Classic Mustang has been squirreled away in a basement for nearly 30 years.
Some legends keep performing until their dying days. Others fade into obscurity, only becoming culturally relevant again when their deaths become a trending topic on Twitter. This 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 has been down in a basement, hidden away from the world, for the past 28 years. Fortunately, it’s far from dead.
There was a time when it roamed and roared through the streets with the power and sound of its 428 Cobra Jet, attracting looks of lust and longing. Someone bought it new from a dealership on May 5, 1969. Over the course of nearly 20 years, it racked up only 41,525 miles. Then it was exiled from the visibility of surface streets to the near-non-existence of a basement…for the next 28 years.
Fortunately, it’s been relatively well preserved under its thick skin of dust, which has been left untouched. According to Hot Rod Network, there are no noticeable dings or dents in the body work. “The interior fabric and carpet are still in great condition, considering they have gone 2-1/2 decades without cleaning. The simulated wood panels inside look freshly detailed, and even the headliner appears new.” The interior fabrics are as rip- and tear-free as the dash is devoid of cracks. The lights and gauges are in working order.
That mighty Cobra Jet up front may not be rocketing the Mach 1 around it down the road, but it has been started and is capable of running thanks in part to a replacement gas tank and fuel pump to feed the 8-cylinder beast.
The paper work associated with this forgotten juggernaut has stood the test of time as well. The current owner still has the original bill of sale, build sheet, and a Marti Report. However, nobody will be looking at those when this Mach 1 finally sheds its coat of dust and receives the detailing and attention it’s deserved – and gone without – for so long.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
