| In 1967 the first big-block Mustang was | | | | design by Kar Kraft. Engineer Matt Donner was |
| introduced, the S-code 390 which was rated at | | | | the man responsible for the excellent Boss 302 |
| 320 hp. This Mustang was not able to compete | | | | chassis, which quickly impressed the critics with |
| with the hot new SS 396 Camaro , so in 1968 | | | | the way it hugged the road. The engine was a |
| the 428 Cobra Jet engine was introduced, giving | | | | Ford 5.0L block with the new 351 Cleveland heads. |
| the Mustang true muscle car status, but then why | | | | The car was originally to be called the Trans Am, |
| stop there? In February 1968 when Bunkie | | | | until Ford found out GM had already licensed the |
| Knudsen arrived in Dearborn he brought with him | | | | name from the SCCA.The Boss 302 was rated at |
| some strong ideas concerning the Mustang. He | | | | 290 HP because insurance companies were |
| believed the popular pony car was a good looking | | | | beginning to penalize the muscle cars by tacking |
| automobile, but that there were a tremendous | | | | on higher charges to any car rated over 300 HP. |
| amount of people out there that wanted a good | | | | Actual horsepower was closer to 350. (These are |
| looking automobile that could perform. He also | | | | Gross HP figures, not Net, as used today). Race |
| knew that the Z/28 Camaro, created with SCCA | | | | versions made 450 HP at over 8,000 RPMs.Boss |
| Trans-Am road racing in mind, could handle and | | | | 302s also ran in Nascar's Grand American (GA) |
| stop as well as it could accelerate. Big block pony | | | | series. The car came with a wide-ratio or |
| cars were faster, but left something to be | | | | close-ratio 4-speed top loader. A 3.50:1 rear gear |
| desired going through the curves with all that | | | | was standard with 3.91 and 4.30 optional. Front |
| weight up front.Bunkie was able to lure several | | | | discs are rear drum brakes and 15-inch wheels |
| GM Design Engineers over to Ford in 1968. One of | | | | were standard. Road tests at the time put 1 |
| them was designer Larry Shinoda, the man who | | | | 4-mile performance in the upper 14-second range. |
| had drawn up the Z/28's sport image in 1967. | | | | However, Super Stock magazine tweaked a '70 |
| Shinoda was tasked with besting a performance | | | | Boss 302 and put slicks on to get a time in the |
| legend that he had helped to create. Shinoda | | | | mid-13s.How did the Boss 302 compare to the |
| contributed the new cars stripes, spoilers and | | | | Chevy Z28? Well it seems that is was very close |
| window slats, as well as its name. Two Boss | | | | indeed. Chevrolet's Trans-Am Camaro took home |
| Mustangs were born in 1969, both originally | | | | the SCCA racing championship in 1969, while |
| developed concurrently by Ford's performance | | | | Ford's Boss 302 put the Mustang back on top in |
| contractor, Kar Kraft Engineering, in Brighton, | | | | 1970. As for street performance, both machines |
| Michigan.The Boss 429 was also built in response | | | | relied on specially built 290 horsepower 302 cubic |
| to Chrysler's 426 Hemi and it's success in Nascar. | | | | inch small block V8's. Performance was so close |
| Ford built a 427 Hemi-headed single overhead cam | | | | as to be a toss-up in most street or track |
| motor first, but it wasn't considered stock enough | | | | encounters.In late 1970 Ford stopped all |
| for the series so along came the "semi-Hemi" | | | | factory-sponsored racing. So regrettably the fun |
| head 429. Kar Kraft was given the task of | | | | had to end ... for now.This article is brought to you |
| wedging a 429 into the Mustang. Quarter-mile | | | | by Dallas Dream Cars ( Your source for exotic |
| times were reported to be in the lower 14s. | | | | car rentals in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. It is |
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| Craft, slightly modified the stock 429 and got a 1 | | | | rentals for a unique and memorable experience |
| 4 mile in the mid 12s. The street cars came from | | | | that will last a lifetime. Perfect for weddings, |
| the factory with a conservative cam and a | | | | birthday's, anniversaries, high school reunions, or |
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