AutoArt 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Got the sweet black beauty at my local shop cheap,was at the shop to pick up a few more Rossi bikes but the dealer didn't send any bikes just figures and helments .

Brief History :

Nineteen seventy was a year of firsts, including the new 351 Cleveland engine (335 series engine family), which was a heavyweight small-block designed to act like a big-block. What made the 351C different than the 351W were its throaty heads sporting huge ports and a big-block Chevy-style canted-valve arrangement. Huge ports made for improved breathing and abundant torque. The performance masses loved the 351C. The aftermarket embraced it. Ford's new 351C left the 351W behind because it made so much power with just a few performance tweaks. The 428 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet continued unchanged for 1970, with the same driveline options and axle ratios.

The most significant change to the Mach 1 happened in 1971, when Ford added pounds and inches to the body. The all-new '71 Mustang SportsRoof body was the sleekest ever despite its increased size. The platform was based more on the Fairlane/Torino/Cyclone than it was on the Mustang of 1967-'70. Wheelbase grew by 1 inch to 109. Overall length grew several inches, and there was significant weight gain.

The '71 Mustang Mach 1 received its direction from the man Henry Ford II hired away from General Motors in 1968--Semon E. "Bunkie" Knudson. Along with Knudson came a man we remember fondly--Larry Shinoda. The Knudson/Shinoda duo brought good things to the Ford table--the Boss 302 and 429 Mustangs of 1969-'70, and a host of other performance and styling changes that made the Mustang sizzle again. Knudson was in large part responsible for approving the '71 Mustang's final design.

Increased Mach 1 size was a result of the trend toward larger engines and faster cars. The trend didn't last long, however. Insurance companies were unhappy and quite vocal about vehicle safety. Politicians embraced safety issues with a vengeance. Oil shortages loomed on the horizon. Ford Motor Company would soon pull out of motorsports. "Performance" was swiftly becoming a dirty word.

Performance for 1971 in the Mach 1 became a standard 302-2V V-8 backed by a three-speed stick. The standard Knitted Vinyl Sports Interior of 1970 gave way to the Mustang's standard interior in 1971. If you wanted the Sports Interior, you had to pay more to get it. The standard Mach 1 package for 1971 was little more than a paint-and-tape package designed to visually excite, but it didn't have much substance. The most common Mach 1 powerplant for 1971 was the 351C-4V engine yielding 285 horsepower. With the 351C-4V engine, the Mach 1 was a throaty high-performance Mustang, a well-balanced machine that has earned the respect of enthusiasts.

As in 1970, the '71 Mach 1 was available with a wealth of options--full instrumentation, a console, a Competition Suspension, a rear deck spoiler, power front disc brakes, SelectAire air conditioning, a Rim-Blow steering wheel, Magnum 500 wheels, intermittent wipers, tinted glass, and more. Axle options ranged from 2.75:1 to 4.11:1. The Drag Pack was still available in 1971, but only with the 429 Cobra Jet engine. The Drag Pack option netted buyers the 429 Super Cobra Jet with Holley carburetion and a choice of two axle ratios, 3.91:1 or 4.11:1 with Traction Lok. Another little-known fact about the Drag Pack option for 1971 was the use of an 80-amp Autolite alternator.

Few '71 Mach 1s were ordered with the 429 Cobra Jet, and still fewer with the Drag Pack-inspired Super Cobra Jet. The 429 Cobra Jet (385 series big-block engine family) was a canted valve head design very similar in appearance to the 351C small-block. Like the 351C, the 429 had huge ports designed for deep breathing and abundant torque. The standard 429 Cobra Jet Mach 1 had a Rochester Quadra Jet 4V carburetor with large secondaries. Ford topped the optional 429 Super Cobra Jet with a 780 cfm Holley four-holer. Transmission choices for the 429 CJ and SCJ included a standard big-shaft Ford Top Loader four-speed or a C6 SelectShift automatic.

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