10-16-2011, 03:23 AM
I had been living in Africa up to that year, 1976, but for that one year our family moved to Ohio to live. A friend of the family owned a farm with a vacant farm house and had rented it to us. Across the yard lived the elderly owner in a newer mobile home. At some time that year her son moved in with her and he drove that red 1969 Mach 1! It was bright, it was sharp, it was loud, it had big fat tires on the back and jacked up in the rear. I was in love.
Back then I didn't even know what kind of car it was, I don't even remember the emblems, but I fell in love with that car. After the year we moved back to Africa and my car life consisted of the few pickups and trucks (about five in total) that passed through our village each year. But in 1979 I was back to the U.S. to finish high school and begin college. Although I was not able to own my very own 1969 till much latter I was blessed with a friend in 1982 who owned a 1971 Mach 1.
It was no doubt those two Mustangs that made me the Mustang man that I am today. I guess I have to thank Todd who owned the red 1969 and C.B. who owned the silver 1971.[attachment=6480]
In 1988 I finally bought my first Mustang, the 1969 Red Mach 1 minus motor. I replaced the floor boards and shoe-horned a 390 in where a 351W had once resided in front of the top loader 4 speed. My plan had been to keep the car but a move to New Zealand and no where to store it necessitated it's sale.
It wasn't till August of 2009 (twenty years later!) that I was able to return to Mach 1 (Mustang) ownership. I had never lost my deisire, hope and vision to own one again and then I ran across a Mach 1 in a junk yard here in Mexico that fanned that desire to actively search towards the end of ownership. [attachment=6481]
I found a 1973 Q code on the Tucson Craigslist. ($1,500) It's poor condition with no motor or transmission, trashed interior and butchered engine compartment made it affordable for me to re-enter the Mach 1 family. [attachment=6482]
About a year later I picked up a 1973 Fastback for the motor and transmission. ($500)[attachment=6483]
Due to the fact that I actually live in Mexico and my available time in the U.S. to work on the cars was nil I listed them on Craigslist as a unit in hopes of buying a running car that I could bring to Mexico to work on here. Well that sort-of worked out for me. I sold the two immediately. ($2,800) and bought my current 1973 H code Mach 1 in Phoenix. The problem is - it is not a drive-able car either! It was such a complete (other than drive-train) car and completely rust and damage free that I felt that I could not pass. [attachment=6484]
So here I am with my Mach 1 in the U.S. while I am in Mexico. About every other month I get a day to spend working on it. I now have it tore farther down but with a goal and end in sight of putting the drive-train back in it and experiencing again the Mach 1 driving experience.
For those who are puzzled by my life and location - look at the link to my web-site below.
Back then I didn't even know what kind of car it was, I don't even remember the emblems, but I fell in love with that car. After the year we moved back to Africa and my car life consisted of the few pickups and trucks (about five in total) that passed through our village each year. But in 1979 I was back to the U.S. to finish high school and begin college. Although I was not able to own my very own 1969 till much latter I was blessed with a friend in 1982 who owned a 1971 Mach 1.
It was no doubt those two Mustangs that made me the Mustang man that I am today. I guess I have to thank Todd who owned the red 1969 and C.B. who owned the silver 1971.[attachment=6480]
In 1988 I finally bought my first Mustang, the 1969 Red Mach 1 minus motor. I replaced the floor boards and shoe-horned a 390 in where a 351W had once resided in front of the top loader 4 speed. My plan had been to keep the car but a move to New Zealand and no where to store it necessitated it's sale.
It wasn't till August of 2009 (twenty years later!) that I was able to return to Mach 1 (Mustang) ownership. I had never lost my deisire, hope and vision to own one again and then I ran across a Mach 1 in a junk yard here in Mexico that fanned that desire to actively search towards the end of ownership. [attachment=6481]
I found a 1973 Q code on the Tucson Craigslist. ($1,500) It's poor condition with no motor or transmission, trashed interior and butchered engine compartment made it affordable for me to re-enter the Mach 1 family. [attachment=6482]
About a year later I picked up a 1973 Fastback for the motor and transmission. ($500)[attachment=6483]
Due to the fact that I actually live in Mexico and my available time in the U.S. to work on the cars was nil I listed them on Craigslist as a unit in hopes of buying a running car that I could bring to Mexico to work on here. Well that sort-of worked out for me. I sold the two immediately. ($2,800) and bought my current 1973 H code Mach 1 in Phoenix. The problem is - it is not a drive-able car either! It was such a complete (other than drive-train) car and completely rust and damage free that I felt that I could not pass. [attachment=6484]
So here I am with my Mach 1 in the U.S. while I am in Mexico. About every other month I get a day to spend working on it. I now have it tore farther down but with a goal and end in sight of putting the drive-train back in it and experiencing again the Mach 1 driving experience.
For those who are puzzled by my life and location - look at the link to my web-site below.