1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback: Reader Ride

Date: 14.12.2015

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

Meet Jim de Kleyn and his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback.

1970 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback

I bought the Mach 1 in January this year, after that I drove it back to Brisbane from Newcastle. It was a hairy drive, because it was the first time I’d driven a left-hand drive car and the steering wasn’t so good back then. It wanted to go right all the time, but that’s since been fixed and it’s a pleasure to drive now.

The most recent hassle I’ve had has been the starter motor. I went to move the car and the motor just kept revving and revving, even after I took the key out. The only thing that stopped it was disconnecting the battery. Aside from the starter, only the tie rods and a couple of things in the interior have been replaced. When I get some more money together I’d like to get a re-paint for it in the same colour, but that’s a long way down the track.

It’s come a long way since I bought it. When I first got it the speedo didn’t work, nor the radio or the air conditioning. That’s all been fixed now.

Everyone was telling me I’d need to get a modern radio put in it because you can’t get the original valves anymore, but I found a chap at Kuraby who made a new valve for one hundred dollars. It’s only AM, but it’s close to original which is what I’m trying to do. Besides that, you wouldn’t really hear what’s on the radio over the engine.

I just really like the style of it. Young blokes are into turbos and diesels, but for an old-fart like me, I just really like a good steel car. This one’s just got a unique shape to it. When you compare it to something like a Jaguar, this or a Camaro or something like that just shows muscle and I like it.

To be honest it’s a bit of a mid-life crisis thing. I’ve been meaning for years and years to get one. Well, I’ve got one.

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