No Ordinary Stang: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
To give it an edge in SCCA competition, Ford built the Mustang Boss 302 in 1969 and 1970. It was designed to conform to series requirements which limited the displacement of engines to 305 cubic inches. The 302 in this Mustang is quite different from the usual “street” 302 found in other Fords of the day and production numbers were limited to 1,628 copies in ’69 and 7,013 in ’70. Located in Hays, Kansas, this Grabber Yellow Ford is in sweet shape and available here on craigslist for $55,900. Thanks to Sam A for this awesome tip!
The Boss 302 was the little brother of the Boss 429 that Ford also built during the same time frame. It was developed in part to help boost Mustang sales which had slipped every year since 1966 when competition entered the “pony car” field. The 302 in the Boss differed greatly from the regular 302, with all the changes designed to extract more horsepower and torque out of the small-block V8. So, with the souped-up engine and suspension upgrades, the Boss 302 was ready for the SCCA Trans Am circuit.
Not only did the Boss 302 perform like a “boss” (290 hp under the hood!), but it also looked like one, too. It carried reflective “c-stripes” and fake air scoops in the rear quarter panels (but not on the seller’s car). Add to that a rear window shade and blacked-out hood and the car looked like it really meant business. The Idea for the car’s name was a nod to then-Ford president Bunkie Knudson who had signed off on the project. A Boss 302 won the Trans Am championship in 1970.
We’re told this Boss 302 has received one repaint and – at 57,000 miles – we assume the vehicle is numbers matching, although that’s not stated. The Ford comes with a 4-speed close-ratio manual transmission, traction-lock differential, power steering and brakes, and Magnum 500 wheels. It also comes with a Marti Report indicating that it’s one of the two-thirds of the Boss 302 ordered in this paint color in 1970.
As you might expect, we’re told the Mustang performs flawlessly, due in part to a lot of recent work. Those efforts include a new exhaust, carburetor, and power steering pump. The interior is original and presents well for the most part and all the sheet metal is from the day of production. It’s had two prior owners and documentation from those periods will come with the car. Decoding the VIN doesn’t result in any surprises. The seller indicates this is not a brand-new vehicle, which implies driver quality, and has priced it as such (we’re told). There is no wiggle room on the ask.
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Comments
Sweet ride, sits great, not the cleanest engine. Posted 23 days ago.
Classic Ford performance right here. Won’t be disappointed. 🏁
That 4728 Mustangs painted Grabber Yellow is across all Mustang Sportsroof models, not just the Boss 302.
327 is my favorite Chev motor. I can see the light weight Nova having little problem with the Biss 302 or the Z28. Both don’t make serious power until higher in the RPM range. I’m sure both would make easy work of the Nova on a road course since they were built for that and not drag races.
Really like a Nova especially with the 327. Great combo!
327 is my favorite Chev motor. I can see the light weight Nova having little problem with the Boss 302 or the Z28. Both don’t make serious power until higher in the RPM range. I’m sure both would make easy work of the Nova on a road course since they were built for that and not drag races.
Really like a Nova especially with the 327. Great combo!
Back in my drag racing days I never had àny trouble smoking these Boss 302s with my 68 Nova 327 275hp 4spd
So what ?
These were built for road racing. I suspect your Nova would have its hands full if there were bends in the track. Horses for courses.
Woody….And your point? How’s it feel to be one of the really cool dudes?
Nice car. I have a yellow one in my back yard. It’s well known as the rustiest Boss around. Twenty years ago rust would affect a Boss’s value. Now, resto people replace so much of the car that they’re pretty much working around a Vin. That Boss restoration guy in central Pennsylvania replaces the whole body except for the roof, then sells them at Barret Jackson as original restored Boss’s.
I think for that kinda of money I would have pulled the engine and detailed the engine bay and painted the engine. Hopefully he has the original carburetor to go with it also
Not to mention rev-limiter and smog!
“It carried reflective “c-stripes” and fake air scoops in the rear quarter panels (but not on the seller’s car)”
Quarter panel scopes where never on Boss 302’s and “C” stripes only on 69’s.
Both the 1969 Boss 302 and Boss 429 were built without the rear quarter scoops. All other Mustang fastbacks, including the Mach 1 had them, even the base 6 cylinder 3 speed car. The scoops were eliminated completely in 1970.
FYI
The only Mustang in 1969 without the rear quarter panel side scoops was the Boss 302. This was to homologate the body for the Trans Am series. The Boss 429 in ’69 had the fake scoops like all the 1969 fastback model Mustangs.
69 Boss 429’s had the side scoops. 69 Boss 302’s were the only 69 fastbacks to not have them.
Correction, the Boss 429’s had them. Hard to remember, I was 17 in 1969. Was lucky enough to have a 69 Boss 302 around 1971, another that got away!
Not a Drag racer, a very well handling road car with a bulletproof solid cam high winding engine.
1970 Trans Am winner, not an Drag strip tribute.
This one needs a big underhood cleanup.
Paint the air cleaner and replace the radiator cap.
That’ll make her go faster!
MY 69 fast back 351 Cleveland was puttin 800 to the ground after $45k . I had those $$$ from my CIA UDT DAYS.
Huh??
Great.
Fantasy living is still here.
How ya doin BUD?
Stolen Valor much?
Don’t be so sarcastic guys… A K&N Air filter & window sticker is easily worth 100hp
Interesting the Marti report doesn’t indicate power brakes but, the seller does?
These 302s were well known for spinning their main bearings
You can see that this car does have power brakes by the engine photo, you can see the power booster in that photo. Plus it has the PB, for Power Brake, callout on the buck tag. As I recall when the Boss 302 engine was ordered the power brakes were a part of that engine package.
In what universe ??
Like the Shaker hood :-)
Looks pretty original, could use a good detailing. I like the 4 speed, it makes for a better driving experience. $55K seems high, but ’67-70 Mustangs appear to hold their value in the classic car market. I wouldn’t mind parking one of these Mustangs in the garage next to my Corvette, great looking car.
Looks grabber orange to me
I think the price is totally fair.
I have a matching number GG project painted grabber orange too!
I think most everyone identifies these with The Parnelli Jones and George Follmer cars so they get painted orange uuuggg
All else aside, it’s somethin’ to sit back & realize that muscle cars back then, bought loaded & new ,could be had for about $3800. That was a lot of $$$ back then; perhaps just a decent down payment these days. At any rate, the avg price for this car, a street rider is just over 38k. So a bit overpriced. Finally the 69 Shelby was the actual car w/302 that was supposed to be Ford’s entry into the Trans Am series. But words between Ford’s boss Bunkie Knudson & Carroll Shelby ended that. In fact, Shelby resigned.
Try and find a running driving actual Boss 302 for 38K, not gonna happen
Yeah it will.. just gotta wait and watch. Show concourse cars nope. But they do pop up and with the money they are commanding today (fools and money like a hooker and her legs are soon parted)
Where is the Rev limiter ?
They can be found reasonable enough, found a 1970 Boss 302 in Carlsbad NM about 4 years ago. Grabber yellow and black, needed carb work but ran. Guy took 26k, I paid him in solid greenbacks. He wanted 34k and made the comment I was just a tire kicker, I offered the 26k in CASH. Shut him up and shot him down. They are out there.
I do enjoy the story tellers here-
It’s a true story, your just jealous it wasn’t you that made the deal I did.
I wish we could post pics here
As you state it was a deal if it happened
Not jealous just know you would have a challenge doing it again as i think there is less than 4k known to exist
According to the registry
The repaint is ‘K’ code gold, which was available on ‘70 Mustangs. A rarely ordered but classy shade.
59 Poncho, it was a miracle I fell into that deal. And probably will never happen again. It would be nice if we could post pics, so I could show the condition. It needed some work in the usual areas but was overall a nice survivor.