New 1973 Mach 1 Owner, Hello!
#1
Partly to say hello and introduce myself, and partly to make that first post within 72 hours, I'll try to make a long story short Biggrin ok maybe not. Images at the end and a TLDR at the very end.


Short Car History:

When I was younger I fell in love with old cruisers, which is why my very first car was a 1960 Chevy BelAir, black with a white hard top, was absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately it had no power steering, and was a 3 on the tree manual... terrible car for a scrawny 16yr old.

Then I wanted something with a lil pep, so I got a nice Silver 1984 Datsun/Nissan 300zx. Eventually moved on to a Pearl White 1993 300zx, and for a few years had a Champagne Gold 1987 300zx when the 93 blew it's transmission. Adulthood was catching up to me, so I needed something a little more sensible, something with good bad weather handling and a bit of hauling capability that wasn't a pickup truck (hey I live in KY, there's enough giant ass pickup trucks on the road). So I got a Silver 2003 Subaru Baja to fit the job. Got the 1993 300zx tranny fixed, kept it for another 5 years, and finally got bored with it and tired of replacing fuel injectors after owning it for 14-ish years so I decided to sell it and put that money towards funding an old muscle car purchase for my fun car slot.

So I searched high and low, deep into the bowels of craigslist, ebaymotors, cars.com, and autotrader.com to find a nice cheap muscle car for me to play around with while I fix it up, and also learn how to work on cars (I was never going to be able to learn on that crazy 93 300zx engine). I looked at some Dusters, Chargers, Challengers, and slowly started to really like some of the older Mustangs: ie the 60's fastbacks and 71-73 Mach 1's. And to be honest, I always hated mustangs, never liked their 80's and up incarnations at all. That was prolly the inner 300zx fan in me, I also hate Camaro's Sleepy

Anyways, I eventually spotted a nice 1973 Mustang Mach 1, with one of the few color schemes I was really hoping to get (Yellow and Black), although I was more than willing to have to repaint a car if I got it cheap enough. This one was in my price range, and most importantly, I could actually drive it home!

To speed things up, I went and got it. Has a 351 Cleveland 2-barrel in it (unfortunately with some sort of non-original carb on it). The paint looks really good from afar, but was fairly amateur done which shows in the gel coat peeling very badly in many spots and a bit of overspray here and there.

I had an absolutely wonderful time driving home... saracasm abound. It was a 3-1/2 hour drive back home. About halfway home, the steering coupler ripped in half. The steering wheel had a lil play in it from the get go, so at the time, I didn't know what exactly what had happened. I just know that I now had a dead zone in my steering wheel from about 8 o'clock to 3 o'clock, and also when making turns I could only make it so far, then the steering wheel would go dead for a turn or two. Having that much play in the steering wheel, you don't realize how many small corrections you make in the interstate just trying to stay straight in your lane! But I made it home... dangerously.

At the moment it is in the shop, getting a copper AC line used for one of the fuel lines Rolleyes with a real fuel line. And having the carb adjusted and distributor cap fixed. Over time, I will need to replace one of the frame rails and both floor pans as they are pretty rusted. And then have it repsrayed and clearcoat redone.

Hoping to get it out later this week or early next week and actually get it out and drive it!

Looks like I will have wait until my third post to post pics.
TLDR: Been through a handful of cars, first a 1960 Bel Air, then 3 300zx's, and finally a muscle car. Coulda died driving it home. Looking forward to being able to drive it and learn how to work on it myself.

So here's the pics:
[Image: 1973%20Mustang%20Mach%201%2001.jpg]
[Image: 1973%20Mustang%20Mach%201%2002.jpg]
[Image: 1973%20Mustang%20Mach%201%2003.jpg]
[Image: 1973%20Mustang%20Mach%201%2004.jpg]
Reply
#2
Welcome to the site! Great introduction and nice looking Mach 1. Is that a Virginia plate? If so. I'm located in Warrenton, VA and maybe we can meet up sometime.
Reply
#3
Welcome,

Thanks for introducing yourself and your car.

Yes, that sounds like a very memorable drive home - thankfully you made it.

If your hope is learning to work on muscle cars it sounds as though you have pick the right one. Biggrin

Start with the small things and put them right so you can enjoy the ride and remember it through the repair down time. That will help motivate you to get it back on the road ASAP.
Reply
#4
Glad to hear you made it. Biggrin Any trip you and the car survive is a good one, a little scary but thats half the fun. I hate to think of the cars I've driven with one brake pinched off, loose steering, door welded shut cause the rocker panel was rusted in two, hood popping open due to a broken motor mount, tie rod fell off while turning around in a parking lot. each experience taught you something about cars and yourself. If you were lucky enough to survive! Pray Well I'm 55 now and have had a blast doing it. Welcome and we look forward to more hair raising stories as you progress with your education. JTS 71 Mach1
Reply
#5
(08-08-2013, 10:46 AM)Rare Pony Wrote: Welcome to the site! Great introduction and nice looking Mach 1. Is that a Virginia plate? If so. I'm located in Warrenton, VA and maybe we can meet up sometime.

Actually I live in Kentucky. The guy I bought it from was stationed in Virginia while he was in the military. When he got out about 10 months ago he bought that mustang and brought it to his hometown, also in KY. He was having trouble finding work, and wanted to join this forest ranger school/training up north-east somewhere (can't remember where). So he was selling the Mustang to be able to afford to do that.
Reply
#6
Congtats and welcome from Ohio
Reply
#7
Very nice!
Reply
#8
(12-08-2014, 12:52 PM)Sandman5000 Wrote: Very nice!

Welcome Sandman5000,

Jump on in, share your story with us and enjoy the site.
Reply
#9
Great starting point PacoDeth! Hope it goes well for you. Welcome!
Hi Sandman5000. Sandman? You in Aus driving a 308 Holden Panel Van as well as your Mustang? Start your own thread and tell us about yourself..
Reply
#10
Welcome to site. Great introduction! I certainly can relate to memorable rides home. Thanks for sharing your story.
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Just New. Mach 1 and plus 1 72 Ponyup65 1 2,122 03-07-2022, 11:57 AM
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
  Pictures of 2021 MACH 1 Rhincodon 7 5,814 02-18-2022, 07:30 AM
Last Post: fastMach
  New member and Mach 1 owner bterry29 3 2,901 02-09-2022, 02:06 PM
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
  MAch 1 ordered May 8 2021, Still waiting!!! Big Joe 6 4,721 01-31-2022, 10:30 PM
Last Post: Mlebout
  New Mach 1 Mlebout 4 2,957 01-30-2022, 09:46 AM
Last Post: Mlebout
  Mexican made mustang 1972 Mach 1 Mexistang 23 13,766 12-27-2021, 11:11 AM
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
  Mach 1 2021 MyMach1 18 10,120 12-20-2021, 09:33 PM
Last Post: MyMach1
  New Mach 1 owner n.yorke@ediinc.ca 3 3,255 09-04-2021, 10:50 AM
Last Post: MyMach1
  Mach 1 car names "nicknames" Rhincodon 4 4,313 07-01-2021, 02:06 AM
Last Post: Rhincodon
  Ordered 2021 Mach 1 JetGray_Mach1 2 2,978 06-29-2021, 04:41 PM
Last Post: JetGray_Mach1

Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 2 Guest(s)
[-]
Latest Threads
What's One More Iron In The Fire!
Last Post: fram lee666
03-18-2024 06:21 PM
» Replies: 125
» Views: 238035
"Jacobra"
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-30-2023 11:13 PM
» Replies: 86
» Views: 150593
My old Queensland Ambulance
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-30-2023 11:08 PM
» Replies: 5
» Views: 1679
New member from San Jose, CA
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
05-09-2023 08:39 AM
» Replies: 12
» Views: 3953
Saving Seatbelts
Last Post: Jim
02-19-2023 10:23 PM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 9108
Sourcing new wheels
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
01-25-2023 02:34 PM
» Replies: 1
» Views: 1993
Shaker Air Filter
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
01-08-2023 02:24 AM
» Replies: 3
» Views: 1464
1971 Mach 1 parting out interior parts -...
Last Post: ylwhrse
12-22-2022 01:38 PM
» Replies: 0
» Views: 640
Painting
Last Post: Rare Pony
12-14-2022 06:24 PM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 1964
WELCOME ALL NEW MEMBERS INTRODUCE YOURSE...
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-31-2022 01:36 PM
» Replies: 82
» Views: 156988
1970 mach 1 matching numbers
Last Post: Kstweeter
08-31-2022 10:31 AM
» Replies: 1
» Views: 1086
Brake booster/servo hose length
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-23-2022 09:40 AM
» Replies: 7
» Views: 2992
New Member
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-20-2022 11:18 AM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 1497
smooth window operation on 70 Mach
Last Post: CUSTOMMISER
08-15-2022 12:10 PM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 1468
Blinkers on solid
Last Post: busted21
08-09-2022 03:58 AM
» Replies: 14
» Views: 8682
Blinkers on solid when lights on.
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-08-2022 12:06 PM
» Replies: 1
» Views: 1719
351 cj running hot
Last Post: busted21
08-08-2022 12:13 AM
» Replies: 5
» Views: 3403
Major Winter projects
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
07-09-2022 05:12 AM
» Replies: 49
» Views: 21111
Happy Fathers Day!!!
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-20-2022 02:34 AM
» Replies: 0
» Views: 1681
1969 Raven Black 390 Looking For
Last Post: mason1958
06-11-2022 09:48 AM
» Replies: 10
» Views: 15076

>