Mustang built the Boss 302 Mustang as a road-racer, but the high-strung 302 cid V8 made a potent drag-racing machine as well. This particular 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 went the latter route, accumulating a measly 4200 miles in 1320 foot increments as a weekend drag car promoting a local Ford dealer. Located in Mount Hope, West Virginia, this project car emerged after 30 years of mostly indoor storage looking for a new owner here on eBay. Simply click “Buy it Now” and it’s yours — for $36,000.
When I owned a powder coating company, we coated nearly everything under the hood of my best customer’s ’70 Boss 302. Despite his intention to fix it up and thrash it, a series of comments that he “had to” restore it to museum quality eventually wore him down and it now sits in a heat-and-humidity-controlled trailer most of the time. I tell that story because maybe this one doesn’t need to be completely restored, at least not right away.
The Hurst T-handle shifter on this specimen of the manual-transmission-only Boss 302 further validates this car’s drag-racing past; most road-racers would prefer a meaty spherical knob. The Boss 302 featured heavy-duty springs, staggered rear shocks, and a beefy front sway bar. The front wheels look like original-type Magnum 500s and the rears wear the classic aftermarket Cragar S/S and fatter-than-stock meats. Thanks to blog.cjponyparts.com for some details.
Here’s where the disappointment normally begins as we recount that the original Boss-specific motor is long-gone. But not today! This car’s engine not only comes with the car, it’s been completely rebuilt.
The original Boss-specific cast exhaust manifolds are missing, so figure an additional $1000 or more for those. Ford rated the Cleveland-head-based Boss 302 as making 290 HP at 5,800 rpm and 290 lb-ft of torque, and those numbers are pure fiction. Factory racing Boss 302s made as much as 470 horsepower, and a www.mustangandfords.com dyno shootout yielded 374 HP at 6,700 RPM. Sometime before 6700, my 1989 Mustang’s 302 would probably explode in spectacular fashion. The seller’s excellent listing describes a car that may not be 100% complete, but certainly offers a better starting point than a typical rust-belt car that’s been picked over by scavengers. Any buyer will validate this car’s provenance. However, assuming it’s real, should it be refurbished and driven or immediately restored?
great Find!
but thing I have heard about these is they are expensive to buy and to get parts for. so have allot of money to start if you want to finish.
With the scarcity of these bosses, wonder if the 36k price is valid? Sad to see a beauty like this in such bad shape; hopefully someone will bring it back!!
From the condition of it, $3600.00 should be the buy it now price.
$3,600??……..i wish!
Good price
Yea, for the cash your gonna sink into this, just buy a modern 5.0…wayyyy less headache.
Car prices have gone plum crazy.
I like it.
When I was looking for my first Mustang around 1990 (I was about 20 then) a Mustang publication at the time said to “buy yourself a Boss now while they can still be had for $10K”
Unfortunately, (or fortunately for the car) I didn’t have $10K at that age.
Yes muscle car prices have gone crazy but that’s because of the law of supply and demand. Wrecking yards are disappearing at a rapid pace. Less popular makes and models are tough to find parts for. As well, many are transitioning from hobby cars to investment status. That has been going on for a long time but the pace is picking up as the best candidates are gobbled up.
This hobby is one of those where if you choose properly you have a direct hand in building your own net worth in a fashion not possible in many other venues. So people are making the effort to resurrect as many old cars as they can find. It’s all money in the bank if you choose correctly. This Mustang is one of those cars. Whatever it takes to finish, that will be done for this more than worthy example with a glorious history to boot.
EXACTLY WHY… when I closed my salvage yard in 2010… 1930s-70s only.. I processed and culled all the Danchuk and Dennis Carpenter, along with all the sheet metal Good mark and a few more repop… I scrapped everything these people ruined AMERICAN auto history with. I am sitting on the stuff NOBODY repops.. I have made my dues in silence..this car is a jewel. And I hope that who ever buys it.. does not put Chinese “kitchen sink” recycled parts on it.
To have only accrued “4,200” miles, via the dragstrip, a stint of “sitting outside for a bit”, followed by a 30 year indoor storage, this car had to have been rode EXTREMELY hard and put away VERY wet! The rust through, and level of underbody corrison etc. & needed metal replacement indicate a hard life on salted (NON-dragstrip) roads (IMO).
So why all the damage with low miles!
Was it used to pull coal out of a mine shaft ?
Even if parked under a tree the interior should look better at those miles
I think the story doesn’t fit the car.
Let me try a better one 👍
1970 boss 302 stolen new from dealership was
Found recently in the Hollars of
West Virginia under a thicket of trees in a sinkhole. The elements and rain had taken effect on the car 🔥
Moparmann and Classic Steel…..THANK YOU !!!! I too call BS on the 4200 miles. Come on…..really….do you think that people are that stupid? And if you have the 4200 miles fully documented & bullet proof…..whoever has owned this car is the stupid one.
Maybe the drag strip they raced at was only open in the winter and they had to lay the salt down heavy to get rid of the ice…….no, probably not.
There is NO WAY the rust and corrosion is from 1/4 mile at a time. Maybe 4200 miles of the 104200 miles on the car. Maybe 204200.
Or they changed the speedometer. That is easy enough to do.
Agree!
I called “BS” when I saw the 1st picture.
…& this was only confirmed repeatedly by the latter pics!
NO WAY that this car has only 4200 miles on it!!
I see a TON of road salt damage.
Maybe 104200? …or 204200?
…
…UNLESS that drag strip was on a dry salt lake bed!! :-O
15,000 miles a year x 47 years easy 705,000 miles:)
Tough call. At least it has all of the right paperwork, but $36,000 with a replacement engine??. I’ll let the Ford guys and gals mull this over and enjoy reading their comments.
Sorry, I don’t buy the 4,200 mile claim! Remember, these cars only have 5 digit odometers! Does anyone else agree? 104k looks more accurate. How do you rust out lower quarter panels, fender pockets and underbody in 4,200 miles? Why would you need to bore/rebuild the motor IF it had only 4,200 miles?? Despite the stupid low mile claim, I’d love to have the car but not at $36k! $15 to $20k is probably more in line.
I think you and I were blowing a fuse over the mileage at the same time !!! Yes & Amen…I agree.
I agree. This is the worst 4000 mile car I’ve seen (ever?). Maybe 4000 miles run in 6″ of salt water.
Aside from that hard-to-believe mileage claim, I love it and would restore it to driver-condition. Mid 20’s would be my fair in my opinion.
Update: Last 3 items this guy sold, (all Mustangs), negative feedback…not as advertised.
4,200 Miles?
Looks like they left a coupla’ zeros off that mileage total.
I could be wrong, but I’m not sure that I buy all the claims for this 302. Trying to be polite here….
The VIN is a series of “XXXXXX”s, so at the very least you would need to go to the car, view the VIN plate, verify for yourself that it is original, and then verify what the seller says that the Marti report says…..before you bid.
Next you would want to verify the seller’s claim for only 4K miles on an almost 50-year-old car. It might be best to verify that the seller has some documentation to prove that mileage claim first, before you make the trip. Best to get scans of whatever the documentation is before you put out $$$ to do any traveling.
As for the ‘Original Grabber Blue paint’, that’s worth something for the valuation of a rare car like this, but not much unless you plan to keep what’s left of the old paint and the rust for rat rod value. Otherwise plan on bringing the car to bare metal, fixing all the rust, followed by new paint.
Unless I missed it, there’s no claim that the engine that’s shown and described is the original, so best to assume it isn’t unless proven otherwise.
The SCM Guide says these have sold recently at auction in very good / excellent condition for a median price of $71,500, so calculate whether you can get there from here for the difference between $71.5K and $36K. I don’t think I could.
Agree, and even though seller says the VIN number on the block is the same as the Marti report VIN doesn’t mean much given the fact that it is pretty easy to stamp a block with some numbers. A close inspection of the block and actual stamped numbers and surrounding area would be advised. I also don’t think a motor of any sort has not been connected to the trans recently. Take a look inside the open trans–lots of rust and a couple of inches of soil buildup. So, my guess is a body was found w/o a motor and then a 302 sourced and made to “fit”. But of course this is just speculation.
4207 miles ??? I think she has been around the clock or odometer a few times?
Must have been used in Winter only drag racing with the strip well salted to keep the ice down.
Sounds like a Richard Rawlings kinda deal. GYSOT
Where would he fly into?
I will debunk the 4,200 miles. Look at the wear on the right shock tower from the rubbing of the starter solenoid/voltage regulator wire. Rubbed on there for so long it went through the paint and coating to bare metal… hence the rust in that area exactly where the wire was rubbing. I have seen that before on high mileage mustangs. Also all the gunk inside thee bell housing and many other tell-tale signs. Plenty of salt and moisture “kick up” at the rear quarter. if it were a drag only or limited use, doubt it would have been driving in the VA snow and salt to the point of taking out the quarter panels.
I think the seller is fishing.
The body requires’ Fish Oil’ that’s fer shure!
Wow I’m not a Ford lover, but the boss was one that stood out to me,but 36000 is way to much the condition of it makes me think the miles aren’t accurate,maybe 104,600.if the original engine was going at 4,600 mile ,good luck with that would rather have a 70 ss Chevelle
Mostly inside for thirty years? Inside what? A fenced in area, at a salt mine? Weather has removed the paint, the floors are rotten, it needs quarters, probably doors and fenders…5 for the motor, and 2 for the rest of the car…7k
Looks more like $3,500.00 It’s going to take the better part of 60 to 70 grand to get it restored. Buddy your dreaming
So it is 47/48 years old, dry storage for about 30, probably generous, that means the engine was pulled and it sat in a field for 15 or so years, thus rough condition.
I buy the 4200 miles. At quarter mile increments that’s only 750 one way trips down the drag strip, or 375 if the return trip is on the odometer. Round it off to 300 with a little joy riding here and there on a Saturday night looking for some side action and it sounds plausible. Obviously it hasn’t been in a climate controlled atmosphere until recently if at all, but the mileage is plausible under those circumstances. That can also account for the engine being refreshed at low miles. Just sayin’
T-handle shifters were standard equipment on all BOSS Mustangs, nothing to do with being a drag racer.
I’ll echo what others have said; something just doesn’t add up here. 30 years inside should show a car with some weathering, but not used up like this one. I’d like to see the pedals from this car – those usually tell the tale of mileage in a way that other parts of the car cannot.
As mentioned, Hurst “T-handle” shifter was factory stock for ’70.
I have nothing to add about the price vs condition that hasn’t already been said, other than…
If $36k is your budget, there are much better examples around. Do your research, be patient, and shop around. ’70 Boss 302 Mustangs aren’t THAT rare, with over 7000 built. There are probably around a dozen on the market at any given time.
This looks like a better option, for less money. Comparable condition.
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/d/1970-boss-302-mustang/6401433910.html
If you have an extra $10-15k to spend ($50k budget), you can get a much better car…
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/d/1970-boss-302-mustang-real/6448605456.html
https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d/1970-mustang-boss-302-shaker/6452625215.html
And a Boss 302 in my favorite flavor…
https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d/1970-mercury-cougar-boss-302/6450210735.html
That eliminator! *drool*
Solid car. Recent owner painted the underside black – probably for preservation. I have pics of it from 2013 that show only surface rust underneath. Missing a few expensive Boss-specific items on the engine, but it has the original VIN-stamped block still.
Previous accident damage on the driver’s rear quarter – probably why it received a repaint. Stripes are painted on now, instead of decals. Interior is all there, but tired.
Excellent documentation. Maybe a touch aggressive on the price, but we’ll have to see how the three other Boss Eliminators do at Mecum and Barrett-Jackson this month ;-)
Here is a link to my list of other Eliminators on the Market;
https://classiccougarcommunity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8760
Let’s see…. red flags. No VIN in listing(absolutely no reason to do that since the VIN is primted on the MARTI document….is it the correct VIN?) 4,200 miles (not a chance). Stored mostly inside (um. hello? Rust.) Original manifolds missing but every other removed part is present (also not a chance). My guess is engine blown at 104k miles. Engine pulled for rebuild and lost. Car parked outside for a decade or two. Owner recently realized this is a valuable car and found a replacement engine but not the manifolds. Owner thinks that since perfect examples go for over $100k, his is worth $36k. This is barely a parts car.
I am constantly looking for cars to buy and constantly find these kinds of “deals”. Never, ever, ever, ever buy somebody else’s abandoned project unless you already have a perfect example of the same vehicle to use as a puzzle box.
“The car wasnt an all out race car, she was just a stock boss that hit the local strip on the weekends”. Can’t make out the rear license plate….is it real and if so, wonder what year it shows?
If the account is indeed true, then once again another case where the owner knew the car was desirable and let it sit and rot.
Someone should buy it and fixit, but not for that ridiculous price
I would never believe low mileage claims unless extensively documented by multiple sources. This one is completely unbelievable.
Really doesn’t look like that bad of a car. Has the typical rust that most mustangs have. Is a shaker car with original paint and deluxe interior. Seller made a mistake of not dropping the motor in and giving it a bath, wax and removing that god awful sticker. If it was cleaned up with the numbers matching motor inside that compartment, people would think this is a decent deal. Some people just don’t know how to sell
Beautiful engine, all top end on this little screamer. Make a driver out of it, somebody, please don’t let this go to waste.
Car won’t go to waste, someone will buy this up and bring it back. Ridiculous price! Two on ebay in a little worse shape for less than half of this price. A 70 boss 302 project just sold on the registry for 39k and it ran!! The seller is trying to hit one out of the park with a broken bat!
This thing will take 20k easy in rare, hard to find parts like carb, dist, manifolds, pulleys, air cleaner, rev limiter, smog set up, radiator, shaker assembly, all boss specific items. This car will require TONS of work and parts sourcing to bring it back. But, once it’s back it will will be glorious!
Oh, and what dealership is going to sponsor a weekend warrior? No dealership name on the car….Never heard of that one. Probably someone just put Ford decals on the door. This guy is overflowing with B.S.
Staff writer, show me a dyno sheet with a 470 HP pull.
With the info available on this car. It’s safe to say your buying a very expensive rebuilt 302 with a mustang body & other misc parts. Do so at your own risk!
I would take anyone who wanted to buy this car to the bank right away before they changed their mind. I would hate to see the bill that Gas Monkey, Misfit Garage, etc. would charge to make this as new in every aspect. Oh well. The Boss is certainly a good conversation item on Barnfind.
Jeez, if you want a factory correct, “as new”, restoration why would you ever consider sending this car to Gas Monkey or Misfit – or any other TV “restoration” shop? Those guys are not the ones to do it.
4200 miles. I think the seller gets high and meant 420 miles.
Even though the engine looks good, the body and interior are thrashed, ever
Heard the saying “Rust Never Sleeps” its wide awake on this car !! if the top
Of the car looks that bad who,s to say what condition the bottom of the car looks
Like rocker panels etc, it would probably take a couple gallon cans of bondo to
Make it work, for the price not really a good value.
Love seeing and talking about the Late 60’s early 70’s Boss Mustangs. I’ve seen a lot of nice ones at shows and cruises around here. This is NOT a good example. Needs much time and big bucks just to get this back to driver status no less show quality. So much rust! Strips in my neck of the woods (Northeast) don’t run on snowy days. But, nice engine!
i hav a 67 q code bird with a dealer installed in 1969 6 pack as per son of 1 owner suicide t bird
AND, if you read further, some of the positive feedbacks are not so positive. Warning flags galore! I’d never buy from this guy.
Gotta call B.S. on this one too ….just does not add up.