Ford Mustang 1971 Mach 1 429

1971 was the only model year Ford ever squeezed its 429 big-block under a Mustang hood, and the clock was already ticking on the whole big-block era. The Super Cobra Jet version made 375 horsepower with an 11.3:1 compression ratio and four-bolt mains built to survive real abuse. Out of 149,682 Mustangs built that year, only 326 combined the manual transmission with the full Drag Pack that made a car a true Super Cobra Jet. Cars this rare rarely surface outside auction catalogs.

Full-tilt 429 Super Cobra Jet Mach 1!

Out of nearly 150,000 Mustangs Ford built for 1971, barely one in a hundred left the factory with the engine this one is running — and of those, only a few hundred got the full Drag Pack treatment that made it a true Super Cobra Jet. Ford had exactly one model year to offer this combination before emissions regulations and insurance premiums killed the big-block Mustang for good. Under the hood sat four-bolt mains, big-valve heads, and an 11.3:1 compression ratio that demanded premium fuel and a tune-up done right. Buyers who checked the right boxes on the order sheet got a Mustang that could run mid-14s in the quarter mile straight from the showroom floor. Most people who saw this car in a parking lot in 1971 had no idea how rare the combination under the hood actually was. What made Ford pull the plug on this engine after just one year?

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The Last Big-Block Mustang Ford Ever Built

1971 was the only model year Ford ever fit its 429 big-block under a Mustang hood. The standard 429 Cobra Jet made 370 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, while the optional 429 Super Cobra Jet Ram Air pushed to 375 horsepower with an 11.3:1 compression ratio, four-bolt mains, and big-valve heads built to survive real abuse.

How Rare Is Rare

Out of 149,682 Mustangs built for 1971, only 1,865 received any version of the 429 Cobra Jet or Super Cobra Jet. Of those, 1,371 were Mach 1 429 Ram Airs, just 556 came with the manual transmission, and only 326 of those also had the Drag Pack that made a car a true Super Cobra Jet.

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