Why I love Mustangs, especially Mach 1's
#1
I kinda thought of Mustangs as just another car until I bought my 1st one in 1986 while staioned at Fort Bragg, N.C. in the 82nd Airborne Division. My first one was a 67 coupe with a hot rodded 289 and a 4 speed. Well, that car led to a 66 coupe with an even hotter 302 and 4 speed. I then became a member of an unofficial Mustang club made of soldiers who liked Mustangs, and just met on FRI and SAT nights in Fayettville. Anyway, one guy had a red 69 Mach 1 with a 428 Cobra Jet under the hood. One night, my 67 was broke down so I rode with him in his Mach. We stopped at a red light, and I made the mistake of asking him "does this thing have any balls?" He slaps a $20 bill on top of the dash in front of me and says "when this light turn green, if you can grab it you can have it." The light turned green and in the fury of raw torque and horsepower, I was pinned to the seat as he went through the gears. Needless to say, he kept his $20 dollars and I fell in love with the 69 Mach 1 and the 428 Cobra Jet engine. After that, I always asked him if it had balls, especially if there was a Camaro close! I lost touch with him after he transfered away from Fort Bragg, and now I don't even remember his name. I will always remember that Mach 1 though, and that is why I now have one!
Reply
#2
Awesome story! Thanks for sharing! Thmbsup
Reply
#3
Thanks for the story Jeff.

Not to steal your thread but to add my similar experience to it -

My older brother went into the Marines and while he was gone I bought my 1970 GT Torino with the M code 351 4V. On our way home from the airport after his boot camp he basically asked the same question and I did the same thing. I kept my money and he learned what Ford power is all about!

Great story. Thanks for sharing it.
Reply
#4
Personally I've got a 72 Mach 1 that I love. I just wanted to send a big thumbs up for your service to our country. My father was in the 82nd during the Korean era. It takes something special to be a paratrooper. I loved and was motivated by the stories he told. Stories of truth, honor, and that a man's word is his bond. Unfortunately Dad passed away 2 years ago. But again takes for your service.
Keith
Reply
#5
Great story, thanks for sharing!
Reply
#6
(03-28-2012, 04:54 AM)keith1562 Wrote: Personally I've got a 72 Mach 1 that I love. I just wanted to send a big thumbs up for your service to our country. My father was in the 82nd during the Korean era. It takes something special to be a paratrooper. I loved and was motivated by the stories he told. Stories of truth, honor, and that a man's word is his bond. Unfortunately Dad passed away 2 years ago. But again takes for your service.
Keith

Thanks. I did 26 years in the Army, and I gotta say I never had a unit as close as the paratrooper unit (82nd Airborne.) Just seems like paratroopers stand a little taller and walk a little prouder!

Reply
#7
Thats an awesome story! It made me have cold chills, because thats what I love most about cars...the crazy power.

:) Thank you btw for for serving our country.
Reply
#8
My 73 Mustang Mach 1 is my second mustang. I have had it for about 10 years. I truly enjoy driving it and hear the rumbling of the engine through the exhaust. The 2 things that I have noticed is that people will go out of their way to see it or talk to you about the Mach 1. All are hoping I will raise the hood so they can see the engine. The second item is over 80% have a mustang story of their own. I take great pride in the appearance in it and honor its heritage.
Reply
#9
I had a funny find while working on my Mach 1 over Thanksgiving weekend. My car is a 1969 Q code Mach 1. The Q code means non-ram air, so it doesn't have the shaker hood sticking out of a hole in the hood. My car also doesn't have the Cobra Jet script on the hood scoop, just the rectangular 428 emblems. So, someone would have to get pretty close to tell this is a Cobra Jet car and not a 390 or 351 car.

Anyways, I was told by the guy I bought the car from that previous owners were serious street racers. Imagine my surprise when I found a set of rectangular 351 emblems in the ashtray! Evidently, one of the previous owners would take the 428 emblems off and put 351 emblems on and go trolling for suckers to street race him.

I'm not knocking 351 Windsor engines mind you. These days with stroker kits and aluminum heads, a 351 Windsor can be built to more cubic inches than a 428 and much more powerful. But back in the 60's and 70's, the 351 was not considered a performance engine. Most X brand drivers back then would jump at the chance to race a 351 powered car for money thinking they would have a sure win.

I never thought a Mach 1 could be considered a sleeper, but in this case, maybe I was wrong! I'll bet there would have been some pissed off people if they found out they were suckered into racing a 428 Cobra Jet instead of a small block!
Reply
#10
Yeah thats one of those times you don't lift the hood to show off the Engine!!! JTS 71 Mach1
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Why I'm in Love with my car carmans69 5 10,895 05-01-2020, 03:19 PM
Last Post: carmans69
  Mach ! Lynx1969 1 6,559 08-17-2018, 02:48 AM
Last Post: Steven Harris
  My First Car Love mymachone 9 21,782 04-21-2018, 01:35 PM
Last Post: mymachone
  Why I love My 71 grabbergreen ? grabbergreen 3 21,043 07-01-2015, 12:51 PM
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
  The story behind my love affair with the Mach 1 dexleo2 5 18,478 04-04-2015, 06:24 AM
Last Post: mrmach1
  Rockin Roll Mach mrmach1 9 24,832 01-08-2015, 01:29 PM
Last Post: gxr02190
Heart How I fell in love with the Mustang yankepilot 6 18,637 01-01-2015, 11:33 PM
Last Post: rcamire
  My first time... why I love the Mach 1. 70Mach1 8 23,164 12-19-2014, 04:46 PM
Last Post: ylwhrse
  Love at the YMCA mrmach1 2 10,635 12-17-2014, 08:06 AM
Last Post: Steven Harris
  My "relationship" with my Mach 1. Kit Sullivan 4 14,916 09-27-2014, 12:37 PM
Last Post: Mach1FatherFigure

Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 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: 238028
"Jacobra"
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-30-2023 11:13 PM
» Replies: 86
» Views: 150589
My old Queensland Ambulance
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-30-2023 11:08 PM
» Replies: 5
» Views: 1677
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: 1992
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: 156972
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: 2990
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: 8681
Blinkers on solid when lights on.
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-08-2022 12:06 PM
» Replies: 1
» Views: 1718
351 cj running hot
Last Post: busted21
08-08-2022 12:13 AM
» Replies: 5
» Views: 3402
Major Winter projects
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
07-09-2022 05:12 AM
» Replies: 49
» Views: 21016
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: 15074

>