Mach 1 vs Fastback Sportsroof - differences

[Florida_Orange]

I'm in the market for my first 71-73 Mustang and had my mind settled upon a Mach 1. Today on Craigslist, however, I found a car in Miami that, except for the sportlamp turn signals in the grill and the chrome front bumper, looks exactly like a Mach 1. So I'm trying to understand the differences between the Mach 1 and the Sportsroof. The ad calls it a fastback, but I am assuming that both the Mach 1 and the sportsroof are both called fastbacks.

(I added a picture to contrast the only differences that I can see.)

http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/cto/4436171329.html

I also just noticed that the blue car has no antenna.

 

[jbojo]

Basically trim difference, badging etc. Other guys with more knowledge in this area can give you specifics. One thing that I did notice with this car though is that the motor if it's a 351 is not the Cleveland but appears to be a Windsor. Also air shocks on the rear which is not ideal for the suspension. Overall though the car looks good. I guess it all boils down to what you what to do with it, keep it original, resto mod etc.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Well, there are a lot of differences between a sportsroof and a Mach 1. Most of them deal in the trim package, but the first thing is in the VIN. Mach 1s have '05' as the 3rd & 4th character of the VIN, whereas sportsroofs have '02.' So, a "Mach 1" is technically a different model than a sportsroof.

If you ordered a Mach 1 new, you would receive certain things on the car already "upgraded" without having to order them separately as if you'd gone with a sportsroof. In your pictures, you see the difference in the grilles, but did you also notice the body colored bumper and fender extensions on the Mach 1? The hood locks on the Mach 1 are in the correct location, indicating that it was a factory Ram Air car... whereas the sportsroof has hood locks in the wrong position (meaning the hood was not from a factory Ram Air car, and most likely still has the block-off plates in the ducts).

According to the other pics on your link to the Craigslist ad, it looks like a nice car, but was clearly repaired/repainted/restored by someone who didn't take the extra car in making sure the details were correct. The 'Mustang' badges on the fenders are not in the same places from side to side, the 'Mustang' emblem on the trunk lid is completely on the wrong side, those are '73 tail lights (no black paint anywhere on them), the TuTone (Ram Air) paint is not correctly done, the hood locks are in the 'wrong' position, and I don't like anything about that passenger side quarter panel inside the trunk (it looks a lot like a fiberglass repair job - might just be sound deadener though). At least he got the spoilers on right.

All that aside, it looks like a nice car but not 'exactly' like a Mach 1. Close - but lots of differences to the trained eye (you'll learn a lot about that at this site). ::thumb::

If it's what you want and you like it, then get it. There's nothing wrong with having a sportsroof that has a lot of options and trim pieces. Boss 351s were '02' VIN-code sportsroofs, and not Mach 1s after all.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[detritusmaximus]

Aside from the specific differences between the two that have already been posted, the Sportsroof was Fords official term for the fastback. A Sportsroof by definition is a fastback and a Mach1 can only be had on the sportsroof body style. Effectively, the Mach1 is a trim/performance option on a sportsroof body, but with it's own VIN code. There were no Mach1's on coupe/Grande/convertible bodies, no matter what anyone wants to say in their ad. Check the VIN to verify an actual Mach1 versus a well optioned Sportsroof.

 

[will e]

Welcome, and again we are not 'Mach 1' snobs. We love all of these big bodied cars. I also am curious on the inner panel.

If you like a car and it is a good deal then buy it! If you decide you want the mach 1 grill, bumper or whatever than go for it. Check here on what will easily work and what will not. There are some differences between the three years so the parts are not always interchangeable.

If that is a 351 it is a Windsor and is not an engine that was (for the most part) available. Not that there is anything wrong with it and no one here is going to knock a Windsor swap but it's not original.

Take a good look at the body. It looks like a nice car. It's not a 'great deal' but if it is solid and the paint is good (and you like the color) it's worth consideration.

Question to the gang... was fold down only available in Mach 1 body style?

 

[Mister 4x4]

Welcome, and again we are not 'Mach 1' snobs. We love all of these big bodied cars.

Exactly right! ALL '71-'73s are celebrated here!

If you like a car and it is a good deal then buy it! If you decide you want the mach 1 grill, bumper or whatever than go for it. Check here on what will easily work and what will not. There are some differences between the three years so the parts are not always interchangeable.

"Build it how you want it" spoken here. ::thumb::

Question to the gang... was fold down only available in Mach 1 body style?

Not sure about that. I know Mach 1s could have either (mine has a fixed rear seat), but I couldn't say about the Sportsroofs. I don't believe it was offered on the coupes at all (or 'verts, for obvious reasons).

Someone will know for sure. ::thumb::

 

[Totalled]

Fiberglass on the quarters inside the trunk! Tail panel too!

 

[Mikes73]

Our "02" vin number sportsroof came from the factory with a folddown rear seat, full length center console, under hood and trunk lights, map light, factory air and the almighty cleveland among other things

 

[JimNiki]

351 4v or better cars also got many performance options as standard.

Eg, staggered shocks, thicker sway bars, power disc brakes, etc...

 

[Gold Rush]

Non-power 4 wheel drums....

really cheesy patch job on quarters and tail panel....

Outer fenderwells look rusted and covered with glass and undercoating.....

Looks like a one week flip by some fly by night looking for a patsy......

RUN LIKE YOU NEVER RAN BEFORE!!!!!

$4000.00 car at best with a pretty dress on top....

 

[mach71351c]

Fold down seat was available all sports roofs.

If the right quarter looks that bad,whats the left look like?::-/

 

[caspianwendell]

I am a big fan of the chrome bumper and extensions but the blue car is a body mans nightmare, for that price it's not worthy of a closer inspection

 

[1972MustangSVH]

"this is a gorgeous no expense spared classic muscle car ready to hit the streets."

hmmm, I beg to differ. just from the patchwork on the panels and the air shocks this looks like a project about to happen. His $11,000 would have been better spent on real repairs. This is a quick flip looking for fast cash. I'm with the others, it's a 4k(ish) car.

 

[Luke]

Warning Here There Be Monster.

Caspianwendell and the other are correct.If they are happy to show you those dodgy repairs what can't you see. I think there are better starts than this particular car

 

[cudak888]

Run away from that '72. I've been following it for two years:

The build started in someone's backyard on a yellow '72 Sportsroof (hence the yellow Windsor), which was rotted out. The owners didn't have welding equipment (and used cinderblocks on the rockers as jack stands) so they fiberglassed area under the rear seat, cowl intake, and some other spots too. A rotted purple '73 was used for parts, which is where the funky trunk came, from amongst numerous other parts. Price was $4k, IIRC.

He sat around on it for a while, had it cheaply primered (over the markers and all), and kicked the price up to $7k. No takers.

It finally sold to a fellow in Kendall, who sat on it for a while and put it right back up. Last price was $5k. He then had it shot in the blue that you see here, and - so he claims - the fiberglass repairs were removed. This most recent ad finally included trunk photos which betray that no bodywork was done; this thing still remains held together with fiberglass.

Only thing to say for it is the nice paint job - wasted.

-Kurt

 

[luxstang]

Two things I noticed: no shock tower braces and look at the angle of the passenger side front fender extension. It's askew. Mine had that exact phenomenon on the driver side. It had been hit hard in the front and the left front frame rail was bent inward which caused the fender to be askew.

I remember I cursed the aftermarket industry because the new front spoiler was too wide to mount on the car.

I later found out that the spoiler was ok but the car was an inch too narrow. Duh!

I guess this one may have suffered the same fate.

 

[1973grandeklar]

Non-power 4 wheel drums....

really cheesy patch job on quarters and tail panel....

Outer fenderwells look rusted and covered with glass and undercoating.....

Looks like a one week flip by some fly by night looking for a patsy......

RUN LIKE YOU NEVER RAN BEFORE!!!!!

$4000.00 car at best with a pretty dress on top....

Also, the heater core is not hooked up, funky oil filter where the charcoal canister should be (is the vapor return line blocked?), and the funky wood steering wheel.

 

[72HCODE]

[video=youtube]


RUN AWAY!

in general the biggest difference from a sport roof 02 and a fastback 05 is going to be the resale value, a fastback designation 05 in the vin commands more money.

 

[Mikes73]

[video=youtube]

Especially true if the 02 vin number car is a 71 boss.