Newbie question about exterior color options

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Praetorian27

Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Messages
6
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Location
Greenville, NY
My Car
1973 Mach 1 351 Cobra Jet
Hi guys, new member here. I am very close to buying a 73 Mach 1 and had a question for you experts. The car is now grey with black Mach 1 side decals. The owner told me the original color was Aqua Blue with white stripes? I have looked all over the internet and haven't found any that have white stripes. Did the side decals come in white? I have seen black and what looks like grey but not white. Were stripes (like on an SS Chevelle) an option?

Thanks!


I forgot to mention...the body is listed as 63R...the color is 4N...and the trim is AW

 
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Aqua blue was a pretty color on the Mach 1s. The Mach 1 stripe and Tu-tone hood color was ony available in two colors from the factory; black and argent (silver type color). I'm pretty sure aqua blue came with the black stripe but not 100%.

63r is a true mach 1

Aqua blue

White interior

 
Like Don says:

63R = Mach1

4N = Aqua Blue

AW = Standard bucket seats, white

Stripes only available in black and argent.

I have seen Aqua Blue cars With argent stripes, but i think the only way to be sure what the car was ordered With is a Marti Report.

 
data.jpegThanks for the welcome and info guys! The seller claims it is a numbers matching engine and transmission with only 26k miles. I am concerned that it is actually 126k but I haven't seen the car in person yet. The transmission is a 4 speed. Here is a shot of the trim tag I guess you would call it?

What has my interest, is 1. That it's a great car! 2. That it could be a low mileage, numbers matching car 3. It's a factory A/C car.

It needs a repaint and has some bubbling in the body but apparently runs great.


Overall pic of the car


mach1fender1.jpeg


Mach1interior.jpeg


Mach1interior2.jpeg


mach1fender2.jpeg


mach1rightside.jpg


mach1leftside.jpg

mach1doorjam.jpeg

 
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Looks like a nice car. You can just see the hint of aqua blue peeking through under the door data sticker. The bubble rust concerns me some so do a rust inspection in the floor boards, cowl, trunk floor and trunk drop offs.

looks like the car has a lot going for it. 4-speed Q-codes don't turn up for sale very often. If the rust is minimal and you like it then snatch it up.

 
Oh yeah! I didn't notice the Aqua color before you mentioned it, very cool! Normally I would be concerned about the bubbling too...but if I buy it, I intend to strip the body and repaint it the original color so it could be addressed then. Are the VIN locations on the engine and tranny easy to see or are they a pain in the you know what to get at? Also, was that Hurst shifter factory on the 4 speed?

 
You can probably easily scrape some of the silver off the data sticker to get a better look at the aqua. The sticker has about 3/8th of an inch of clear tape material that stuck the label to the door. The clear tape part was painted silver right up to the label to hide the aqua color. Should scrape right off.

The shifter is factory but the T handle was only for 71. It could be a dealer swap/upgrade. It's period correct but not a true factory item.

The engine VIN is stamped right behind the head on the driver's side...in the brake booster area. You have to lay on the engine & fender and have a mirror to look at it. You might be able to take a bunch of photos of that area bu aiming the camera and hoping for the best. It's a pain.

I can't remember where the trans VIN is stamped but pretty sure you have to take it out to see it. Seems like it was on the top middle near the tail shaft joint.

Both the engine & trans are partial VINs that should read something like 3F48008.

The body has two VIN stamp locations one under each fender right in the middle on the edge. You have to remove the fenders to see them.

Then there is the dash VIN and the VIN on the door data sticker. That's all of them.

 
You can probably easily scrape some of the silver off the data sticker to get a better look at the aqua. The sticker has about 3/8th of an inch of clear tape material that stuck the label to the door. The clear tape part was painted silver right up to the label to hide the aqua color. Should scrape right off.

The shifter is factory but the T handle was only for 71. It could be a dealer swap/upgrade. It's period correct but not a true factory item.

The engine VIN is stamped right behind the head on the driver's side...in the brake booster area. You have to lay on the engine & fender and have a mirror to look at it. You might be able to take a bunch of photos of that area bu aiming the camera and hoping for the best. It's a pain.

I can't remember where the trans VIN is stamped but pretty sure you have to take it out to see it. Seems like it was on the top middle near the tail shaft joint.

Both the engine & trans are partial VINs that should read something like 3F48008.

The body has two VIN stamp locations one under each fender right in the middle on the edge. You have to remove the fenders to see them.

Then there is the dash VIN and the VIN on the door data sticker. That's all of them.
Thanks Don! I've been a member of this forum for exactly two days and have already learned a ton about this car...I love the internet!


shiftknob.jpgIs this the proper shift knob that would have come from the factory?

 
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Thanks Don! I've been a member of this forum for exactly two days and have already learned a ton about this car...I love the internet!


Is this the proper shift knob that would have come from the factory?
You're welcome. This is the best site on the net.

That's the correct shifter ball.

 
Thanks Don! I've been a member of this forum for exactly two days and have already learned a ton about this car...I love the internet!


Is this the proper shift knob that would have come from the factory?
You're welcome. This is the best site on the net.

That's the correct shifter ball.
I actually like that better!

 
Actually the correct is black from the factory.


2hekk7m.jpg


I have to find the other pic I had of the shifter itself.

 
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Actually the correct is black from the factory.
Black shifter or black stripe or both? I'm not totally sure of the shifter ball color. All I've seen is white...but also all I've seen is the '72 cars.

 
All Factory Shifter balls were black. That is from Dad's 72 R Code. The aftermarket Hurst was White.

Good Luck on the mach1 purchase!

 
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All Factory Shifter balls were black. That is from Dad's 72 R Code. The aftermarket Hurst was White.

Good Luck on the mach1 purchase!
+ 1

all 72 -3 ones were black

 
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