1970 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet ARI Pace Car Up For Auction

July 1, 2023 2:03 am

1970 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet ARI Pace Car - Exterior 001 - Front Three Quarters

While the early Ford Mustang, in general, is a sought-after machine, there are many rare and historically significant models produced during those years that attract even more interest from collectors. That includes pace cars, and we previously saw two rather special 1970 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet convertible “ARI” pace cars hit the auction block back in January 2022. Now, yet another 1970 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet ARI pace car has surfaced for sale, this time over at Bring a Trailer.

This 1970 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet ARI pace car is one of just five produced in total for American Raceways International back in October 1969, each of which designed to serve as a pace car at Michigan International Speedway events. This particular pony car was stored outside under a tarp for a number of years before it was discovered and purchased in 1990, after which it was treated to a proper restoration.

That work included a respray in the original Grabber Green paint color, which is accented by a white top, a Shaker hood scoop, a black hood stripe, ARI pace car graphics, and Michigan International Speedway logos on each side. That look is capped off by a set of 14-inch Magnum 500 wheels wrapped with F70 Goodyear Polyglas white-letter tires, along with a white vinyl interior featuring high-back front bucket seats, air conditioning, a center console, a push-button Philco AM radio, faux woodgrain accents, and an aftermarket padded roll hoop.

Mechanically speaking, the Mustang pace car is powered by the Ford R-Code 428 Cobra Jet V8, which has been balanced, blueprinted, and treated to a few modifications by Ford itself. It sends power to the rear wheels via a C6 automatic transmission and a rear end with 3.00:1 gears, while power-assisted front discs and rear drums handle stopping duties and modified front springs aid in handling. A truly rare machine in spectacular condition, this 1970 Mustang pace car figures to command plenty of attention at auction, as well as a hefty hammer price.

We’ll have more cool auction finds like this to share soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Mustang news and non-stop Ford news coverage.

By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.