The Drag Pack is a special option package that could be added to almost any classic muscle car that Ford produced. For some of the Mustangs, such as the 302 Boss cars, the package was added on automatically without the buyers even knowing it. For the Mach I, though, it was an option that had to be checked off when ordering the car from the manufacturer. The drag pack included a traction-lock differential, an upgraded crankshaft, a high-performance flywheel, an engine oil cooler, cap screw connecting rods, and a choice of rear axle ratios. All this creates a car better suited for the drag strip.
5 Benefited By An Added Dual Hood Scoop
The 1971 Mach I had one unique quality that stood out above the previous generation: a dual scoop design on the hood. For the basic 428 Cobra Jet engine, these scoops were simply for show, but when the buyer added the Ram Air option, they became functional air inlets that helped improve the horsepower and torque. When all-out racing, the gas pedal is smashed to the floor, meaning that the fuel being dumped into the carburetor needs more air to keep the mixtures of air to fuel at the perfect levels.
6 It Featured A Fairly Luxurious Interior
One thing that was not too common in the ’60s and ’70s was a muscle car that was luxurious inside. This is not to say that the 1971 Ford Mustang Mach I could rival the likes of BMW or Mercedes, but the Mach I was fairly luxurious for the type of car. It came off the production lines with nice carpeting and sound-deadening material, a pistol grip floor shifter, vinyl trimmed bucket seats, bubble style dash, power windows, a rear defroster, and factory air conditioning. Not bad for a car built to power through the quarter-mile track at speeds up to 105 mph.
7 Standard Features Were For Eye Appeal
The Mach I design was created to offer a muscle car that the younger generations would appreciate and buy. The car already had a unique look, with the Sports Roof style top and back window. But just to be sure, Ford Motors added some standard feature equipment that made the Mach I even more appealing to their targeted consumers and all the others looking for a nice-looking muscle car. The car sported decals on the fenders and trunk lid, black stripes, dual racing side mirrors, a black honeycomb grille, and white sidewall tires with a flashy center hub cap.
8 The Codes Tell The Tale
When a true muscle car collector comes across a 1971 Ford Mach I Mustang, it is easy to mistake the type of car that is being looked at. The 429 engine had three different versions, along with the other choices of an engine that the original owner had. The best way to tell what type of car it truly is will be to check the codes. They should be displayed on the inside edge of the driver’s door when opened. If the code includes CJ, it is a basic Cobra Jet engine. If it has SCJ, it would be a Super Cobra Jet engine, and if it does not have either one, it is the basic 429 engine that has room for improvement.
9 Pick Your Poison: Street, Strip, Or Track
The ’60s and ’70s were a time when muscle cars were built to maximize power and torque, which made them great on the track or in a street drag, but not much else. The upgraded suspension of the 1971 Ford Mach I made it a car designed for all roads. It could easily hold its own in a quarter-mile sprint, blasting through in under 13 seconds, but it could also give basic sports cars a run for their money on a curving street track. To make things even better, the 429 engine got better gas mileage than the 351 Cleveland’s that initially came in the Mustang.
10 It Was Beat On The Track By Its Smaller Sibling
Back in the day, it was said that there was no replacement for displacement, meaning that the bigger the engine was, the better it was. Throughout the ’70s, numerous carmakers proved this theory wrong, including the 1971 Mach I Mustang that received the Boss 351 under the hood rather than the huge big block that all young street racers wanted. On paper, the large Cobra Jet should be the clear winner, but when put to the test, the Mach I with the Boss 351 sprinted from 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 13.6 seconds. The Mach I with the 429 CJ jumped from 0 to 60 in 6.4 seconds and sped through the quarter mile in 14.7 seconds. The Boss 351 is the clear winner on the track in real-life racing, even if the paperwork suggests otherwise
