1969 Ford Mustang

The 1969 Mustang was still making consumers happy and selling out from dealerships fast. There were new cars in the 1969 lineup that made for some diversity and kept consumers on their toes. These included the Mach 1, Boss, and Grande. Of course adding these to the lineup affected sales of the GT, however the GT would not be continued in the next model year whereas the new three would.

There was a significant amount of design changes for 1969. First of all the Fastback 2+2 was replaced by the new SportsRoof Mustang. The size of the Mustangs changed significantly as well. The 1969 Mustang retained the 108 inch wheelbase the Mustang was begun on, however the pony car was almost four inches longer than the last two model years. As far as engines are concerned, 1969 saw plenty of changes there too.

The standard Mustang engine was the 200 cubic inch six cylinder as it had been, however there was a new economy engine available this year. It was the 250 cubic inch six that consumers could opt for. The base V8 was not changed and remained the 302-2V. However, the 302-4V and the 390-2V were no longer used in 1969 while the 390-4V stuck around. New engines available in 1969 were the 351-2V and the 351-4V.

The prices on the Mustang still remained affordable in 1969, although prices did rise somewhat.

1969 Mustang Lineup

1969 Mustang Standard

The standard Mustang was still available in coupes, fastbacks, and convertibles for 1969. The prices on these pony cars were low and not too different from one another. The coupe and fastback started at $2618 while the convertible was a little more expensive at $2832.

1969 Ford Mustang GT

The year 1969 was the last year for the GT, that is until 1982. Carroll Shelby built the last Mustangs with plenty of gusto. He included five small scoops on the hood that served to extract heat from the engine as well as force cool air into the engine. Side scoops were used that were functional and served to cool the brakes. The grille was full width and sported integrated scoops.
The GT350 fastback cost $4434, the GT500 Fastback $4709, the GT350 convertible $4753, and the GT500 convertible $5027.

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Another new model in 1969 was the Mach 1. It was available with one of the five V8 engines, the 428 cid V8 CJ. It could be purchased with or without ram air. The interior trim was special as was the carpet and bucket seats with high backs. The Mach 1 also sported non functional hood scoops on a hood with low gloss black paint. Other options included the pop-open gas cap, racing mirrors, hood pins, a side stripe, quad outlets, and dual exhaust with chrome tips. The Mach 1 was also outfitted with substantial materials to insulate the vehicle as well as deaden sound. The Mach 1 fastback cost $3,122.

1969 Ford Mustang Boss

There were two special Boss engines offered in 1969. These included the 302 and the 429, which were limited production units. There were 859 Boss 429 Mustangs were sold.
The Mach 1 was beaten with power by the Boss 429. The Semi Hemi 375 horsepower block was super powerful and was hopeful for NASCAR. The suspension and handling of these vehicles were challenged by the NASCAR rule for at least 500 street versions of the vehicle. The front shock towers were placed an inch out and the front A arms were also lowered an inch in order to help accommodate the big engine and aid in suspension and handling. Regardless, the Boss was certainly in charge and full of power like most bosses out there.
The 429 was not only powerful under the hood, but it looked powerful from the exterior as well. The extra large hood scoop, flared fenders, F60x15 tires, front spoiler, Magnum 500 wheels that were mounted on chrome, and the ever popular dual racing mirrors were exterior features. The rear stabilizer bar, power steering, trunk mounted battery, competition suspension, power front disc brakes, traction lock rear, and engine oil cooler were also extra features of the super powered Boss 429.
The interior d�cor group was used for the Mustang 429 with comfort weave bucket seats and even a special console.
The Boss 302 was strong, but nothing in comparison to its sibling. Instead of NASCAR, it was built specifically to qualify for the Mustang for the Sports Car Club of America Trans Am Series. In order to qualify the vehicle needed power, so Mustang used a specialized 302 engine with four speed transmission and 290 horsepower. The staggered shock rear end and 16:1 ratio steering box were also featured on the 302.
The exterior of the 302 offered "C" stripes, a low gloss black hood with deck lid, flared fenders, a front spoiler, and Magnum 500 wheels. The 302 also had all selections of interiors and options available; however the majority of them were simply outfitted with the standard black Mustang interior.

1969 Ford Mustang Grande

Another new model was the Grande, which included the Interior Decor Group, an electric clock; special hounds tooth check upholstery, and extra sound deadener. The price of the Grande Coupe was $2,849.

1969 Ford Mustang "E"

The Mustang E was an economy car and approximately 50 were produced in 1969. They sported a 250 ci six cylinder engine, specialized torque converter, automatic transmission, and had a rear axle ratio of 2.33:1. All the Mustang "E"s were SportsRoofs and the rear quarter panels had the "E" emblem. The "E" model was only available without air conditioning.

Power and Performance

Many critics and Mustang fanatics have claimed the 1969 Mustang was the best one since its inception. There were not only a wide variety of models, but also the largest selection of engines yet. In fact, taking all of the Mustang models into consideration there were 10 different engines available. They are as follows:

200 c.i. at 120 horsepower
250 c.i. at 155 horsepower
302 c.i. at 210 horsepower
BOSS 302 c.i. at 290 horsepower
351 c.i. at 250 horsepower
351 c.i. at 290 horsepower
390 c.i. at 320 horsepower
428 c.i. at 335 horsepower
428 c.i. at 335 horsepower
BOSS 429 c.i. at 375 horsepower

The standard Mustangs were available with the 200 ci inline six, however the 250 ci six cylinder with 155 horsepower and air conditioning was available as an upgraded version. The 210 horsepower 302 V8 engine was the smallest V8 available, but two bigger V8s were available. These were really 302 engines that were just a little stronger at 351 ci V8. These engines had the name 351 Windsor (351W) because they were constructed at the Windsor plant. The two barrel carburetor engine had 250 horsepower while the four barrel powered out 290 horsepower. Still available in 1969 was the big block 390 ci engine.

The best engine option for 1969 was considered to be the 428 ci Cobra Jet V8. There were two different versions of this engine available, one with Ram Air and the other without. The 428CJ-R Ram Air sported 335 horsepower while the 428 CJ did as well, it just did not have the Ram Air. The Shaker head scoop easily identified which engine had Ram Air and which one did not. When the engine idled, the hood scoop shook. The 351 and 390 V8 engines also had Shaker scoops available as options.

The 428CJ was upgraded to the Super Cobra Jet status when a 3.91 or 4.30:1 axle ratio was ordered in conjunction with the engine. The SCJ status on the vehicle meant higher durability and longer life of engine components. There was also an external engine cooler placed in front of the radiator with the SCJ status.

Other new options for 1969 that were widely accepted by the public were the intermittent windshield wipers, exterior mirrors, as well as radial tires.

The GT was heading out in 1969 and was no longer desired by customers as much as before due to the new options available. As a result, only 4,973 Mustangs received the GT Equipment Group in 1969. However, 1969 was not the end for GT because it would reappear in 1982.

Exterior

The exteriors of the different 1969 Mustangs varied somewhat, however there were some new exterior features that were developed that should be discussed. For example, dual headlamps made their first appearance and the second set was stationed on the outer edge of the grille. This would be the first and last year that four headlights were used on a Mustang. The wheelbase stayed the same as past years as well as the original Mustang at 108 inches although the actual length of the Mustang was almost four inches longer and the width half an inch wider. The driver's side received a pony and tribars logo that replaced the pony on the grille.

The Mach 1, Boss 302 and 429 were larger although on the same wheelbase as all other Mustangs. The extra length was associated specifically to the front overhang. These new models had plenty of style, grace, and muscle combined. They were typical Shelby muscle styled vehicles. The non functional side scoops, large grille, and plunging roofline with a 2.2 windshield rake increase were sported by the new Mustang models and borrowed from Shelby. The increased dimensions of the Mustang resulted in a weight gain of approximately 150-175 pounds depending on the model. The other basic models remained as well, including the coupe, convertible, and the SportsRoof which was previously known as the fastback.

All of the models were restyled and looked bigger, more powerful, and certainly with more muscle. However the fastback or SportsRoof model responded especially well to the exterior redesign. The sides were sculpted for a clean and smooth look while the roof line was reduced by 9/10 of an inch. The simulated side scoops and rear spoiler were not as pronounced as the Shelby Mustangs but definitely showed a kinship. A rear quarter panel vent was used on the hardtops and convertibles.

There were plenty of firsts for Mustang in 1969. One of these included the location of the VIN, which could be seen on the driver's door was placed on the instrument panel as well and could easily be read through the windshield.

Exterior colors for 1969 included Acapulco Blue, Aztec Aqua Black Jade, Lime Gold, Calypso Coral, Indian Fire Red, Candy Apple Red, Gulfstream Aqua, Champagne Gold, Silver Jade, Meadowlark Yellow, Royal Maroon, New Lime, Raven Black, Pastel Gray, Winter Blue, Silver Jade, and Wimbledon White.

Interior

Though there were many 1969 Mustang models, the basic interior received a new style. This included the race theme that consumers were so excited about. There was also a Deluxe Interior D�cor Group available that boasted wood grain appliqu�s on the console, sculptured door panels, and high back bucket seats. The Deluxe Interior Group was standard on the Boss 429, Mach 1, as well as the Grande. Other Mustangs in 1969 had more standard interiors despite being updated.

Interior trim colors included parchment comfortweave, black vinyl, blue, vinyl, dark red comfortweave, blue comfortweave, black comfortweave, dark red vinyl, parchment comfortweave, nugget gold vinyl, parchment vinyl, aqua vinyl, ivy golf vinyl, saddle vinyl.

Final Thoughts

The 1969 Mustang was certainly a success. The new models were approved by the public and really made a big impact while the GT model was on its way out for more than a decade. Regardless, the 1969 Mustang was well approved and acclaimed for its redesign and new options.

There were a total of 299,824 Mustangs produced in 1969. The production numbers were a bit lower, but Mustang still was well received by the public and sales numbers remained high. The 1969 Mustang was certainly popular and some say it was the best Mustang year ever.