One Fast and Furious Boss 302 continued In Steve’s own words:

The car was taken down to the bare shell and put on a rotisserie. Not one nut or bolt remained on the car. I then had the entire chassis walnut shell blasted and stripped. I was going for a complete concours restoration. I located every missing or incorrect part. Parts like an original Boss 302 block, air cleaner, snorkel, heat shield, all the smog, rev limiter, distributor etc. I mean everything, I spent a fortune. Everything was NOS. It is a standard bore block with original TRW “Ford” updated pistons, standard NOS crank, NOS cylinder heads with factory Ford valves and valve springs. I completed the engine assembly along with all the smog and accessories . It would sit on that engine stand for 10 years. About half way through this restoration, I changed my mind and decided to do a Trans AM clone Boss 302 resto. I thought everybody is doing concours restorations and I wanted my Boss to be different. This would again delay the completion and require gobs more money. Furthermore, I moved the car 5 times, along with all the parts I accumulated and I was loosing stuff! Then I went through a divorce and it was all I could do to hold onto my Boss 302! I ended up giving her the house so I could hold onto my Boss 302, Shelby and two other Mustangs.

The body,chassis and engine bay was finally painted in 1996 and the reassembly process was finally ready to begin. Every original body piece was retained except for the hood. I replaced the hood because it was warped from a small carburetor fire that had occurred prior to my ownership. I now tore the engine down to the bare long block so I could redetail it and add the Trans Am pieces I had bought and fabricated. I boxed and tagged all the original Boss parts that I no longer was going to put on the car. I was going to make a point of not cutting or drilling any part of the car, so it could always be returned to its original state. Otherwise, I would have put a roll bar in it and relocated the upper control arms. Another goal was I wanted to use as many “period” parts as possible, otherwise I would have just installed things such as an MSD. I installed  Hooker Super Comps with a 3 ½ ” Dr. Gas X-Pipe that exits in front of the rear wheels and utilixes slide in mufflers.  The engine cranks via a Tilton weight gear reduction mini starter. I used a blackPertronix blaster coil and painted the top yellow to try and simulate an original coil. I also tried to duplicate the Trans Am crankcase breather setup and built this piece myself.  I also eliminated the heater hoses as it made for a much cleaner engine bay and being in Southern California I would rarely use it anyways. I added hood pins, which Boss’s never came with, despite the thought that some Boss’s did. I added two original factory options, a foldown rear seat and the drag pac oil cooler. It also has a very rare Ford hood mount tach that was available over the counter from Ford. It was the perfect addition, as the car did not come with the tachometer option. Also added are the headlight stone guards, Koni shocks, an original Cobra aluminum T-oil pan and the Minilite wheels that were run on the Trans Am cars. The car is lowered 1 ½ ” front and rear, utilizing cross drilled rotors in the front with oversized Nascar style quick change wheel studs all the way around. Tires are the raised yellow lettered Goodyear Nascar simulated Eagle 1s with 275×60x15 in the rear and 245×60x15 in the front. The car also is driven by an aluminum drive shaft.

The car is topped off by a very rare “Vels/Parnelli Jones Racing decal from 1969, mounted on the rear window that was given to me by Parnelli himself. I use to be a professional road racer in the late 70’s and early 80’s and co drove some endurance races with Parnelli and his son PJ. I have remained friends with the family ever since. Other than the body , paint work and engine machine work, I performed this entire restoration myself.

G.S.Johnson

Boss 302’s are escalating in value every year, and one like this with its history is an excellent Boss to own. The car is laser straight and totally show ready, highly detailed throughout including the undercarriage.