Photo: RM Sotheby's
Any first-generation Ford Mustang is a prized collectible nowadays, but nothing beats a Boss 429. Created to homologate Ford's semi-hemispherical, 7.0-liter V8 for NASCAR, the Boss 429 was a limited-edition competitor for the equally rare Hemi-powered Mopars.
Ford built only 1,359 of them for 1969 and 1970. Some were used as drag racers and were subsequently crashed, so they're hard to come by these days. As a result, low-mileage, well-maintained examples are quite expensive and fetch in excess of $300,000. Barn find-type 429s aren't exactly cheap either. A 1969 model with missing parts and an engine is estimated to go under the hammer for more than $60,000.
The example listed by RM Sotheby's for its "Open Roads" online event is an authentic barn find. One of 859 Boss 429s produced for 1969, it's been stored for 30 years in a barn, and it's missing key drivetrain components. The prized 7.0-liter V8 is gone, as is the transmission and some of the rear end.
The car was delivered in February 1969 in a Raven Black exterior. It featured a four-speed manual gearbox and a 3.91:1 Traction-Lok rear axle. It also included options like a front air spoiler, trunk-mounted battery, visibility group, power front brakes, and a competition suspension. It was a fully-loaded 'Stang.
So what happened to it? Well, this 429 hasn't succumbed to a drag racing crash, but the engine was taken out of the car sometime in the late 1980s for a rebuild. It turns out that the shop commissioned to rebuild the precious V8 went out of business, and the owner was unable to recover the engine.
Needless to say, a Boss 429 body without the engine is no longer a proper 429, but it's a good starting point for a restoration or even a restomod project. Original 429 V8 engines are probably hard to find right now, but it's not an impossible task with the proper financial resources. A period-correct gearbox and rear end should be a bit easier to find.
The description says the car comes with a range of "assorted parts," so it might not be as incomplete as the photos suggest. And despite all the dust and some rust, this Boss 429 is a decent time capsule that could be brought back to life in no time. Hopefully, we'll see it under the hammer in a few years as a fully restored, mint-condition pony.
The example listed by RM Sotheby's for its "Open Roads" online event is an authentic barn find. One of 859 Boss 429s produced for 1969, it's been stored for 30 years in a barn, and it's missing key drivetrain components. The prized 7.0-liter V8 is gone, as is the transmission and some of the rear end.
The car was delivered in February 1969 in a Raven Black exterior. It featured a four-speed manual gearbox and a 3.91:1 Traction-Lok rear axle. It also included options like a front air spoiler, trunk-mounted battery, visibility group, power front brakes, and a competition suspension. It was a fully-loaded 'Stang.
So what happened to it? Well, this 429 hasn't succumbed to a drag racing crash, but the engine was taken out of the car sometime in the late 1980s for a rebuild. It turns out that the shop commissioned to rebuild the precious V8 went out of business, and the owner was unable to recover the engine.
Needless to say, a Boss 429 body without the engine is no longer a proper 429, but it's a good starting point for a restoration or even a restomod project. Original 429 V8 engines are probably hard to find right now, but it's not an impossible task with the proper financial resources. A period-correct gearbox and rear end should be a bit easier to find.
The description says the car comes with a range of "assorted parts," so it might not be as incomplete as the photos suggest. And despite all the dust and some rust, this Boss 429 is a decent time capsule that could be brought back to life in no time. Hopefully, we'll see it under the hammer in a few years as a fully restored, mint-condition pony.
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