possible 1971 mach 1 purchase

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info on yellow one.

info from seller

Dont have any other pictures at the moment and unfortunately cant get any until saturday (car is at my grandparents house and im out of town working). I would say the interior is in fair shape. Somebody tried to restore this car and re did the interior but the back seats need to be re-covered (everything is there just was never sewed on) does need body work. Has a harness for seat belts on driver and passenger side. I removed the dash cluster and repaired an issue with no gauges working and while i was in there i swapped the regular bulbs with bright LED bulbs to increase the look. Floor pans mostly but the rest looks ok. Trunk looks good. Heat/ac work. I bought it two years ago and drove it for a good while before i bought another mustang haha. It should start but im almost 100% sure it wont go far due to the transmission leak. Just replaced the battery before i parked it. Oil pressure light flickers on and off but im positive its the sensor acting up or the LED thats in it because LEDs dont require a lot of power to light up so. My goal was to fix it up nice but i bought a newer mustang and id like to have some money to sink into that.

 
more on yellow car when asking about vin

Do not but i can get vin tonight. Never had it checked to see if it was original 302 but i was told car was never a mach so im assuming its original. Paint looks like it was done in a garage and has slight orange peel. I didnt do much work to this car

 
Ok. So the guy in Richmond is sending me additional pictures. From what I'm reading, you can add "parts" to the 302 you can get just as much power. My friend said that she thinks the 302 us the most under utilized engine. It's what she has in her stangs. If I'm also understanding correctly, the machine 1 is pretty much just options that I can make a "clone" out of. I am thinking the Richmond car is a good place to start. Especially for a family project car and something we can make our own over time with less invested at the beginning.

 
You can indeed build-up a 302 to put out big numbers. Ford did it from the factory with their Boss 302, and there are no shortages for aftermarket 302 performance goodies. FYI - the 302 is the same displacement as the 5.0 that earned such respect for the Mustang in the '80s-'90s. Ain't nothing wrong with a 302/5.0 Mustang.

It sounds like you're torn between getting the cheaper yellow '72 and the slightly more expensive blue '71. Could it be because the sellers are acting so differently? I saw you mentioned that the blue car's seller won't budge, and it seems like the yellow car's seller is more helpful. That can also make a difference. If you're not happy with the deal, it won't matter how much you saved or spent - you'll always have the bad taste of a bad deal lingering in the background.

Without having actually seen either of the cars, I think you're money ahead with the blue one... only because the car is actually an M-code Mach 1 vs. an F-code Sportsroof. Yes, you can make the yellow car a Mach 1 clone quite easily, but it might come out in the wash if you ever look to sell it on down the road (if not, it's your car - who cares what it would sell for if you don't plan on ever getting rid of it?).

Otherwise, it just depends on how big of a bite you want to take.

 
Well, considering the guy in Atlanta was a jerk and said. I'll let you know at the end of the day if it's still available after I told him I'd call him Monday to work out the details, I don't think I want it. You are right, sour taste. Plus, we don't plan on ever selling it, so numbers matching resale etc means nothing. Guy in Richmond has been super helpful and is gettin me more oils as I type. And it''s close to my price range.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I think you're getting closer to making your decision. You need to be happy with it in order to keep the enthusiasm alive when you hit a new challenge (something new that shows itself as you peel back the layers).

Sounds like the yellow car might be the way to go. At least you're being thoughtful and methodical about making this decision - I jumped in on the first one I saw because I had the "Mach 1 goggles" on, along with being so far away from any other prospects. After I discovered what a big mess mine was, it turned into an exercise in defiance and determination for me, since almost everybody I knew said I'd never get it done - the folks here, on the other hand, were some of my biggest cheerleaders and inspiration. I have no doubt you'll get the same level of advice, support, and encouragement I enjoyed as well. ::thumb::

Can't wait to see what you come up with! ::thumb::

 
I did it. lol. Now I'm a nervous wreck. lol. I made the deal on the yellow one, knowing it will be work and something that my hubby and boys can enjoy together. I was worried about the 302, but my bf from college talked me into it telling me everything she has done to hers (she is always game to play with mustangs. lol). I also think I've talked my uncle and cousin into playing along and taking the road trip to go get her. It's only about 5 hours, so they can do it in a day and they are race car people so they have the means to get it back to me in one piece (and the means to make the cash exchange without me having to worry about getting suckered). The stars have aligned.... or the Big Man is helping me out. One or the other, but I'm excited. Haven't worked out when yet, but soon she will be home in our garage. lol. I'm so freaking excited. For now, we will probably start with the floors and then interior and fix the transmission leak so he can drive her. Then work on other things as we go. :-D

 
go to Lowe's or the equivalent and go buy a big mud pan from the concrete department-they are about 10 bucks. Will hold tons of fluid when you drain the transmission and can be left under the car to catch the leaks until you do.

It also make a dandy place to store small parts when you are working on a project-as long as the fluid isn't in it :D

 
Congratulations on the new addition to your family. I know it has been an uphill battle, but the day your "New Baby" rolls out of your garage and the family takes their first cruise, it will be all worth it. Keep us posted and never hesitate to ask any questions. There are so many talented and knowledgeable folks who are more than willing to help you in any way possible. And...oh yes, pictures please!!

 
::congrats::

I think we will all be excited to see this one safe at your home!!!

Thanks for sharing your initial Mustang purchase with us all on here!

You have already learned - there are a lot ot of great people here and we will enjoy seeing the fun and enjoyment your whole family will get from owning a 71-3 Ford Mustang!

Happy for you all!

Now get us some pics! :p

Ray

 
Congratulations!! ::thumb::

Don't feel weird or scared... you mentioned having 'race car guys' in the family.

Again - we're all here for you as well. Got a question, do a quick search or post it up. I don't think there's anything on your new project that we haven't seen or done before (I actually think mine was one of the ones full of the most surprises - rofl ).

You got this!

 
Yes, congrats on the acquisition of awesomeness! 302's are relatively inexpensive to build, light and can make plenty of power to overwhelm the stock tires and chassis with minimal work-there are also build recipes that are very reliable at producing predictable power levels.

 
you guys have been awesome. yes, racing family. My uncle raced late models at the local dirt and asphalt track for years, then moved up to ARCA. Then my cousin filled in as driver and ended up going as high as the Camping World Truck racing. Then my other cousin (the brother) raced the Super cup stock car series, so they know a ton about cars. Can't wait to get her home. My youngest is going to be so excited that it's yellow (but that will probably change in the future) Should I order a Marti for it so we know what to put on it, or doesn't that matter?

 

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