Red w/Black interior, 429/375hp, 4-spd. manual transmission.

By 1969, the “muscle car wars” were at a fever pitch. And the amount muscle available from the Big Three, as well as American Motors was staggering and often confusing! Each was trying to outdo the other when it came to cubic inches and horsepower. Along with the huge amount of small block engines in the offing, there were also a number of big blocks. Chevy had its 427, Dodge had its 426 Hemi and Ford had its 429. And within those choices were versions that went from (somewhat) mild to all-out WILD! Street cars to track cars. Single carb to multi-carb set ups. Hydraulic lifters to mechanical lifters. Points ignition systems to transistorized ignition systems. You could walk into your local car dealer and order just about anything your imagination (and wallet) could handle!

As we all know, from its inception, the Ford Mustang was and is a legendary car. There were so many versions available over the years to satisfy every taste and level of performance. And there were certainly some unique and unusual models built.

The Boss 429 was considered by many enthusiasts to be the ultimate Mustang. In an era where “more was more”, the Boss 429 stood above the rest. The engine that motivated this beast was a 429ci NASCAR semi-hemi. It was never really meant for street use. It was really meant to be more of a testbed for the newly designed engine. So, the ’69 and ’70 Mustang was chosen as the vehicle to get it done.

All Boss 429s were shipped to Kar Kraft in Brighton, Michigan, where they were further prepared prior to distribution. Most of the Boss ‘nine’s performance modifications were completed in-house, by Kar Kraft. And because Ford wouldn’t ship the cars without an engine, they all arrived at Kar Kraft’s facility with standard 428 Cobra Jet powerplants under the hood.

Once there, the 428 engines were removed, and the real work began! Kar Kraft also redesigned the Boss 429’s shock towers, moving them 1” forward from their stock position. The specialty Mustang’s A-arms were also lowered by a distance of 1”. All 429s were then fitted with heavy-duty shocks, robust front and rear sway bars, and high-performance power front disc brakes.

The Boss’ 429 cubic-inch V8 was nothing short of fire-breathing. This big-block featured a forged steel crankshaft, 4-bolt mains, and staggered valve aluminum heads that topped semi-hemispherical combustion chambers.

This powerplant was also fitted with an aluminum high-riser intake and a 735-cfm Holley four-barrel carburetor with ram-air. Also included were a set of free-flowing header-style exhaust manifolds.

The Boss 429 was rated at 375hp/450 lb-ft of torque. But as was often the case, it’s believed the engine actually put out in excess of 400hp in street trim.

The engines were mated up to a Ford Toploader four-speed, close ratio transmission. Also featured was a traction-lock differential with a rear gear ratio of 3.90:1.

While there’s no question the Boss 429 achieved legendary status among collectors over the decades, the fact was that back when these cars were new many couldn’t figure out exactly what they were. So, as a result, only 857 units were sold. Making it one of the rarest Mustangs ever built and one of the most desirable and collectible muscle cars of any kind!

Which leads us to the rare example featured here . . .

All Boss 429’s are rare, but what you are looking at here is even rarer! It’s the very first Candy Apple Red 429 built!  It’s also one of the first 50 hand-built prototypes and the 23rd car ever offered for sale to the public!

The car has undergone a complete rotisserie restoration, which was completed in ’09 and is heavily documented. Including, the original Built Sheet, Window Sticker, Marti Report, manufacture letters, restoration photos and more . . .

• The first Candy Apple Red Boss 429 Built and Sold
• KK #1238, the 38th Boss 429
• One of the first 50 hand-built prototypes
• Early 820-S NASCAR engine
• Complete ownership history
• Original build sheet
• Rotisserie restoration completed in 2009 by Randy Roberts of Muscle Car Restorations, Inc
• Final detailed markings by Boss expert, Ed Meyer
• Listed in and verified by the New Mustang Boss Registry
• The first 15 were test cars so this the 23rd car offered to the public.

So, if one of the best and most heavily documented Boss 429’s in existence is on your wish list, look no further!