Rescuing a Forgotten Classic: Urgent Restoration Needed for the 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1

 

eBay seller skia11 explains the original owner parked this Mustang in a barn in 1979. The last registration sticker on the windshield confirms the vehicle has been sitting for approximately 44 years, though the body does exhibit occasional signs of repairs, including a partial repaint.

The vehicle is otherwise completely original, and all parts are still there. One of the photos reveals the 63C code on the door plate, confirming the car is a genuine Mach 1.

Found in a barn in northern New York, this Mustang Mach 1 continues to flex the original engine and transmission it was born with. Considering its overall condition, the 351 V8 no longer runs, but this isn't a surprise.

 

The 351 (5.7-liter) Cleveland engine was available on the 1970 Mustang in two versions with 2-barrel or 4-barrel carburetors and 250 and 300-horsepower ratings, respectively. Few people remember it, but Ford initially offered the 1970 Mach 1 with Windsor units early in the new model year.

The company used only the 2-barrel version until it completed the work on the Cleveland engines, and finding a Windsor-powered 1970 Mach 1 today is pretty difficult.

The Mach 1 in these photos has been struggling with many issues, but the rust invasion is the most obvious.

 

The rust produced heavy damage, including on the floors. The buyer will have to install new floors, as regular patches won't help, with additional metalwork required mostly everywhere else.

The interior looks good (or at least better than the rest of the car), but the seller says they spotted some issues in the cabin too. While the door panels and the seats seem intact, the dash exhibits the typical chewing produced by mice that managed to get inside the car. All gauges are still in place, but the new buyer will also have plenty of work to do in the cabin.

A Mach 1 is typically a highly desirable car, but this 1970 example needs a major restoration job conducted by someone familiar with the legacy of this model. Fixing everything will be challenging, especially considering the rust damage and possibly the missing parts.

The auction is underway, but the two offers received so far have failed to unlock the reserve. The top bid is at $2,600, and with nearly ten days left until the auction ends, we'll have to wait and see if someone decides to give another chance to an otherwise legendary model.