[19mach69]

A rust free 1973 Mustang Mach 1 is tempting me.(I need glasses, bad!)

I've seen this car sitting since spring. Its a yellow Mach 1 302 Auto. Its complete and surprisingly rust free. I crawled all over it on the way home Monday searching for rust. The floor pans and frame rails look better than most cars I've seen. They rival my Falcon and other southern cars. The only visibe rust is the passenger side quarter panel right above the wheel opening. The sign says it runs and drives. The price is 3000 obo. I wonder if I showed up with 2500 if they would let it go. It needs new paint and interior but no expensive panel replacement. The 302 looks like it leaked oil all over the trans, but no slick covering the underside and no sign of a cleanup job. I could fix a problem like a leaky 302 with my 460 and C6 sitting in the garage.

I also stopped by that 70 Mustang vert in Vermont as I had an event to attend and the shop is right off of the highway, just to check out what was going on in the shop. I crawled all over the car again for the hell of it, RUST!

They had a 69 Coupe there for an estimate. One of the guys said it had a bad history around town with the cops. We both laughed about that.

I told the resto shop owner about the car and he said I should buy it since it's solid. He tries to talk customers into buying as nice as a project as possible. We then talked about how sick we all are and how we want every cool car we see for sale.

 

[ProMetalShop]

Please don't tell me about stuff like this .......... that's a good deal if you could get that for 2500.

 

[19mach69]

I don't find deals like this very often. I dove by the car this evening and some guy was checking it out, not sure how interested he might have been. I do wonder why the car has sat for so long? I think it could be because it's the big body stang wich is not a 64.5-70 car, and people around here are not buying projects. The economy isn't what I would call awesome around here and a car project is expensive. Also the passenger side door was replaced with a red 71-72 Mach 1 door. I bet someone smashed the door in and they just found one to replace it. The sign said it comes with more parts. It is a yellow mach 1 so similar to "Eleanor" from the original Gone in 60 seconds.

That 70 Convertible is now going for $5k instead of $6k. I think that is a lot for a car that needs floors and inner rockers and inner trunk floors. I found more rust issues on the car today that would make me scared to try and tackle. The sheet metal may be cheap, but the time and labor will not.

 

[mt94ss]

Don't start so hi if you really want to buy the car. Know that you are OK with $2500, but start lower and see what happens. You have the cash to buy it so you should lead. Just be cool and say that you would like to make a deal that makes sense for both. Stating that you want to buy the car and that you have the cash to make it happen right now makes sellers see reality real fast.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Mike

 

[ProMetalShop]

I like that year, even if it's the big body. A friend of mine bought one new, and it was so cool to ride in. His was a silver with the flat black strip and a rear wing. It was an automatic with a 351, back then I think he paid around 3000. Today that would be 30,000 . We just don't see the deals out my way, folks seem to want to retire off of rust. In PA. We also struggle with paper work. We still have to have a title even if the car didn't come with one. And sometimes the paper work takes as long as the restoration.

 

[19mach69]

Mike,

I'll start around $2000 cash. Then go up from there to around $2500 and walk if it gets higher.

Steve,

Most people up here have the "I am doing you a favor by selling my *insert item here*" mentality for a really high price. I've seen a lot of junk people are trying to sell for over twice what they are worth. I had a rant a few months ago about car parts prices. I know things will be a bit cheaper in the south, but 100%-200% higher prices? That is just silly. I have also liked the big bod cars for a long time. I think it hit me one day when I was at fun ford weekend. This one guy had a white fastback running 12's. It was awesome to watch it run and a cool looking car.

I did mention the car to my wife. I usually tell her about what cool cars I see during the day on my travels. She normally doesn't ask, but this time she asked if I wanted to buy it. I said yeah. She said ok and that was it. When she doesn't want me to buy something she will let me know, for a long time!

I will lok the car over really well if I can set up a time with the owner to look at it this week. I have some vacation time for the next two weeks.

 

[19mach69]

I found the ad for it on CL. The picture makes the bottom of the door look terrible. It didn't look that bad in person, just some exposed metal there. The ad says $2800. Cheaper than the sign in the car. I'm sure a little over $2000 cash would take it home.
http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/3264086058.html

 

[OpelGasser]

Don't start so hi if you really want to buy the car. Know that you are OK with $2500, but start lower and see what happens. You have the cash to buy it so you should lead. Just be cool and say that you would like to make a deal that makes sense for both. Stating that you want to buy the car and that you have the cash to make it happen right now makes sellers see reality real fast. GOOD LUCK!!!! Mike

I AGREE TOTALLY AGREE with Mike...... if the car has been "sitting" for awhile I would also start LOW...... the sight (or the promise of CASH right now) can do wonders on be the "deal maker"...... it has WORKED for ME...... and honestly ...... it has WORKED ON ME!!!!!

I'd start at $2000..... maybe even sit on that price for a few days or longer. It's NOT like that car is going anywhere soon.

Good luck adding on to your collection of toys.

 

[ProMetalShop]

I would crawl under that Mach and check quarters and all the areas you your self know they rust or start to and have the fellow there watch you. And when your done hand him twenty ( one hundred dollar bills ) and remind him your there now in a few minutes you won't be, bring a trailer, how can he pass

 

[1946Austin]

Around here the early first gen Mustangs don't get nearly as much as the 67-73 Mustangs. I've seen some pretty nice restored '64-'66 Mustangs go for under $10k.

 

[19mach69]

That's a good plan! I think car guys have a phd in psychology when we go to buy a car.

 

[mt94ss]

When I was a kid my cousin in Canada had a black one of those. They lived on Vancouver Island, can't remember the town they were close to but it was in the country. He was peeling out of their driveway and blew the engine, sent a rod right through the oil pan. There was a hole in the road for years! It was a nasty car. At that time it was only a couple three years old.

Could make another nice project for you. Good luck!

Mike

 

[ProMetalShop]

Hey were rooting for ya

 

[19mach69]

Well, it's raining hard today, but I decided to drive by the car again and have a look again. The owner moved it off of the street and put it next to a really crappy mobile home, not the one in the picture, but one where I was seriously afraid to get shot by people cooking meth. I took a lot of pictures and looked over the car again without the sunlight blinding me and the "ooh shiny" effect. Without my blinders, I found a lot more rust!

Here is what I found:
Bottom of both rear quarters need replaced, with the wheelwells damaged that could be the entire quarter. The back side of each wheel well is solid. There is a lot of rocker rust in a few spots. The front bottoms of the passenger side fender is rusty and could be fixed, but they make replacements.

There is a rust hole up by the window on the A pillar on the drivers side which is a little bit concerning. Since it rained really hard today and the car was not shielded from the rain, it showed that it does not leak inside sitting still. Who knows if you were driving, but it appears to be tight.

The passenger side door and fender gap is non existent. I didn't see any frame damage or sign of an impact in the front. I just think the door was not installed correctly.

The interior isn't totally shot. The seats, carpet and door panels are toast, but the passenger seats and side plastic looks good.

Remember those oil bath air cleaners? Well this thing looks like it has a special oil bath for the engine. There are some other spots here and there that have some rust where the paint is old and chipped.

The strange part is, the underside of the car looks really, really nice. The frame rails are solid, the floor pans are solid and everything else looks like a southern car. I wonder if the car has sat outside somewhere getting snow and rain on it for years, but was never driven in the snowy salted roads? There are a lot of big scatches on the car. Some of them look newer, but they are paint only scratches.

I will see what everyone else thinks (second opinion) on the car before I do anything else. If it's all exterior sheet metal work and patches, that is not too bad. It's the hidden surprises that could turn some body work and paint into a downard spiral of misery. Although, driving something lie this, as-is can make for some entertainment. Nobody will park next to you anywhere you go! People will stop cutting you off because they think you don't have insurance.

Here is the photo album with the pictures.

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/dedzerg/1973 Mustang Mach 1/

 

[ProMetalShop]

Wow what a bummer ! ! I was hoping you had a possible score on your hands. My thoughts are if your adding it to the pack as a keeper and it what you want then at around 1500 it's a good restorable piece. Did you say it was the original motor or you haven't got that far yet. If its a numbers match car the paper work has to be worth something. Unless someone cloned a Mach 1 cause by the pictures it was painted.. Is that suppose to be the original color ? I guess it's whether you want it bad enough. I believe they have everything in replacement panels so it would be easy finding what you need. What's a Mach worth when it's done ? And would it matter if ya gonna keep it ! ! Lots of ifs and if it don't scare ya to own it then I would hold out for the rock bottom price. Feel him out and now you know how rough the car is. The only ones that are going to buy it are ether some one like your self who can restor it, or a collector, and alike. Just my 34 cents

 

[19mach69]

From crawling under the car, I think yellow is the original color. I see yellow all over on the floor pans and it is slightly different than the rest of the body. I doubt anyone did a rotisserie resto on the car so you can be fairly certain it was yellow.

If it is the original engine it might be hard to prove it with all of the oil. The vin is supposed to be stamped at the back of the block by the intake. I do think the engine changes it's own oil. A handy feature?

The vin states 3F05FXXXXXX which is 1973 Dearborn built Mach 1 with 302 2V, so it is a true Mach 1. From looking under the car, it does have the C4 trans and also 8' rear end.

A Excellent professional condition resto might fetch mid 20's. A resto of my caliber might(heavy on the might) hit the mid teens. If it were a daily driver quality car 8000. Being that it need an engine rebuild(worse case), panel replacement, paint and interior, 2800 is a little high. Since I am a hoarder, I probably would keep it and drive the hell out of it.

I can also order a Marti Auto report and get every option the car came with from the factory. I have one on my 1969 Mach 1 and had one for a 67 Mustang Coupe I owned for a few years. Very handy for restoration unless they have a special paint code like the coupe did.

I priced out some replacement panels to keep costs in mind:

Fender-300
Rear 1/4 skins 90 each for 180
Trunk extensions 15 each for 30
Outer rocker panel 85 each for 170 total

The frames and floors are good, so that is a lot of work that is not needed.

Upholstery and interior:

Seats, all- 400
Carpet-200
Door panels, both-340


Ever since I saw the original Gone in 60 seconds, I wanted a yellow 73 Mach 1. While not exactly the same as Eleanor, it is fairly close, and close enough for me. 1500 is probably a good starting point, but might make the guy mad, that is his problem. I know he has no place to restore the car, or probably work on it. I think 2000 is max for this car. Of course his sign says must sell and the car has been sitting, he might be ready to unload it for that cheap. I thought about bringing my beat to hell Jeep if I decide to buy it. He won't think I'm rolling in cash like he would if I drove up in my F250. Of course he doesn't know that an F250 diesel just makes you poor.

Do I want the car, yes. Do I want the huge project? I'm not sure. It would be a good practice car before I touch my Charger with 750 dollar quarters x2, 500 dollar trunk floor and 500 dollar floor pans.

 

[ProMetalShop]

If he's pressed for a sale starting at 1500 Will get him thinking, I bet you could take her home for 1800

 

[mt94ss]

... Of course he doesn't know that an F250 diesel just makes you poor.

Do I want the car, yes. Do I want the huge project? I'm not sure. It would be a good practice car before I touch my Charger with 750 dollar quarters x2, 500 dollar trunk floor and 500 dollar floor pans.

Good points on both. I love the line it just makes you poor.

I practiced panel replacement on a couple cars before my '55. I think it was the third. By the time I get around to my Rivi (or my new ChevyII gasser!!! Hope, hope, hope) I should be really good. There are definite tricks to doing it right. Also, get the best welder you can afford. I wish I had a TIG. That's the cat's meow. (HUH? I gotta stop posting late at night!)

 

[19mach69]

I've thought about it all night. I think I wil hold off on buying. I was thinking about how I want a really nice mig welder and even a cheap plasma cutter. A media blaster and bigger compressor would be nice also to blast car panels prior to body work. The 1500-2000 dollars the car might sell for could better spend that money on tools to work on what I already own. I don't see cars like this very often, but sometimes its better to not buy than buy a potential money pit with never ending rust issues below the paint. I always get excited when I find a cool car, and I've found I need to wait a few days so the excitement goes away and I'm thinking clear again.

I am planning on instead doing body work on my Falcon over the winter. It doesn't need a lot of work and zero panel replacement. It is a good candidate for my first body and paint job. My friend said as long as he owned it, he would never repaint the car. I was going to leave it with the ugly paint for fun but I think I actually want it to look nicer than it is. I am however going to paint it the same color it is now which is Sahara Beige. It looks crappy right now, but I've seen Mustangs with this color that look nice. The interior was already painted by roller and it looks good. Most things will be covered up by carpet in the future anyway. I will only need to paint the outside. The engine bay was freshly painted in 2005 or 2006 and looks good. That is a smarter plan than buying another project that needs a lot of attention. I seem to go through this every 3-4 months!

 

[ProMetalShop]

Well now that my friend is a very wise choice..... I have given up a few hot rods for equipment. I see stuff come up for sale often and get tempted but just have to convince my self that take that money and make your shop a bit more efficient. You know if you bought the Mach you would be tempted to purchase parts for it when they came in sight. Now what kind of welder we buying