Look all you want, and you’ll not find a Ford Mustang model that is more desirable among collectors than the Boss 429. These incredible machines, made in limited numbers and meant as tools for the Blue Oval to homologate the mighty engine it was planning to use in NASCAR, becomes the star of any auction in America as soon as news of its presence there breaks.
This time, we’ve learned of one being on the list of vehicles going under the hammer at the end of June in Las Vegas, at the hands of auction house Barrett-Jackson.
As most of you know, the Boss 429 was born out of Ford’s need homologate the 429 semi-hemispherical engine for NASCAR racing. Not many of them ended up being made in the two years Bosses rolled off the assembly lines: a little over 850 units in 1969, and 500 of them the following year.
We’re told the one we have here is one of the first 279 cars “produced with the special “S-Code” engines featuring heavier-duty NASCAR-spec connecting rods, beefy ½-inch rod bolts, and cross-drilled forged crankshafts.” And it’s fully restored to its former glory, courtesy of an Oklahoma-based garage called Muscle Car Restoration.
Aside for the correct engine sitting under the hood, the Mustang also comes with other correct elements, including the 4-speed manual transmission that helps control the 429, carburetor and distributor, and trunk-mounted battery.
Barrett-Jackson is selling this thing, wrapped in Royal Maroon, with no reserve, and makes no mention of how much it expects to fetch for it. For reference though, keep in mind that 429s were in their day the most expensive non-Shelby Mustangs available.
Back then, they went for under $5,000, which is about $40,000 today. When selling at auction in our time, these cars often go for ten times the adjusted-for-inflation amount.
As most of you know, the Boss 429 was born out of Ford’s need homologate the 429 semi-hemispherical engine for NASCAR racing. Not many of them ended up being made in the two years Bosses rolled off the assembly lines: a little over 850 units in 1969, and 500 of them the following year.
We’re told the one we have here is one of the first 279 cars “produced with the special “S-Code” engines featuring heavier-duty NASCAR-spec connecting rods, beefy ½-inch rod bolts, and cross-drilled forged crankshafts.” And it’s fully restored to its former glory, courtesy of an Oklahoma-based garage called Muscle Car Restoration.
Aside for the correct engine sitting under the hood, the Mustang also comes with other correct elements, including the 4-speed manual transmission that helps control the 429, carburetor and distributor, and trunk-mounted battery.
Barrett-Jackson is selling this thing, wrapped in Royal Maroon, with no reserve, and makes no mention of how much it expects to fetch for it. For reference though, keep in mind that 429s were in their day the most expensive non-Shelby Mustangs available.
Back then, they went for under $5,000, which is about $40,000 today. When selling at auction in our time, these cars often go for ten times the adjusted-for-inflation amount.