There are some who will say that the Trans-Am racing of the late-60s and early-70s was the best racing there ever was. Production-based cars, charismatic stars, and some of the most challenging road courses in America, plus participation from the factory by the “Big Three plus AMC” meant some pretty spectacular things were happening. Ford’s entry was, of course, the Boss 302, a purpose-built weapon constructed to Trans-Am specs with a 5.0-liter V8 that loves to rev, a combat-ready suspension, and quite honestly, the best graphics package of the muscle car era, designed by none other than “Mr. Split-Window” himself, Larry Shinoda. While the Mach 1 with the 428 Cobra Jet engine dominated the drag strips, if you wanted to go around corners, nothing could touch the Boss 302.

Today, with just 7013 Boss 302 models built in 1970, they’re some of the most highly-sought Mustangs of all. It has taken a few years for them to catch up, but like their big brother the Boss 429, recent years have been kind and market values are moving upwards more steadily than the stock market. And as you undoubtedly already know, the most critical part of a car like this is its pedigree. So let’s start there. This car has had just two owners from new, with the first owner keeping it for almost 30 years. It shows just 50,566 original miles and still carries its original D0ZE-6015B engine and close-ratio transmission. The interior is completely original, save for the carpets, and if you’re an expert who knows where to look, you’ll find all the serial numbers stamped into the bodywork and sheetmetal match the VIN. It was given a comprehensive restoration in the mid-90s and more recently a fresh coat of Calypso Coral paint that’s just jaw-dropping in person. This is an extremely high-quality Boss 302.

Speaking of that Calypso Coral paint, it is just one of 156 built in combination with the black comfort-weave interior. You’d think that black upholstery would be more popular, but white seems to have carried the day in 1970. Regardless, the car is extremely impressive in person and looks every bit the nasty race-bred machine that it was when new. During that 1990s restoration, the quarter panels were replaced because the wheel wells were hammered to make clearance for oversized tires, and had we not told you about the replacement, neither you nor your expert body man would be able to spot the work. They even duplicated the textured surfaces inside the trunk! Three years ago, the car was repainted simply because it was showing signs of age that were not in step with the rest of the car’s condition, so it was stripped to bare metal and repainted. In fact, it was repainted twice simply because the first pass didn’t quite nail the correct Calypso Coral color, so the body shop was ordered to start all over. The results were worth the effort, as it has a miles-deep shine and an exact color match to the original swatches of Calypso Coral found in the deepest recesses of this highly original car. An MCA head judge was enlisted to install the reproduction Boss 302 stripes, which were revised for 1970 into the most memorable look ever worn by a Mustang. The results are extremely impressive.

The chrome and stainless were removed and polished at the same time, the satin black stripe down the center of the hood and on the tail panel were accurate re-created, and the Shaker hood scoop was restored. Correct emblems were installed throughout (almost all of them are original to the car) and it’s worth noting that this car came from the factory with both spoilers and the rear window slats.

As I mentioned, the interior is almost entirely original, which should tell you something about the care and use it has had over the years. The carpets were replaced recently but given the quality of everything else in the car, they do not stand out as too fresh. The door panels offer crisp woodgrained appliques and arm rests that don’t even show a small divot from the driver’s elbow resting on it. The seats are black Clarion Knit buckets that show exceptional detail and minimal wear, even on the high-traffic areas. A woodgrained steering wheel matches the instrument panel and glove box lid, and they all show excellent surfacing and minimal fading. Factory instruments are a little faded but are entirely functional and have been joined by an aftermarket oil pressure gauge that monitors that wondrous Boss engine. It also carries a somewhat rare AM/FM stereo radio that still works properly, as well as a clock on the passenger’s side, which sadly does not. The rear seats look almost completely unused and while the headliner shows a few minor signs of age, it does not sag and there are no tears or split seams. In back, the trunk is correctly detailed with a reproduction mat, correct space-saver spare tire with jack assembly, and ultra-clean sheetmetal and seams. There are no surprises hiding inside this car.

The heart of the Boss is, of course, the engine. These were not merely hopped-up garden-variety 302s, but rather purpose-built machines built for the rigors of the racetrack. With a 4-bolt main block (upgraded in 1970 to cure some of the issues found in the earlier blocks), a forged crank, heavy-duty connecting rods and pistons, and a special set of heads that could breathe easily at 7000 RPM, this engine was only a few steps removed from the cars racing on road courses across the country. This is the original, numbers-matching engine for this car and it has been correctly rebuilt to stock specifications save for a Pertronix electronic ignition and coil, both of which are easily remedied if you’d like to go back to stock. You will note the Shaker hood scoop is correctly detailed and that is the original tune-up decal on the air snorkel (note that it was carefully masked off during the restoration). More remarkably, this car retains both its original emissions control equipment and factory rev limiter (now disconnected), features that are almost impossible to replace. Correct aluminum valve covers replaced 1969’s chrome versions and the intake manifold is unique to the Boss. And unlike so many of its siblings, it retains its cast iron exhaust manifolds, which help with noise and heat and don’t seem to hurt horsepower output one bit. The only other notable modifications are a set of Hooker Aerochamber mufflers that give it an awesome soundtrack and a set of radial tires on original Magnum 500 wheels (which were ordered with this particular car).

The original Toploader close-ratio 4-speed manual transmission is topped by a correct Hurst T-handle shifter and there’s no clutch chatter or other issues, just smooth, effortless power. Originally fitted with race-ready 3.91 gears on a Track-Lok limited slip, it has been retrofitted with a set of 3.00 gears in the interest of civility, but on a 9-inch rear end, changing the pumpkin is a rather easy proposition. The undercarriage was neatly detailed during the restoration but now shows about 4000 miles of use. The floors are still shiny Calypso Coral paint, the hardware is correctly finished, but it is no longer show-quality. Both the exhaust system and gas tank are recent and it carries a set of expensive Koni shocks at all four corners. Despite its racecar aspirations, this Boss starts easily, idles well, and is very docile in traffic. Where many high-performance cars of the era weren’t happy unless they could run (I’m looking at you, Boss 429), this Boss is friendly enough to be used every day.

Documented with a Marti Report and original owner’s manual, plus restoration receipts from the past 15 years, this is a no-stories Boss in excellent colors with an awesome pedigree.The day is fast approaching when these will be $100,000 cars. Will you be left behind or in the driver’s seat?