Forming a bond with a car can be one of the best feelings ever, especially when you buy it as a project and become fully committed to getting back in the road. We all have our own idea on what that project car is, or what the finished product would look like, but this Mach 1 we’ve found on YouTube, via Hagerty, checks all of the right boxes.
Packing a 351 Windsor under the hood, survivor paint and some killer bronze-painted steelies defiantly provides for a unique combination. The lowered stance that comes from a set of Shelby springs provides a sinister stance, and helps the car hug the corners just a little bit better.
While the original 351W remains stock, it has been rebuilt, and is backed by a new, upgraded performance exhaust system. The factory 3-speed automatic transmission was pulled, and set aside, for a modern Tremec 5-speed gearbox.
The car is currently owned by a father and son duo, who simply enjoy getting the car on the open Arizona desert highways. Apart from the Tremec 5-speed, the Mach 1 offers little in the way of modern updates or conveniences.
The drum brakes can make stopping in a hurry a little tricky, the radio doesn’t work and the paint certainly isn’t perfect — but the experience you get from driving this car certainly is.
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of AutoCentric Media, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles; GM, Ford, Dodge, imports, trucks — you name it! When he isn’t clacking away on his keyboard, he’s building, tuning, driving or testing his current crop of personal projects!
