Enjoy secretField-Car Ford Mustang 1969 Mach 1 2dr SportsRoof 8-cyl. 428cid/360hp 4bbl Super Cobra Jet stories, opinion, and features from across the car world - Hagerty Media

Finding a cool car that has been tucked away for decades is inspiring, but firing it up for the first time can be less so. Davin found that out last week with the 1969 Ford Mustang he attempted to bring back to life. Without spark, that V-8 was never going to roar to life—so, rather than abuse the tired parts, Davin put in a RockAuto order. Now, it’s time to get serious.

This Mustang is a prime example of an honest, “ran when parked” car. Everything under the hood is still there and connected, which makes the project seem hopeful. Simply being present is the minimum criterion for parts, however; they should also function. Something in the ignition system is not doing its job, and thus Davin is electing to replace the entire ignition system. This decision seems a bit extreme at first blush but, since the parts are available—and easy to remove and replace—he’s actually saving some troubleshooting time at just a few dollars’ cost.

Other to-dos include curing a few leaks and sussing out what the interior of this engine has to say about the car’s history. The valve-cover gaskets were leaking and Davin pulled and cleaned the covers and installed fresh gaskets. Before those last components went back on, Davin spun the engine over with the spark plugs removed. This allowed him to visually inspect the valvetrain and see whether the engine would build appropriate oil pressure quickly.

Put it all back together, cross fingers, and turn the key. Of course, the V-8 fires right up and idles along happily on the choke. There is still a bunch of work left before this Mustang hits the road again, and Davin’s only got one week to make that happen—so as happy as he might be about winning this particular battle, the war wages on. What issues may surface in the brakes and driveline to keep this car off the streets? We aren’t sure yet, but you’ll know next Monday. Be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel to never miss an update.

— Kyle Smith

Thanks to our sponsor RockAuto.com, an auto parts retailer founded in 1999 by automotive engineers with two goals: Liberate information hidden behind the auto parts store counter (by listing all available parts, not just what one store stocks or one counter-person knows), and make auto parts affordable so vehicles of all ages can be kept reliable and fun to drive. Visit RockAuto.com to order auto parts online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and have them conveniently delivered to your door. Need help finding parts or placing an order? Visit the Help pages for further assistance.

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Enjoy secretField-Car Ford Mustang 1969 Mach 1 2dr SportsRoof 8-cyl. 428cid/360hp 4bbl Super Cobra Jet stories, opinion, and features from across the car world - Hagerty Media

There are project cars that require major time, effort, and finances, and then there are project cars that can be up and running in just a matter of weeks. In this latest Redline Update, Davin is thrilled to be laying his hands on one of the latter.

Davin’s coworker Cam is the caretaker of a “ran when parked” 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 that has been sitting for 25–30 years … not in an open field and not under a tarp outside, but on a trailer in a warehouse. It had been Cam’s grandfather’s “we’ll get to it next” project car for years, but it never came to fruition. Cam’s grandpa passed away before the Mach 1 could get back on the road, but he’d love to get it running himself—and Davin just has to help.

“It’s gorgeous …” Davin says. “Since I’m not Tom Cotter [of Barn Find Hunter fame], I don’t like to just look at ’em. What would you think if we can this running?”

“That sounds awesome,” Cam says. “The thought of this being on the road is almost too much to comprehend.”

And we’re off.

After bringing the Mach 1 to the Redline Rebuild garage, Davin explains why working on the Mustang is so appealing to him and the video team.

“We want a real quick payback,” he says. “We’ve been working all summer long. We got the [Honda] Trail 70 running, and quite frankly, we’re hooked. We want to see something else done quickly. And the weather is beautiful this fall, so we’re going to take this and in two weeks turn it so it’s driving down the road.”

The plans include replacing all the ignition components first—fresh wires, cap, rotor, points, condenser, and coil. “That may be a little more than you want to do,” Davin says, “but it will completely eliminate all those ignition problems.”

Then, Davin will attempt to start it, check on a small oil leak, replace the hoses, and check the radiator. Once it runs, idles, and doesn’t overheat, then he’ll assess brakes and steering.

Before diving in with both feet, Davin can’t resist trying to start the car. No luck. “We’re not getting any spark,” he says. “Well, bummer.”

But not for you. Stay tuned for next week’s show, in which Davin promises, “You are going to hear this run.” To keep track of this and other projects in the Redline Garage, be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel.

— Jeff Peek

Thanks to our sponsor RockAuto.com, an auto parts retailer founded in 1999 by automotive engineers with two goals: Liberate information hidden behind the auto parts store counter (by listing all available parts, not just what one store stocks or one counter-person knows), and make auto parts affordable so vehicles of all ages can be kept reliable and fun to drive. Visit RockAuto.com to order auto parts online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and have them conveniently delivered to your door. Need help finding parts or placing an order? Visit the Help pages for further assistance.

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