Topic: 1979 Mustang Indianapolis 500 Pacecar

[1979pacecar]

As a person who owns and has restored a 1979 Pacecar I found some very interesting things about them. I'm writing a post for some of us who own them, people who are restoring them, and people who want to buy them.

Here is a breakdown by engine type, transmission, and Ford Factory Assembly Plant:

Dearborn Michigan

5.0L w/SROD 4spd manual-------1809
5.0L w/C-4 automatic-----------1445
2.3L Turbo 4cyl w/4spd manual--4380

Dearborn Total Assembly Plant---7634

San Jose California

5.0L w/SROD 4spd manual-------593
5.0L w/C-4 automatic-----------661
2.3L Turbo 4cyl w/4spd manual--1590

San Jose Total Assembly Plant---2844

Total Pacecar Production----10,478

Ford has incorporated into all 1979 Indy Pacecar's a special sequence number being "48" into the VIN. If you are buying a true Pacecar the numbers "48" will be in the beginning of the last 6 numbers of the VIN. Here is a example of a VIN for a 1979 Pacecar from Dearborn Assembly with a V8: 9F03F481255. The "48" means Pacecar and the last 4 numbers is your Pacecar number, which would be Pacecar #1255. A 4cyl. turbo VIN # will have a "W" in the 5th spot in the VIN. Example: 9F03W481266. Checking with sources, a Pacecar could have the same VIN# being built in San Jose and Dearborn. Another example: From Dearborn 9F03F481422 and San Jose 9R03F481422.

Things to look for when buying a 1979 Pacecar:

1. Safety belts have "Firestone" under the buckles

2. The front shoulder belts have a tag saying "Indy Replica" stitched in them
(The only way to see this is you have to have the interior backseat panel  removed and unwind the belt totally)

3. A card under the dash pad that says "Pacecar"

4. Look for the numbers "48" in the VIN

5. All 1979 Pacecars came with Recaro Seats

6. Make sure it has the correct engine. A 5.0L car will have a "F" in the 5th spot in the VIN and a 4cyl turbo will have a "W" in the 5th spot in the VIN.

I have over 120 Pacecar's in a database and their are some very RARE options: Rear Wiper, 8 Track Tape Player, Cruise Control, and Dealer installed Rear Louvers to name a few. The base radio for a Pacecar is a am/fm cassette.

Well, I'm sure I will think of a few things to add at a later date. If you have any questions, I'm here to help.

Steve   

 

[$64stang]

I my travels it seems the the rear window defogger and the rear wiper is in the very northern states New England,  Pennsylvania , & New York.
Also the wiring Harness behind the instrument cluster has a Label " PACE CAR"
 FYI

[1979pacecar]

Yes indeed, the wiring harness says "Pacecar". The '79 Indy is the only 1979 Mustang to have fog lights and requires a different harness. In my travels I have seen 1 fully loaded Pacecar. This was a 4cyl. turbo car with A/C, Cruise Control, Power locks, Rear Wiper, Rear Defroster, Tilt Wheel. This was a very rare vehicle with all those options. Wish I had bought it.

[$64stang]

The  Fog Lights for a 1979 pace are the same as the 1979 Jeep Trucks with the Grille guard and options fog lights.
I found mine at the Jeep dealership still in the box!
Jake

[C5ZZ]

Any idea how many Pace cars came with the 8 track tape player?
All the literature says that the cassette tape is the only radio available.

I have 2 Pace cars that are sequentially numbered, they both have the
8 track tape players and are optioned the same, 302 4spd, A/C, tilt, cruise
control, power locks, rear defroster.

[1979pacecar]

As of yet I do not have the numbers for the 8 track tape player. I do however know the 8 track tape option is EXTREMELY RARE in a Pacecar. I think out of my database of 120+ cars, only 10 or so have that. By the late 70's 8 tracks were on the way out. You are right that the base radio for the Pacecar was a am/fm cassette player. You have a rare option.

[$64stang]

1978 was the first year for Cassette radios in Mustang
I have my 1979 Pace car Cassette radio but it doesn't fit the 78 dash.
Also the 1979 302 had a aluminum 2 barrel intake from the factory. First year for that.
Jake

[jim the3 swapper]

I have a 1979 Ford Mustang Indy Pace car  vin# 9f03f480037 with a decal on the front  fenders that says festival 500, I am trying to determine its worth and if anyone may be interested in buying it.  It is in unrestored condition, not wrecked, runs and drives.

Jim

[roadrunner]

I would log onto NADA web site and check prices. The last time I looked up the value of a 79 Pace Car this past March they were worth anywhere from $2500 to $14000 depending on condition and equipment. And Jake, all 79-93 V-8 Mustangs have aluminum intake manifolds from the factory. 78 and prior was still cast iron. 79 Mustangs also had 11 gallon fuel tanks. This was in an effort to reduce weight to help with EPA fuel economy numbers.

[C5ZZ]

I have a 1979 Ford Mustang Indy Pace car  vin# 9f03f480037 with a decal on the front  fenders that says festival 500, I am trying to determine its worth and if anyone may be interested in buying it.  It is in unrestored condition, not wrecked, runs and drives.

Jim

I lived in Indianapolis at the time, worked at a Ford dealer and was a member of the
Mustang Club of Indianapolis. Our club was involved in the 500 festival parade. Ford
supplied a group of Pace cars to certain people for the month of May that were driven
around town and in the 500 activities. This sounds like one of those cars, they did have
the special sticker you mention that was just put on that group of cars. From what I
remember they were all low serial numbers and were 302 automatics without A/C.
I would say that you have something special and unique.

[jim the3 swapper]

Thank you for all that information. I knew the car was unique. I would like to talk to you more about it. Is there a number I can call you at or could you please call me at 318-640-6674. I would like to send you a picture of the car for your opinion on it,.

My email address is CutlerIII@aol.com if you would like to start the conversation there.

Thanks again   Jim

[C5ZZ]

Jim,
I would be happy to talk to you more about your car.
I'll give you a call or leave you a e-mail when time
permits here. Steve

[1979pacecar]

Aluminum 2bbl intake huh? I have the original engine still in my car and the intake is cast iron. This may be one of those factory issues that separate early Pacecars from the later ones. My car is #1706 from Dearborn. A friend has a San Jose car that has many differences from a Dearborn car. Stranger things have happened. Can't wait to the MCA Grandnational!!! My Indy will be there.

[roadrunner]

Steve, I don't doubt you. But I know of several low mileage unrestored Pace Cars and a couple of low mileage unrestored 79 Cobras and they all have aluminum intakes. I restored a V-8 Pace Car a few years ago and it had a cast iron intake. We got to checking things closer, and the intake wasn't a 79 casting, but the block and heads were. But the intake was out of a truck for some reason. Who knows how it got that way. If you're ever in my neck of the woods, I can show you a couple of low mileage unrestored unmolested 82 GT's. Both are the same color. One has a bare unpainted engine and the other has a Ford Corporate blue painted engine. Ironically, the painted engine car was assembled after the other car. The casting numbers are correct on both cars. Weird, but true.

[1979pacecar]

I agree, This is a wierd one. By the time we have the Grandnational here in Seattle I would have changed my car over to a 4bbl. I have a aluminum intake from a 84' GT. I was very suprised that my car had the original engine. When we bought it the car had 220,000 miles on it. The lady used it for a daily driver for 18 years. YIKES! Just a side note. My centercap for the steering wheel is different from some of the Pacecars. It seems in my database of VIN#'s the early Pacecars from car numbers 2,100 and lower had a 3 shield type centercap on the steering wheel but the later cars after 2,100 had the "FORD" round logo. Also, my friend has a Pacecar from San Jose and it did not come with the black fiberboard under the hatch lid. My car has this. It's in rough shape but it's there. Maybe the unpainted engine was built on a Friday at 4:59pm. It's Miller time....LOL!