History of the Boss 429 Mustang
The Ford Mustang Boss 429 is one of the most iconic and rare muscle cars ever made. It was produced for only two years, from 1969 to 1970, and a very limited number were built. The Boss 429 was created to meet NASCAR’s homologation requirements, which stipulated that at least 500 road-going versions of a race car had to be sold to the public. The Boss 429 was based on the Ford Mustang, but it had a massive V8 engine that was too big for the standard engine bay. To fit the engine, Ford hired Kar Kraft to modify the front fenders, hood, and suspension of the Mustang, and relocate the battery to the trunk. The result was a beast of a car that could produce 375 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. At least on paper.
The Boss 429 was also equipped with a four-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip differential, a competition suspension, power steering, power brakes, and a functional hood scoop. The hood scoop was designed to provide cool air to the engine and enhance its performance. The Boss 429 also had distinctive features such as a front spoiler, dual exhausts, chrome valve covers, and a special decal on the fender that read “Boss 429”.
The Boss 429 was not only a powerful car, but also a rare and expensive one. It cost $4,798 in 1969, which was almost twice as much as a base Mustang. It also came in just five colors: Raven Black, Wimbledon White, Royal Maroon, Candy Apple Red, and Black Jade. Each car had a unique identification number on the driver’s side door and on the dashboard. The identification number consisted of two letters and four digits. The first letter indicated the model year (Z for 1969 and A for 1970), and the second letter indicated the plant where the car was built (K for Kar Kraft). The four digits were the sequential production number of the car.
Boss 429 Mustangs at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
Considered by many muscle car enthusiasts to be the ultimate Mustang and one of the best muscle cars ever built, the Boss 429 has a strong fanbase and continues to command high prices on the market. Barrett-Jackson will offer four examples of the Boss 429 for sale in Scottsdale, two from each model year. All four are numbers-matching cars.
The first Boss 429 that will cross the auction block is this 1969 model year example finished in Black Jade and remained with its first private owner until 2018, meaning this is a two-owner car. It features a working AM radio and comes with its original spare and jack. It includes the original build sheet, warranty card, copy of the sales invoice and a Deluxe Marti Report showing it to have 47,667 original miles. It hits the block on Friday, January 26.
The other three Boss 429s will cross the auction block on Saturday, January 27 at Barrett-Jackson, within a relatively short amount of time. The first of these is a 1970 model year and is finished in Grabber Blue, making it one of only 62 finished in that color with a black interior for the 1970 model year.
The other two Boss 429s are being offered from the Frank Tiegs Collection that consists of these two cars, plus 26 more classic and extremely collectible muscle cars. The first one from the Frank Tiegs Collection is a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 painted Grabber Green, a rare color option that only 43 were finished in. It’s offered with factory paperwork, documentation of prior ownership, and a Marti Report confirming how choice the car is.
The final one to be offered is a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 that’s finished in Black Jade with a black interior. It was the 85th example to leave the Kar Kraft plant and has been fully restored. Included in the sale are the original owner’s manual, owner’s card, original window sticker and a Marti Report. It’s as clean a Boss 429 as we’ve ever witnessed and will be just as tempting as the first one that will cross the block on Friday so bidders should have a chance to regroup if they don’t take home that car before coming back to bid on the next three.