The Mach 1 Ford Mustang is a performance model of the Mustang that began in 1969. The first span of production Mach 1s ended in 1978 with the retirement of the Mustang 2 for the Fox Mustang of 1979. The Mach 1 returned in 2003 as a mid-level high performance model of the Mustang. The model was discontinued after the 2004 model year with the S197 Mustang chassis introduction in 2005.
The Ford Mustang was introduced in 1964 as a sporty "pony car" to attract younger buyers into Ford products. After only a few short years of development, Ford saw the need to create performance Mustangs to compete with GM and their release of the Camaro and Firebird. While several performance options had existed in the form of factory 289's (from the '65s on) & factory FE code engines (new for 1968), the vast majority of Ford Mustangs's performance mantle was carried by cars modified by the legendary Carrol Shelby. 1969 was the benchmark year for Ford Mustang in its proliferation of performance names and engines. No less than 6 factory performance Mustang models were available (Boss 302, 429, Shelby GT350, GT500 and the Mach 1). Additionally, 9 variations of V-8s were available in the 69-70 cars.
The new Mustang chassis, the last of the 1st generation models, allowed for larger engines than previous generations and could fit even the monstrous 429 for Ford's planned homologation of the engine for NASCAR competition. For Ford, the Mach 1 was introduced as an in-between model, a fit between the lower priced GT and the track oriented Boss 302s and 429s.
The Mach 1 started with the fastback "Sports Roof" body and added several visual and performance enhancing items such as matte black hood and optional spoiler, hood pins, chrome gas cap and wheels, chrome exhaust tips (optional), chin spoiler and a 351 Windsor motor as base with either a two barrel or four barrel carburetor. A 390 CI four barrel as well as the huge 428 Cobra Jet were also available engines. Standard on Mach 1s was a fierce but cosmetic hood scoop that had integrated turn-signal lights mounted in the back. A more functional option was the signature "Shaker Hood", an air scoop mounted directly to the top of the motor, used to collect fresh air and so named for its tendency to "shake" above the rumbling V-8 below. The interior came complete with teak wood grain details, full sound deadening material and high-back sport bucket seats. The name Mach 1 could not have been more appropriate as in 1969, Performance Buyer's Digest put a new Mach 1 through its paces at Bonneville, breaking some 295 USAC speed and endurance records. Ford kept the Mach 1 alive into 1970 and little changed outside the visual. New Mach 1 specific bucket seats, Magnum 500 wheels, recessed taillights on a black honeycomb rear panel as well as new side and rear badging and striping were the main visual differences. Outselling the base GT model, Ford canceled the GT altogether to make the Mach 1 the primary street performance Mustang.
With Ford's withdrawal from Trans-Am officially following 1970, the high end Boss 302 and 429 disappeared and were replaced by the large street-oriented Boss 351. The 1971 Mustang was larger in almost every dimension, earing the nickname the "Clydesdale". In 1971 the Mach 1 started with a base engine of the Windsor based 302ci engine, with a 2 barrel carburetor. The lineup of engines included 4 351Cs, some changed midyear. The lineup topped out with 2 429ci option, the CJ (Cobra Jet) & SCJ (Super Cobra Jet). Roughly 500 Mach 1s were produced with the CJ and SCJ motors. The SCJ came with a drag pack, oil cooler and a different Carbutetor than the CJ, along with a mechanical lifter camshaft and adjustable rockers. The 1971 Mach 1 Mustang was featured in the James Bond Film, "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971).
In 1972 the 429's were dropped from the lineup, and horsepower dropped across the board. This year also produced the fewest Mach 1 sales of the 1971-73 generation. There are no major differences in the 1971 and 72 Mustangs externally, other than different script on the trunk panel. The only difference externally on the 72 Mach 1 was the deletion of the 71-only pop-open gas cap on the Mach 1 for the standard Mustang twist-on gas cap for 72 Mach 1s. Apparently, the pop-open gas caps were prone to spilling fuel in a rear end collision, so Ford discontinued thier use across the board. The 302 was still the base engine, with now a 2 barrel and 4 barrel 351 Cleveland being the other options in the Mach 1 lineup.
In 1973, the Front end was changed to fit new bumper standards, and a new Mach 1 grille was made. The Mach 1 grille in prior years had 2 "sportlamps" horizontally across the grill on the left and right side, while the functional parking lamps rode low underneath the front bumper at the outer ends of the valance panel. In 1973, all Mustang models had the sportlamps changed to a vertical orientation at each end of the grill, and these lamps served double duty as the parking lamps also. This was necessary since the new-for-73 front bumper was larger and effectively blocked the view underneath the bumper, the previous location of the parking lamps. The Mach 1 graphics were also updated to a simpler, yet bolder design, which was neccesitated by the change in the front bumper. Engine options remained the same. One of the most recognizable as well as popular features of the 71-73 Mach 1 is from this era, the 'NASA hood' featuring two NACA scoops. The standard version featured block-off plates in the scoops, so it was a visual, non-functional item. However, they could be made fully functional on models ordered with the 'ram-air' option. This included vacuum controlled 'flappers' at each scoop, and a huge fiberglas underhood 'plenum' that directed cool, outside air into the carburator for increased performance. The ram-air option included a two-tone hood paint treatment in either 'matte black' or 'argent' (matte silver), coordinated to the color of the Mach 1 decal and striping. In addition, all ram-air equipped Mustangs of this generation came equipped with big twist-style chrome-plated hood lock pins. Becuase of the popularity of the ram-air option, but because of the trouble getting the ram-air option approved for emissions reasons, Ford offered an 'exterior decor' option in 73 that consisted of the two-tone paint traetment and the hood pins, but without the actual functional components of the 'ram air' system. In fact, the only engine that the functional 'ram-air' option was available on in 73 was the 351 2-V, even though the 351 4-V 'Cobra Jet' was an available engine option on every model. Strangely, emissions considerations caused the top-line performance engine to be unavailable with a top-line performance option! Go figure... The 71-73 'Big Bodys' were the last of the Falcon based Mustangs; the first generation.
A 1971 Mach 1 dressed as a 1973 Mach 1 was extensively featured in the 1974 movie "Gone in 60 Seconds", where it starred as a car named 'Eleanor'. Wikipedia
