My Mustang Mach I
I've owned this Mach I since 1991. This car is neither a show car, nor a hot rod - it's just a moderately fast daily driver. The car was first sold in Richmond, Virginia, according to the DSO code. It made its way to California by 1989 but it did not escape East Coast rust entirely - there are some rust on both rear fender panels, and some bondo below the doors. The driver side seat was taken from a 1970 Mustang, and the driver side inside door panel was probably taken from the same car. There are other bits and pieces missing on the car, like the emblems behind the side windows, chromes below the doors, and the "M U S T A N G" letters on the trunk. I'll put them on if and when I decide to restore this car. Right now, I'm going to enjoy it as a mostly original unrestored Mach I.
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- Stock 351W, original short block (rebuilt 11/96, bored 0.060 over)
- Stock Autolite 2BBL carburetor
- Stock FMX 3 speed automatic transmission
- Stock 9" rear differential, 3.0:1 ratio (no limited slip)
- Stock drum brakes on all four wheels
- Originally Candy Apple Red, painted over with unknown red
- Original maroon interior
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What's on my car's dog tag?
Prior paint job amateurishly sprayed over it
VIN # 9T02H180848 
9 - 1969 (Last Digit of Model Year)
T - Metuchen, New Jersey (Assembly Plant)
02- SportsRoof (Body Serial Code)
H - 351-2V (Engine Code)
180848 - Consecutive Unit Number
BODY COLOR TRIM DATE DSO AXLE TRANS
63C T5 3D 13C 25 6 X
63C - Mach 1, Bucket Seats (Bodystyle Code)
T5 - Candyapple Red (Exterior Paint Code)
3D - Red, Mach 1 Knitted Vinyl (Interior Trim Code)
13C - March 13 (Date Code)
25 - Richmond, Virginia (District Code, DSO)
6 - 3.00:1 (Rear Axle Ratio Code)
X - FMX Automatic (Transmission Code)
My Mach I, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island
Photo taken on my way to Wine Country Classic at Sears Point Raceway
How has this car affected my driving?
- Of 5 speeding tickets I've received, 4 of them have been in this car (Two of them are off the record - traffic school).
- I've never lost (yet) to a factory stock 5.0 Mustang in Stop Light Grand Prix.
- A middle-aged man in a V12 Jaguar wanted to race me on the street once - "Hey, kid, whatcha got in there?" We were even!
- I had the nerve to challenge a 1967 427 Corvette covertible, with a predictable result (I lost, obviously).
- I can keep up with most stock small block (305-350 ci) Chevys.
- I answered a challenge from a girl driving a non-turbo Nissan 300ZX (I won).
- 1/4 mile: 16.137 sec. @ 83.267 mph, from my first trip to Amateur Night Drag Races. I believe the car is capable of mid 15s. 0-60mph is about 7.1-7.5 seconds.
- New 1/4 mile: 15.993 sec. @ 85.106mph, at Sacramento Raceway during its Friday "Test 'n Tune." I made only one modification - rather than opening the air cleaner, I enclosed it then put a forward-facing hose attached to a longer snorkel.
After the engine was rebuilt, I've decided to take it easy, for the sake of car's longevity, safety, and insurance cost. However, that doesn't mean I won't answer a challenge, if provoked!
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