advice needed for mach 1 purchase

[Wade 10]

Hi group, I'm new and just registered here. I've been looking for a mustang project car and have narrowed my choice down to a 1969 mustang. The prices seem all over the place. I just looked at one today and was hoping someone could give me an idea of the value of it.

 

They said 351 4v "drag pack" car, "that's why it has drum brakes, it rolls down the dragstrip easier". Not sure if the guy knew as much as he thought he knew about mustangs. I didn't want to correct him on that because he was dead sure of himself. They were already getting defensive as I have been thoroughly inspecting and picking apart the car.

It had the 4 spd toploader replaced with an automatic and they still have the factory tranny for it. It needs new front suspension parts such as control arm bushings. the 4bbl is a bit leaky, the dash in the car is loose and needs to come back out to fix a few wiring issues.

The hood was replaced with a factory replacement from a donor car, same with the drivers door. They said the drivers door had a crease in it but still kept it. The son and wife were there and Dad had them put away in the storage building, Dad was at work. I was unable to look at the original drivers door. I would also assume considering the previous damage on the left inner fender and core support, that the left fender has been replaced too. It needs exhaust, carb rebuild, front suspension, assuming it would need brakes all around, decent paint and then it should be a daily driver while waiting for a full disassemble and restoration.

has power steering, no a/c and drum brakes.

There were pieces of angle iron welded to the shock towers and was told that they were "put there to prevent the shock towers from cracking".

 

The VIN has 9R02M and they are asking $14k for it, that seems a bit high to me.

Here are some photos:

http://differentdrum.org/mustang/

also I did a short video of the engine running:

http://differentdrum.org/mustang/MVI_0027.AVI

 

Thanks,

Wade

Edited December 9, 2009 by Wade

[Sidthing 10]

I think 14 is too high, I would have a hard time giving over 5k for it personally. I didn't see the angle iron you were talking about. I'm not 100%, but I thought the drag pack came with the 428 and was just steeper gearing and an oil cooler. You get to meet a butt load of people who think just because it's a mustang it's worth a fortune. For 14k I'd expect to get a 351 mach with shiny paint, decent interior, and can be driven.

[Wade 10]

Thank you, I have been looking and the prices seem terribly high. I have also seen folks on ebay auctions not even be able to sell their cars because they are asking too much. Maybe I should wait a bit longer for folks to get more realistic with their prices. Unfortunately there is just not many available in this area. I like being able to look at the car and am hesitant to buy from out of the area.

 

You're right the drag pack option was only on the 428, and the guy did not know what he thought he knew. He honestly believed himself and believed a lot of other non true things he was spouting off.

 

But you said $5k, I've seen a lot of non running 69 mach 1's without a drivetrain selling for $5k. At least I see them advertised like that, I wonder if they are actually selling?

 

Well I guess the fact it was in a previous wreck creates a lot more work to restore the front end. I might shoot him an offer of $7k if numbers match, pending Marti report, and see what happens.

 

Thanks,

Wade

[S code 69 13]

I'm from Oregon myself and this looks like a typical low rust car, the rust repair alone would cost thousands if it needed it. look at it this way, if a hop sing fake fastback shell from Dynacorn is $15,000 how can a near rust free mostly there REAL mach 1 not be worth up to $10,000?

 

It has the original steering wheel, 9" and it's not missing that much, an easy restoration. it's worth well over 5k but not clost to 14 k in my opinion, 7k would be a deal, 10k is probably getting up there in todays market. this is all shooting from the hip since I haven't seen the car myself of course.

[Sidthing 10]

If he is asking 14k and you shoot an offer of 7k you're just going to piss him off. You can't just jump in and buy a car. Head to all Ford swap meets, car shows and look at what is out there. Two years ago, he might have been able to get almost what he is asking, but the economy hurt the values of everything but gold. Take it from a guy who suffered several times from seeing a car and having to have it right now. You can tell him he's asking too much but such a low ball offer to him will shut down any future chance of getting that car. I doubt anyone will buy it for 14k and maybe he'll just have to go a year with everyone telling him he is crazy. If it was me, I'd give him my number and tell him if he really wants to sell it and for a realistic price to give me a call. Other people will give him more realistic offers for it, let them piss him off, if he remembers that you didn't piss him off he might call you down the road.

[SlimeGold 69 15]

Yeah, 14k is too much. It does look to be fairly solid but assuming you could get it for around 7-9K, the body condition overall would make or break the deal IMO. Check for bad body work, rust is one thing but a car bent in half is just as bad. I'm sure you have found out by now there is no such thing as a 351 Drag-pak..LOL.. it has drum brakes because no one checked disk brakes on the option list when it was new, that's all, nothing special. Drag-packs had nothing to do with brakes, it was a option for 428 cars that included steep rear gears, oil cooler, better rods, etc. Get a look at the old door and see if the data tag is there.

Edited December 10, 2009 by SlimeGold 69

[PaleRider 12]

12k max. In todays market if you look a little you can get a nice mach for under 20k. I just sold one that needed nothing not the highest end restoration but very nice driver for $18.5. Good luck and keep looking

[Wade 10]

Thanks for the advice. They will not budge on the price, I just called and they said "no we won't lower the price, we'll just put a little more into it and sell it next summer". So I guess I'm still looking. Might have to wait until the Portland swap meet next April.

 

Wade

[S code 69 13]

Keep an eye on craigslist, they're on there all the time. I watch from northern California to Spokane and I've seen dozens of decent fastbacks in the last year priced right.

 

If you can put out the money all at once or get a loan you can buy a nice car for less than you can buy a project for and fix it up yourself in this economy. the price of cars has come down a lot, the price of labor and parts hasn't changed much.

 

I paid $7500 for my rust free S code Mach 1 two years ago, I did everything myself except final body work and paint and I'm sure I'll have more in it than it's worth in todays market now that I'm about done. I enjoy doing it myself and I know it's done right but if I'm going to have to pay for the experience it makes me wonder.

[Wade 10]

Thanks for the advice S code. I've been getting all buggy eyed staring at the computer monitor looking at craigslist. It's a lot of work going to each different city on CL and searching. I live near Eugene Oregon and would like to find a car I can go look at before buying, so I could potentially go as far south as Redding, CA for a day trip. If I head north, I would imagine Seattle would be as far I could go on a day trip. Spokane is about 8.5 hours of driving time from my house.

I wish there was a computer program that would continuously search all the CL adds to find what I'm looking for. That way it will automatiacally keep searching 24/7 and then send me a message when it finds newly listed 1969 mustangs. Someone needs to create that.

[S code 69 13]

I hear you, that's a major pain with craigslist. on the other hand if it was easy the good deals wouldn't last a day.

 

Keep looking there are a lot of folks needing some cash, cars are coming for sale everyday. I'm lucky, or cursed I'm not sure which, I like all the 64-71 muscle cars so there's always something catching my eye. if you're not dead set on a particular car it's easy to find what you're looking for.

 

Did you see the one in Boise? not an investment type care but if you want a cheap project it might be interesting. If I see something interesting in a '69 fastback I'll let you know, I'm in central oregon by the way.

Edited December 10, 2009 by S code 69

[JTG 10]

It's a lot of work going to each different city on CL and searching.

 

Try searchtempest.com you can search all craigslist sites within a set distance from you home. It works great.

[Wade 10]

Thanks JTG, that is brilliant! Now lets see how much work I get done today.

I just looked at the Boise one S Code, thanks for the tip. I'll keep looking for a factory mach 1 and I imagine if I wait long enough, something will surface. But that is a good price considering it is a very good straight body.

[S code 69 13]

Wow that site is sweet, never heard of it before.

 

So you want a real car, I'm the same way, if I'm going to dump a bunch of money in a project I want something real when I'm done. that Boise car should be a no brainer for a restomod or a non stock build, 1/5 the price of a fake shell.

 

Watch ebay in the local area too, lots of cars there as well.

[foothilltom 33]

Someone has. There are actually a whole bunch of these tools. The best I've seen is Craigslist Reader. You can check out a review on CNET here:

 

http://download.cnet.com/CraigsList-Reader/3000-2379_4-10809387.html

 

The freeware version is limited but if you pay the small licensing fee (tiny compared to the purchase you're considering), you can get all the features, including automatic emails on items matching your criteria.

 

Good luck.

Tom

[Sidthing 10]

Here are a few in my neck of the woods.

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/1495020499.html <20K nice 69 351 mach

 

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/1497943594.html <20K rough 69 428 mach

 

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/1482148914.html <20K nice 70 351 mach

 

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/1497326325.html <$725.00 rough 69 F/B

 

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/1498402785.html <4,900 rough 69 s code mach

 

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/1482907108.html <14K nice 69 mach

 

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/1467296508.html <8K project 70 F/B w/ coupe parts car

[Wade 10]

Thanks for the link to the tools. That is brilliant!

and thanks for the links sidthing. That puts things in perspective a bit. That blue one appears to be in far better shape than the one I looked at for 14k yesterday. The blue one for 14k appears to be a pretty good deal. I have family and friends who live in Indy and there appears to be lot more in that area. I may need to make a trip there in a month or 2 to look at some cars and maybe have one shipped to me.

[coz 108]

They don't call the mid west the rust belt for nothing ....

 

I'd continue to look in the southern states if you are looking for a $14k or less vehicle. Rust repair can be expensive and time consuming...

 

Here's a completely restored S code for sale in my area. I know - too much but gives you an idea what a some what fair price for a restored S code is fetching right now. I've seen this car and it's pretty nice. I'd put it in the low $30's but still a nice example....

 

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/1500827527.html

 

And here's an example of a complete nut case - 65k. It would be 20k but the special lime puke paint adds at least 45k to the price.

 

http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/cto/1469282464.html

 

This one shows real promise and close to your price. Looks like little needs to be done. Not a Mach 1 though....

 

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/cto/1479759807.html

 

 

I'm back on my vert conquest and am talking to this guy...

 

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/1461025008.html

Edited December 10, 2009 by coz

[Wade 10]

Well I just found this one:

http://www.racingjunk.com/category/1064/Ford/post/1734711/1969-MACH-I-quot-S-quot-code.html

10k for a running S code car with the wrong engine in it. If it was local I'd take a look at it.

How much is a matching number S code worth?

[Sidthing 10]

Man Wade aren't you glad you didn't buy that first heap? Don't buy a car as an investment, you'll most likely never get your money out of it, but it's cheaper than a psychiatrist, and it won't divorce you and take half of everything you own.

[Steve69 0]

I Would run away from that deal. You could easily stick another $14k into it to make it nice if you have to rebuild everything. The Angle Iron would scare me away and the rust. I would tell him Im dont want to piss you off but the market and the condition of this Mustang I will offer you $7K. Heres my # if you want to talk. You should get a nice ride for 14K and should only have a few things to do on it. If you decided to paint it and strip it down. There could be a ton of Mud in it and other problems to deal with. Its a buyers market and your in the drivers seat.

 

Steve69

[S code 69 13]

Wade, the book says a in 69 mach 1 the 351 4v is a 15% add on, a 390 is a 25% add on and a 428 is a 50 % add on.

 

Numbers matching is good but not that important in a Ford because it's easy to fake, more often than not the heads are stamped not the block, so all you have to do is find a date correct block and two unstamped heads and say it's a numbers car, even stamp a head if you want.

 

I do look at these cars as an investment, and I've made quite a bit of money with them in the last 15 years as long as I value my time at less than $1 an hour. it cost aboutt the same to restore a car nobody wants as it does a desireable car, the main cost difference is the initial cost of the car. I buy only cars I like and with a factory big block if possible and in a sports package like a Mach 1, R/T, GTX, GTO ext. no clown cars , no resto mods, no rust buckets or wrecks. I restore them as original as I can and as good as I can. you can have a nice car and an investment at the same time, it's a lot tougher to do that today than it was a few years ago but even now you can cut your losses in my opinion with something like what I do. still in the end it's your car and it has to be what you want, I'm just lucky because what I like happens to be what most people are willing to pay for, nice original desireable stock muscle cars.

[Wade 10]

I'm with you on that point S code, I want a desirable car that would be easy to sell if I wanted to sell it and I also happen to like the Mach 1's. I'd prefer a BB car, but too much money for me at this time. There seems to be a lot of scams out there as I'm trolling through all the CL and classic autotrader ads. I'm glad I was told about searchtempest and the Craigslist reader, brilliant programs!

[Wade 10]

OK I'm trying to get a handle on fair values, what do you guys think about these:

http://modesto.craigslist.org/cto/1470532705.html

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1494064008.html

The Sacremento car has the complete original drivetrain that comes with it.

[foothilltom 33]

I'd be happy to go look at your Sacramento car if you're considering a buy. I could get better pictures, look for the usual rust, etc. I know rust...my first 2 coupes were full of them.

 

Lemme know.

Tom