A lot of changes happened in my life during the ’60s. Some were tough and some were good experiences. In the ’70s, all was “HAPPY-GOOD.” First I meet my beautiful wife, Lilliam, and I bought my 1969 Mustang Mach 1, and my son Robert was born. To me, it couldn’t get any better than that.
Let me tell you how I came across and bought my “Dream Car.” One Monday morning I picked up the newspaper (no computer in those days, you know) and I recall the ad: “1969 Mustang Mach 1, V8 351 Cleveland Stick – Air, PB AM/FM radio, 8 track, 2300 miles, price $2750 at Johnson Ford in Miami, Florida,” and the phone number.
I called and spoke with the sales person, and I heard the good news that the car was still available. That afternoon after work I went to see it.
When I saw that beautiful machine I fell in love with it and said to myself “O’ Boy, I have to get this car.”
Without showing much interest in the car I checked it and asked the salesman why such low milage. He said that the original owner did not drive it much because it was stick shift and had traded it for an automatic vehicle.
The Mustang was in “show room” condition inside out. After a little bit of dealing back and forth, I finally bought it for $2,500 even. To me this was a great deal, because no matter what, I was determined to purchase this car. Finally, I’d bought the car of my dreams, a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1, 351 Cleveland, 3 on the floor. Wow, this was a dream come true.
That same evening, I picked up my fiancee and we went for our first ride, she loved it and the first thing she said to me was “you have to teach me how to drive stick shift, and added, “I will have no problem learning how to drive it, I learned to drive in New York City you know.”
After three years of owning the car, my wife became pregnant, and with a baby on the way we had the need to get a much larger car. With a broken heart and left with no other choice I had to trade it in to accommodate our new family.
Well, folks, the years have come and gone but 43 years later, we still talk about our Mustang. I have these photos in my iPhone to show when we go to car shows, hoping to find it some day, if it does exist.
I do not have the VIN number, but as you can see in one of the pictures, the license tag number was Florida 1-133928 (1970-1971). If anyone knows the way to trace a car by using the tag number, please contact me at [email protected]
Thank you for reading our story.
Robert & Lilliam Brice, Homestead FL
