1969 Ford Mach1 Candy Apple Muscle

By: Patrick Smith

The 1969 Ford Mach 1 may have looked sweet in Candy Apple Red but it wasn't a candy ass car. With 351 cubic inches on tap and a Cruiseomatic locked and loaded, this vintage Henry Hauler can waste you and leave rubber behind. I remember test driving a metallic brown Mach 1 for sale decades ago in Burlington. I went down there during an sleet storm to see it. Even with the non stock rot beer brown paint job and bad u joints, I knew it was hot number. I wasn't the only one who thought so. I went to the bank to get a deposit and it was sold before I returned. Mustang Fever was very strong back in the early
1980s.

A Candy Apple Red Mach 1 is a joy to behold.

It's not surprising when you stop to think about it. The original Mustang package was pretty solid back in 1965. Ford ran into trouble when they tried to make a Thunderbird 390 fit and run hard in the Falcon based body. Engineering limits had been broached and a new shell was needed. So in 1969, Ford came up with a new body with an engine sub frame capable of taking a 428 Cobrajet. This was the best regular production engine available for performance. The Mach 1 was a new trim level created by Ford to promote the fastback body shell. Mach 1s had the Competition Suspension, matte black hood with lanyards and hood scoop, GT mag wheels, body color sport mirrors, reflective body stripes with Mach 1 on the side and trunk lid panels and the standard engine was the 351 two barrel Windsor V8. Options included engines from 390 to 428 cid in Cobrajet or SuperCobrajet form. The Cobrajet ramair version included a different shaker hood which fed air to the carb.

Inside the Mach 1 was more GT than muscle car in appearance. Note the speed minder
speedometer.

Inside the Mach 1 was special. Teakwood inserts appeared on the door panels and dashboard coves. Highback bucket seats with color coordinated piping blended with the plush cloth headliner, seat belts and business like gauges. The car was a well put together grand tourer in base trim which could be made into a muscle car brute with the right options. Sales were at the speed of sound that year with 72,456 cars rolling away from dealers. One of those cars was this Candy Apple Red hardtop owned by Carey Limebeer, of Acton, Ontario. The red rocket represents Carey's first attempt at restoration years ago. He started with a nice 351 four barrel backed with an automatic transmission. The upholstery is black vinyl and is equipped with console, tinted glass, pedal dress up and a wood grain wheel similar to the earlier generation Mustang GTs.

Engine is well equipped with shaker, Edelbrock valve covers and Monte Carlo bar.

Outside the car sports a a shaker hood, Magnum 500 chromed steel wheels, front and rear spoilers and a set of backlite louvers. Notice the side stripes? Ford had this complex system of matching the stripe color with body and interior colors. Carey's car has the black interior and red paint which called for black stripes with gold inserts. This one can trip up restorers when it comes to selection. There is a complete 1969 Mach 1 and GT stripe code and application chart on this website for reference. Just look it up in the archives. Anyway, Carey's car is done right.

although technically they were BOSS 302 exclusives, many owners added louvers and spoilers. By
1970 Ford even added them to the book.

The engine bay is done right too for that deluxe street machine appearance. There's an Edelbrock black and chrome valve cover set, an aluminum intake, Monte Carlo bar and nice dress up features like the red ignition wire holders. It's an easy going cruiser until you mash the loud pedal. Then it gets snorting and all you'll see are tire marks. The shaker hood really sets off this car. A funny story about the shaker hood involves Industrial Espionage. I'll let Mil Antonick, Chrysler's stylist tell the story.
"we had the shaker scoop all done for the 1970 'cuda. Someone visited the styling studio and tipped off Ford. They did a rush job and put one on their Mach 1."
Mil's story could be true. Early drawings released in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines show a Mach 1 body without hood scoops. When the car appeared at the long lead press review in August, the big block cars had shakers.It's also possible Ford just added them from the success they had drag racing their cars and noticing the evolution of what became known as Pro Stock drag racing. Most cars running open scoops had lower ETs. Carey completed his resto and has been enjoying the red rocket during those hazy summer days. We can't think of a better ride to be in.
*Article copyright 2013 by Patrick Smith. Images by PHS MEDIA, all rights reserved.