Good looking car.
Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com
Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com
Just picked up a 43k mile, Torch Red '03 Mach
- Thread starter Torch'dMach
- Start date
She’s super clean! 
Engine bay looks great too. I ended up getting a GT hood liner for mine since you can’t find a new Mach liner anymore. Once you cut the hole for the shaker and get it in place, it’s not too noticeable different and still looks good. Thought I’d mention it just in case. Your steeda shifter with Hurst handle combo looks great! 
Engine bay looks great too. I ended up getting a GT hood liner for mine since you can’t find a new Mach liner anymore. Once you cut the hole for the shaker and get it in place, it’s not too noticeable different and still looks good. Thought I’d mention it just in case. Your steeda shifter with Hurst handle combo looks great! 
Put the MGW back in. There is a reason they are the best.Haha sorry about that post guys. Was in the middle of it and was sooo pissed. Put the car in the air the next night and *tap tap tap* it came off with a punch, super easy.
View attachment 1591196
It was just on with the MGW supplied gasket and a tiny bit of silicone. Check out how clean the case was when I popped it off!
View attachment 1591197
Steeda in with some red Gasket maker
View attachment 1591198
I'm trying to upload a pic of the new shifter, but the site is not cooperating
Sent from my [mind] using the svtperformance.com mobile app
Nice looking Mach. The height of the hood scoop looks perfect.
If you ever take your shifter out again, do yourself a favor and pick up one of my shifter gaskets. Your shifter base will then STAY clean, and you won't have to deal with messy sealant.
You had your personal reasons for tossing the MGW and going with the Steeda. Everyone has a favorite shifter. It isn't always an MGW. I had a TriAx myself on my old '03 Cobra and love it.
If you ever take your shifter out again, do yourself a favor and pick up one of my shifter gaskets. Your shifter base will then STAY clean, and you won't have to deal with messy sealant.
You had your personal reasons for tossing the MGW and going with the Steeda. Everyone has a favorite shifter. It isn't always an MGW. I had a TriAx myself on my old '03 Cobra and love it.
Hey guys, just picked up this beauty on Saturday. I've had a handful of Mustangs over the years ('94 CY GT, '11 Mineral Gray GT, '95 CY GT, '97 CW Cobra) and always wanted a Mach 1. I just got divorced and needed a good project to keep me sane so figured why the hell not lol.
My buddy found it listed in south GA, almost to FL. It originally came from IL, then went to KY, they to GA. I'm in North Ga, the 4th owner and have all the previous owner's names, going to try to contact them to see if they've got any more paperwork. It's got a ton of good mods on it already. If you guys have any good suggestions for me, let me know. I'm mainly wondering about the head cooling mod and replacing the chain tensioners just due to age. Anyway, on to the details.
-2003 Torch Red Mach 1 with the Upgraded Interior Package, 5-speed
-43k original miles. Paint needs a good buff and the rear bumper has turned ever so slightly a different shade (I'm SUPER OCD, but you can only see it in certain lights) but overall it's in great shape. The interior is IMMACULATE.
-Engine runs great, trans shifts very nice, underneath the car is super clean with only minor corrosion on the uncoated suspension components. I'll slowly disassemble and paint as I have time.
-I only paid $12.5k for this thing!
-99/01 Cobra bumper
-03/04 Cobra mirrors
-03/04 Cobra rockers
-99/01/Export tail lights (not sure I like them on the red, undecided)
-Dark headlights with clear reflectors
-Black pony in the grille
-Mach 1 lip (needs to be replaced, it's wavy and scraped up pretty good)
-C&L CAI (it'll get swapped for a JLT eventually)
-Intake spacer to raise the shaker
-Canton black overflow tank
-JLT catch can
-BBK longtubes
-BBK ORX
-Stock catback with Magnapacks and SLP tips spliced in
-Bama tuner (I'll probably take it to Kurgan for a real tune soon, it's running a little rich)
-Ridetech adjustable coilovers front and rear
-Stock sub frame connectors
-Eibach sway bars front and rear
-Ridetech lower control arms
-Upper control arms with spherical bearings (not sure whose yet)
-Ford Racing diff cover with the bearing supports
-4.10 rear gears (may have 31 spline axles, I'm gonna pop the cover and inspect)
-17x9/10.5 AFS replicas with 245/315s (needs wider fronts and rears are about bald lol)
-Pioneer double din
-MGW shifter with a race handle (hate it, my Tri-Ax should be here tomorrow)
-Car cover
-Plaque from Ford
-Folder with some of the info from previous owners/mods over the years
Mods for now will be pretty basic:
-Steed Tri-Ax with a Hurst handle and ball
-All new LED lighting in and out
-New lip for the bumper
-Paint the shaker
-Add Cobra Jet emblems to shaker
-Paint the honey comb on the trunk lid so it's fresh black again
-New tires, maybe new wheels. Either 265 or 275 up front and 315 out back, or step up to 18s. Undecided, open to suggestions.
-Might drop the nose just a touch, not far though cuz it rides good
-Add a sub
-Replace with a bluetooth headunit
-Kurgan tune
View attachment 1589803
View attachment 1589804
View attachment 1589805
View attachment 1589807
View attachment 1589808
View attachment 1589809
View attachment 1589810
View attachment 1589812
View attachment 1589813
View attachment 1589814
Very nice ride! A bit of marital advice from another divorcee..... stay single and don;t get married again, you'll have way more money, more fun, and less headaches.
She’s super clean!
I've been staring at the underside of my hood trying to decide if I want to put one on or not. I kinda like it bare. I used detail spray on the underside and it shines up really well. I'll keep an eye out on a deal for a GT one, I may go back with it. Thanks for the tip!
Everybody's got opinions, the MGW sucked in mine. The Steeda has a much better feel for me.
Nice looking Mach. The height of the hood scoop looks perfect.
If you ever take your shifter out again, do yourself a favor and pick up one of my shifter gaskets. Your shifter base will then STAY clean, and you won't have to deal with messy sealant.
You had your personal reasons for tossing the MGW and going with the Steeda. Everyone has a favorite shifter. It isn't always an MGW. I had a TriAx myself on my old '03 Cobra and love it.
Thanks! I've used your gaskets on all my other cars, just forgot this time
. I'll definitely order one if I pull this one back out.Haha, that's the plan! At least for a very long time!Very nice ride! A bit of marital advice from another divorcee..... stay single and don;t get married again, you'll have way more money, more fun, and less headaches.
Finally got a chance to disassemble the shaker and get it looking nice again. I pulled it apart and wiped the underside, inside and tube down with spray detailer. The top side, I wiped down with laquer thinner and painted with Krylon Fusion spray paint. Did 4 light coats and 2 medium coats. It laid down nice and even, I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I also painted the cross bars silver for some contrast. Then I added the Cobra Jet badges because I've always liked that look.
Then I moved to the back of the car. I love bright colors and want this car to pop, so I started taking some of the add-on black off. I may add some back later on, but for now I'm liking the look. The trunk panel had been taken off and added back before, there was evidence of the original adhesive on the backside of it that did not line up with what stayed on the car. I also kinda melted the Mach 1 logo on it The bottom section was just plasti-dip. Lots of WD-40 and wearing down my thumbnail got it off in about an hour.
The bottom section was just plasti-dip. Lots of WD-40 and wearing down my thumbnail got it off in about an hour.
Also used Paint (I know, I know, it's terrible. It's all I have on my work computer) to add the roof wrap and remove the rocker stripes. I'm liking the look. My wheels should be here Friday, so I'm hoping to get them on and finish up underneath (need to make some brackets to support the o2 wiring, it's all just dangling) and roll it out to see what she looks like with the changes. I ordered 18x9/10 FR500s in black with a polished lip with 275/35 and 295/45/18 Nitto 555 G2 tires from American Muscle and a fender roller from Summit.
On a side note, this is actually a picture of the car from about 10 years ago from the previous owner. I spoke with him on the phone, he works for Ridetech. Come to find out, this car was the development mule for the SN chassis coilover kit that they sell for these cars. It's got the first kit on it. He was able to give me all kinds of history on the car (he added the FR wheels and also the AFS reps, the longtube headers and Cobra rockers) and I've also been in touch with the guy he sold it to that added all the Cobra stuff to it. It's been fun tracking this car's history.
On a side note, this is actually a picture of the car from about 10 years ago from the previous owner. I spoke with him on the phone, he works for Ridetech. Come to find out, this car was the development mule for the SN chassis coilover kit that they sell for these cars. It's got the first kit on it. He was able to give me all kinds of history on the car (he added the FR wheels and also the AFS reps, the longtube headers and Cobra rockers) and I've also been in touch with the guy he sold it to that added all the Cobra stuff to it. It's been fun tracking this car's history.
Last edited:
Nice torch red mach, PM me if you want to sell your AFS wheels.
Got the FRs mounted, adjusted the front down roughly 3/8" and softened the shocks all around. LOVE how she sits now and rides pretty nice. These 295s are just as wide as the old 315s too.
Wow! FR 500's look great on torch red Mach.
Mach1Art
New Member
Congrats on the beautiful find!! I used to live in Suwanee, would've loved to have met another Mach 1 owner.
They do don't they! I debated hard on what wheels I wanted. Really wanted something that wasn't a "Mustang" wheel, but they're all 10.5" wide in the back and once you go over a 295 for the rear tire in an 18" diameter, the costs get insane. Plus they're all pretty much drag radials and I didn't want that. This is actually my 3rd set of FRs lol. The only ones I've haven't had yet are the bright silver.
Yeah man, that would've been awesome! I've got one buddy around here in a Mach and I've seen 2 others, but that's it. There's a ton of Mustangs around here but not many new edges, mostly S197s/S550s now.
I'm now considering fr500 wheels, black chrome saleens is my first choice.
I think the anthracite FR500s look pretty great on my Mach, although I want to switch it up soon and run some wheels that I don't see on a lot of cars
I liked the black wheels on the red, but wanted something to break it up. I don't like how black wheels look against tires cuz the tire is always drier looking. Plus you loose the detail of the wheel most times.
I like the FRs on your car too, love the anthracite. I had those on my yellow '94 GT. Some unique wheels are what I originally wanted, just too costly right now.
Users who are viewing this thread
