I have a slight dilemma. Rather a nice one, it would seem.

I'm in the market for a classic American muscle car and have first dibs on a numbers matching '71 Mach 1 4-speed manual with very low mileage and in immaculate condition, save for maybe a respray at a later date.

Yesterday, a numbers matching 1966 (note the year as this is a 1st-gen Charger) Charger with a freshly rebuilt and run-in 383 and 4 speed manual became available.

The Charger is £5,000 less but has 'patina', such as a faded roof and will need new carpets and front seats reupholstered.

The Mach 1 excites me massively. I've always wanted the 'breadvan' shape and this is about the best there is right now, at least on paper. I've not seen either but have discussed both with their respective private vendors.

The Charger is more classy but more powerful. More sleeper. Less muscular.

The Mustang is glorious and a shape which hasn't completely caught on with the speculators yet. Prices are around half that of the shape made a year earlier and beyond.

Same with the Charger. This '66 is £15,000. A good '68 would be twice that now.

What's the collective view here? Is there a 'right' one? What are people's views on the classic car market with regards prices and stability?

All views and opinions welcome.  Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

Love them both but I think the Mach 1 is the right choice here.

reading your post it seems like you like the mustang more..  ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

Never was a big fan of the Mach 1 - for me the Charger is much classier all round.

Stan, if I'm brutally honest, I do.

But part of this has to be as a speculator to ensure I'll get a good chance of getting my money back should I decide to sell. The £5,000 lower price of the Charger seems to suggest there's potentially more to gain.

Then again, there's always been strong demand for fast Fords.

I've never really coveted the earlier model Mustangs. That's where the gains are right now, but prices reflect that.

I do feel the '71-'73 Mustang prices are set to rise as they were the last of the true muscle Mustangs before the Mustang II arrived. And numbers matching always seems to be the better investment.

Yes, I do prefer the Mach 1. But is the extra £5,000 worth it to buy what I prefer? Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

if you get the charger you will be wishing that you got the mustang, i guarantee that will be more in your thoughts than the investment side of it... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

go for 383

You say you've always wanted a Mach 1 Si and that it floats your boat.

Having no clue what these cars looked like until noseying online following your post, if I've sourced the correct 2 cars for visual comparison below, it's understandable why you've always liked the Mach 1, if they look like the car pictured.

If your outlay is approx £15. - £20k, you will likely only further improve the car and as they seem less common, even to the uninitiated, at the very least, your money back doesn't sound unrealistic.

www.collection.com say:
"... the Mustang camp has ALWAYS provided its fans with a whole portfolio of unique options and fabled powertrains that become instant classics as soon as they hit the showroom floor... Mach 1s are a perfect example of where the market is heading: collector cars that are not only unusual and rare, but also big fun on the road. If you can find a pedigreed Mach 1 that's been correctly restored and has all the right hardware, you can get a serious investment grade classic for fun driver money..."

As Stan says, if you buy the Charger, you'll still hanker after the Mach 1 which will doubtless remain an itch to be scratched. Go with your petrol head instinct!



1971 Mach 1:

Thanks Ryan.

Yes, that's the Mach 1 shape I'm interested in.

The one I'm serious about has the dished steel wheel trims and not the Cragar ones your example shows.

The colour is burgundy. This is the only non-stock aspect as it was originally pewter grey (silver). It was dry stored for 16 years and was recommissioned in February which is was when the respray was done.

This is one of those classic heart / head episodes.

Thanks for the market extract. My own research suggests the same.

The Charger oozes style, though. But I'm hearing a definite Ford bias which is helping my own inner feelings come to the surface. Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

Mach 1 ... I want one too now

It's always in the eye of the beholder but to me at least that Mach 1 is a more attractive looking car, although the appeal with the charger is obvious too.

Could you live with a burgundy one.. is that a popular colour for them or was burgundy the restorer or some other past keeper's whim?

Here's a burgundy one. I quite like the colour.



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Luberly Juberly

I said I wouldn't post a picture of the actual one, but I feel it may help, so...

Burgundy wasn't a '71 colour, but I think it looks great. The vendor has a genuine decal kit to go on that's included.

Those bonnet ducts make me go weak at the knees.

Of note to those interested is that this ISN'T a Ram-Air engine, but the power outputs between with and without are identical. The bonnet is original but the ducts are dummies in this case. The 4-speed manual knocks a fair bit off the acceleration times, too. Factory figures are 285bhp and 0-60 in 6.6 seconds.

Click image to enlarge

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Re the factory figures - are they the ones where they subtract the power required to drive the water pump, oil pump, alternator and everthing else, e.g. a very gross exaggeration?

I'm liking this...

My personal favourite of the two is the Mustang, looks way more but it's not my money, and I've no idea on investment values. I think on things like this if it's a pure investment then your head rules but if you want to love it and drive it and listen to it and polish it then your heart should win... Graham

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