The first Boss 302 was Ford’s answer to Chevrolet’s Z/28 Trans-Am Camaro. For 2012, the Boss 302 Mustang is in a class of one.
In 1969, Ford played catch-up and challenged Chevrolet on SCCA’s Trans-Am circuit with its Boss 302 and then marketed civilized models for the street. They followed with a Boss 429 Mustang, not to race but for the express purpose of homologating the legendary 429 motor for NASCAR. The street Boss 429 Mustangs were “built” by Ford’s racing vendor Kar Kraft, while the Boss 302 Mustangs were production vehicles. Ford’s “hat trick”, the Boss 351 Mustang, arrived in 1971 on the larger, newly styled platform.
All three niche-market Boss Mustangs delivered outstanding performance, but there’s little doubt that the Boss 429 was a serious racecar in disguise in search of a race class. Some were successfully drag raced. The Boss 429 Mustangs have become the most valuable Boss Mustangs in the collector car world. The latest production Boss 302 Mustang is the closest Boss to be built street & track-ready. It sounds, handles, stops and performs like a track car, yet can be driven daily. You can win trophies with it on the weekend and drive to work on Monday!
The Legend of the Boss
With Ford boss Bunkie Knudsen’s personal support, stylist Larry Shinoda came up with the specific “Boss” design cues that turned a stock Mustang into a Boss 302. The new-for-1969 Boss 302 sported front and rear spoilers, a blacked-out hood treatment, and racy side stripes for a look that screamed performance. Its engine utilized a four-bolt-main Windsor block with forged steel crank, rods and aluminum pistons and reworked heads from the then-new 351 Cleveland engine. The result: A free-breathing, high-revving powerplant rated at 290 gross horsepower at 5,800 rpm – though actual output was significantly higher.
NOTE: When I was Editor of CARS Magazine (1965-1973), I presented our annual Top Performance Car Of The Year Award to Ford General Manager and VP Sales, John B. Naughton, above, right, for the Boss 302 Mustang. We were fortunate to have been able to flog stock and modified Boss 302 and 429 Mustangs on Ford’s old Dearborn test track.
Ford engineers, with input from Kar Kraft, also thoroughly massaged the Boss 302’s suspension in an effort to meet then-boss Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen’s mandate to “build absolutely the best-handling street car available on the American market.” Stiffer springs and shocks, special sway-bar tuning, a stiffened chassis and wide tires led to the fastest Mustang ever to lap the Ford test track up to that point.
While the 1969-’70 Boss 302 (8,641 built) was intended to be a perfectly balanced road car, the 1969-’70 Boss 429 (1,356 built) had a decidedly different mission: uncompromised acceleration! Although the exterior appearance was similar to that of the Boss 302, the 429 engine at 375 horsepower at 5,200 rpm was a heavily detuned version of Ford’s NASCAR powerplant. It was known as the Shotgun or Blue Crescent engine and had huge canted valves and semi-hemi combustion chambers.
The choice of Mustang, above, as the model used to meet the 429’s homologation requirements was considered unusual given that the mid-size Torino was Ford’s NASCAR racer at the time. Plus, the effort required to shoehorn the huge 429 between the narrow Mustang shock towers dictated that the cars had to be heavily modified. Kar Kraft executed that work on a mini assembly line. Much of the front suspension was re-engineered to make the transplant work, and the battery was relocated to the trunk to provide additional room.
Even with special chassis bracing and a unique rear sway bar, the “Boss Nine” was at its best when pointed in a straight line. With typical performance tuning, Boss 429 Mustangs could run low-12s on the strip. In stock as-delivered shape, the Boss 429 did not impress. It needed intake and exhaust mods as well as a different cam. To be fair, Chevrolet’s legendary 1967-‘69 427 L88 and 1969 ZL1 Corvettes and Camaros also needed serious performance tuning before they were ready for prime time!
Boss returned for one more year, this time wearing the new-for-1971 Mustang sheet metal. It was longer, lower and wider than previous models. Under the hood: Ford’s 351 Cleveland V8, rated at 330 horsepower at 5,800 rpm, hooked up to a four-speed. With Ford pulling out of factory-sponsored motorsports after 1970, the Boss 351 was denied what its predecessors thrived on, an official factory racing-development program. The 2012 Boss 302 Mustang, above, is at home on the track or cruising on the street.
Still, the Boss 351 (1,806 built) offered exciting performance and eye-catching looks aided by the 60-degree sloping fastback body and twin-scoop contrasting hood. Interiors also gained luxury options. Powered by the potent 351 Cleveland, the Boss 351 Mustang had considerably more street-cruising appeal than the 302 and 429 versions
The original Boss Mustangs – showcasing three engine configurations (302-351-429) across two body styles - remain coveted classics among enthusiasts and collectors today. 2012 Boss 302 Mustangs are quicker, faster and more powerful than its vintage namesakes and are destined for collector status as well.
For more information about Ford’s latest Boss, please visit, http://www.ford.com/cars/mustang/2012mustangboss/