Mach 1 Mustang Boomerang’s Back to Original Owner 28 Years Later
Original owner bought his 1971 Mach 1 Mustang in his teens with cash in hand, then sold it to his uncle to buy a Shelby.
What was your dream car growing up? For some, it was likely a Corvette or a Ferrari. For others, perhaps a Ford F-150 or a Jeep. But for one child growing up in Walnut Creek, California, his dream was to own a badass Ford of his own.
According to Hot Rod, Mike Querio grew up around Fords, especially since the Rett-White Ford dealership was a next-door neighbor to his family’s trucking company. His mother had a 1957 Fairlane, which he says his father “traded it in on a new 1968 Mustang coupe without discussing it with her.” Though Querio loved the car, his mother was less than pleased, and the Mustang was “replaced by a brand new 1969 LTD with a 429 under the hood.”
That purchase planted a bug in Querio’s head, however. Thus, he worked all through high school and saved his earnings to purchase a brand-new 1971 Mach 1 with a 429 Cobra Jet and four-speed transmission, along with front power discs, power steering, and a set of white-letter tires. He also added some luxury options like an eight-track deck and air conditioning.
Unfortunately, Ford had discontinued the 429 soon after Querio ordered his car. After some thinking, he opted for an M-code 351 four-barrel with Ram Air induction. In August of 1971, he received his new Mach 1, and immediately began personalizing his ride with performance and cosmetic options from the aftermarket. However, he kept the original pieces, having learned from his father’s restoration of Model As in the Seventies.
A few years later, his future wife had bought a 1966 Shelby GT350. A drive or two later, and Quiero wanted one of his own. To obtain the $3,000 he would use to buy his 1966 Shelby, though, he had to sell the Mach 1. His uncle was a fan of the car, so Quiero sold the silver steed to him on the condition that if he were to sell it, Quiero would be the first in line to buy it.
Twenty-eight years later in 2003, his uncle made good on the stipulation. Quiero took back the Mach 1, which by then had a heated-up 351 Cleveland under the hood, for a complete restoration. His uncle took back the 351, while the original engine and all of the original parts were used in the restoration that would take place in 2007, bringing everything back as it once was when the Mach 1 was first delivered all those years ago.
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