By 1970, everyone except undersea creatures and Soviet prisoners knew an American horsepower war invaded nearly every market segment in the land of the Stars and Stripes. Different racing series inspired different fans, and the Boss 302 Mustang became Ford’s weapon for would-be Trans Am road racing warriors. This specimen in Columbus, Ohio comes to market here on eBay with plenty of pictures and a better-than-average description. A Marti report documents the car’s original features, and the seller includes close-ups of numerous stampings and other evidence to help validate this gold nugget as a real Boss 302… right down to its claimed original motor. At least 12 bidders have the car’s market value over $46,000 without meeting the seller’s Reserve. Three days remain to make this one yours.
Winning Trans Am takes more engineering than bolting on “bigger everything,” and Ford’s best propellor heads burned the midnight oil marrying the forthcoming “Cleveland” heads to the Windsor-based tunnel-port small block bottom end to make the Boss 302 one unique mill. It works. An essentially stock Boss 302 made 374 HP at a blistering 6,700 RPM and 324 lb/ft of torque at 4,300 on Motor Trend’s dyno. Those RPM numbers tell you Ford wasn’t playing around with the Boss. My ’89 Mustang LX 5.0 might have seen 6700 RPM once or twice, but it’s pretty much done making power at 5500.
With few non-functional add-ons, this 1970 Ford Boss 302 Mustang didn’t boast the most stripes, wings, or cubic inches, but the tight-handling, high-revving pony car made an excellent starting point for real racers. Corner carvers with no intention of racing appreciated the Boss 302 Mustang’s no-BS capabilities.
Unless you’re handicapped, you want a manual gearbox in your road racer, and this road-going Boss only offered the DIY four-speed. If you want an automatic to troll for skirts with a pack of Lucky Strikes rolled up your sleeve, check out the Mach 1, buddy. Like other aspects of this car, the tidy interior looks very good, but not perfect. The VIN holds the requisite “G” in the fifth position, a must for any real Boss 302 according to boss302.com. Check that site for more on these Trans Am-inspired Mustangs. Would you wring out this Boss 302 in the twisties or keep it camera ready for Car Show Saturdays?
Cool original Boss. Wish we could expand the Marti report but i’m guessing its a special order with it’s plain look and everyday paint color. I think i’d prefer one of the wild colors that were offered, the yellow, lime green, orange and blue. I also like the shaker hood, Magnum 500’s and the rear spoiler that apparently were option in ’70. Most cars I like the sleeper look but in a Boss 302 i’d opt for loud and colorful. Still a beautiful bucket list car though
JCA – cleaned up a little – you can make out most of it.
Thanks Todd…looks like a Ford employee special ordered it on an employee discount plan. Looks like less than 100 with that paint and trim codes were ever made. It’s definitely a rare one
Boss 302 engine was also available as an option, in the 1969 and 1970 Cougar Eliminatior. Not many built, many less survivore, a bit rare.
And then it would cost twice as much..
My favorite year Mustang along with the ’69s. Nice one here.
The ’69-’70 Mustang was a good looking car on its own. This is a prime example in a good color. No louvers, scoop or spoiler to interrupt the organic shape. Inside and out it has presence without shouting at you. That’s what a sleeper is supposed to do.
Nice car. While not the wheel choice typically seen on a Boss 302, I do like the hub cap/ trim ring look. I think it gives the car a simple, clean, straightforward look. Like Nelson says, it has presence without shouting at you.
Not what we’d call a sleeper. Anyway, it looks like it’s just the one you might want… no extraneous spoiler or slats to take away from it’s organic good looks. We also tire of seeing Magnum 500’s on just about every Mustang out there of this vintage. Most came equipped as this one did, with the corporate centre caps, with trim rings. It’s also pretty rare to see one of these that claims to have the original engine still. If we could, we’d be all over this one.
Not sure where the author got 374HP. The Boss 302 was rated at 290HP.
Officially rated at 290…they made far more…they fudged the numbers by only running them up to 5500 rpm where the power band actually Started
You’re right, that’s the official number. From what I’ve read, nothing was ever definitively established, but 310-350 HP has been thrown out there.
Read the linked Motor Trend article. It is with the time.
Never liked gold for a performance car, we had a gold 70 barracuda never liked the color but the top was black and so was the interior. When pops traded it for a Basin Street Blue (Petty Blue) air grabber 1972 Road Runner, I loved that car.
But other than the wheel covers and color this car is a great looking car.
You don’t like the paint color and wheels but “it’s a great looking car.” Do you mean it’s in great condition? Just seems odd to say a car is great looking when you literally like nothing about the exterior.
He could mean the fact there’s no spoiler or louvers, or just the actual model itself and what it looks like. So what he said isn’t far-fetched.
My first car was the 1970 mustang it was gold it wasn’t the 302 Boss series one of the features I remember was the high beam indicator was a blue horse sure wish I kept my Mustang.
How many know the engine is not a Boss 302, but the car is. That’s the name of the car. The engine is a 302 H.O. Fox Mustang people will know that because that’s what the engine was call in 1982 when The Boss Is Back. Sure, I know what’s the big deal, but I like the facts :)
Yes, it’s a 302 HO, but the only Ford model it was used in was the Boss 302. Add on top of it having Boss 302 stamped on the valve covers basically had the motor referred to as the Boss 302 V8 as well (albeit unofficially).
That engine was also used in the 69-70 Cougar Eliminator.
A shame there are a few items lacking with this car. Broken fan shroud, lack of rev limiter, lack of smog system, incorrect snorkel on air cleaner, add on tach on column, Rust bubble on top of fender apron. A lot of money for a car that still needs more parts thrown at it to make it correct.
And we certainly wouldn’t wanna be running around without a smog system