Very original Metuchen M-code '71 Mach 1

[TheJ]

Welcome aboard from Wisconsin.

 

[73vertproject]

Welcome to the club from northern Nevada. Glad to have you here!

As others have said, document as much as possible and post it here. Our cars (as well as the others you shared with us) have data that is hard to come by in many respects. Thanks for posting it up!

 

[mach71351c]

::welcome:: From San Diego. What a great find.

 

[RocketFoot]

Looks like a great project! Welcome to the forums!

::welcome::

 

[Don65Stang]

Welcome from coastal Alabama! I like Mach 1s a whole lot and yours is really cool. Survivor cars rock! Too bad about the rear quarter but very fixable. As much as I like the Machs I'm VERY much drooling over your Lincolns! Those are sweet!

Where in S Fla are you.? Looks like somewhere on the gold coast in the pics.

My friend Tim from St Pete (ponypastor on here) daily drives a thunderbird that looks very similar to your Mark V. Cars from the 70s are just plain cool.

Survivors are the best, IMO. Whatever they lack in perfect, they ooze in originality. Then again, I like crappy single-stage paint jobs!

The Lincs are nice, but I wish they came with crank windows. The electric vent windows on the '79 are nearly impossible to access for repair. Needless to say, they malfunction more than anything else on the car.

I'm in Miami. The Mach is original to Miami as well. In addition to a custom "MACH1 71" plate in the trunk from 2002, a 1975 Florida plate was in there as well. Too bad it wasn't the original '71 plate - would have been perfect to have an original Y.O.M. plate.

What year T-Bird? The '72-76 rode on the same platform as the Mark IV's and V's, and even the downsized '77-79 versions have the same platform with a reduced wheelbase.

-Kurt

His is a '79. Here's a the garage link to it: http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-1979-ford-thunderbird

When I was 8, 9, 10...some young age, my mother bought a dark blue '78 Continental that looked identical to yours. I remember the power vent windows. That car was awesomely comfortable. Yours looks fantastic. Post some more pics of them in your garage.

Are either cars your daily driver?

 

[bkdunha]

Great looking project. From the topside it looks real good. Well maybe the back is little less than desireable, but fixable. Hope the floors and cowl are in good shape. Keep us posted as you progress and welcome to our little (but growing) family.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

Thanks for the welcome wagon, gentlemen.

Welcome from Olympia WA.

Your 71 was produced 1 month prior to mine, I also couldn't help but noticing your Blue Toyota TRD Sport truck in the background, I have the same one. Looking forward to seeing future pics or your Mustang.

Jim

A Metuchen, NJ car, by any chance?...-Kurt

Nope it was built at Deaborn for the Seattle ordering district and sold new at Toppenish WA, it's been in Washington State it's whole life.

Jim

 

[71mach351]

I've got a 1T05M as well. Build date of 10/70.

 

[cudak888]

Ok, here come the requested shots. First, under the hood:

I did a preliminary inspection today - even though the master cylinder was dry, it holds fluid under pressure. Radiator is full of white crapola, water pump isn't as bad as I thought it was (though the lower hose is definitely trash), and the one spark plug I pulled was sooty, but otherwise fine - probably a rich mixture.

Carb is an Autolite 4300 - may or may not be the original. D10FAAA part number, which would suggest a possible replacement - possibly early in the car's life:

Now for the interior and the rather unusual two-spoke wheel (at least, I haven't seen one in an online photo yet):

Here are the underbody shots, which sold me on this particular car. They are unreasonably clean for a car that has sat for 10 years:

Here's the bit under the corner where the fender was hit. Not a good picture, but the frame rail appears to have no buckling based on a quick visual inspection. I might be lucky.

Great car and welcome to the site from Mustang Oklahoma. Please keep every piece you take off of the car. Find a body shop good enough to save what is there even if it is cheaper to replace the parts with reproduction parts. Please take pictures of even the most mundane items. These car are under documented and every piece of information helps everyone. 71 was the last year Mustangs were produced in NJ. It will be a great car, congrats. Chuck

Welcome to the club from northern Nevada. Glad to have you here!

As others have said, document as much as possible and post it here. Our cars (as well as the others you shared with us) have data that is hard to come by in many respects. Thanks for posting it up!

Data, eh? How about some decals and fender tags?

I'd be more than glad to take any additional photos.

I have my fingers crossed that a build sheet will show itself.

Mind you, I was not too happy to find this under the hood. Lousy Chrysler ATF+3. Looks like I might have a tranny flush in my future:

Shift gate is off too. Slips between reverse and neutral without depressing the button.

His is a '79. Here's a the garage link to it: http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-1979-ford-thunderbird
When I was 8, 9, 10...some young age, my mother bought a dark blue '78 Continental that looked identical to yours. I remember the power vent windows. That car was awesomely comfortable. Yours looks fantastic. Post some more pics of them in your garage.

Are either cars your daily driver?

Beautiful example. I believe the Chamois Glow color is the same color as the 5K Chamois on the Mark V.

The '79 was a daily driver until a rock shattered the rear window - which pressed me to do the vinyl job (window is under the vinyl), and in the process, work on 4 significant rust spots. I'm converting the car to an opera window delete example, for sake of preventing future rust - those windows are nothing but water traps. Here is a picture build log of it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43240189@N03/sets/72157630695765748/with/7761002492/

Excuse the tacking job - the welding rod was twice the size necessary for the sheet metal. I need to buy some 1/16".

Here it is under the hood. 400 CID; essentially a 351C with a taller deck height and a camshaft masquerading as a solid steel rod. Puts out a measly ~180 HP - sink your foot into the floor, and it'll charge like nobody's business - right until it gets to 5mph. Nothing happens after that!

-Kurt

 

[ponypastor]

Hi Kurt: Great find you have there in a 71 M Code. Would love to find such here in the Tampa Bay area. Rare to find a lover of 71-73 Mustangs and older Ford luxury vehicles. Love seeing your "battleships". Per comments from Don, I've attached a picture of my "Million Mile" 1979 Bird Daily Driver in Chamois Glow. 302-2v; Everything works. Runs perfect. I also restore 77-79 Birds as a hobby. Attached is an example of one I just restored: 1978 Bird, Diamond Jubilee in Polar White; 400-2v. They ride much better than the Mustangs!

 

[0321Bubba]

Welcome from Southern california, nice find.

 

[rpmcarter]

a shout out from my VAN down by the RIVER!!!

nice collection love the Bruthas cars!!!

 

[cudak888]

Just finished a video of picking up the car - enjoy!

[video=youtube]


-Kurt

 

[Don65Stang]

Great video...funny!

 

[pegasus]

cool video. well done, you even have the right hair for it....

 

[Qcode351mach]

Nice Job on the Video ! I like it !

 

[Don65Stang]

What camera and video software do you use? It looks top notch.

 

[whitesoc]

Great Video.....although I almost expected to see a Vista Cruiser Station wagon in the next door neighbours driveway ....from That 70's show!

 

[SPAIN72MUSTANG]

nice find,good luck with fixing her up

 

[luxstang]

Hi Kurt and Welcome to the forum from Luxembourg/Europe. I watched several of your videos and I love them. You obviously have a certain talent there. Keep it up.

Oh by the way, your looks really match the cars. Great!