Mach 1 questions

[pdub04]

Hey yall! New member here, I stumbled on a late 71 mustang the other day sitting under a barn. Stopped to talk to the guy about it, he parked it about 98 or 99, hasn't been on the road since. It's a 71 Mustang Mach 1 sports roof with a 351C 2 barrel and 4 speed manual. Interior is in great shape, no tears in seats or cracks in panels, gauge faces are like new. Car has a documented 52k miles, it's baby blue. Has some rot on the bottom of the doors and around the windsheild and trunk lid and it desperately needs floor pans and carpet but otherwise it's in excellent shape!

Anyways, my main questions are this: how much would this car be worth? I'm not big into the sports roof mustangs. And what are some unique features on this car I should know about? I can tell you it has chrome wheels (in great shape actually), no wing or valance, idk if its drums or discs, am radio and only heat. But a 4 speed and leather bucket seats. Tires are flat so idk about anti-roll bars.

Kinda want to refresh the motor with a 4 bbl intake, strip as much weight as I can, roll cage it and build a track car. But right now I just want to get it and work on it. 71-73 sportsroof has always been my favorite body style and hard to come by, so an opportunity to own one is nice. Just want some input on a value, guy hasn't gave me a number and he said he wants to "ask a freind" first. Just trying not to count my chickens before they hatch.

TIA! -Paul

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

Sounds like rust issues -- most likely more than what you mention. You can pick up a basic Marti report (need the VIN) to verify factory equipment.
Engine sitting for 25+ years is not a great situation. $7 - $9K.

 

[Hemikiller]

To learn more about the 71 cars, start with the Salesman's Facts Book that we have in the Wiki section. It covers the standard features of the 71s, and will help you figure out what the car is and has for options.

https://cdn.imagearchive.com/7173mustangs/images/71factbook.pdf

https://wiki.7173mustangs.com/

You can decode the VIN and door data tag here: https://classicponycars.com/71data.html

As far as value, since your objective is to turn it into a track car, then "as little as possible", and none of the documentation, options or other whatnots really matter.

 

[72mokk1]

I would look up the VIN, you said it was a 2 barrel but a lot can happen in 50 years. My VIN is 2F05H, H for 2 barrel. If it is an M, Q or R could be worth a lot more. If you are set up to repair rusty panels that is not too much of a problem. If not, body shops are pricey.

 

[rvrtrash]

If it has rust around the windshield, doors and the floors are shot, you might also need a cowl and rockers. Even for a track car, the unibody has to be intact and safe. Unless you can do your own body rebuild, it would cost way more than the car would ever be worth to take it to a shop, if you can even find a shop that would want to do the work. Most shops now just want to do collision repair, because it's faster turnaround. It would be faster and easier to find a car online, fly there and look at it, and have it transported home.

 

[giantpune]

Engine sitting for 25+ years is not a great situation.

But not necessarily a deal breaker. I let mine sit up for over 15 years. The battery and fuel system went to crap. But the engine fired right up with a new carb and spark plugs.

I have one with rust around the trunk and front/rear windows. All the sheet metal for the roof, around the back glass, the trunk opening, and the entire rear half of the car is available. Cowls are available, but not always in stock. What sucks is there's no A pillars for our cars being made. A new roof will contain the lip that goes along the top of the front windshield. But there's no way to get new metal for the sides of it. That will need to come off another car or be custom fabricated.

 

[mrgmhale]

Our 73 Mach 1 had rust issues that was deep under the trim of the windshield and rear glass. We did/could not see it before buying it, although we did see some "surface rust" on the hood and the lower rear corners of the door panels. In order to properly correct the additional corrosion there and some other areas we discovered once the car was being disassembled during a restoration, had we gotten the car for free, the cost of repair would have still gotten into 6 figures. It turned out spectacularly, but at a very high price. Why did we do it? Well, because we had the cash on hand with nothing else needed, and for love of the breed. But, it is not the path I would have suggested for many folks. If you already see rust, believe me there is a lot more in places you do not yet see.

Following are two YouTube links. The first is a collection of progress photos put into a video clip, where you will be able to see where the rust was found during disassembly to take care f the rust we had seen ib=nitially. The second is a walk-around look at the Mach 1 on its final day of its deep restoration. I have since decided we are definitely pleased with how the Mustang turned out. No regrets. But, if ever I buy another pony car, with any finding of rust anywhere I will just move onto the next car. Once in a lifetime to put that much cash into a car is enough for me

https://youtu.be/y0MiVAFj_sQ
https://youtu.be/_Fl0B-qmlLI

Anyway, if you have deep pockets with more freely available cash than you know what to do with, then this kind of project can be exciting, even fun, to intentionally undertake to see what you wind up with. If the extent and cost of the work is higher than expect(ed) you better be ready to handle the thrill of the never-ending experience. If you prefer to not put some serious money into a corrosion laden car I suggest you look for another car, from the South/West preferably.