). I'd punch out the fenders and quarter panels to accommodate 18x10 w/275s (front) and 18x12 w/345s (rear) - not just flares, the whole panel... IMSA-style. Subtle things like tucking the bumpers, an integrated (but not gawdy) front spoiler, trunk spoiler LEDVery impressive/Digital/Halo lights, and all of the interior would be updated with black and carbon fiber trim. I'm not sure what color I'd go with - probably a darker metallic gray or black and carbon fiber TuTone and Hockey Stripes. Anything that gets modified would still have distinct '71-'73 style & appearance, though (no 'Foose' Camaro tail lights, or 'Pegasus' late-model Boss 302 headlights, et al)... I'd just somewhat improve/update what's already there.
Anyway, that's just my thought on that. I would support trying to restore this one, since it is/was a pretty rare car. Mine was not (just an H-Code), so I had no qualms making it my own.
For instant gratification, here's a link to my Facebook photo album for my Mach 1 project:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.722153737795547&type=3