1970 Mustang Mach 1The 1970 Mustang Mach 1 like its 1969 cousin, had its roots founded in a 1968 Ford concept car of the same name. Mach 1 Concept CarWhile the 1968 concept looked more like a strangely modified 1967 hatchback with odd shaped rectangular headlights and 4 exhaust pipes exiting the middle of the rear, the production car fared better.1970 Mach l Styling ChangesDesigned as a step between the Ford Mustang GT Model and the near race car in a box, Boss Mustangs, the 1970 Mustang Mach 1 took on a few of the Boss parts such as the rear window louvers and incorporated additional styling of its own.
Chief among these touches, were the distinctive Mach 1 logo and lower door/rocker panel blacked out and ribbed trim pieces. Like its 1970 Ford Mustang brothers, the 1970 Mustang Mach 1 featured revised front sheet metal, including the new distinctive outer front "gills" and going back to a 2 headlight configuration. Also changed from its profile, were the upper side scoops seen on the 1969 model. The 1970 version also incorporated a functional hood scoop, designed to force cool air into the engine at speed, producing additional horsepower from the denser oxygen mixture. This feature is also known as "ram air" and is also the basis of the current cold air induction kits. Like they say, everything old is new again! It's distinctive matte black accents gave it a unique two-tone appearance and a much more aggressive look than the standard sports roof Mustang. A new black honey comb trim panel was inserted between the recessed tail lights and new for '70 Mach l badges were added. InteriorThe interior featured a more luxurious looking woodgrain applique on the dash and for 1970, featured Mach l specific, high back bucket seats.Engine and Power TrainEngine:For all its marketing hype, the standard engine and transmission combination of a 351 cubic inch Windsor V8 and 2 barrel carburetor was fairly mundane, producing only 40 horsepower more than the standard 302 V8's 210 horsepower. The optional choices were much more interesting, including the other real performance engine and transmission combos, such as the 351 4 barrel, the 428 Cobra Jet, producing a reportedly understated 375 horsepower. Power Train:The high performance gear sets included the 3.91:1 traction lock and the wicked 4.30:1 Detroit Locker along with upgraded suspension pieces designed to handle the additional power and weight of these large engines. |
