Hero Ford has a good history
There are a few ways you can go when it comes to buying classic Mustangs: modified, something tidy but not necessarily factory correct, or the whole showroom-condition route. It’s that last which really holds the value in the car and is always the toughest to find.
Which is why this 1971 Mach 1 Mustang got our attention. Finding one that’s largely stock, with all the right numbers and the build sheet is a rare event. The folk at Brooklands Classic Cars know this one pretty well, as they last sold it to the current owner some 14 years ago.
The basic spec is a 351 4V bent eight with a C6 three-speed auto, and the history says it was first delivered to a Mercury dealer in Canada. It’s been restored at some stage in its life – clearly a long time ago – with some Boss graphics and Magnum 500 steel wheels added to the package.
This is the second generation Mach 1, which was built from 1971 to 1973. At the time you could order four different powerplants: a 302, a 2V or 4V 351, plus the 429. Of course each of those could be had with assorted variations and enhancements – back in the day there was no easy escape from the dealership until you’d had a thorough walk through the huge list of options. A 351 in the spec on this car should have been good for a solid 285 horses.
No less than five different transmissions were on offer, including three autos (C45, C6 or FMX) plus a three-speed or four-speed manual.
They’ve got a pretty long show business history, including appearances in the 1971 James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever, plus the 1974 version of Gone in 60 Seconds.
The spectacular rise of prices for hero Australian cars has left their American cousins languishing a little over the last couple of years, which is making toys like this stack up as good value. This one looks like a turn-key proposition and is priced at $58,950.
Photography: Guy Allen