1969 FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 FASTBACK ARIZONA CAR 351 INDIAN FIRE METALLIC PAINT

Somehow, here we are, friends. We’re all feeling cooped up, completely frustrated, and going absolutely stir crazy. Some of us are mourning the loss of loved ones, too. We're all seeking ways to escape right now. For us car guys, there’s nothing like the smell of high octane Sunoco fuel to take our minds right back to our local cruise-in spots we should be hanging out together at right now.

I’m grateful for a very small collection of classic cars and trucks during this difficult time in our country. For me, it’s during uncertain times that I crave normalcy most. Driving old cars is ingrainedin my soul, and the most normal thing I can do right now is get in a muscle car and take off for a couple hours. It calms me down, and reminds me that things WILL be ok. If you’re reading and nodding, I think you’re seeking that same feeling…

If you have the itch to hit the open road, crank up some tunes, take some winding country roads, occasionally lay down on the “go” pedal while hearing a throaty response from true dual exhaust, and regain some semblance of normalcy during this tough time, I can’t think of a better head-turning muscle car to do it in than this stunning 1969 Mach 1.

The Car

I’m honored to be able to list this Indian Fire Mach 1 for a close friend of mine. I’ve been “along for the ride” with this Mach since getting the initial message saying “you have to stop down at the shop and check out the Mach 1 I just bought.” My jaw completely dropped when I first caught a glimpse of the Indian Fire Metallic paint through the garage door glass. The more I saw, the more I was impressed.

The owner and I spent that afternoon about 10 years ago, looking the car over, and the word that kept coming out over and over again between us is “honest.” The car is just honest. We know the car was originally from Arizona, and lady owned. From there, the car changed hands a couple times, before the current owner heard the car made its way to Wisconsin and was available for sale.

As a seller on eBay with 100% positive feedback for the last 22 years, and seller of cars on eBay for the last 17 years, my goal is always the same: I want a buyer to feel like they’re seeing a car in person. There isn’t an inch of this car that isn’t photographed or on video. I’m an enthusiast first, and take pride in the classic car brotherhood and bond we all have with each other. Please take your time, enjoying over 375 photos and nearly 45 minutes of High Definition video of this absolutely stunning Mach 1.

Is It Roadworthy?

Let’s flip the order a bit and begin with how well this car drives. Press the gas pedal twice, turn the key, and try not to smile. That’s all. This car doesn’t smoke and sounds healthy…VERY healthy. After a minute, you’ll hear the car step down a notch in idle, and after a couple minutes, you can blip the throttle to get it to low idle. Put her in “D” and forget about life for a while. That’s all, friends. The shifts on this car are positive, and you have a terrific feel for the road. The car is smooth at 80 mph and will cruise at highway speeds all day long. The power disc brakes stop the car well for a ’69 and I haven’t experienced any brake fade or issues while stopping. The owner has treated this Mach 1 to several extended drives over the years; most notably, to the fabled Iola Old Car Show in northern Wisconsin. This car runs incredibly on premium pump gas, so there are no issues with HAVING to run high octane fuel. The embedded videos reinforce how easy and fun this car is to drive.

Over the years, the owner has continued to give his Mach 1 the love it deserves, replacing parts as needed and improving the ride even more. Currently, I would describe this Mach as a turn-key car that you can just gas up and go for a cruise with. Some of the more recent parts replaced include:

• Alternator
• 3 core radiator
• Fuel pump
• Water pump
• Voltage regulator
• Tires
• Aluminized exhaust with H-pipe and Flowmaster mufflers
• Front shocks, sway bar links, and bushings
• Front and rear bumpers

Please note that when the water pump was replaced, the owner saw that the factory plastic tooth timing chain and gear had already been replaced. The valve covers and intake have been off the car as well, with those inspections showing nothing unusual to worry about. The odometer currently shows just under 116,500 miles and we believe these miles to be actual, although no paperwork is with the car to show mileage to be actual. The originality of the interior and other telltale wear items, point in a direction that 116,500 miles are correct.

Engine Compartment

Under the hood, you’ll find a recently professionally detailed engine compartment. It’s stunning, absolutely stunning. The rebuilt Holley 600 4 bbl and Offenhauser aluminum intake give the engine compartment such a cool, tough, look. It’s the perfect Day 2 addition to an otherwise factory correct engine compartment. I’ll let the photos and videos highlight this area, but take note of the correct color and level of gloss used on various pieces under the hood. The time spent on these details will make the new owner proud to open the hood at local shows. In addition, notice the extensive use of correct cables, spark plug wires, hoses, battery, hardware, etc. Even the grill and light buckets were all detailed during this project. To say the engine compartment is impressive is an understatement. Lastly, and worth noting, is how nice the metal is under the hood. There’s no pitting of the metal, the factory markings are still easily seen on the inner fenders, and even the factory stretch marks on the core support are still visible. These are all details that set this car apart from others you’ll see for sale. Note in the photos of the engine block numbers, that the block is from 1971. We are unsure if it is a dealer replacement, but want to point that out. I did not inspect the heads to see if they are born with the car. The Offenhauser intake and Holley carburetor are also Day 2 additions. From the photos of the rear axle and transmission, we believe these pieces to be born with the car.

Interior

The interior of this car again reflects its honesty. Seat covers are factory original, with just some wear showing on the driver’s seat bottom. I am confident this seat bottom can be repaired, or kept as-is. I would not re-cover it. The owner believes the door panels are early reproduction pieces that most people would think are original. He believes the dash to be original and it’s in fantastic condition. Wear on the steering wheel, center console, and carpet is all consistent with an original car, with just over 100k miles. The owner also believes the headliner is original and it shows remarkably as well. The door jambs were all painted properly when the car was painted they show well, too. All glass original Carlite glass, but the windshield show PPG. I do know PPG sourced glass for Ford, so maybe one of the experts out there can chime in with whether the windshield is original, too. I will say that all of the glass looks like it came on the car. There are some minor imperfections here and there, but folks will likely be impressed with it overall.

Undercarriage

The undercarriage of this car will make you smile. I’ll let the extensive photos tell the story here, but it’s worth noting how dry this car is underneath. It hasn’t been spray bombed to hide anything, and the opposite is true. So much of the undercarriage is how this car left the factory. Check out how rust free everything is, including the torque boxes! Again, when you’re comparing this car to others out there for sale, this car has NOT been cut up. The floors are original, nothing has been fabricated…it’s just an honest, Arizona car.

Exterior

As an Arizona car, this car is incredibly dry and rust free. The 1969-only, Indian Fire Metallic paint is breathtaking to look at. The basecoat/clearcoat paint is swirl free and ridiculously glossy. At some point in the 1990’s, this car was professionally painted and underwent a color change from Winter Blue to Indian Fire Metallic, which can be noted on the door tag. As mentioned in the videos and seen in the photos, the paint still shows incredibly well. With any car wearing 25+ year old paint, please expect some minor flaws and chips, again seen in the photos and videos.

Our intention is to be as honest as possible about the car, so the new buyer knows exactly what they’re getting. The terrific part about buying a car with older paint is any bodywork or paint flaws have long shown. We’ve all heard the horror stories about the fresh frame-off restored, high dollar car whose extensive bodywork problems start to show a year or two later. The paint on this car has looked the same for the last 10 years, and if cared for, will continue to look this way for a long, long time. Fit and finish of the body panels is also very impressive. We believe all the body panels to be Ford originals, but cannot be 100% certain. The stamps on both fenders look good, and the rear quarters show every sign of being original to the car. Note in the photos and videos, it appears the passenger quarter panel had some work around the wheel well at some point. Notice the work is from years and years ago, as evidenced by the technique used to pull the dent. This work may have even been done long before the car was painted, but we want to point out things we see with the car.

As seen in the photos and videos, the trim on this car is quite nice. Everything is bright, and straight. Just the window felt trim pieces shows some wear, and that’s getting really nitpicky. Also note that this car has had the rear spoiler and rear louvers added at some point in its life, as most of these Mach 1’s have had. As mentioned early, both bumpers have been replaced and show incredibly well.

What makes this car different than the 40 other Mach 1’s currently for sale on eBay? What we’re seeing more and more of, are fastback Mustangs that are being pieced together, or “restored” by weekend warriors who have no business turning wrenches on these classic cars. The fit and finish, ride-ability, and reliability suffers tremendously. I think we all have seen how many poor examples of these Mach 1’s are out there. This car is honest. Please notice how crisp the lines are at the bottom of the quarters, where som many of these panels just get filled in with mud. If the photos and videos don’t convince you, please come on out and see the car in person. This is a car you can be proud to show off and open the hood on, but won’t feel guilty going on a hundred mile drive with.

Sale Terms and Conditions

Please let the 375+ photos and 45 minutes of high definition video of this incredibly gorgeous Mach 1 make you comfortable with a purchase. However, don’t hesitate to call me with a specific question. Please remember that your purchase is a COMMITMENT TO BUY this car. Because opinions of vintage cars and trucks can vary, please have the car inspected or inspect the car in person PRIOR to purchase.Any inspection fees are the responsibility of the bidder. I cannot stress enough that I am asking bidders to follow through on their commitment if you purchase.

A $500 non-refundable deposit and communication from the high bidder is due immediately at purchase. The deposit can be paid via Paypal or cash, and I will eat any Paypal fees. The balance is due in full within 7 days of the auction's end, paid via cashier's check (must be verified), wire transfer, or cash in person.

Because of its age and mileage, this vehicle is sold strictly as-is-as shown, with no warranties expressed or implied. If you haven't owned a classic car, please remember that this isn't a 2016 Toyota Camry. Older cars, even those with low miles, require an increased level of maintenance and attention.

When you place a bid on a vehicle, you are entering into a legal and binding contract to purchase the vehicle. This arrangement is outlined in the eBay User Agreement. We also reserve the right to cancel bids at our discretion.

We will not be liable for any cancellation of this auction for any reason. We reserve the right to cancel bids from bidders with negative feedback or a bid retraction history and members with zero (0) feedback need to contact us for approval to bid. As with all bids, bidders need to be 18 years or older.

As stated above, shipping charges are buyer's responsibility. We will assist a buyer with shipping the car anywhere in the United States or Canada from zip code 53560, but will not be responsible in any way for claims arising from shipping damage. We assume no responsibility for damages incurred after the vehicle leaves our possession. We are not affiliated with any shipping carrier. Any claims or other communication regarding shipment of vehicles will be between you and the shipper, not with the seller.

The terms of sale shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin without regard to any conflict of laws or provisions thereof that might indicate the applicability of laws of any other jurisdiction. The venue for all legal proceedings shall be in Dane County, Wisconsin.

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