It depends on year and engine options on the Mach 1. in '69 and '70 you could get many different engines ranging from the 250hp 351 2 barrel,290 hp 351 4 barrel, 390,428cobra jet,428 super cobra jet. The 428's were rated at only 335hp but really made over 400hp. They were good for easy 13's bone stock and 12's with slicks and tunning.I've read that they could easily beat 396 camaro/chevelles and give the 454 chevelles good runs also.You could get a '71 Mach 1 with a 375hp 429 cobra jet and is also a 13 second capable car.
On the street the boss 429 was'nt quite as fast as the 428cj's. Ford detuned it so much it killed its power in bone stock trim but when modified you can make some big time power with those hemi style heads
But if you run into a 351 powered mach 1 those things are 15 second cars.
I ran into a '73 mach 1 last summer with my T/A. I was at the end of the road I live on at the stop sign. What did I see, a bright yellow '73 Mach 1 pass in the same direction I was gonna go in reving it up at me with 2 kids around 18-19 in it. I pull behind them and they continue to rev the crap out of it. Then they start punching it making it accelerate fast for a few feet then lifting.So I was like these guys wanna play and I know that '73's a slow as hell so I got right on his bumper. I would hear him floor it ( I had the T-tops off) and it squated then I would nail it staying right on his bumper. I accually had to hit the breaks to avoid rearending them while they were accelerating. We did this a few times then we came onto a straightaway with no other cars in either direction then the driver motions out the window for me to try to pass . So I pull out and when my front wheel is even with there back wheel they punched it the engine roared and the car squated. As I pulled even with them I gave a big wave bye and then put a few bus lenths on them It was hilarious.
The next day at work I asked a younger guy if he knew those guys in the mach 1. He said he did and those guys thought there car was so fast. They talk all kinds of s***. and he thought it was great I spanked them.
BTW my favorite old school muscle car is a cranberry with black stripped '70 LS6 chevelle

 

I gotta agree, for the younger guys this is true. Ask the hot rodders how they were when tyhey were younger most are the way we are now its so true. And im sure there will be kids talkin online about how thier 4 cyl got spanked by an ancient V8 camaro, or the other way around but still

 

Like I was basically saying; Unless you have the 429 or the 428, those cars were basically junk
Then again, like you said they were detuned so much from the factory, all it takes is some good heads/cam/intake etc, and you will be 11's no time

 

You're maybe assuming that these old musclecars you're seeing on the street have the original motor under the hood with maybe a different intake and some headers. Rarely is that the case. Not only are you talking about cars that are more than 30 years old (original motor long gone) but people did all kinds of stuff to them even when they were new, including yanking out the original motor and stuffing in a completely different engine. I doubt there are many people picking up street races in classic old muscle cars with the original engine under the hood these days. That's more for the show-n-shine crowd or the "concourse restoration" guys.

Case in point: My buddy Mark's 72 Chevelle. SS badges all over it and the obligatory twin racing stripes over the hood and trunk, but I doubt it's an orginal SS. I think it was an orginal 307 2bbl car, if memory serves. So it's gotta be slow, right? Well, no, actually. It's now got a pretty stout 383 under the hood and runs bottom-basement 12s, far faster than any original 72 Chevelle when they were new.

BTW- the above car currently resides in my garage until my buddy's new house is finished being built. He doesn't know it yet but the rent I'm charging him to store it is going to be more than the car is worth, so basically, it's mine now. Sorry, Mark, but I was only being friends with you to get your car!

Old muscle cars are like a box of chocolates. You neva know what you gonna git.

 

I agree. the best part of the summer is when the cars come out. The Nationals just got done here in NY and man was it a sight for the 3 plus days. Its a pleasure to drive when there here. Its fun to look in the hotels and see all of them lined up. Brings you back to the past even for a moment. Muscle cars are the best bar none.

 

Wanna see some old classic cars, come to Trout Creek, MONTANA on September 9th, 10th, 11th there is gonna be a car show & shine, also a rod run, i guess its gonna be the first year of the show but already have 40+ cars registered. For this small town (population +- 200 people) its a big turnout, plus i wanna see more f-bodies runnin in the "woods" up here, gets kinda lonesome just my car being like the only driving f-body and all...

ANYWAYS Nuff Mumblin bout nothing Later

 

im assuming the one i mentioned had a 429. his license plate was [429 mach] in pa if anyone knows him. near tullytown.

 

^Really? Thats interesting