1969 Mustang Fastback Boss 429 Clone
1969 Mustang Fastback Boss 429 CloneState: | Florida |
City: | Oviedo |
Address: | 1644 Smithfield Way 1234 |
Zip code: | 32765 |
Make: | Ford |
Model: | Mustang |
Body type: | Sport coupe |
Year: | 1969 |
Mileage: | 0 |
Interior color: | Black |
Exterior color: | Black |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Engine: | 429ci 7.0L Semi-Hemi V8 |
The Boss 429 was a hand-built muscle car intended solely to satisfy the homologating rules of NASCAR. The coupe was longer than previous models and sported convex rather than concave side "lines". Ford also introduced a luxury Grande model equipped with interior wood paneling, a quartz clock, and a 351 cid Windsor engine.
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The Boss 429 (also known as the "Boss 9" by enthusiasts) is arguably one of the rarest and most valued muscle cars to date.[1] In total there were 859 original Boss 429s made. The origin of the Boss 429 comes about as a result of NASCAR. Ford was seeking to develop a Hemi engine that could compete with the famed 426 Hemi from Chrysler in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series (then known as "Grand National Division"). NASCAR's homologation rules required that at least 500 cars be fitted with this motor and sold to the general public. After much consideration, it was decided by Ford that the Mustang would be the car that would house this new engine.
The Boss 429 engine was derived from the Ford 385 engine. It used four bolt mains, a forged steel crank and forged steel connecting rods. The engine featured aluminum cylinder heads, which had a modified Hemi type combustion chamber which Ford called "crescent". These heads used the "dry-deck" method, meaning no head gaskets were used. Each cylinder, oil passage and water passage had an individual "O" ring style seal to seal it tight. The Boss 429 engine used a single Holley four barrel carburetor rated at 735 CFM mounted on an aluminum intake manifold that flowed well for its time. 1969 cars featured a hydraulic lifter camshaft while 1970 models got a mechanical lifter camshaft along with an improved dual exhaust system though rated power output stayed the same.
The Mustang's body however was not wide enough to encompass the massive Boss 429 engine and as a result, Ford hired Kar Kraft out of Brighton, MI to modify existing 428 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet Mach 1 Mustangs to properly fit the new Boss 429 engine. Kar Kraft was contracted by Ford to create the Boss 429, because Ford was stretching itself thin across a number of projects, such as the Boss 302 and its Trans Am version that competed in the SCCA Trans Am Series of races in the same years the Boss 429 was being produced for NASCAR. Kar Kraft at the time was also in the process of creating the Trans-Am Boss 302 as well. Production on the Boss 429 began in 1968 in Brighton, Michigan at Kar-Kraft's factory; the cars were transported to this plant directly from the auto maker's plant, and the work began. Kar Kraft made extensive modifications to the Mustang, including widening the shock towers and extended out the inner fenders to allow this massive engine to fit. The mounts for the front suspension were chopped and displaced to create room for the block and exhaust manifolds.[1] Next the battery was repositioned to the trunk and a stiff 3/4" sway bar was added to rear end to improve handling since the car was now nose heavy. This was the first Mustang ever fitted with a rear sway bar, and it notably handled much better than other big-block Mustangs of the time, making it a very capable track car. It came fitted with an 8,000rpm tachometer, and AM only radio. In addition, a hole was cut in the hood, and a manually controlled hood scoop was added to these cars. Other features included a front spoiler that was shallower than the Boss 302 spoiler, color keyed dual racing mirrors, and an engine oil cooler. It was also equipped with a 3.91 ratio rear axle with a "Traction-Lock" limited slip differential.