Unlocking the mysteries of the Mach 1

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if the second set of digits in the serial number is 05 its a MACH 1. Bottom line is its your car built how you would have ordered it new in 71.
Roy hit it right on the head!

It's your car....build it like how you would have ordered it.

My convertible isn't a Mach one but I like the look so I managed to find a Naca hood...and yes I will paint it two tone, my car came with the hockey stick stripes...I like the look so they will go back on and somewhere along the line the car also picked up a rear spoiler....so the natural is a front spoiler now. It's the look I would have ordered in 73...lol..then again I would have ordered a 351, and a 4 spd to go along with that look.

 
Living in Mobile, AL where the humidity is 95% on a dry day, I would have ordered it with Air Conditioning before I picked any other option. LOL

 
It's amazing how many options were actually available for the Mustang. I think I read somewhere that the 71 Mustang was the first big year for buyer spec'd options that could be chosen from a shopping list. Previously, it was unheard of! Henry Ford used to say that you could get the Model T in any color...as long as it was BLACK! LOL

 
Living in Mobile, AL where the humidity is 95% on a dry day, I would have ordered it with Air Conditioning before I picked any other option. LOL
I am such an idiot. When I was really young, I tossed the A/C compressor (which was a nice York unit) thinking that I'd never need it. I live in Tucson, AZ and I sure wish I hadn't ditched it!

 
Living in Mobile, AL where the humidity is 95% on a dry day, I would have ordered it with Air Conditioning before I picked any other option. LOL
I am such an idiot. When I was really young, I tossed the A/C compressor (which was a nice York unit) thinking that I'd never need it. I live in Tucson, AZ and I sure wish I hadn't ditched it!
"But it's a dry heat" lol

 
I am going to throw my 2 cents in

Roy is right,the 05 in the serial number means Mach1.Ford started using this in 1970.In 1969 there was no designation for the Mach 1 package.

Also in 1970 -1973.if you got the handeling package / or one of the 4v engines (these required the handeling package) you got rear sway bar,with the staggard shocks 4spd OR automatic.The shocks were part of the package.

The NASA (NACA) hood came non ramair and no flat black treatment (71-73 0nly).If you ordered the twist locks you got the flat black hood,even if it did not have ram air. My car came with none ram air,it is a 73 "Q" code, but it was ordered with the twist locks which gave you the black out treatment.

I have seen many of our Machs with the standard interior.The 69-70 was the only Mach that got a standard Mach 1/ deluxe interior,it was part of the standard package.Starting in 71 the deluxe was an option,not standard Mach 1.Helped Ford make more money.I almost bought a new 1973 Mach1 that had the 302 auto,no gauges,standard interior,Nasa hood,no twist locks / no black out etc....the only thing that said it was a Mach1 was the serial number (05) and stripes.

'Q code

 
Also worth noting only the 4v cars came with dual exhaust. Not sure if your had duals if the chrome tips were standard or optional. My car has seat belt buzzers and those annoying locking seat things but that was just a weird option. All non electric window cars had fixed rear windows.

'Q code

 
Is there any proof that 'only' the 4Vs came with dual exhaust?

Granted, mine had headers and dual glass packs (so I have no idea what the stock exhaust would've been). But mine also has the 'dual-exhaust cut-out' rear valance, which leads me to believe it might've came with a dual exhaust from the factory.

I don't believe Ford used the dual-exhaust cut-out valances with single factory exhaust system. It kinda goes along with the 'only 4Vs got functional Ram-Air' theory - mine is an anomaly if that's the case... a numbers-matching 351C-2V with functional Ram-Air AND dual exhaust.

(I'm not discounting anybody's information or anything... I honestly don't know much about it except for what I've discovered on and about my car.)

 
My 1st 72 Mach1 351 2v I bought in 1976 had single exhaust. My 72 351 2v ram air Mach1 I bought in 1981 had single exhaust. Both cars had the FMX and both were bought from the original owners. It would not make much sense to have the small port 2 bbl exhuast manifolds feed into a factory dual exhaust. Now of course almost everyone converted to duals somewhere along the way.

 
Great reading here! Thanks for all of the info!

I know a lot of guys hate this but I'm planning a resto-mod on mine. I don't plan on doing the whole concours correct, just like the marti report build on it. I think that looks awesome but I know I'll enjoy my car a lot more with some more modern upgrades. I plan on driving the heck out of this car and want it to be totally unique. And of course, owning a stereo shop, it will have one bad ass jammin' "just like you were front row center stage" sound system in it!!! lol

 
Great reading here! Thanks for all of the info!

I know a lot of guys hate this but I'm planning a resto-mod on mine. I don't plan on doing the whole concours correct, just like the marti report build on it. I think that looks awesome but I know I'll enjoy my car a lot more with some more modern upgrades. I plan on driving the heck out of this car and want it to be totally unique. And of course, owning a stereo shop, it will have one bad ass jammin' "just like you were front row center stage" sound system in it!!! lol
You can practice on mine...I'll settle for second row, center stage seats. :)

 
You can practice on mine...I'll settle for second row, center stage seats. :)
Well....I can tell you that I'd give you a heck of a deal but even then I'm NW of Nashville so not really worth the drive for you. But I do have a friend that owns a shop in Florence, AL and does awesome work, some of the best work in country.

I can't really say I'd need any practice considering I've been doing car audio and security since 1991...lol :D

 
My 1st 72 Mach1 351 2v I bought in 1976 had single exhaust. My 72 351 2v ram air Mach1 I bought in 1981 had single exhaust. Both cars had the FMX and both were bought from the original owners. It would not make much sense to have the small port 2 bbl exhuast manifolds feed into a factory dual exhaust. Now of course almost everyone converted to duals somewhere along the way.
I don't disagree with you - but my understanding of the single exhaust cars has them with a turn-down tip and no cut-outs in the valance.

You also confirmed a contradiction to an earlier comment (about 2V & Ram-Air) by mentioning your second car above (in all fairness).

Could dual-exhaust have been a special-order or dealer option as well, since there seems to be some confusion?

 
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if the second set of digits in the serial number is 05 its a MACH 1. Bottom line is its your car built how you would have ordered it new in 71.
Roy hit it right on the head!

It's your car....build it like how you would have ordered it.

My convertible isn't a Mach one but I like the look so I managed to find a Naca hood...and yes I will paint it two tone, my car came with the hockey stick stripes...I like the look so they will go back on and somewhere along the line the car also picked up a rear spoiler....so the natural is a front spoiler now. It's the look I would have ordered in 73...lol..then again I would have ordered a 351, and a 4 spd to go along with that look.
That is exactly what my car is. The naca hood and front spoiler was added by a previous owner. I added the rear spoiler and functional ram-air. This is exactly how I would have bought my car new in 73.

Mike

 
Ford did not install "from the factory"dual exhaust an any of the 2v motors.

If you notice the Boss 351s have the turn downs with out the chrome tips and cut out valance.If you see one with them ,it is an add on,I beleive.Also if you got a Grande with the Q code you got the turn downs,not the chrome tips. I am going to step out on a limb and say the chrome tips were a Mach 1 and convertable only thing on the 4v engines.

In January of 73 you no longer got the chrome tips,dual exhaust cut outs on the Q codes(4v). Due to new EPA noise restrictions,the same reason Ford dropped the ram air option for the 4v cars,the noise.Ford could not make the cars pass EPA test for noise polution.This is what the dealer told me in 1973 when I wanted to order my car.My car was built December 12 1972,so it was one of the last Q codes to get the dual chrome tips and also the air cleaner with a chrome top and the extra vacum operated air inlet on the side. After January 1 you could not get the air cleaner or the chrome tips on the exhaust.The air cleaner became a closed system.

 
This is such a cool thread. I know mine is a "clone" as it started life as a fastback. I don't think it was very happy as a fastback and now it is sporting as much Mach 1 badging / stuff as I can afford. I too am not interested in Concours and guess some cars just have to have the right owner to find there "true" appearance.

Spent last night fabricating a harness to run the grill sportlamps. She is starting to come around...

IMG01189-20110324-1341a.jpg

 
Mach, you're getting there...looks really good to me. Nice work with the harness; the lights are on and I don't see where you needed a fire extinguisher. Lol

 
hahaha...true, they light up. I tapped into the passenger turn signal running light but for some reason my passerner head light is sorta dim now... not exactly sure why... :huh:

 
I know on my 65 the headlights were dim to start with...still new to the 71-73 scene so I don't know if that was/ is an issue with these cars. For the 65 it is an easy & inexpensive fix. Add 2 relays and have the wires that normally would power the bulbs go to the relay instead, one relay for the low beams & the other for the high beam. On the other side of the relays comes a fused wire from the battery. And lastly the remaing connection is the 3rd prong on the relays that connect to the bulbs.

Then when you turn the lights on, you really are turning the relay on and the relay will provide the full battery power to the headlights & bypasses the original wiring harness.

There is a popular diagram for this floating around on the web; I'll see if I can find it for you.

Here it is: http://www.midnightdsigns.com/james/headlights.htm

Here it is: http://www.midnightdsigns.com/james/headlights.htm

 
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I'm sorry I have to disagree with everyone here.

It is not the VIN, body codes or even the body style.

What makes a Mach 1 a true Mach 1 is the decals on the side.

Sorry no offence to anyone but I had say it.

Don

 
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