11-17-2017, 02:26 PM
The Story of my 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1
This Mustang started its life being a late build at the Ford factory in Dearborn, Michigan. The Mustang was produced on June 6, 1973, and shipped by train to Parkway Ford of Winston-Salem. The total cost of the car was $4,221.97. The first owner drove the car off the lot on June 25, 1973.
The car was equipped from the factory with:
Ford Mustang 2-Door Mach 1 Fastback
351” CID, 2-Valve, V8 Engine (Cleveland)
2B Bright Red Exterior Paint
White Vinyl Bucket Seats
Automatic Transmission
F70X14/B Traction Tires
Power Steering
Console
Power Disc Brakes
Bumper Protection
Manual Air Conditioner
AM Radio
Deluxe Seat Belts
Tinted Glass
The first owner’s last name changed several times during the time she owned the car. The Mustang ended up being repossessed and sent to Triad Lincoln-Mercury.
The second owner purchased the car on June 27, 1973, for $3,200. I was told by a man who recognized the car at the Parkway Ford Show that he knew the guy who painted that car. He said the mother was an older woman, and her son worked on Baja Buggies. One day she told her son to paint the car a dull beige color because the current paint was “too sporty” for her liking. The son put off painting the car for several weeks until his mother said she would not drive the car until he painted it. The son reluctantly agreed to paint the car. The man at the show said the car looked like it had just come off of the showroom floor and there wasn’t a scratch on the car. The Mustang was painted beige and the stripes were made out of 3M tape. The woman only drove the car to church or to get groceries.
The third owner bought the car on December 18, 1987, and parked the car in a shed behind his house. The man rarely drove the car and never let his boys touch it. The man had heart problems and later died of a heart attack. The Mustang sat for more than 25 years in the little shed.
Restoration Begins: Video Picture Book (Click to view Video)
In 2013 I had been looking to restore a Mustang for my first car. I had gone to look at a 1968 coupe but passed it up. Next, I went to look at a burgundy 1969 Fastback for $7500. It was previously in a junkyard so some original parts were missing but it seemed to be mostly complete. A buyer got there before us so he had the first choice of it and purchased it. The next day it went on craigslist for $13,000 so it was further out of reach. A few days later my dad spotted a 1973 Fastback listed on craigslist. The car was listed for $4500 outside of Kernersville, NC. The post had a few pictures and stated that the car has 76000 original miles. We contacted the seller by email and decided to go and look at it that day. The car was in a shed behind his father's house. On top of the Mustang was 25 years worth of dust collection. Below the Mustang was a layer of plastic which protected the underside of the car. We raised the hood and underneath sat an almost perfectly blue air cleaner. We decided to come back the next day and pick the car up. We brought the car home for $3,800 because the owner was in need of some tax money.
After washing the car and removing most of the mice nests the car was almost ready to go into the shop. After the rear brake was freed up we pulled the car into the shop. The first order of business was getting the engine running. Minimal parts were replaced to get the car running such as the coil, spark plugs & wires along with a carburetor rebuild and an oil change. After that, the original seats and interior parts were re-dyed back to the original white color. A new headliner was installed because the original one had a hole eaten through it. The interior was put back together and we polished the existing paint. We drove the car to the 12th annual Parkway Ford SVT, Mustang, and All Ford Car Show on August 24, 2013. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxYflx0JJB8)
After going to a few more local car shows & cruise-ins, the real work began. Basic disassembly of the car began and sanding began. The car was taken all the way down to metal and primed. A new taillight panel was welded in because it had seemed that the car had been involved in a minor rear-end collision at one point so the trunk had also been replaced. Next, priming the metal and prepping for paint began. The car was repainted back to the original Bright Red & Black scheme. Mach 1 decals were added on July 16, 2014, marking the end of the restoration.
On August 23, 2014, at the 13th annual Parkway Ford SVT, Mustang and All Ford Car Show rolled into town. The 1973 Mustang Mach 1 ended up winning Best In Class for the 1971-1973 Mustangs.
This Mustang started its life being a late build at the Ford factory in Dearborn, Michigan. The Mustang was produced on June 6, 1973, and shipped by train to Parkway Ford of Winston-Salem. The total cost of the car was $4,221.97. The first owner drove the car off the lot on June 25, 1973.
The car was equipped from the factory with:
Ford Mustang 2-Door Mach 1 Fastback
351” CID, 2-Valve, V8 Engine (Cleveland)
2B Bright Red Exterior Paint
White Vinyl Bucket Seats
Automatic Transmission
F70X14/B Traction Tires
Power Steering
Console
Power Disc Brakes
Bumper Protection
Manual Air Conditioner
AM Radio
Deluxe Seat Belts
Tinted Glass
The first owner’s last name changed several times during the time she owned the car. The Mustang ended up being repossessed and sent to Triad Lincoln-Mercury.
The second owner purchased the car on June 27, 1973, for $3,200. I was told by a man who recognized the car at the Parkway Ford Show that he knew the guy who painted that car. He said the mother was an older woman, and her son worked on Baja Buggies. One day she told her son to paint the car a dull beige color because the current paint was “too sporty” for her liking. The son put off painting the car for several weeks until his mother said she would not drive the car until he painted it. The son reluctantly agreed to paint the car. The man at the show said the car looked like it had just come off of the showroom floor and there wasn’t a scratch on the car. The Mustang was painted beige and the stripes were made out of 3M tape. The woman only drove the car to church or to get groceries.
The third owner bought the car on December 18, 1987, and parked the car in a shed behind his house. The man rarely drove the car and never let his boys touch it. The man had heart problems and later died of a heart attack. The Mustang sat for more than 25 years in the little shed.
Restoration Begins: Video Picture Book (Click to view Video)
In 2013 I had been looking to restore a Mustang for my first car. I had gone to look at a 1968 coupe but passed it up. Next, I went to look at a burgundy 1969 Fastback for $7500. It was previously in a junkyard so some original parts were missing but it seemed to be mostly complete. A buyer got there before us so he had the first choice of it and purchased it. The next day it went on craigslist for $13,000 so it was further out of reach. A few days later my dad spotted a 1973 Fastback listed on craigslist. The car was listed for $4500 outside of Kernersville, NC. The post had a few pictures and stated that the car has 76000 original miles. We contacted the seller by email and decided to go and look at it that day. The car was in a shed behind his father's house. On top of the Mustang was 25 years worth of dust collection. Below the Mustang was a layer of plastic which protected the underside of the car. We raised the hood and underneath sat an almost perfectly blue air cleaner. We decided to come back the next day and pick the car up. We brought the car home for $3,800 because the owner was in need of some tax money.
After washing the car and removing most of the mice nests the car was almost ready to go into the shop. After the rear brake was freed up we pulled the car into the shop. The first order of business was getting the engine running. Minimal parts were replaced to get the car running such as the coil, spark plugs & wires along with a carburetor rebuild and an oil change. After that, the original seats and interior parts were re-dyed back to the original white color. A new headliner was installed because the original one had a hole eaten through it. The interior was put back together and we polished the existing paint. We drove the car to the 12th annual Parkway Ford SVT, Mustang, and All Ford Car Show on August 24, 2013. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxYflx0JJB8)
After going to a few more local car shows & cruise-ins, the real work began. Basic disassembly of the car began and sanding began. The car was taken all the way down to metal and primed. A new taillight panel was welded in because it had seemed that the car had been involved in a minor rear-end collision at one point so the trunk had also been replaced. Next, priming the metal and prepping for paint began. The car was repainted back to the original Bright Red & Black scheme. Mach 1 decals were added on July 16, 2014, marking the end of the restoration.
On August 23, 2014, at the 13th annual Parkway Ford SVT, Mustang and All Ford Car Show rolled into town. The 1973 Mustang Mach 1 ended up winning Best In Class for the 1971-1973 Mustangs.
Ok, I am back. You definitely hit a home run with that car and a very reasonable price. 
![[-]](https://mach1club.com/images/collapse.png "[-]")
