75 mach 1

[lloydt2442]

Hey guys I ran across a 75 mach 1 with a small block and 4 speed in it. Any idea on what its worth? The front spindles, drums, etc is missing but the rear end is still hanging in there but that doesnt matter much because I would put 5 lug under it anyways. I dont know if it runs or not but I can turn it by hand. The interior is all there it has bucket seats and a console and they arent in to bad shape at all! I could probably pick it up for a couple hundred bucks! What do you think?

Thanks,
Lloyd

 

[COBRAIIW]

BUY !!

 

[Blue coyote]

Check the floorpan and subframes for rust. If they are solid, THEN buy!

 

[Dano78]

Ditto on the rust check and check the suspected rust spots for extra thick bondo (filling the rust rather than repairing) I believe you've got more than $200 in parts, as long as the V8 and 4 speed setup are original MII units and are complete. I agree, buy it and if worse comes to worse, you can get your $ back, and then some, parting it out.

 

[Steel Steeds]

If it's a '75, then that 4 speed ain't original equipment. Wasn't available until mid-76.

 

[lloydt2442]

If it's a '75, then that 4 speed ain't original equipment. Wasn't available until mid-76.

where are you getting this from? they had it in 74 so why wouldnt they have it in 75? and I know it is a 75 because there is an insurance card in the console lid that says 75

 

[Wart]

where are you getting this from? they had it in 74 so why wouldnt they have it in 75?

Because 75 was the first year the II came with a V8, and the V8 4 gears are similar to but not the same as the I4 and V6 manual transmissions.

It's been so long I don't directly remember if there was a V8 4 speed offered in '75. I thought there was but I won't swear to it.

 

[Steel Steeds]

Right, in '74 you could get a 4 speed, but no V8, only the 4 cylinder and V6. In '75 they brought the 302 back, but it was ONLY available with an automatic. For '76, they announced that the 4 speed would be available with the V8, but would be "late availability." Most sources put it around January 1976 before the 302 4 speed cars started rolling out the doors at Dearborn and San Jose.

Not saying it isn't a '75, or that the tranny isn't a II 4 speed, I'm just saying if you run the numbers on your door plate, I think you'll find that car left the factory with a C4 transmission.

 

[lloydt2442]

hmmm interesting! so what code should I look for on the door plate to recognize it as an automatic? maybe it is a 76!? but the insurance card says 75 but I will check it all out! Im kind of leary about buying it because of the front suspension stuff missing. Can you buy a 5 lug kit for the front?

 

[Wart]

hmmm interesting! so what code should I look for on the door plate to recognize it as an automatic?

Find the buck tag. Upper or lower left radiator support.

I think it will have a 4SP on it, been so long since I thought about that too ....

{edit} Nope, found a tag, not there. {/edit}

Im kind of leary about buying it because of the front suspension stuff missing. Can you buy a 5 lug kit for the front?

All day long.


PS: Loyd, You really don't want a factory V8 RAD MII transmission. Some have had luck with the RAD, for the most part not so. I smoked two before the warranty was up. But then I was a little hard on it.

 

[lloydt2442]

thanks for the info guys! big help here! I will go and take a look at it again sometime maybe this weekend and the guy also has a 72 4x4 blazer for $1800 that I would like to have as well but an only have one

 

[$50COBRAII]

If it's a '75, then that 4 speed ain't original equipment. Wasn't available until mid-76.

You sir, are correct

 

[lloydt2442]

so if I buy this is there a crowd out to buy them? there isnt to many on ebay. what do you think I could get for it? I still havent found out what he wants for it but There is no telling how long its been there and it probably wont move unless I buy it from the guy! he owns a little junk yard and this has sit there for as long as I can remember but the thing is that most of the stuff in his junk yard isnt junk!

 

[Steel Steeds]

hmmm interesting! so what code should I look for on the door plate to recognize it as an automatic? maybe it is a 76!? but the insurance card says 75 but I will check it all out! Im kind of leary about buying it because of the front suspension stuff missing. Can you buy a 5 lug kit for the front?

The door tag, if it's there, will tell you the month and year of manufacture. Under the TRANS section on the tag, you should find a W for an automatic. That's assuming it was originally a V8 car. The VIN number should be 5x0xFxxxxxx if it is indeed a 75 with the 302. The first number is the year, that fifth digit is the engine code: Y for a 4 cylinder, Z for a V6, and the F for the V8. If it were a '76 or later car and the 4 speed was original, the code on the door tag would be 6. Hope this helps.

 

[lloydt2442]

WELL I WENT AND LOOKED TODAY AND THE DOOR TAG SHOWS BUILD DATE OF 11/74? SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A 75 MODEL RIGHT? SO COULD IT HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN A 4 SPEED?

 

[$50COBRAII]

WELL I WENT AND LOOKED TODAY AND THE DOOR TAG SHOWS BUILD DATE OF 11/74? SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A 75 MODEL RIGHT? SO COULD IT HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN A 4 SPEED?

Its a probably a 75 with that late of a build date. If it was a v-6 car then it may be a factory 4-speed. If its a factory v-8 then it was a factory auto car.

 

[Dano78]

Yep, that makes it a '75. And no 302 4 speeds were made in '75. Only V6 and I4 engines were available with the 4 speed. That doesn't mean that the V8 and 4 speed or just the 4 speed setup alone wasn't swapped in from another car. Even though, if you like the car and the swap job wasn't hachet work and the price is right might still make for a nice car. Being a fastback, it's wouldn't take much to make a Cobra or King Cobra clone out of it if you so desire.
When looking at project cars I usually try to gauge what they are worth by the estimated lump sum cost of key parts that are on it. More or less asking the question-"If I need to dump it NOW will I get my money back?"

 

[lloydt2442]

so it doesnt matter if it is a mach 1 or not? you would think it could of had a 4 speed and small block!?

 

[LILCBRA]

The only difference I have read somewhere (and that was quite a while ago, so someone correct me if I am wrong) is that the Machs had larger sway bars than the rest of the IIs. Maybe stiffer springs, but I think I might be pushing it. If memory serves, I read it in a little book called Mustang Red Book. The one I had (have somewhere... ) had info on all Mustangs up to '90.

 

[Steel Steeds]

Okay, so it's a '75. IF it had the 4 speed, then it was a V6. If it had the 302 from the factory, it was originally an automatic.

Either way, it's a desirable car. Having a small block and 4 speed, in MY opinion, makes it more desirable, even if it isn't original. So, I say don't worry about it. A '75 Mach 1 is better than any other '75. Sure, you could turn it into a clone of something else, and maybe get more money out of it, but probably not enough more to spend the cash to change it. Clones kind of annoy me personally, but plenty of people seem to like them. At any rate, buy it, drive it, enjoy it.