Evolution Of The Ford Mach 1 Mustang

Summary

• The Mach 1 Mustang is a bridge between Ford’s Mustang GT and Shelby models, serving as a high-speed American muscle car.
• The 1969 Mach 1 featured a unique design with a top-mounted air cleaner scoop and NASCAR-inspired front hood pins.
• The modern-day 2021 Mach 1 is a modern track-ready vehicle with a 5.0-liter V-8 engine, offering 480 horsepower and various performance options.

To go Mach 1 is to travel at the speed of sound, or around 761 mph at sea level. A fighter jet like an F-16 uses an airspeed Mach indicator to track this relative velocity in flight, where anything under Mach 1 is subsonic flight while breaking the sound barrier results in a supersonic flight above Mach 1. Anything greater than Mach 5 would be hypersonic. Named after Austrian physicist Ernst Mach, the Mach number is thus the ratio of the speed of the aircraft to the speed of sound.

Though flying at Mach 1 is considered transonic, the term is generally used as a metaphor for traveling at high speeds. Enter the Ford Mustang Mach 1. Certainly a cool name for any ride, but especially an American muscle car, the Mach 1 Mustang serves as the bridge between Ford’s Mustang GT and venomous Shelby models. Here we take a look at the history of the Mach 1, and how it has evolved over time to the present day.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including NASA, Hagerty, Car and Driver, MotorTrend, Ford Performance, and Ford.

The 1969 Original

The year 1969 became the advent of the very first Ford Mustang Mach 1. Featuring a scoop that was mounted to the top of the air cleaner rather than the almost all-black hood, and NASCAR-inspired front locking hood pins, this pony car was different from the rest. The very-first Mustang debuted in 1964, with the GT350 in 1965, and then the apex GT500 in 1967. Coming out with the Boss 302, 1969 also adorned us with the original Mach 1.

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Peak Specs

(Source: Car and Driver)

The Mach 1 was available with a three-speed or four-speed manual transmission as well, and of all the examples built in 1969, most were powered by the 351 Windsor V-8 engine. Of course, more rare are those that came equipped with the 428 Cobra Jet mill. The big 428 Cobra Jet engine made up 2,140 pounds of the Mach 1’s total curb weight. Not surprisingly, the Cobra Jet engine’s output figures were understated, as the true output was north of 400 horsepower.

Getting Into A 1969 Mach 1 Today

The 1969 Mach 1 might not be able to travel at the speed of sound, but it sure looked as if it could, complete with simulated rear quarter panel scoops and a rear spoiler. Still, a Cobra Jet example in good condition would run you on average $77,900, while a 351 Windsor costs $49,900 on average in good condition.

Although the standard two-barrel Windsor put out 250 horses, a four-barrel version upped the ponies to 290. All in all, there were many options for the inaugural Mach 1, to include six different engines. As with classic cars in general, the Mustang’s VIN will tell what the car originally came equipped with from the factory, and provide codes that hint to whether the car is a true Mach 1.

Early 1970s Mach 1

Though 1969 was a great year overall for the muscle car, the early 1970s still served as peak times for American muscle car performance. As such, Ford didn’t change much from the 1969 Mach 1 in 1970, though there was a 1968 concept that looked very different from production. The round running lamps in the grille became square, and the taillight surrounds black, with the side scoops behind the doors removed. The 351 Windsor was replaced with an equivalent displacement Cleveland V-8.

1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1

In these years, the Mach 1 performance started to draw down. A new body style adds weight and a fastback profile becomes contentious. However, there are still some highlights:

• New big-block V-8
• Cool induction options
• Spoiler, scoop, and striping styling options

The emissions restrictions cause for a featured base engine of a 302 V-8 with only 210 horses. There is, however, a 429 Cobra Jet available that’s rated at 370 horsepower. Notably, 1971 is the final year to get that Cobra Jet engine.

1972 And 1973 Mach 1

By 1972, the SAE conversion from gross to net specifications resulted in more power loss, on top of no more 429 Cobra Jet option. There is an R-Code 351 still available, which saves some of the headaches, as a low-compression version of the Boss 351.

For 1973, minor cosmetic changes occur, such as grille styling. Wide stripes now go down the sides and across the deck lid, and there’s an optional vinyl roof. For the last year of the first generation Mustang, the R-code 351 is also dropped.

The Mustang II Version

From 1974-1978, this is widely considered the low point for the Mustang pony car, and the case with the Mach 1 is no different. As the early 1970s dragged on, one could almost see the inevitable coming, but the reality was probably worse than expected.

Mustang II Issues

The Mustang II was a fiery Pinto platform-based, and as such had an awkward shape. To take things further as far as the Mach 1, this version of the car had a standard 2.8-liter V-6 engine! By 1975, the Mach 1 gets a 5.0-liter Windsor V-8, but emissions restrictions limit it to just 140 horsepower.

The Death Of Speed

Given that the Mach 1 is attached to the notion of high speed, the performance dip and appearance misses of the Mustang II cause the Mach 1 to fade. The first Fox-body Mustangs came about in 1979, but the 1980s were an even worse time for car performance, and it’s a good thing the Mach 1 didn’t stick around for that.

2003-2004 Mach 1 Revival

The fourth generation ‘Stang, otherwise known as the SN95, was still a re-developed Fox-body platform. Even so, decades had passed since the last Mach 1 was seen, similar to the GT350 and GT500. The peak car for this gen was none other than the 2003-2004 SVT Cobra, nicknamed the “Terminator.”

Retro Styling Cues For An Old Name

Given the return of such an iconic name as the Mach 1, a resurrection wouldn’t be complete without classic call-outs. This included:

• Black Stripe Package
• Five-spoke wheels
• Chin and deck lid spoilers
• Retro fabric styling on interior seats
• Old-school fonts on the gauge cluster

Aside from 40th Anniversary badges, the 2004 Mach 1 was relatively unchanged from 2003. There was still a scoop too, that was mounted to the engine rather than the hood.

Differences From The Original

Though the 1969 Mach 1 has many engine choices, the lone option for this new-age Mustang was a 4.6-liter V-8, paired to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. It did adopt higher flow heads from the SVT Cobra, making 305 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. This Mach 1 also has stiffer springs, Tokico shocks, and Brembo front brakes. A fully retro 2005 Mustang redesign, again stalls out the Mach 1 for the coming of the next couple of generations.

Modern Mach 1

For 2021, after a 17-year absence, Mach 1 finally hit the streets again in new form. By now, every Mustang has independent rear suspension, something first done with the aforementioned Terminator SVT Cobra. For some reason, the generation that started in 2005 ditched the IRS.

Nevertheless, here we find ourselves with a Mach 1 settled in between the base four-cylinder Mustang, and the 760 horsepower GT500. Being so modern, the Mach 1 has 20 more horsepower than the GT, automatic rev-match, no-lift shift, and the latest generation available at the time for magnetic ride suspension.

A Mach 1 To Fill The GT350 Gap

Featuring a 5.0-liter V-8, the newest Mach 1 isn’t the car that the second generation GT350 was, but at least it’s available to the end of the generation. This Mach 1 also replaced the outgoing Bullitt and GT with a Performance Pack 2. With all the options, Ford calls it the most track-ready 5.0 ever.

2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Specs

(Source: Car and Driver)

There are a lot of options for the newest Mach 1, not unlike modern Mustangs, nor the original 1969 Mach 1. These consist of, for example:

• Mach 1 Handling package
• Recaro seats
• Mach 1 Elite package
• Navigation
• Rear seat delete

Equipment group 700A. These add-ons take a base Mach 1 from $53,195 to $63,745. At this price point, you have to ask yourself what’s better for the money, a 1969 or 2021 Mach 1?

Borrowed Parts To Make The Mach 1 Fly

The Mach 1 pictured above features a trim exclusive, and fitting Jet Fighter Gray paint. There are more than a handful of significant parts borrowed from either the GT350, GT500, or both to make the new Mach 1 the track beast that it is. This includes:

• GT350
  • Intake manifold, throttle body, and oil filter adapter
  • Engine oil cooler and transmission cooler
  • Tremec 3160 Six-speed manual
  • Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires (with Mach 1 Handling pack)
• GT500
  • A rear diffuser and exhaust tips
• GT350 & GT500
  • Parking lights and turn signals
  • Adjustable camber plates
  • Swing Wing with Gurney Flap (with the Mach 1 Handling pack)
  • Rear-Tire Spats & Rear Toe-Control Link
  • Differential Cooling system
  • Rear subframe with stiffer bushings

Given the performance specs coupled with modern technology, it’s hard to argue against this new Mach 1. It appears to be the perfect blend for a track car that also serves as a daily driver. Given the price today for an original 1969 Mach 1 and this S550 version, the absolute combination is having both cars in your garage.