YOU decide how I restore my car!

[maxxfish]

The disassembly is complete on my '69 Mach 1, and now it's time to decide what to do with it. And I want YOU to help decide!!!

It's a plain-jane '69 Mach 1, Silver Jade with black interior, H-code (351 2V), FMX, no options worth mentioning. There is no motor, so I can go in pretty much any direction with the drivetrain. FYI, I'm not neccessarily looking to build something fast and well-handling, as my track car (Lotus Elise) is unbeatable. This is also my first restoration project, so don't suggest a '69 Reenmachine! I don't plan on keeping the car for long, I'm really in it for the fun/challenge. But of course I don't want to lose money, so I have to factor in the completed car's marketability.

Here are the choices:

Stock restoration, back to showroom. This could prove frustrating, expensive, and uncreative, but it would hold it's value.

Restomod: Maybe a Mustang II front end, EFI, crate motor, AOD or T-5, custom color, custom wheels and tires. Fun, the sky's the limit, but it would never hold it's value, and everyone has different tastes. Some purists would say this is a shame to do to a true Mach 1, but remember, there were 74,000 of them in '69!

'69 Boss 302 Trans Am Replica: A replica of either the Smokey Yunick (Black and Gold) or Parnelli (Red White and Blue) Boss Trans Am. This would be fun, unique, and challenging. Also, if I'm going this crazy with the appearance, I could also go nuts with the drivetrain: 302 crate motor, EFI that resembles a carb, AOD or T-5, etc. Kind of a Repli-resto-mod! Once again, purists might cringe.

So tell me what you think, and vote for your choice! The project begins soon! Max

 

[Edbert]

Maybe a Mustang II front end, EFI, crate motor, AOD or T-5, custom color, custom wheels and tires.

Nothing too imaginative or even rare there, pretty run-o-the-mill and you see it all the time. Not that i have a problem with it, that is what i am doing to my car anyhow

But a TA replica? I've only seen two of those, it gets my vote.

 

[steel1212]

Yup I go with the TA, unique and not hard on the eyes!

 

[Tubo(2-bo)]

Use the Trans Am theme w/modern upgrades. From 30 feet away looks Trans Am, Underneath the skin is modern. Though I wouldent go with MII front suspension.

 

[Max Power]

I would restromod it with the Mach 1 theme. I would rather see standard fastbacks made into TA replicas.

The Mach is a valuable and desired car in its own right.

No need for the II front end unless you have space issues in the engine bay.

 

[Hack]

Use the Trans Am theme w/modern upgrades. From 30 feet away looks Trans Am, Underneath the skin is modern. Though I wouldent go with MII front suspension.

I think your idea is awesome! That would make a great car.

 

[atomicpunk]

Restomod: Maybe a Mustang II front end, EFI, crate motor, AOD or T-5, custom color, custom wheels and tires. Fun, the sky's the limit, but it would never hold it's value, and everyone has different tastes. Some purists would say this is a shame to do to a true Mach 1, but remember, there were 74,000 of them in '69!

That's very subjective, but I wouldn't say it necessarily kills the value. There sure are a lot of restomods bringing good money on ebay these days. I think if you keep it mild and taseful, you can actually enhance the value. As soon as you get wild, you turn off too many people.

However, unless you plan on selling it, why do you care?

I made the mistake of selling mine once, not gonna do it again, so sky's the limit. However, I think I'm just going to add performance parts and shelby exterior parts and call it a day, I'm rather partial to how these things looked originally.

 

[65up2d8]

I don't plan on keeping the car for long, I'm really in it for the fun/challenge. But of course I don't want to lose money, so I have to factor in the completed car's marketability. Max

If you don't want to lose money, I'd have to say none of the above. More than likely, you're not going to break even if you do it right.

 

[DarkBuddha]

Preface: I started writing this 3 hours ago and just got to finish it (my 1 year old didn't wanna go to sleep yet...)

Here are my thougths...

Resto: Sure it's a Mach, but a low option, bottom level model. You'll spend more doing the resto (especially if you concourse) than you could make back selling it. There are plenty of restored '69 Machs out there and even on the best of days, a 351W 2V auto no option car might bring $20k. Besides, it's totally boring. Yawn...

Restomod: Done correctly, you could build a nice car for less coin than a resto and as long as the workmanship and detail work is there, you could make some serious money on the end result. It's all about the right color combo, wheels, and stance. Want proof? Check out this lowly 4 wheel drum brake '69 coupe on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...iewItemQQcategoryZ6236QQitemZ4574388053QQrdZ1 . This would also be a "fun" project because it's all about the labor and details.

Resto-replimod: This could be totally cool, or totally lame. It just depends on how you go about it. If you do a mild car and paint it up with the TA paint, it'll be disappointing. This kind of car would need all the cool racy stuff to really pull it off. The idea of balancing it with some very cool modern stuff would be great too, but it's gotta have the total package to really work. Value could be killer, but I suspect you've gotta find just the right buyer.

Whatever you choose, keep us posted. Good luck!

 

[pabear89]

If you don't want to lose money, I'd have to say none of the above. More than likely, you're not going to break even if you do it right.

I would have to agree,
A nice ride that cost 235k to build just went for 65k on B/J auctions.

You have to be building it for yourself or its a flip of the coin if it will make any money.

So they built 74000 in 69, How many are left?

How many are at Bone stock statis?

I built mine up from a good soild bodied Mach1.
It was too clean to be resto-mod and just too much $ to restored to Factory.
So I am doing a more period correct Ride,
A basicly stock from the factory with a few Minor aftermarket speed parts.

So it's not a NOS Trailer Queen or a Bling Bling Show Car,

But It's sure Fun to Drive.

 

[bnickel]

my thoughts would be a pro touring style street T/A car. make the chassis as stiff as you can with sub-frame connectors and a 4 point roll bar.

add some 17x8 and 17x10 minilites from www.team3wheels.com, build an aluminum front spoiler with air duct holes and add some fender flares and a stock rear wing. paint it black use a flat silver for the hood and rear deck panel and the taillight panel as well as the insets of the headlight buckets, i'd also do a 69 boss stripe in the same color as well. i'd stick with the stock hood scoop and hood pins though. fiberglass bumpers front and rear painted with that new PPG chrome paint.

for the interior i would update the stock high backs to make them recline and maybe add a little more padding in the thigh bosters, lumbar support and torso bolsters as well, then recover them in black leather, use the deluxe door panels and all the regular interior stuff from the mach, but use autometer sport comp guages in black.

engine and trans i'd go with a late model 5.0 roller block with a 331 or 347 stroker kit and a set of aussie cleveland heads and some kind of port injection like the e'brock pro-flo system. i hear they are going to maybe start producing intakes for the cleve head to 302 block at some point as well, which means you should be able to get the pro-flo injection from already to go. trans would be tremec 3550 and the rear i'd just update the 9" with a set of 3.89 gears and a detroit tru-trac diff.

brakes, i'd go with a 13" kit up front like the one from mustang steve or www.randallsrack.com for the rear i 'd use the ultrastang rear disc conversion from www.ultrastang.com

there are so many suspension options out there tou could get lost really easily. personally i would keep it all relatively close to stock, but do away with all the rubber bushings in the front end like opentracker does. for the rear i'd go 5 leaf springs and use the www.fays2.net watts link setup. also check out the www.randallsrack.com rack and pinion conversion kit to tighten up the steering and get rid of that wishy washy factory ps system.

there are so many other things i could suggest i could go on for hours and hours, if you want you can pm me or shoot me an email if you like as well.

 

[chepsk8]

I too voted for the T/A idea.

Have fun with it!

Besides, since you have track experience, Have you ever been in a classic Mustang on the track? I have driven Shelbys, a 1970 T/A replica, and a prepped 69 BOSS 302, and this style of car is so radically different than you Elise it's almost polar. You have to "Throw" the Mustang into to corners, drift & slide it to keep your speed up, and just manhandle it to keep it on the line. It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun!!!!!! One of my best driving lessons came from Rick Kopec in his 65 GT-350R at Lime Rock, who showed me this method, and told me to forget about what I learned in Racing school. He was right, and I was able to keep up with prepped cars, with the tires howling, motor screaming, and car in lurid 4-wheel drifts. What a blast!

 

[Hissing Cobra]

I voted for the Restomod route. I took this route on my own Mustang and don't regret it at all. To pull it off though, the body and paint have to be show quality and you must be particular on the detailing.

On the exterior, I would keep it all stock appearing except the wheels (Torq Thrusts?) A bright color goes a long way here.

On the interior, I would keep it stock as well (except for the guages and stereo.)

Under the hood is where this beast can shine! Maybe a late model 5.0 with a ProCharger on it and a Tremec 5-speed transmission or a Dual Quad 336/5-speed. You'll get somewhere in the neighborhood of 400+ horsepower to the wheels and 11 second timeslips with some ET Streets if you go the ProCharger route. If you go with the 336/dual quad combo, you'll probably achieve 340+ rear wheel horsepower and be in the low 12's/high 11's. You'll also be able to cruise down the highway at 80+ miles per hour because of the overdrive transmission.

In the end, it's your decision. Be happy with what you choose and good luck!

 

[4MuscleMachines]

'69 Boss 302 Trans Am Replica: A replica of either the Smokey Yunick (Black and Gold) or Parnelli (Red White and Blue) Boss Trans Am. This would be fun, unique, and challenging. Also, if I'm going this crazy with the appearance, I could also go nuts with the drivetrain: 302 crate motor, EFI that resembles a carb, AOD or T-5, etc. Kind of a Repli-resto-mod! Once again, purists might cringe.

So tell me what you think, and vote for your choice! The project begins soon! Max

I say do anything besides the TA only because thats what I am doing!

I would do the TA. I have a real numbers matching 1970 Boss and I am doing the TA treatment to it pro-touring style. I am talking with Team3 on doing custom 18" minilites, car has six piston wilwoods front, wilwoods rear, Boss 302 has been stroked (dynoed 532fwhp @6700rpm). I chose a carb since I decided to put a Bud Moore TA mini ram on the engine to make it more authentic. Just need to install the shaker onto the K&N filter and top. The engine also needs cosmetic change (rid of the chrome). Recaros inside, pro comps in billet radio plate, richmond six speed, you get the picture. TCP all the way except the rear. In the rear I chose the composite leaf springs and a neat watts rear link from here
http://www.fays2.net/ like the TA cars had.

 

[Renato]

I think if you're not going to hold onto it very long, I voted for showroom stock.

If you were going to keep it and drive and enjoy it for a while, the restomod route would've been my vote.

Good luck!

 

[mustangdave]

Restomod; 351w stroked, no e.f.i., no M. 2 suspension. Wheels, tires, paint and whatever you want on the interior.

 

[LMan]

why no "Eleanor" vote option?

 

[bnickel]

hey L-man-nor, i'm starting to think you have secretly re-done your car into an "E" clone, come on man post up the pics of that baby since you've re-done it

 

[69Rcode_Mach1]

I would restromod it with the Mach 1 theme. I would rather see standard fastbacks made into TA replicas.

The Mach is a valuable and desired car in its own right.

No need for the II front end unless you have space issues in the engine bay.

I agree with this statement. Use the Fastbacks for that, not the Machs.

 

[bnickel]

an h-code mach is about as bottom of the barrell as you can get. ford made more of those than any other bodystyle mustang in 69. not that they aren't valuable, but if you do a nice tasteful restomod chances are you will probably make more when it's time to sell, than a stone stock resto would.