1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

The 1969 Mustang Mach 1 set the bar for all Mustangs to come--Ford continues to replicate its legendary curves and raw power even today.  This car was recently featured in Mustang Monthly (June 2016) p. 88.  The on-line version of the article is here: Mustangs and Fords  This is a driver's car as it was conceived in 1969 and now executed in 2016.  The only thing not to like about this car is speed limits.
The intention was to build a classic Mach 1 that stayed true to its original appearance while keeping the car matching numbers. but also make it safer and fun to drive.  Many of the original parts such as the heads are still with the car in case the new owner would like to make it concours.   The block date code is from 1968 as are the transmission and rear end.  For power we rebuilt the engine to run off a supercharger.  The engine was completely stripped and rebuilt with aluminum heads and intake.  The block was hot tanked. bored . 030 over and decked. and the bottom end reinforced with a stud girdle.  The compression ratio was set at 9. 5:1 so the car could run on pump gas.  The pistons are aluminum and the cam was set up for a blower.  As noted in the article the induction system relies on a quick-flow carb with boost reference.  We chose that system since it cools the fuel charge. unlike fuel injection.   As indicated on the engine graph. we hit 650 hp easily with seven psi boost.  The pro-charger is capable of roughly twice that but it's not clear the original block and crank could take much more and we didn't want to damage the original parts.
Exhaust is handled by short-tube headers feeding into a xtube and Moroso mufflers.  The transmission is the original close-ratio Toploader rebuilt by Dan Williams from Franklin NC.  We installed a Centerforce clutch and hydraulic pedal to smooth out the action. The radiator is high-capacity and thermostatically controlled. The Procharger requires a higher pressure fuel flow so the car has an electric fuel pump mounted beside the fuel tank with a return line back to the sender.   The rear-end is a Ford 9" running 3. 25 gears.  The suspension is the Shelby 1" drop but we also reduced the height of the front by shaving off a little of the progressive rate springs.  We then lowered the rear and installed 1/2" anti sway bar and traction bars in the rear with a 1" anti-sway bar in the front. The Wilwood brakes are not boosted so they require some pedal effort but are over-sized and immediately effective.  We upgraded to rack and pinon steering which is also manual and thus provides immediate feedback from the road.
The interior is stock except for the TMI seats with modified latches to permit more of a reclining position and of course we had to replace the headliner. door panels and dash.  The radio was gone so we installed a modern one and floor speakers.  The dash support was removed. cleaned. bead blasted and painted so unlike all other original dash parts. it's not rusty.  We went through all the gauges. the wiring harness and printed circuit sheet. then cleaned and painted all the gauges making sure that they all work.  Not included in the write-up are some of the subtle improvements--the clock has a new drive mechanism and the tach is upgraded to an electronic version since the original tach mechanism would kill the engine if it failed.  
The body took some work with new quarters. floors and rocker panels and was professionally restored and undercoated with sound-deadening. and it was strengthened with welded-in subframe connectors to keep the stock look.  We opted not to install the hood pins and side markers since they interfere with the lines of the body.  All body parts were blasted. primed and blocked. then squared up so the lines are all straight.  Unlike nearly every other mustang. the hood lies flat and even on the cowl and fenders--a feat accomplished only through new hinges and tireless metalwork. All exterior chrome is new and all the trim pieces are flat and straight on the body. We relocated the battery to the trunk and replaced every engine component that we could with aluminum to improve the weight distribution.  It has two layers of primer. three layers of paint and is triple-cleared giving it the deep color evident in the photos above.
It's available for viewing at the Bennett Museum at this time. in Forest City NC.

Also published at eBay.com

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