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vbob.mikey
Paul, a friend of mine from years ago, did run one occasionally at Dover. It was Red with Black stripes down the middle. He was a member of the Southern Dutchess Timing Association from Beacon, N.Y. His name was Frank Cavacinni, and he lived on Osborn Hill Road in Fishkill. ……………………Mikey 😆
vindicator😀 😀 😀 Hey Paul…the fella’ “action rat” was speaking of was…Bill… (Riley? White?…memory…(ain’t what it used to be ‘eh)they may have run the car a couple times as a “stocker”…but it…like all Boss 429 “stock” stuff…wuz… a slug/slow 😆 😆 😆 Joe Walko…one talented guy…converted the car to a 427 dual 4v wedge…Bill then ran the car in B/MP & C/GAS…without a whole lotta’ success…Bill… a nice guy…was pretty discouraged…Joe wanted to get serious with the car/deal…think…maybe funds/funding…a issue…effort kind of short lived…would have liked to have Joe’s “insight” around us..one “smart” cookie… just never got together…but…it wuz…a original Boss 429 car for sure…Bill was from Bethel…I think 😆 😆 😆 Drake
anonymous
Hey Drake:
Bill’s last name was Thompson. It just came to me after reading your post. Joe Walko was great at tricking a Holley Carb. Did things to them “back then” that were copied and still done today. Check out Tomato’s 4bbl. That was done by Walko ‘back then”.
paul-ceasrine
Well I knew the Boss 429 did exist.
The one at Kaufmans, was either dark red or maroon.
Wonder if anyone saw it race.
It was completely stock.
What did those expensive ‘monsters’ turn in the quarter-mile anyway???
Paul
anonymous
Hey Pual:
The best to my memory Bill’s c/stock BOSS 429 ran mid 13’s. Very disappointing considering the “back then” high price tag. Like Drake stated thats why Bill and Joe tried a different approach with the car.
paul-ceasrine
Yes,
I would imagine with the price tag and sensitive internal engine parts, it would not be a desired drag car.
I guess the theory was,,,, do not run that engine hard. Replacement parts, $$$$.
I always thought that the big complaint was that the car came through with F-60 x 15” tires.
The 7.75″ wide tires were too wide for stock, so unless you had 7″ slicks or smaller street tires, you ended up in SS/F.
PC
vindicator😆 😆 😆 Hey Paul…Tommy…”big complaint”…wuz…the production street car…wuz a “slug” 😆 😆 😆 and as Tom said…pricey…just over $5,000 (list) in ’69 dollars…after the “hype” by the manufacturer…pre-release…it really was just a “ploy” to produce the amount of production cars needed to apease Nascar-NHRA…as usual the consumer…was the ultimate “loser”…unless he kept it for 20 years…they then really escalated in value…worth big money in last 10-15 years… 😀 😀 :D…we sold 4…’69 cars…2…’70 cars…did drive a red ’69 for 6 months or so…sold it to a guy in Wilson, North Carolina…don’t know where any of the others are now…Bill Thompsen was a nice guy…hard worker as I recall…bought into the “pre-hype” of Ford…we know the rest…Ford gave the dealer $2,000 cash-back to assist the merchandising of each Boss 429 car…a “princely” sum..in 1969…also had free performance up-grade “kit”…solid lifter cam ,etc….to try to apease customers dismay…in performance…the car was “fat”…subtle looking…not much else…Tasca had the “Street Boss”… really wuz “exibition car”…not exactly… a production ’29 car…but powered by a all aluminum 494” can am motor…with “hi-port” heads…so much for the “mystery” motor (all related to me…by long old time friend…John Healy)…the most successful stock-super stock Boss 429 car…on the planet…was…another guy who never really received the accolades…he much deserved…Dave Lyall…out of Michigan…””Custom Speed Enterprises”…SS/D or E car…this guy was a real racer…the Ford people…in Michigan knew/know/had much respect for….Dave…the ’29 S/S car was “just competitive”…but…it wuz…competitive 😆 😆 😆 …ol’ Joe Walko…one sharp “cookie”…old school…didn’t want to spend the money (the “rumor” around the greater Danbury area…wuz that Joe still had his first communion money 😆 😆 😆 ) don’t remember if Bill’s “money to burn” index wuz “tapped out” or not…that late 60’s…and beyond….required 😆 😆 😆 Drake…just think…what it “takes” today…if you don’t “know”…it can’t..hurt ya’ “hoss” 😆 😆 😆
paul-ceasrine
Drake,
If I do recall, one of those Boss 429’s came through my fathers shop.
Seems the guy had one of the earlier engines, and one of his buddies did some modifications, like
swapping the hydraulic lifters for solid units, without changing the camshaft.
Very Smooth Lobes!
You know, without the hood scoop and Boss 429 fender decal, with a few ‘tweeks’ they would make a very nice sleeper.
Paul,,,,,,,,smoothing lobes 🙂
paul-ceasrine
Tommy ‘AC Rat’
Yes looks like those Boss 429’s could run from 14.10’s @ 102 with the hydraulic cam, or the upgraded version with the solid camshaft, different valve springs and re-modified exhaust 13.60’s @ 106.
Results from; Car/Life ‘March 1969’ Road Test and Hi-Performance Cars ‘September 69′ Road Test.
Car Craft got one into the 12.60’s, but the date of the performance test, and general modifications is not posted.
Detroit Performer tested one in December 69′, in good weather, swapped the 3.91 gears for proper 4.30’s, put on
Hedman Street/Strip Headers (2″ primary tubes with a 3 1/2″ collector), replaced the under-sized 735cfm Holley with a
800cfm Holley double-pumper, and ran 12.90’s on the F-60 x 15’ GoodYears.
PC,,,,,,Not Bad
vindicator😆 😆 😆 Hey “Paulie”…not bad???!!!***….surely…U…”jest”…I know this a family rated PG…site…but that “toad”…wuz $5,000 before any modifications…in 1969 dollars…U..know I’m A true Ford guy (why (?)…I’m not exactly sure 😆 😆 😆 )…the the original Boss 429 production car…was Ford’s “biggest” blunder/mis-representation…since…the Edsel 😆 😆 😆 …absolutely “criminal”…that they sold this lump to the public…the marketing people…were calling it a “rocket”…the “reality”…way different…”daddy”…the “cats” that owned ’em…when the value…went through the roof…”hoo-ray” for them…the sad part…all the hard workin’…”Joe the plumber” guys who paid a lot of money (back- then)…like Bill Thompsen…got…a … slow/fat/turd…for $2,000 less…U…coulda’ bought a 428 CJ car…that’d run away and hide from the “Boss”…we ran those series motors (Boss 429)…in all configurations…from carbed-gas to blown nitro for some 7-8 years…with pretty good success…thanx to Wayne Gapp/Jack Roush…and Ed Pink…they were expensive…and worked best in large cubic inch displacement combinations…U…needed real “money-honey”…they weren’t for the average workin’ guy…for sure 😀 😀 😀 Ford is makin’ a ton of money…again…they oughta’ give all the money back to any original Boss 429 buyer 😀 😀 😀 (that does not still own the car now for the inflated “value”)…now that would be a stimulus program…ala…Obama/administration… 😆 😆 😆 Drake…chances of…that…ain’t any…chance…”hoss”..although..if you do the “math”…there were only 1400 or so produced in the two year production…so the “total” payback…via my “plan”…would cost ’bout as much as Billy Ford’s up-grading on his pool house at present…or three less tv “ads”…on “desparate housewives” show 😆 😆 😆 the internet…is the “information highway”…’cause Al Gore sez’ so (he “invented” it …no???!!!###)…U…are well read…but in some “cases”…like ol’ buddy..”Berzerko Bob”…used to say…U gotta’/hadda’ be there…or be square ‘eh 😆 😆 :lol:…I confess to selling a couple Boss 429 cars…in the last 15 years or so…in the $150,000 range…not bought by “racers”…or guys who ever…”raced”… not “real car guys”…just money-d guys…who might as well purchased refridgerators…it was just to flip for $$$ gain…that’s who owns/buys most of the muscle car era cars…it’s still…about…the “money…honey” 😆 😆 😆
paul-ceasrine
Drake,
I will have to agree, for $5000 back in 1969, the Boss 429 was an under-performer.
But, just sold at RM Auctions, a 69′ Boss 429,,,, $605,000.
Wonder how well the sale would have went at Carmel Ford with that price tag 😮
For me you are ‘right on’,, a 68′ 428 Cobra-Jet Mustang, or my favorite a 70′ Mach 1 with a 351 Cleveland,
both much better all-around street/strip cars.
Hey, did any of those 351-Clevelands sneak out in a 69′ Mustang.
Paul
smokncobrajet
Paul,just got my old registry book back.There’s nothing in it that I can find that lists a break down of colors on the 68’s.Your research is better than mine.Also,notations for Hertz cars seems to be ‘reported as a Hertz car’,nothing more solid than that. R is also listed as Dark Green Metallic,not Highland Green.Production totals are:
GT350 fastbacks…………………..1253
A few of the cars listed as being reported as Hertz cars:
01053
01104
01167
01194
These not listed as Hertz,but of interest to watch out for:
01517 stolen,never recovered
01946 totaled
02236 totaled and parted out
This is from my old registry.I won’t get my new one back for a while.It’s loaned out.
June
paul-ceasrine
J“`
Thank you for the revised list.
R = Dark Green Metallic
I’m wondering, were all the Hertz 350-H cars equipped with air conditioning?
PC
dinoDon’t recall my brothers ‘having Air
paul-ceasrine
Dino,
I’m talking about the 1968 Hertz Models.
Most of the 68′ GT350H cars were ordered with automatics and a/c,,,I think.
The early 68’s came through with a poor intake system too. (cast iron intake and Autolite carb)
The 1968’s were not the most desired of Hertz Mustangs.
PC
