New Member to Mach 1 site

[Mustangmike]

Mustangmike, I don't know how Dan feels about that selling price. For me, it went about $1500 higher than I thought. When I think about it, it's actually in the ball park from what I have seen. Even with all the rust. It goes to show, how the car was originally optioned and its original drivetrain combination are more important than overall condition.

It is a nicely optioned muscle car, big block, 4sp, no A/C, black interior (without the custom diamond tuck inserts), and with all the original drive train in tact. That is what everybody looks for in a late 60's early 70's muscle car. I don't know, I see the Mach 1's as a little more rare and higher valued than some others do.

Best Regards,
Mike

Hi Mike,

No question about it the car is desirable and very nicely optioned and not too mention, I get weak at the knees with 4 speed cars! No doubt, I would love that car and do confess I was a little on the low side on it's value at $7,500. Unfortunately my pockets were not deep enough for this "S" code car.

Mustang Mike

The 69 Mach 1 is relisted....I didn't think the buyer was going to come through at $12k but I didn't want to sound like an obnoxious know it all . It is tough selling cars on e-bay.

[1969_Mach1]

I guess a couple of bidders got caught up in a bidding war and lost sight of what they were bidding on. You may have a chance yet. What do I know???? In Northern California its very rare to see a Mach 1, let alone a big block Mach 1. So to me they seem fairly rare.

Best Regards,
Mike

[Mustangmike]

I really do like the car for obvious reasons and maybe there is a chance this time I can go see it. The car has a lot of positives BUT there is also a whole lot of work sitting there. Sandblasting the car alone just to see how much sheet metal actually needs to be replaced will cost $1,400, a sunken cost.

There needs to be a reality check how much one pays for a car because chances are you're never going to get back what you put into it but getting most of it back should be a legitimate goal!

[1969_Mach1]

With a car like that, you have to plan on buying some equipment and doing it yourself. Your neighbors may not like you, but that is the only way I can see to reduce the costs for sheetmetal and paint work.

I don't see how anybody can recover the money it costs to correctly or even 75% correctly fully restore a car. I fortunately started with a rust free car. I did all the work, except for body work, paint, and the machine work on the motor and the cost is still extremely high.

For me, I enjoy the restoring these cars and keep them for a long time. So I don't approach one with a business mindset as a short term money making investment.

Best Regards,
Mike

[Mustangmike]

I don't see how anybody can recover the money it costs to correctly or even 75% correctly fully restore a car.

Best Regards,
Mike

It can be done...but like you said, most of the work needs to be done yourself. After all that is the hobby aspect of it. But in order to do so, the starting point needs to be the right car at the right price. If you spend too much for the car I think at one point every dollar you spend will become frustratingly painful.

[1969_Mach1]

Your right. The right car at the right price is the hard part.

Best Regards,
Mike

[Mustangmike]

Your right. The right car at the right price is the hard part.

Best Regards,
Mike

Yes, that is the challenge, but they are out there.

[Dan B]

Mike, Any clue why that Indian Fire Red "S" code car was re-listed? Non paying bidder? Dan

[1969_Mach1]

Dan B. Maybe so, maybe not. If I'm looking at the right car, its at $9200 now. It's less than before, but more than $7500. We'll see if it stays there or goes up any. It is possible that last time the winning bidder could have been somebody with ties to the seller, bidding only to drive up the price. The seller better hope somebody else bids before the auction ends this time. The current high bidder only has one transaction history and a feedback rating of 67%. Maybe the seller doesn't know they can place requirements on bidders. Thus, only allowing people who meet those requirements to bid. They can also offer the sale to lower bidders if the winning bidder backs out.

Like I've mentioned before. It's rare to see a 1969 or 1970 Mach 1 in northern California. I don't know why. For example, in the town I live in with over 100,000 people, I only know of my Mach 1 and two others, 1969 as well. Mine and one of the others is an M code, the third is an H code. The H code Mach 1 I have never seen, only heard of. For that reason, I place a higher value on Mach 1's. Especially big block Mach 1's. If I lived in an area with a larger number of Mach 1's I would not value them as high.

Mustangs in general are fairly rare in my area. And what is here are mostly 1965 and 1966 models. Look at the Unites States map on this website denoting general locations of Mach 1's. I understand it is members of this site filling in the locations on this map. But they are all clustered on the East Coast and the Mid West with only a few indicators on the West Coast.

Best Regards,
Mike

[Dan B]

Its surprising to me that there are not more of them around in Northern California. In the Northeast US there are quite a few still around. Unfortunately the use of road salt has taken its toll on many that were driven through the winter in the early years. However it seems these cars did not see the same winter usage depending on their owners. Many of the nice big block and optioned cars were taken off the road for the winter and put back on in the spring so they didn't see the same salt exposure. Other owners had only one car and drove the Mustangs year round.
Do they use road salt or chemicals for ice control in your area. I went to California in 1985 and remember heading North to Mammoth Mountain where we went skiing for several days. They sure got some snow in that area.
Is your 69 Mach 1 a San Jose built car? The one I just bought is the first San Jose built car I have owned. It has an unusual grey splatter in the black paint that they engine compartment was painted with. Don't know if this was done this way at the factory, dealer, or early owner but the way its applied on the firewall, shock towers and front frame rails it was done with an empty engine bay. I have never seen this before on a 69 or any other year, but all the other 69's I have owned were Dearborn or Metuchen built cars.