1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Fastback

Knowledge of a collector car’s original owner is an importance piece of the pedigree pie. In the case of this 1969 Boss 302 Mustang, the ownership history gets more interesting because the yellow fastback was originally acquired by Chrysler Corporation purportedly to use for evaluation to aid with the development of the Plymouth AAR Cuda and Dodge Challenger T/A, both scheduled for 1970 introduction. With the Trans-Am pony car wars heating up, Chrysler needed an answer—both on the track and street—to Ford’s Boss 302 and Chevrolet’s Camaro Z28. On May 19, 1969, Chrysler took delivery of a Boss 302 from Ed Schmid Ford in Ferndale, Michigan; that Boss, 9F02G187360, was well-optioned with a rear spoiler, rear window “sport” slats, 3.50 Traction-Lok differential, power steering, a rim-blow steering wheel and a tachometer instrument panel.

As a packaged model in its first year of production, the 1969 Boss 302 came with everything needed to inject improved handling into the small-block Mustang muscle car by including the Special Handling suspension with heavy-duty springs and shocks, 15-inch Magnum 500 wheels, wide F60 Goodyear Polyglas tires, a larger front sway bar and staggered rear shock mounting. For Trans-Am competition, the special model also homologated a unique Boss 302 engine boasting 290 HP from a 4-bolt main Windsor block, Cleveland 4–barrel heads, a solid-lifter cam and a Holley 4-barrel carburetor on an aluminum intake. Ford’s beefy Toploader 4-speed manual transmission and 9-inch rear axle were standard. Externally, the Boss 302s were identified by their Larry Shinoda-designed side C-stripes, black-out hood and rear deck, and front spoiler.