Mustang Of The Day: 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Introduced on April 17, 1969, as a midyear addition to the 1969 Mustang lineup, the Boss 302 fastback served to homologate a special Cleveland-head 302 CI small-block for SCCA Trans-Am competition while also competing for sales and street image supremacy against Chevrolet’s Z28 Camaro. Limited by just two months of availability, only 1,628 1969 Boss 302s were sold to make it much rarer than the over 7,000 produced for 1970.

Created specifically to legalize the Windsor/Cleveland marriage for racing, the street Boss 302 engine generated 290 HP, thanks to the Cleveland’s large-port cylinder heads, 10.5:1 compression ratio, solid-lifter camshaft, Holley 4-barrel carburetor on an aluminum intake, high-flow exhaust manifolds, and a dual-point distributor.

Mandatory factory equipment included a Toploader 4-speed transmission, 9-inch rear end with nodular iron housing and 31-spline axles, Competition Suspension with staggered rear shocks, power front disc brakes, and 15-inch wheels. Ford Designer Larry Shinoda came up with the unique graphics that included black, reflective side C-stripes, a front chin spoiler, and a blackout hood, headlight buckets, trunk lid, and rear panel.