From the Shelby GT350 and GT500 to the Mach 1 and the 428 Cobra Jet, the first-generation Mustang spawned quite a few cool performance cars. But none is as spectacular as the Boss 429.
Introduced in 1969, the Boss 429 arrived alongside the equally iconic Boss 302. Both cars were developed for homologation purposes. While the 302 was created to meet Trans Am regulations, the 429 rolled off the assembly line to homologate its namesake engine for NASCAR use.
Because those were the rules back in the day. To be able to use a certain engine or even an entire car in road course, NASCAR, or drag racing, a company had to offer a streetable production model first.
The Boss 429 engine was a beefed-up version of Ford’s recently introduced 383-series V8. The 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) mill generated 375 horsepower and 450 pound-feet (610 Nm) of torque, which made it the most powerful engine available in the first-generation Mustang.
For reference, the range-topping 428 V8, available in both Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet guises, delivered 330 horsepower and 440 pound-feet (597 Nm) of twist.
On top of the NASCAR-spec unit, the Boss 429 also came with unique decals and special NASCAR identification plates on the driver’s side door. A spectacular sleeper for the era, the Boss 429 was also very expensive. As a result, Ford sold only 859 units in 1969 and just 499 in 1970.
With a total of 1,358 cars having left Ford’s assembly line, the Boss 429 is one of the rarest Mustangs ever made. The high performance and the limited availability turned this model into a sought-after and expensive classic that usually changes hands for about $200,000 on average. And well-maintained and restored examples have been selling for more than $300,000 at auction in recent years.
But cars in Fair condition or below aren’t cheap either. If they’re complete and also include a numbers-matching engine, they’re good for at least $100,000. Take this 1969 example here. Even though it’s a project car that needs a lot of work, it’s available for a whopping $145,000.
Documented by YouTube’s “American Mustangs,” this Boss 429 looks like it spent a really long time in storage. In addition to that, one previous owner repainted the car metallic blue. This Mustang left the factory white.
Interestingly enough, the odo shows only 27,000 miles (43,452 km). So even though this ‘Stang wasn’t driven all that much, it looks like it had a rough life. Or maybe it simply spent way too much in improper storage? Either way, it comes with an original Boss 429 under the hood and it’s as complete as classic survivors get. But is it worth $145K?
Yes, this Boss 429 could go for more than $300,000 once restored, but the process will surely swallow more than $100,000. What do you think?