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Some of the most powerful, best handling, most collectible Ford Mustangs to ever come out of Detroit have all worn the “Boss” moniker. Built for Trans Am and NASCAR homologation purposes, you could go to your Ford Dealer and purchase a Boss 302 or Boss 429 in 1969 and 1970. In 1971 you could purchase a Boss 351. All of these machines featured tons of modifications intended for the race track, making them monsters on the street.
The smaller-displacement version of the Boss Mustang was available in all three years of early Boss production. The 1969 and 1970 got the high-revving Boss 302 engine, while 1971 received an upgraded Boss 351 engine. Lots G193, F3.6, and T199 are three excellent examples of the small-block Boss lineup. Each is a different shade of yellow.
Is a big-cube Mustang more your speed? How about the legendary Boss 429. The "semi-hemi" 429 engine was built for NASCAR competition to compete with Mopar’s 426ci HEMI. Rated conservatively at 375 horsepower, it was a monster on the street. Only 857 Boss 429s were built in 1969, followed by 499 in 1970, making them the rarest of all Boss Mustangs. Lot KK178 and KK1886 are two nice examples of original Boss 429s, while lot S263 is a cool example of a Boss 429 in as-raced trim. Known as The Orange Blossom III, the car was converted to race duty from street trim in 1970.
At the 2018 Mecum Kissimmee Collector Car Auction, there are over a half dozen chances to take one of these rare Boss Mustangs home with you for your collection. The 302s, 351s, and 429s are all represented in the auction. Take a look at all the awesome Boss options below! Which one would you take home with you?
You can check out these cars and many more going across the blocks at this year auction here.
The 1971 Boss 351 is probably the most underrated of all the Boss Mustangs. Numerous magazine tests from years ago back up the fact that the Boss 351 was the fastest of all the Boss Mustangs in the quarter mile. In fact, the car had no trouble out-running many larger 400-plus-cube muscle cars of the era from Chevy and Mopar. Often overlooked due to the lack of popularity of the 1971 to 1973 Mustang, these cars are finally coming on strong in price and getting the respect they deserve in the Mustang world. Both of these Boss 351s above feature low mileage. The red Boss, Lot F114, advertises just over 17,000 miles on the odometer. The orange Boss, Lot F145.1 boasts an even lower number on the odometer with only 823 miles. Both cars should finish strong at the auction and are both predicted by Mecum to go in the triple-digit range.
Still can’t find the right Mustang for you after all of those? How about a Mustang in Cougar clothing? The Boss 302 powerplant could be ordered via Mercury in a Cougar Boss 203 Eliminator. It made the Mustang’s cousin a very nice performer in its own right. Lot F282 and lot F145 are two nice examples of the Boss Cougar. The yellow Cougar was one of just five as optioned, one of those options being the rare Drag Pack option with included a Detroit-Locker 4.30 rear differential.
