Mach 1 Mustang 1969 to 1973
1969 was a great year for American muscle cars as it saw the birth of the first version of the Ford Mach 1 Mustang . The car became a star attraction and still today stands out as on of the best American Automobiles.
The 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 was just one of a range of Mustangs available in the late 60's and 70's. Along with the standard hardtop coupe, the convertible and SportsRoof fastback, the Mach 1 offered customers a real performance option at an affordable price. Based on a concept car of 1967 the Mach 1 was introduced in 1969 and was positioned below the Shelby GT350 and GT500 range of Bullitt mustang fame and the high spec racing specials the BOSS 302 and BOSS 429.
Big Engines ruled the day and V8 was the order. Starting with the 351-ci small block with 250 hp and rising to the awesome big block 428-ci Cobra Jet with 335 hp with optional Ram Air Shaker Hood. The more civilized Mach 1 and BOSS became the models of choice leading to the demise of the GT that same year.
Mach 1 Mustang 1974 to 1978
After those short years of true muscle car looks and performance 1974 brought a reversal to the original pony car concept with the launch of the Mustang II chassis. This was a more economical nimble footed version that took account of the changing world order of oil and rising gas prices. The standard plant was a 105 bhp 2.8ltr V-6 that proved to be too underpowered for the sporty image that was required. In 1975 the 122 bhp 302ci V-8 was added and later upgraded to 139 bhp but it was not enough to stop the Mach 1 sales from fading away and finally going out of production with the Mustang II in 1978.
In 1979 the Mustang II chassis was replaced by the Fox-chassis or Fox-bodied Mustangs that would never carry the Mach 1 badge, a wise move.
Mach 1 Mustang 2003 remake
In 2003 the Mach 1 trotted back with a retro styled black stripped hood and a Shaker scoop that gave the owner a glimpse of the 1969 version but with the comfort and drivability of a modern high tech machine. The 305 bhp 4.6ltr V-8 DOHC with 4 valves per cylinder was enough power to outperform the original big-block machines. Handling was also much better due to a modern lowered and stiffened suspension. This car certainly has a large following of enthusiasts who see it as a worthy bridge to the original machines.
Mach 1 Mustang the future
Rumours will abound about a comeback for the Mach 1 Mustang but nothing is yet confirmed - watch this space.