Abandoned Mach 1's

[XSELLR9]

Before I start, I want to make it clear that I own an AB Mach 1, and it is very well taken care of.

I am interested in barn finds and the very common problem with cars that are hidden away is that the owner "will not sell it" or "will restore it one day". My cousin is going through hard times because of his very stupid choices and has borrowed against everything he has to make payments on his huge debt. needless to say, his assets are suffering and unfortunately on of his assets is a TR 03 Mach 1. He is behind in the payments and cant afford to register it or insure it. when he does get money he gambles all of it away with his very idiotic friends. he has refinanced the car so he is upside down in it so selling it is not an option. He had it almost paid off then refinanced it. So I have taken upon me the responsibility to be the cars caretaker. It sits in my side yard, "abandoned" and has for about a year now. I wash it and try to keep a cover on it but the wind will always beat it off ( I know a cover isn't a great way to take care of a car and I am trying to free up garage space at my in laws) I hope he can get on his feet and pay it down but he ruins his life every good chance he gets. This mach 1 was always garaged and BABIED until he got it last year. I have driven it around a little and re sealed the rear end but the pinion seal leaked everything out so technically it shouldn't drive. My wife tells me to not worry about the car because it isn't mine, but as an enthusiast, I cant stand to see it rot. I just washed it, put the cover back on, and beat all the spider webs out from under it and some starting in the back seat. This is such a beautiful car its hard to see it like this. The other Mach 1 I want to mention too is one several hours away that is sitting in a field with a hurt engine. It kills me to see it and the owner wont sell it. This is how barn find cars become what they are.


Here is a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75M0...ature=youtu.be

[311-420]

People have to change themselves. Nobody can do it for them no matter how badly they want to or try. Maybe he'll pull his head out of his ***, maybe he wont.

[XSELLR9]

and the one in the field.

[TylerRNEMT]

When looking for a Mach before I purchased mine I ran across a very low mileage (36k I think) one for sale on Craigslist.... after talking with the seller multiple times I discovered that it was a young kid selling for his grandmother.... apparently the original owner was his uncle whom was deceased and from what I could gather from the bits of info I got was that it had been sitting for some time in the family garage/barn. The info I got from the kid selling was very vague and didn't completely line up... he had stated that it belonged to his uncle who was deceased, but he wouldn't come right out and admit how long it had been sitting. He said he replaced the fuel pump " a few weeks ago" and the car ran great. I asked him to send some specific pics ( see below) these were current and it appears the car has been sitting much longer than the couple weeks he claimed. I asked for a video of it running and never got one... he said it needed a new battery (so how did he drive it after the fuel pump just a couple weeks prior?) it was about a 5 1/2 hour drive and all together the info I had made me a little too nervous to investigate further.... would have been a great car for the price and mileage or it could have been a disaster.... I'll never know.... hard to believe these are old enough to be "barn finds" now lol

Tyler

Instagram: 4vmach1

[XSELLR9]

Originally Posted by 311-420

People have to change themselves. Nobody can do it for them no matter how badly they want to or try. Maybe he'll pull his head out of his ***, maybe he wont.

Yup. I have had this talk with him many times

[XSELLR9]

Originally Posted by TylerRNEMT

When looking for a Mach before I purchased mine I ran across a very low mileage (36k I think) one for sale on Craigslist.... after talking with the seller multiple times I discovered that it was a young kid selling for his grandmother.... apparently the original owner was his uncle whom was deceased and from what I could gather from the bits of info I got was that it had been sitting for some time in the family garage/barn. The info I got from the kid selling was very vague and didn't completely line up... he had stated that it belonged to his uncle who was deceased, but he wouldn't come right out and admit how long it had been sitting. He said he replaced the fuel pump " a few weeks ago" and the car ran great. I asked him to send some specific pics ( see below) these were current and it appears the car has been sitting much longer than the couple weeks he claimed. I asked for a video of it running and never got one... he said it needed a new battery (so how did he drive it after the fuel pump just a couple weeks prior?) it was about a 5 1/2 hour drive and all together the info I had made me a little too nervous to investigate further.... would have been a great car for the price and mileage or it could have been a disaster.... I'll never know.... hard to believe these are old enough to be "barn finds" now lol

Tyler

Instagram: 4vmach1

Wow, yes, could be a great car. It scares me to think of some people like that kid who would just drive it without changing the oil after sitting so long. hopefully it will get saved. I have seen so many as well on ebay that are being parted out from accidents that it makes me sick. One day they may be very hard to find. I have seen several on instagram of people I follow that have been totaled. interesting how the internet can help see how many we lose. .

[Thunderbolt]

First of all, an '03 Mach 1 isn't an asset, it's a liability. Especially if you're upside down on the payments. I'll wager you baby-sit that Mach for year after year and that guy being as careless as he is will wreck it anyway. All that work for nothing.

People like that are fun to party with, but they can't separate having fun from taking care of business first. Life is not a 75 year party. Some people never wake up until it's too late. That's not my problem. Act like an adult.

[XSELLR9]

Originally Posted by Thunderbolt

First of all, an '03 Mach 1 isn't an asset, it's a liability. Especially if you're upside down on the payments. I'll wager you baby-sit that Mach for year after year and that guy being as careless as he is will wreck it anyway. All that work for nothing.

People like that are fun to party with, but they can't separate having fun from taking care of business first. Life is not a 75 year party. Some people never wake up until it's too late. That's not my problem. Act like an adult.

Yeah you are right, as of now it is a liability to him at this point. As for him wrecking the car, I have thought that as long as it's in my possession, it is safe, but my cousin has been driving and racing mustangs for years so it is pretty safe in his hands he daily drives a Bullitt and has done really well with it. He also used to race motocross so he is pretty good behind the wheel.

I don't mind taking care of the car because I see myself as a true enthusiast who loves the car, may end up with it one day, or at least preserve it for he next owner, which at this point will most likely own the car instead of my cousin

[2k4mach]

my 03 is abandoned out in a field, i set it out there due to a hosed motor. then we had some heavy rains and it slid down a hill into a tree, next storm broke a branch and it went through the windshield. At that point Insurance totalled it out but there wrecker service couldnt get it out of the field so they offered it back to me for $500 and i could get rid of it. that was back in 2011. Since then its been used for target practice and has slid to about 5 feet of going down into a creek. I sold the land about 3 years ago and gave the owner the salvage title. As of about 2 weeks ago when i was out there deer hunting it was still there rusting away. I got it from the original owner back in 08-09 for 5k with it having a blown motor. once i got it i tossed an aluminator in it with a bunch of nitrous and daily drove it till dem pistons said no more nitrous. It was a well used mach when i got it and IIRC it had 162k on it when i put it out there.

[XSELLR9]

Originally Posted by 2k4mach

my 03 is abandoned out in a field, i set it out there due to a hosed motor. then we had some heavy rains and it slid down a hill into a tree, next storm broke a branch and it went through the windshield. At that point Insurance totalled it out but there wrecker service couldnt get it out of the field so they offered it back to me for $500 and i could get rid of it. that was back in 2011. Since then its been used for target practice and has slid to about 5 feet of going down into a creek. I sold the land about 3 years ago and gave the owner the salvage title. As of about 2 weeks ago when i was out there deer hunting it was still there rusting away. I got it from the original owner back in 08-09 for 5k with it having a blown motor. once i got it i tossed an aluminator in it with a bunch of nitrous and daily drove it till dem pistons said no more nitrous. It was a well used mach when i got it and IIRC it had 162k on it when i put it out there.

Any pictures?

[Mustanger2]

Not a Mach 1 but I have a friend with a 1970 Boss 302 sitting on blocks in his garage....it has 75,000 miles on it all original & runs good! Interior is perfect, paint (yellow) is a bit faded but could be brought back to life I think....he won't sell nor let me take pics! He starts it every month & it sounds nice! Maybe I'm in his will...lol.

[XSELLR9]

Originally Posted by Mustanger2

Not a Mach 1 but I have a friend with a 1970 Boss 302 sitting on blocks in his garage....it has 75,000 miles on it all original & runs good! Interior is perfect, paint (yellow) is a bit faded but could be brought back to life I think....he won't sell nor let me take pics! He starts it every month & it sounds nice! Maybe I'm in his will...lol.

At least its protected.

[NastyNate]

A while back I read about a 2000 Cobra R that sat out back of a car dealers for years just wasting away. Many member of the forum would go by and try to buy it but the dealer always said it wasnt for sale. Story was that the owners son took the R for a joyride and trashed the hell outta it. They parked it out back and that where it sat. I think the dealer was going through a bankruptcy or something. I wish i could find the thread it had pics of the car ... so sad!

[XSELLR9]

Originally Posted by NastyNate

A while back I read about a 2000 Cobra R that sat out back of a car dealers for years just wasting away. Many member of the forum would go by and try to buy it but the dealer always said it wasnt for sale. Story was that the owners son took the R for a joyride and trashed the hell outta it. They parked it out back and that where it sat. I think the dealer was going through a bankruptcy or something. I wish i could find the thread it had pics of the car ... so sad!

Wow, thats awful

[66POJ]

Originally Posted by 2k4mach

my 03 is abandoned out in a field, i set it out there due to a hosed motor. then we had some heavy rains and it slid down a hill into a tree, next storm broke a branch and it went through the windshield. At that point Insurance totalled it out but there wrecker service couldnt get it out of the field so they offered it back to me for $500 and i could get rid of it. that was back in 2011. Since then its been used for target practice and has slid to about 5 feet of going down into a creek. I sold the land about 3 years ago and gave the owner the salvage title. As of about 2 weeks ago when i was out there deer hunting it was still there rusting away. I got it from the original owner back in 08-09 for 5k with it having a blown motor. once i got it i tossed an aluminator in it with a bunch of nitrous and daily drove it till dem pistons said no more nitrous. It was a well used mach when i got it and IIRC it had 162k on it when i put it out there.

you fo sho fool Dan!