How the 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Gave Us the Iconic Modern Pony Car

In 1969, the publication Car and Driver ran a review of that year’s Mustang Boss 302, stating: “Ford‘s answer to the Z/28 rates an A. It’s easily the best Mustang yet—and that includes all the Shelbys and Mach 1s.” The Z-car referred to, of course, was Chevy’s Camaro Z/28 hot rod, a calculated response to Ford’s entry into the recently formed Trans-Am Series in motorsport. In addition to the presence of Ford’s Mustang, the starting grid comprised such muscle cars as Mercury’s Cougar, GM’s Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, Chrysler’s Plymouth Barracuda, and American Motors’ Javelin.

The racing series had under- and over-2.0-liter classes, with all of the V-8-powered American iron running in the latter, which allowed displacements of up to 5.0 liters. Those were exciting times, on the track and in the showrooms, as each brand had a premium, competition-inspired model from which the racers had originated from. Mustang’s Boss won the Trans-Am championship in 1970—with Parnelli Jones at the wheel—powered by the Bud Moore racing team, further reinforcing the legacy of Ford’s iconic pony car, established with Carroll Shelby’s domination of the SCCA B Production class by the Shelby G.T.350 in 1965.

That so-called first-generation Mustang was built from 1965 (mid-1964, actually) through 1973, a not-altogether rational taxonomy, given that four distinct cars came out of that period (1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-70, and 1971-73). By 1969, the Mustang really bared its fangs, and the Boss 302 (along with the ultrarare Boss 429, built for NASCAR competition) did it best. Produced only for the 1969 and 1970 model years, neither Boss was common, with just 8,641 and 1,359 made, respectively, in that period.

The Boss 302 owed its moniker to the 302 ci (4.9-liter) V-8 that grew from Ford’s famously successful 289 ci V-8. The mill in the Boss 302, though, was exclusive to that model variant, and differed substantially from the 302 ci V-8 used in a broader range of Ford models. Known as the “G Code,” the engine made about 290 hp in showroom-stock form.

The Boss, which had a base MSRP of $3,720 in 1970, came with track-oriented equipment, such as a four-speed manual transmission, front and rear spoilers, front disc brakes, and heavy-duty sway bars. The car’s aggressive styling was by designer Larry Shinoda, then-recently recruited by Ford president “Bunkie” Knudsen from General Motors. The overall design still looks unequivocally modern today. Notable in Shinoda’s vision for a showroom success were optional rear window slats, a la Lamborghini’s Miura, and a blackout “shaker” hood. The 1970 models added “hockey-stick” side stripes and vents on the outer edge of the front end, moving the headlamps slightly inboard.

Most would-be Boss 302 buyers will be looking for authentic, no-stories examples with a matching-numbers engine, which range from $60,000 for a car in good condition to as much as $130,000 for a concours queen. For other collectors, the spirit of the Mustang Boss can be captured by less rarified models, such as the Sportsroof (powered by a 351 ci V-8). For the latter, examples in excellent condition are available for under $30,000.

The net effect is the same: experiencing the look, feel, sound, and even smell of a bygone era when the Mustang was the car to beat. Whichever 1969 through 1970 Mustang you choose, it will offer a connection to an exciting era of motoring and motorsport—one viscerally resurrected when you’re behind the wheel of a car that was there to make great stories from the very start.

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Click here for more photos of this 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Fastback.