To say the Ford Mustang has longevity and a cult following is an understatement. Ever since it first rolled off the showroom floor as a 1964 1/2 model, it's been captivating crowds, terrorizing the competition, and winning races ever since. Part of its allure was its simplicity, low price and flexibility with a number of performance options available to the street racer. While 'ole Carroll "The Snake Charmer" Shelby was fond of calling it a "Secretary's Car," that did little to dampen its meteoric rise and an adoring public from scooping up millions of cars.

And it could be optioned in any number of configurations including a 2 door coupe, fastback or convertible with several engine and transmission options and performance packages available. There was the GT, Shelby GT350R, Shelby GT500, Boss 302, Boss 351, Boss 429, Mach 1, and others. Additionally, Ford offered a series of Track Only packages designed to run roughshod on the competition whether it be open course racing or the quarter mile drag strip.

With the end of the 1970 model year, Ford did its first major redesign of the car even though it was technically still considered in its first generation. The 1971 to 1973 Mustang was never quite as popular as the more compact and well-known earlier models but it did have the benefit of a smoother ride and more comfortable proportions for an aging demographic.

But it was also a great quarter mile car if fitted with the right combination of performance equipment. And Ford had you covered in 1971 with a Mach 1 equipped with a Ram-Air 429 SCJ with optional Drag Pack. It was one of the fastest and most desirable Mustangs ever to come off the Ford assembly line and they are quite desirable to this day.

Let's give a detailed look at the 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 with 385-series big-block and Drag Pack and see what sets it apart from the herd.

The 1971 Ford Mustang

1971 Ford Mustang 429SCJ Drag Pack 3
via Street Dreams Texas

The 1971 Ford Mustang was overseen by former GM honcho and then Ford President Semon Knudsen, or "The Boss" as he was known, who was also, not surprisingly, responsible for approving the BOSS 302 and BOSS 429 Mustangs. The main difference between the new for 1971 Mustang and previous versions was size with a lengthened body and more generous underhood dimensions to fit the new 385-series big block. In look and styling it drew heavily from earlier Ford concept cars and the sleek and clean 1969 and 1970 Shelby Mustangs.

Like earlier models it was offered in coupe, fastback and convertible versions with an all-new 429 V8 big block as the top engine choice. The rear of the car in particular was quite unique with its tunnel shape on the coupe and mailbox hole rear view on the fastback versions. With its new front end and fog lamps, stripe package, and lengthy list of performance options, it continued the Mustang tradition albeit in a new and rather portly set of clothes.

The Mach 1, in particular, was available with two-tone paint, functioning Ram Air hood scoop, color keyed mirrors, hockey stick graphics and the famed Drag Pack which included an oil cooler, beefy 9" rear with Detroit Locker differential and gearsets going all the way up to 4.30! In its base configuration the Mach 1 had a none too shabby 302 Windsor based V8 with 2 barrel carb going all the way up to the mammoth 429 Super Cobra Jet (SCJ) with a 4-speed Toploader manual transmission.

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429 SCJ With Drag Pack

1971 Ford Mustang 429SCJ Drag Pack 4
via Mustangs and Fords

Every year, Ford had a top model Mustang such as the 1965 Shelby GT350R, 1967 GT500 with 427 FE Medium Riser heads and 1969 and 1970 BOSS 429, but in 1971 it was hands down the Mach 1 equipped with the 429 SCJ and Drag Pack. And while the 1971 BOSS 351 continued the storied BOSS Mustang legacy in Trans Am racing, it couldn't ever hope to beat the Mach 1 equipped big-block with an almost 80 cube deficit and lower 3.91 gears.

The centerpiece of the car was its new 385-series big block engine which drew many racing and performance elements from other Ford engines. It used a new thin wall casting block to keep the weight down, high-flow BOSS 302 style canted valves, and it could be bored out to over 500 cubic inches to keep professional racers happy.

Other items in the Drag Pack package included a Hurst shifter, front disc brakes, power steering, engine oil cooler affixed to the front radiator support, Magnum 500 wheels, and the aforementioned 4.30 gears. Ford advertised the engine with 375 hp but stock examples cranked out roughly 425 ponies. 0 to 60 mph times were in the low 5's which was quite impressive back in 1971.

Check It Out In Action

But with the Oil Wars of the early 1970's the fate of the larger Mustang was in many ways doomed as was evident with the introduction of the Mustang II in 1974. But it was perhaps the last hurrah of the original ground pounding pony car that changed the automotive world forever. The above video clip takes a look at the 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 equipped with the 429 SCJ. It's worth a watch. Buckle up.

Sources: Mustangs and Fords, Ford Authority, Mecum Auctions

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