This Ford Mustang, among many variants that have come and gone over the years, is known in autophile circles as the biggest and baddest of them all. The legendary Mustang carries weight and prestige with enthusiasts for its style and aura. The Mustang remains a cultural icon, perfectly capturing the American spirit and demand for big, loud and powerful cars. It was first introduced in 1969 for the aim of Nascar domination, drawing thousands of fan’s attention.
These people came because of its captivating style, and stayed for it’s road tearing power. Its this combination of style and power that bottle the American spirit, mirroring their self perception.
The 1969 Boss 429 was conceived in response to the Nascar supremacy of Chrysler and Corvette. Ford created this car to compete with these powerhouses but unfortunately fans were disappointed with the results as the 429 did not meet race expectations. Nonetheless, it still remains a car that leaves aficionados mesmerised. And to the delight of many, Nascar’s homologation rules meant that Ford were required to produce 500 of them which the same engine to be sold to the public.
The Boss 429 remains as one of the most valued and exclusive muscle cars ever made. Only 1300 were ever produced and in 2016, a 1969 restored 429 sold for $500,000 at a Florida auction. The value of this car somehow creates a dilemma as it is a truly desirable vehicle to drive, but at that cost who would want to truly push it to its intended purpose and potential.
“The car also has very small side mirrors which decrease visibility but make no mistake, this car was built not to look back.”
Mustang features
Among the special variations of this Mustang edition, was its extremely cool looking hood scoop which gave it a striking aggressiveness. Previous models had them but this one was much bigger making it stood out, and unlike similar hoods in other cars that are decorative, this scoop was actually functional.
The pointed grill had an in your face angle making it look as if it is staring right at you. The chrome bumpers are wrapped around the front and rear ends, complemented by a smooth and functional front spoiler, keeping the wheels stapled to the ground as it feels like it wants to take off into the sky. The car also has very small side mirrors which decrease visibility but make no mistake, this car was built not to look back.
The ’69’ Mustang’s scoop only came with colour matching it’s body. The colours came in Raven Black, Wimbledon White, Royal Maroon, Candy Apple Red and Black Jade. The ’70’ Mustang scoops however, only came in black, not matching the stick colours which came in Grabber Orange, Grabber Green, Grabber Blue, Calypso Coral and Patel Blue.
The 429’s could not be fitted with air conditioning and the battery had to be fitted in the trunk as the engines were reportedly too big. This made for less trunk space for luggage. But then, the entire purpose of this car was literally built around the concept of its engine. That said, the interior had a classy feel with its rich wooden dash finish and steering wheel. This car was fitted with sports style seats made from comfortable genuine leather. The wooden dash had 4 dials whilst the passenger had a circular clock in the centre of the dash.
Starting up the car is an exhilarating experience as the malevolent sound from the engine can cripple ears. Meanwhile, the ferociousness of it’s muscle engine vibrates the whole car, and the driver too of course. The 375 horsepower V8 engine wrapped in its 1700kg all up weight turns heads wherever it goes. The Boss 429 is a true muscle car.
