1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429

The aluminum heads had intakes that could swallow a tennis ball, which was great for 200-mph laps around Daytona

by Thomas Glatch

In 1969, Ford introduced a limited-production model to the Mustang line. This addition was the Boss 429. It was the most powerful Mustang, and the name referred to its 429-ci engine, which was built in response to Chrysler’s 426-ci Hemi and its success in NASCAR.

Named after stylist Larry Shinoda’s nickname for Ford president “Bunkie” (Boss) Knudson, the Boss 429s were built for homologation purposes to qualify the 429 engine for the NASCAR race circuit.

The Boss 429 package came with a fully race-prepared 429-ci engine putting out a conservative 375 hp, with ram air induction, an aluminum high-rise manifold, and header exhausts. It included a 4-speed as the only available transmission and a 3.91:1 “traction loc” rear axle. Also included were several other performance items such as an oil cooler, trunk-mounted battery, race suspension, and the best interior Mustang offered.

To meet homologation requirements, Ford had to offer the 429 engine...