Kingfish

I just received a complete console assembly from Scott Drake which is actually made by Daniel Carpenter. The only thing that was not included was the wiring for the cigar/cigarette lighter. The wiring I've found on-line looks like its way too much wiring just to hook up a cigar lighter. Scott Drake doesn't make one. I'm bothered with what appears to be a lot of extra wires. The new console only has the lighter and no other lights in the ash trays or console box. Has anyone had any experience wiring a 69 Mach 1 console! Thanks for any help, Steve.

I was looking to purchase a complete center console for my Mach and found a complete console from CJ PONY PARTs for $713. The picture shows the console with a dark walnut woodgrain insert. All My interior woodgrain is the light teak. The sales person at CJ's is telling me that the dark walnut is the correct insert. I have never seen a Mach 1 with the dark walnut console insert. He tells me I can order the console and then spend another $51. to buy the light walnut woodgrain insert but they cannot substitute one for the other. I think thats B.S.! I think the two types of woodgrain should be optional. How many of you guys have seen the 69 Mach 1 console with the dark walnut woodgrain insert? Thanks, Steve.

Has anyone had any experience painting a 69 Mach 1 dash pad and/or console. I think all dash pads and consoles mostly come in black. I think you can find some new dash pads in a white like color. Unfortunately trying to find a NEW dark red/maroon dash pad or console for a 69 Mach 1 is pretty much impossible. Some of the plastic pieces I have in my Mach have worn some over the years and I can see a little white coming through so I'm assuming that a lot of the interior pieces were painted originally. I was quoted $270 to paint the console and $180 to paint the dash by American Mustang here in Sacramento, CA. Labor rate is $90 an hour. I'm somewhat concerned how things will turn out. I have a single split in the speaker grill of the dash pad so I'm thinking about living with it for awhile and either repairing it somehow or replacing it down the road. I thought I would start with the console since my original is long gone! So to make a short story long! Has anyone had any interior pieces painted? And, does anyone have any suggestions on other ways to go about this? The dash and console would be coming from Daniel Carpenter Mustang at $399 apiece. Thanks for any input! Kingfish (Steve)

I saw some Cragar Style wheels the other day that were for sale and the center caps had what I thought was APPLIANCE on it. The chrome and everything looked very good. I'm not at all familiar with this brand of wheels. Are they any good? I briefly checked the internet but didn't come up with any Alliance wheels. Thanks for any input.

I just had the trunk lid and quarter panels repainted along with a new rear decal that says Mach 1 on my 69. When I bought/ordered it back in 68 it came with the solid stripe. I kinda liked the Mach1 punched out in the newer trunk lid stripe so thats what I had put on. But....its got some pointy stuff around the letters and I'm wondering how fragile they might be? If I was waxing that truck lid and wasn't too careful could I break off one of those pointy ends on the letters? They look pretty substantial but I thought I WOULD ASK IF ANYONE HAD ANY GOOD OR BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THEM. The stripe is suppose to be concours quality. She's really running sweet! Steve

I'm being LAZY! My windshield tag is hardly legible. Is the door tag the same as the windshield VIN? I'm going for the Marti Report and want to make sure I've got it right! It's a 69 Mach. Thanks for any help, Steve

I very seldom drive my Mach at night but I've learned that exercising car switches just like were suppose to exercise circuit breakers in our house will keep them working over time. That old saying applies: 'Use It OR Lose It'! Steve

Sportsroof69: PLEASE READ THIS. It plainly states that lead helped reduce knocking (detonation) along with lubricating the valve seats. http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/11/why-lead-used-to-be-added-to-gasoline/

I put marine fuel in my boat thats at a marina here in Sacto. It's suppose to be Ethanol free and I believe it. It's a Honda 150 hp outboard and with that fuel it runs so much better. I think if I could put that fuel in my Mach I would! Leaded high octane fuel in the old days burned slower because of the lead. I don't know how many brain cells I lost filling up but I really don't think it was all that much of an issue all thing considered! Steve

I run Chevron Supreme which I believe is around 93 octane. The 351W I have has been bored slightly when I overhauled it around 50K. I believe the compression ratio is still 10.7 to 1. So the other day I was cruising by my local Union 76 and saw racing fuel selling for around 8 bucks a gallon (I think). I entertained the idea of putting some in the tank but didn't. Because not to long ago someone told me than unless you need really high octane gas by using it when you don't need you actually make less horsepower. I think the 76 racing fuel is up around 100 octane. Back in the good old days when I first bought the car (I bought it new) I put Chevron Custom gas in it which I believe was around 100 octane and I swear I could feel it in the gas pedal. Maybe it was all psychological! Probably so! What I'm wondering is what would be the optimum octane for my 351W at 10.7 to 1. The engine now has 73K on it. Do any of you run octane booster additives? Thanks for any feedback! Steve.

I ordered my 69 Mach 1 in October of 68 and I looked at all of the options available very closely and I cannot recall seeing where a supercharger was offered as an option. Steve.

I see something that looks like a Part #. Plug that into your computer doing a Google Search. You'd be surprised what I've found doing that.

I've had a Ford Stripe Kit for no telling how long. I'm presuming and hoping it's still good. My other concern is applying it to the trunk lid. I attempted this several years ago with disastrous results. I had all of these bubbles in the stripe that I couldn't squeegee out. So I gave up! What are the tricks to applying one? And are the newer after market ones easier to apply? Thanks for any help! Steve.

Everyone: Thanks for all of the good input! I WILL HOOK MY PCV VALVE BACK UP! Kingfish (Steve)

I've been venting to the atmosphere for a good long time. I think with these new valve covers I'll hook up the PCV valve. My old covers had 2 breathers, Steve

I just received Ford Racing aluminum valve covers from Summit and I noticed that the passenger side cover has a grommet for a PCV valve instead of a breather. I was just going to run 2 breathers. I called Summit to order the breather size grommet and the technical guy told me most people run a PCV valve to take the pressure off the crank case. I haven't had a PCV valve on the 69 351W for probably over 40 years. DO I REALLY NEED ONE to take the pressure off the crank case? And how many of you are running a PCV? Thanks for any input, Steve.

Whats all this non-mustang crap showing up on the forum?

I've been considering ordering a Marti Report for my 69 Mach. Today I was at the point of ordering and thought I would ask you guys which one is the best one (The Deluxe or Elite) to order. I'm thinking the ELITE at $225. as opposed to the DELUXE at only $46. I'm thinking I'd like to have the re-produced window sticker the Elite Report includes. I have my original but when I peeled it off way back in 68 a lot of it didn't come off cleanly because it was glued pretty good to the window. And back then I really didn't think the day would come I would really care about having it! I just wanted to get in that thing and DRIVE! So...what report have most of you who got a Marti Report ordered? Thanks for any input, Kingfish (Steve).

This may sound stupid but make sure you've removed all of the bolts! Count the bolts you've removed against how many the trans pan has. It really only takes one un-removed bolt to hold the pan that tight! Whack it a good one with a rubber mallet not a hammer. I know you said Permatex but it almost sounds like the PO used good ole Indian Head gasket cement!

I had an Accel dual point that was good when it was new. I have now gone with a Pertronix Flame Thrower Dist./& Coil. The $$ is right and I think its the best dist/coil set-up on the market. I got mine from Summitt. I think you can choose dist cap colors. Dark red or Black. I also went with Ford Racing wires. Looks good and works great! Steve.

I was running my 69 Mach yesterday and noticed something I wasn't aware of or maybe it's something that just started happening. The horn works fine with the engine running. But when I turn it off and try it I'll get a couple of good toots and then all I'll hear is a very faint sound coming from the horns. I had a Corso Feroce wheel installed sometime back and I don't remember if this was happening at first. Any thoughts? Thanks, Kingfish (Steve)

It's very possible that SCJ had a similar hood if not exact to what mine came with. That was the first year of a completely new model, the Mach 1. So that car is rolling down the assembly line and how do these guy's know which hood is suppose to go on. Maybe thats the only hood they had in the early days of production or for that particular day. Steve

I took delivery on my Mach 1 in Oct. 1968. It has a cut out in the hood more like the shape of the shaker scoop. All that kept out the rain was a piece of metal at the front of the scoop. I removed that metal piece and just stuck a rag up through the bottom of the hood into the scoop to keep the rain out. I can't put my figures on the window sticker right now to find out the production date. It was built here in California at the Fremont/San Jose plant I believe. Kingfish (Steve).

The 650 double pumper only has a choke cable I pull out manually from the dash that allows me to fast idle it without keeping my foot on the gas pedal until it warms up. There is no choke what so ever inside the carb. Thanks guys for all of the input. I've pretty much been living with this problem over the years. I bought it new in Oct. 1968 and with the stock 351W 4 barrel it was pretty civilized. I't's bored and has a pretty healthy Crane cam in it, aluminum intake that I bought in 69 out of the Ford Muscle Car catalog. Recently I dumped the Accel dual point dist. and put in a Petronix Flame thrower dist. and coil. Milodon 8 qt. pan and Hi-Perf water pump with a Champion 4 row I think the # is MC340. Nice radiator for the $$. It has posi with 3:50 gears. I'm 66 now and wondering where the last 40 years went!! Way back when I didn't think twice about the poor visibility it has but now I'm considering a rear facing camera around the license plate that I could have show up in the rear view mirror. Often times when I'm out driving it I've got people getting way too close because they want to check it out. It's wimbleton white with red stripes. Total milage on her is 73,000. I sometimes think about selling it but I've got too many great memories sitting there. Especially those from the Thursday night Grudge Races at Fremont Raceway! I've yacked enough. Later Guy's!! Kingfish

When we're having normal weather here in Sacto (70 to 100 degrees) I crank the engine about 5-10 seconds to get some gas into the carb, pump the gas pedal a couple of times, turn the key and it starts up. Now with this colder weather which is un-seasonalbly cold for Sacramento I'm having this cold starting problem which doesn't occur during warmer weather so I'm scratching my head a little about it. The carb is a 650 Holley double pumper that was recently rebuilt professionally. Float bowls are right on. And the timing is at 10 degrees which works for me. I could advance it more but I'm o.k. with it at 10 degrees. It's not a 'show stopper' by any means and we are spoiled with EFI in the newer cars. So I'll poke around the engine some more and maybe I'll find something. Kingfish