Ford · 1969–2013

Boss 302 Mustang

The Mustang Boss 302 is a high-performance 302 cu in (4.9 L) H.O. V8-powered variant of the Ford Mustang originally produced by Ford in 1969 and 1970. Developed to meet homologation requirements to compete in Trans Am racing, it was Ford's response to the success of the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 in the 5 L (305.1 cu in) and under SCCA series since 1967. While substantial modifications were required to the stock Boss 302 to be competitive on the track, many thousands were sold to the public in a street-legal form that included a refined high-performance motor and upgrades to the suspension and brakes over base Mustangs. Ford revived the Boss 302 name for another two year production run in 2012 and 2013.

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First generation (1969–1970)

The Camaro/Mustang rivalry had begun in 1967 with the introduction of the Chevrolet Camaro by General Motors. The Camaro was the largest threat to the lead Ford had in the "pony car" field, a market segment largely created by Ford with the introduction of the Mustang in mid-year 1964. The performance of the Mustang with Ford's stock 289 cu in small block and 390 cu in big block V8s was not up to the Camaro's with equivalent Chevy engines. In an effort to improve the Mustang's image, Ford developed the Boss 302 engine and offered it in a complete performance package in 1968 mid-year and 1969 models as the Boss 302 Mustang, and the 429 cu in 385 series engine in the Boss 429 Mustang as a similar big block-powered alternative. The 428 Cobra Jet was also offered as a high-performance stand-alone option on regular Mustangs. The specific impetus for the 1969–70 Boss 302 engine in 1968 was meeting the SCCA's homologation requirements for qualifying to race in the 1969 305 C.I.D. (5.0L) and under Trans-Am road racing series, with the 7 liter big block Boss 429 developed likewise for the higher limit of the NASCAR circuit at that time. Available only in the Boss 302 Mustangs of 1969–70, the engine differed substantially from stock Ford 302s, being based on a unique thin-wall, high nickel content small block casting. Other performance upgrades included solid lifters, much stronger 4-bolt rather than 2-bolt main crankshaft bearings, threaded rather than simple compression freeze plugs, and heads using a canted valve design allowing for larger valves being developed for the planned 351 Cleveland (which debuted the following year). Though the two engines shared a common cylinder head bolt pattern, coolant passages were slightly modified in the heads on the Boss 302. The engine was o

Second generation (2012–2013)

=== Boss 302 === Ford revived the Boss 302 nameplate for 2012. The standard 2011 Ford Mustang GT's 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine was enhanced with a forged crankshaft, CNC ported heads, revised camshafts, and a high flow "runners in the box" intake taken from the 302R racecar. It produced 450 PS (444 hp; 331 kW) at 7400 rpm and 380 lb⋅ft (515 N⋅m) at 4500 rpm, 32 more hp and 10 less lb-ft than the standard GT. It came with a 6-speed MT-82 manual transmission and a solid rear axle with a 3.73:1 carbon fiber plate limited-slip differential; a Torsen differential was available as an option. The quad exhaust system was made up of two standard Mustang GT outlets and two side pipes that exited on either side of the rear crossover. The side pipes sent the exhaust through removable metal "attenuation" discs to reinforce the exhaust sound. The Boss 302 suspension supplemented the Mustang GT's with higher-rate coil springs, stiffer bushings, and a larger diameter rear stabilizer bar, and was dropped by a bit less than 1/2" in the front to evoke the stance of the original. An intermediate sport mode was added to the standard Mustang traction control system and electronic stability control programs to allow for more flexibility on the track. The aero package (i.e. spoilers, splitters, etc.) was almost entirely copied from the Boss 302R race car. The 19-inch black-alloy racing wheels were 9-inches wide in the and 9.5-inches in rear, and came with 255/40-19 / 285/35-19 Pirelli P-Zero tires. Ford produced just over 3250 Boss 302 base models in both 2012 and 2013. Laguna Seca edition. The Boss 302 Laguna Seca edition is an upgraded version of the standard Boss 302 named after the famed northern California race track. Designed to bridge the gap between the base Boss 302 and the track-only

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Specifications

Layout: FR layout
Manufacturer: Ford
Production: 1969–1970 and 2012–2013
name: Boss 302 Mustang
Assembly: Dearborn, Michigan (1969–1970), Flat Rock, Michigan (2012–2013)
Designer: Larry Shinoda
Engine: 302 CID (5.0L) Boss 302 OHV V8 (1969–1970), 5.0 L "Roadrunner" DOHC V8 (2012–2013)
Transmission: 4-speed manual (1969–1970), 6-speed manual (2012–2013)
Related: Ford Mustang
Class: Muscle car
Body style: 2-door Fastback Coupe