I got into the Mustang hobby in 1992. I was in the Navy, stationed in Northern Virginia at the Pentagon when I bought my first Mustang, a ’66 GT coupe. It was an older restoration in which I replaced several major items, detailed it, and learned firsthand some of the problems to look for when purchasing a classic Mustang.

Dan’s ‘69 Mach I next to fellow MCSD member Marc Bodrie’s ‘69 Boss 429. Both were honored at the 2019 Fabulous Fords Forever.

Having a very bad case of terminal “car nut” disease, I started looking for my next Mustang soon after getting my first one. The looks of the ’69 Fastback were so appealing to me that I just had to have one, and by the “one”, I figured I might as well go all the way and get the legend – Mach 1, big block, shaker hood, and also had to be a southern California or Southwest car, having dealt with the “East coast effect” to some degree with my ’66.

After moving back to San Diego, I finally found one that fit my requirements at the Pomona Swap Meet in December 1997. The seller owned and restored other classics and needed the cash for a down payment on a house. It had all the goodies I wanted – 1969 Mach 1, Cobra Jet 428 with Shaker scoop, 4 speed close-ratio Toploader transmission, power steering/brakes, 3.25 ratio Tracloc rear end, and 9R in the first two spaces of the VIN.

The seller had done his homework on the car’s history by finding the names/addresses of all the previous owners. I am number six, with all the previous owners living in the LA/Orange/Riverside county areas. This is evident on the very minimal rust and very solid sheet metal I found when inspecting the car. Along with information and other records I got with the car, I also have the original but very fragile build sheet.

Now for some statistics – It is an early model car, built in San Jose on Dec 26, 1968, unit 128036 delivered to the Los Angeles DSO. Originally Black Jade (dark green) in color, it was changed to Coach Black via Maaco in 1986.  Under the hood is a stock 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet engine, rebuilt in 1992. The exhaust is a custom dual setup with Flomasters.

Early improvements I made included replacing the dash pad, Koni shocks all around, Pertronix points, all new weather stripping, and a rebuild of the original 735 cfm Holly carburetor. I also replaced the door speakers with OEM style units and replaced the original non-functioning AM radio with a made-to-fit Kenwood unit. (HA! I have yet to find an “exact fit” aftermarket interior part). 

Appearance-wise, I have been working with the repaint job to get it looking halfway decent. The Maaco job obviously did not include the extensive body work demanded by a black paint job, so there are some things I cannot change without a complete strip and start over, which is not in the plan. I also had to apply the signature reflective red Mach 1 side and trunk lid stripes that were missing when I got it. I have enjoyed it very much, taking it to numerous shows and Mustang Club events every year.

Fast forward to a current update. After I bought the Mach 1, I sold my GT coupe that I had brought with me to San Diego from Virginia. As I still had the “car nut” disease, I built a ’66 Fastback Restomod which I had planned after getting the Mach. Seems this disease drives one to plan the next car project while the current one is still in progress. After completing the ’66, the Mach took a backseat to being driven regularly for a few years. Big mistake! Idle time is not good for a car – they need to be driven. 

So, after completing my 1938 Ford pickup (again, more effects of the “car nut” disease), I undertook a fairly extensive upgrade of the Mach, correcting some issues that had plagued it since I got it, and replacing systems that needed updating after 50 years. Interior items included new front seat covers, carpeting/underlayment, dynamat on the floorpans, repair of the heater/defrost damper, new windshield, and new hinge pins on the driver side door. 

As a side note to replacing the door hinge pins, I found a special tool, long since obsolete, that makes adjusting the door easier following hinge pin replacement. It is a Snap On tool that I bought via ebay, and it allows access to one of the three bolts on each hinge that is otherwise extremely difficult to adjust. I think this tool is only good on the Gen 1 Mustangs, but is now a very cool collectable item in my tool chest. 

Mechanical items updated included new clutch/pressure plate, clutch linkage overhaul, complete transmission and rear end overhauls, new suspension bushings, and complete underside detailing. Fuel and brake system upgrades included all new stainless steel fuel and brake lines, new fuel tank, Carb rebuild, brake booster rebuild and front disc caliper overhaul. Appearance upgrades included engine compartment detailing, repair/repaint of the front and rear valences and rocker panels, and the proper Mach 1 matte finish on the hood. New T/A radial tires on Magnum 500 wheels all around replaced the 18 year old ones for safety. 

This keeper is a blast and actually pretty easy to drive. It had 106,074 miles on the odometer when I bought it, now reading 123,350, so it has been driven. Since all the recent upgrades, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it as a daily driver or long distance cruiser – except for fuel prices and classic car insurance restrictions. It is both a fairly comfortable long distance cruiser and a beast, depending on what I demand of it. The Mach gets many thumbs-up, but what is most satisfying to me is many are from young boys and girls who have no idea what it is, but they know they like it. That is a good sign for the continued health of the hobby! 

A part of the family now, the Mach is the lead of my four vehicle classic car collection (all of which are fully operational and driven at least several times a month). Recently it has been honored as a Milestone example at the 2019 Fabulous Fords Forever show, celebrating 50 years since the Mach 1 was introduced. Given its current state of pampering, I feel confident that it could have the same honor celebrating 100 years of the Mach 1.