Jun 24, 2021  •  For Sale  •  9 Comments

33k Original Miles: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302

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It is said that racing improves the breed, and the 1970 Mustang Boss 302 would seem to confirm that. Developed for use in the ultra-competitive Trans Am series, the Boss 302 proved to be a giant-killer on the road. Today, spotless examples will generate plenty of excitement when they appear on the market. Our feature car is one such example, and it has a mere 33,000 miles showing on its odometer. It needs a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. The Boss is located in Reno, Nevada, and while the bidding has reached $45,000, this figure is still short of the reserve.

This Boss presents beautifully, but there is one detail that’s worth noting. The owner is including a Marti Report with the vehicle, and this shows that Calypso Coral is not this car’s original color. It seems that when it rolled off the production line just before Christmas in 1969, its panels wore Hugger Orange paint. I have to say that I rather like the current shade, but I would be interested to know what prompted someone to make this change. If the buyer is searching for spotless originality, reversing this would be possible. The Marti Report also indicates that the Sport Slats on the rear window isn’t original, but otherwise, the car remains essentially unchanged. The panels are laser straight, with no blemishes or issues. The paint shines beautifully, and the distinctive hockey-stick stripes are crisp and clean. Rust is always going to be the mortal enemy of the 1st Generation Mustang, but this car is an exception. The owner supplies a wide selection of clear photos, and there’s not a problem to be seen anywhere. The tinted glass appears to be flawless, the chrome and trim are just as impressive, and the original Magnum 500 wheels are wrapped in a set of period-correct Goodyear Polyglas tires.

Lifting the hood of this Mustang reveals what made the Boss such a special vehicle. What the buyer will get for their money is a numbers-matching classic that features the magnificent 302ci “Boss” V8, a 4-speed close-ratio transmission, a 3.50 Traction-Lok rear end, power steering, and power brakes. Ford developed this 302 for motorsport use, and it showed. A regular 302 pumped out 220hp at 4,600rpm, but the Boss screamed its way to 290hp at an incredible 5,800rpm. This was also one of those engines where the ¼-mile ET didn’t tell the full story. The regular 302 would complete the journey in 15.9 seconds, while the Bos could shave that figure to 15.6 seconds. However, if the driver was willing to keep the pedal to the metal, the “mortal” Mustang would run out of breath at 121mph, while the Boss could easily top 133mph. The engine bay presents superbly, with no signs of any leaks or other long-term problems. There’s not much that we can determine beyond that, because the seller isn’t forthcoming with details on how well this classic runs or drives. He indicates an odometer reading of 33,000 miles but doesn’t say whether he holds evidence to document this claim. Hopefully, this is a seller who is willing to answer questions from genuinely interested potential buyers.

When you consider the condition of the rest of this Mustang, it’s no surprise to find that the interior is unmolested and presents beautifully. The upholstered surfaces show no flaws or problems, while the same is true of the dash, pad, carpet, and headliner. The interior looks about as factory-fresh as you could ever hope to find, and there have been no aftermarket additions. There aren’t a lot of optional extras in here, but the gauges on the console and the tachometer with its redline set at 7,000rpm give a hint to this classic’s performance potential. Beyond these, there is a remote driver’s mirror and a pushbutton AM radio. I don’t know about you, but I would probably rarely use the radio. I’d be happy to listen to the music coming from under the hood!

This 1970 Mustang Boss 302 might not be 100% original, but returning it to that state would not be difficult. If the buyer isn’t concerned about the color change, it is a turn-key proposition that is guaranteed to turn heads. It is a beautiful car, and I suspect that the bidding will probably heat up on it fairly soon. I believe that the current figure is well short of the reserve, and an internet search revealed this car listed on another site with a price of $90,000. I feel that its overall condition would justify that price, so it will be interesting to watch this auction to see if the owner gets his money.

Comments

  1. bobhess bobhessMember
    Jun 24, 2021 at 12:45pm

    As nice as they get. The ’69s and ’70s design, bright colors, and something for everyone in engines all made being a car nut a lot more fun.

    Like 9
  2. Jcs
    Jun 24, 2021 at 4:07pm

    Adam, I think that you are referring to the 70 MPH redline on the speedometer.

    The Boss 302 had no indicated redline on the tach but literature suggest 6000 rpm as the reasonable limit, with bursts to 6250 being discouraged, and unnecessary as you are way past the power peak – even at 6000.

    Attempting to use 7000 as the redline regularly will most certainly grenade a stock Boss 302 in very short order.

    Beautiful car.

    Like 10
    • Steve R
      Jun 24, 2021 at 4:50pm

      That’s why Ford Mustang wisely installed rev limiters, set for 6,150 rpm, on all 69-70 Boss 302’s. I read that so few remained with the cars that they were one of the most expensive items to track down when people started restoring them in the 1980’s.

      Steve R

      Like 5
  3. JoeNYWF64
    Jun 24, 2021 at 5:48pm

    Steering wheel belongs in dad’s Torino or LTD
    Otherwise a magnificent lookin car.

    Like 3
  4. Steve Adams
    Jun 24, 2021 at 7:23pm

    I helped a guy pull one out of the garage of a sandblasting company about 7 years ago. 1970, yellow with like 24K on the odometer. Cleaned it up, replaced the headliner and freshened the drivetrain. Drove it as was for a while the sold it.

    Like 0
  5. CATHOUSE
    Jun 24, 2021 at 8:55pm

    The original color of this Boss was Grabber Orange, not Hugger Orange. Hugger Orange was a Chevy color.

    Like 19
  6. Howie Mueler
    Jun 25, 2021 at 10:50am

    Yes very nice!! Check out the other vehicles for sale. I hope it sells.

    Like 0
  7. MikeB
    Jun 25, 2021 at 10:57am

    This was an impressive car in 1970 and it still is.

    Like 2
  8. gaspumpchas
    Jun 25, 2021 at 3:50pm

    You really have to drive one of these to truly appreciate it. Sure presents well.
    Good luck and happy motoring!
    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 0

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