When it came to the Ford Mustang, 1969 was fantastic. Although sales fell below 300,000 units for the first time since 1964, Ford nonetheless offered six performance versions of the car in that particular year.
Apart from the GT model, the business also introduced two Boss variations, the Shelby GT350 and GT500. While the Boss 429 was designed to homologate a big-block V8 for NASCAR racing, the Boss 302 made its debut as an SCCA Trans-Am homologation special. And lastly, the Mach 1 arrived in 1969 as well.
Unlike the Boss and Shelby cars, the Mach 1 was more of a visual package. Granted, the bundle also included suspension tweaks, but it didn’t come with a unique engine. In fact, the Mach 1 wasn’t even restricted to a single powerplant.
Customers had no fewer than four units to choose from in 1969. The two-barrel 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Windsor was standard, while the four-barrel unit required a premium. These were rated 250 and 290 horsepower, respectively. Ford also offered a 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) FE lump good for 320 horses.
Lastly, the formidable 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet was also listed as an option. With a 335 horsepower rating, it came with the Super Cobra Jet package and was offered in Ram Air and Non-Ram configurations. The Mach 1 continued to operate until 1973, when some of these engines were swapped out or retired.
Of course, the most prized version of the nameplate is the first-year Mach 1. The 1969 Mach 1, meanwhile, is anything but uncommon. The normal hardtop is the most common 1969 Mustang, with 72,458 units built, however the Mach 1 is really the second most common model. However, although it’s very common in general, all-original survivors are scarce.
The light green example you see here is one of those ponies that spent a lot of time off the road. The seller doesn’t provide info on its past, but the fastback looks like it sat for at least 30 years. I’d say it was parked in a barn, given the low amount of rust, but it still needs a complete restoration to become road-worthy.
What, therefore, distinguishes this Mach 1? Even so, it’s still in fair condition for a classic that hasn’t received much attention since the 1990s. Furthermore, the identical V8 engine still powers the vehicle. Okay, so it’s just the standard two-barrel Windsor, but these days, matching-mill Mustangs are getting harder to find.
I really adore the bright green paint that is still covering the worn body, even if most enthusiasts might not see much significance in it. It’s referred to as Lime Gold, and it’s one of my favorite colors from the heyday of muscle cars. It’s also not precisely typical.
All told, it’s the kind of Mustang I’d like to see restored to factory specifications.