Evan Longoria’s Stunning 1971 Mustang Mach 1 for Sale
Was This Mach 1 Just Too Fast for Evan Longoria to Handle?
For 1971, Ford made drastic changes to the design of its already well-loved Mustang. The car was larger in every dimension, and weighed a bit more as a result. It also had a more angular and wedge-shaped aesthetic, but it still offered everything that Mustang buyers wanted from their pony car. The Mach 1 nameplate was carried over, and was a popular options package for the new car. Gone, however, was the Shelby name from the 1971 options list.
The car you see here, built for Tampa Bay Rays infielder Evan Longoria, attempts to determine what a Shelby-inspired 1971 Mustang might have looked like. Even better, Longoria is selling the car via Mecum’s Kissimmee sale in early January. You can add this beautiful car to your Mustang collection, if your bid is right. It’s currently estimated to sell for between $95,000 and $125,000.
Mecum Says the Build Process Took Nearly 3000 Hours of Labor.
That means far more than the sale price is invested into this Mach 1. The car is powered by a 725-horsepower, supercharged, 502 cubic-inch Chevrolet (GASP!) big-block V8. That’s mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and a Ford 9″ rear locker. A custom four-link suspension setup replaces the rear leaves. Coilovers are fitted at all four corners. And a new, quicker-ratio Mustang II-style rack-and-pinion handles the inputs from the steering wheel. With 12-inch meats out back, and 9.5-inch wheels on the front, it’s clear that this car is built for performance.
However, this car’s true story is told on the outside. It apes the “Eleanor” look of the hero 1967 Shelby GT500 from Nicolas Cage’s Gone in 60 Seconds. In order to make this one look a bit more like Eleanor, the taillights were swapped out for Shelby-style units. Rear-quarter window scoops have also been added. The bumpers have been replaced with custom-molded, fiber-reinforced plastic pieces. Silver and black paint have been carefully matched to Eleanor’s paint. And frankly, the style works better on a 1971 car than it has any right to.
Check out Mecum for more information and photos. Then let us know what you think.
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Via [Maxim]
