conceptcarz.com

1969 Ford Mustang

Nearly 300,000 examples of the Mustang were produced in 1969. The base engine was the overhead valve six-cylinder unit with a displacement size of 200 cubic inches and delivered 115 horsepower. Other engine options included the 302, 351, 390, 428, and the 429 CID in various setups with horsepower ranging from 220 to 370 horsepower. Body styles included a hardtop coupe, fastback coupe, convertible, Grande hardtop, and Mach 1 Fastback. Exterior changes were rather significant, now with quad headlights and the side scoop was repositioned higher on the rear fenders for fastback models. They now faced rearward on the convertibles and hardtops.

1969 was certainly the benchmark year for Ford Mustang in its proliferation of performance names and engines. There were no less than 6 factory performance Mustang models offered including the GT, Boss 302, Boss 429, Mach 1, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT500. The Mach 1 proved popular which ultimately lead Ford to discontinue the GT model after 1969. A total of 5,396 examples of the GT were produced in 1969 versus the 72,458 sales for the Mach 1. The GT badge would not re-appear on the Mustang again until 1982.

Mach 1
The Mach 1 package was only available in the 'Sportsroof' body style (previously known as the 'Fastback'). Along with the V8 engine, numerous visual and performance enhancements were added such as matte black hood treatment with hood pins, hood scoop (including optional Shaker scoop), competition suspension, chrome pop-open gas cap, revised wheels with Goodyear Polyglas tires, chrome exhaust tips (except 351W 2V), deluxe interior, unmissable livery and dealer optional chin spoiler, rear deck spoiler, and rear window louvers. The 351 cubic-inch Windsor engine was optional (351W) 2V with a 3-speed transmission, and a 9-inch 28 spline open rear axle. Buyers could optional select the 351W 4V, 390 cubic-inch FE, 428 CID Cobra Jet 4V with or without Ram Air, or the 'drag pack' 428 Super Cobra Jet engine. Depending on the powertrain choices, the suspension was upgraded to varying degrees. Big block cars had front shock tower reinforcement, thicker sway bars (no rear bar for 69), and heavier springs and shocks. Cars fitted with the 428 CJ/SCJ 4-speed came with staggered rear shocks.

The Mach 1s had a cosmetic hood scoop that had integrated turn-signal lights mounted in the back. A more functional option was the 'Shaker hood.' The interior came complete with teak wood grain details, full sound-deadening material and high-back sport bucket seats.

Boss 429
The Ford Mustang invented the 'ponycar' genre when it was introduced in 1964. As the sixties continued, the muscle car wars escalated, as manufacturers shoehorned big displacement overhead-valve V8 engines into a lighter-weight mid-size (or ponycar) bodyshell. During this time, the non-competition pact adopted by the Big Three had essentially disintegrated, as open support was increasingly provided to supposedly independent racers. NASCAR had become the most popular racing series of all, and Chrysler had learned how to rule the track. Ford needed a new engine, but NASCAR's homologation rules required at least 500 similar cars be made available and sold to the public.

With the help of Kar Kraft, Ford's special vehicle shop that built the Le Mans-winning Ford Mark IV race cars, the new 429 cubic-inch engine was placed within the engine bay of the Mustang. The engine was a single overhead cam Ford V8 with a large bore and hemispherical combustion chambers. It had exotic aluminum heads that created a crescent-shaped, 'semi-Hemi' combustion chamber. Each head received a single overhead camshaft. There were forged steel crankshafts, four-bolt mains, heavy-duty rods and forged aluminum pistons. Each cylinder, oil and water passage had an individual O-ring to seal it; no head gaskets were used. One Holley four-barrel carburetor was installed and all Boss 429s built in 1969 used hydraulic lifter cams. Power was stated at 375 horsepower but was more likely closer to 500 hp.

Instead of placing the new engine in the mid-size Torino, Ford elected to create the ultimate pony car by dropping it into the Mustang. The production process required many modifications, including cutting and relocating the shock towers to create the room necessary to fit the large engine. The battery was moved to the trunk, and a 3/4-inch sway bar was added to the rear axle. A large opening was cut in the hood to feed more air to the 429. The functional scoop mounted on the hood was the largest of any production Mustang, controlled manually from inside the car. Since air conditioning couldn't fit under the hood, it was not offered. The Boss 429 had a base price of $4,087, making it the most expensive non-Shelby Mustang to date. Color choices were limited to just five relatively conservative exterior colors in 1969, although this would change in 1970. Polished Magnum 500 wheels, which were optional on other special production Mustangs, were fitted to Boss 429s with F60x15 Firestone Wide Oval or Goodyear Polyglas tires. A total of 859 examples were built in 1969.


by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2019
•Inspired by the Ford Mustangs that won the 1966 and 1967 Trans-Am championships, Ford responded to new competition by creating the best Mustang of the time, the 1969 Boss 302
•With a unique look created by designer Larry Shinoda and a high-output 302-cubic-inch V8, the Boss 302 became one of the most legendary Mustangs ever

While it might be nice to have a market segment all to yourself, that can easily lead to complacency. Competition, on the other hand, pushes everyone to keep getting better. Nowhere is this truer than in the realm of performance cars like the Ford Mustang.

When Mustang debuted in April 1964, there was nothing else like it on the market, and more than 1 million customers snapped one up in the first two years. This overnight success did not go unnoticed by other automakers, and competitors soon arrived to up the ante; Ford took up the challenge.

In early 1968, Semon E. 'Bunkie' Knudsen was named president of Ford Motor Company and Larry Shinoda joined the design staff. Knudsen was a strong believer that performance could help sell more cars, and soon after his arrival Shinoda and chief engineer Howard Freers were assigned to create an even higher-performance Mustang. The new model would be inspired by the cars that won the first two Trans-Am championships in 1966 and 1967.

In his 1979 book 'Mustang!,' author Gary Witzenburg quotes Freers as saying they were instructed to build 'absolutely the best-handling street car available on the American market!' Chassis engineer Matt Donner set to work developing a heavy-duty suspension setup to take advantage of Goodyear's highest-performance street tire of the time, the F60 Polyglas.

The result would come to be known as the Boss 302.

During development testing, the extra loading transmitted to the chassis by these tires led to front suspension damage on the prototype. The chassis reinforcements that resolved the issue were ultimately added to all Mustangs, thus improving the breed.

A high-performance version of the 302-cubic-inch small-block V8 provided the necessary motivation to take advantage of the upgraded chassis. The new wedge chamber cylinder heads on the 302 featured canted valves for improved airflow, helping it to generate 290 horsepower and 290 lb.-ft. of torque.

Meanwhile, in the design studio, Shinoda crafted a unique look for this special Mustang. The air scoops on top of the rear fenders of other 1969 Mustangs were eliminated, and C-shaped stripes with the name Boss 302 were added to the front fenders. The hood and trunklid were painted flat black, and a functional spoiler to reduce lift was added below the front bumper.

The 1969½ Mustang Boss 302 debuted in March 1969, just short of five years after the original Mustang. Race-prepared versions of the Boss 302 generated an estimated 450 horsepower with dual four-barrel carburetors and just missed out on the 1969 Trans-Am championship before winning again in 1970.

Source - Ford

Related Reading : Ford Mustang History

The Mustang was introduced at the 1965 New York Worlds Fair, Mustang Mania instantly swept the country, and a new automotive market segment was created - the 22 or better known as the ponycar. Though its mechanical underpinnings descended from the Falcon, the Mustang was completely different. It was a compact, tight, clean package weighing in at a modest 2,550 pounds - a departure from the ever-enlarging....
Continue Reading >>

Related Reading : Ford Mustang History

The Ford Mustang first appeared in 1964 and was immediately popular for its style and its capabilities. The largest engine offering of the time was the 289 V-8 K-code small block engine which was sufficient but enthusiasts wanted and demanded more power. The base engine was a six-cylinder power plant. The body style configurations included coupe, convertible and fastback. In its first year of....
Continue Reading >>

Related Reading : Ford Mustang History

A pillar of American automotive lore, the Mustang is the vehicle the brought sporting dash and styling at a price that almost everyone could afford. Always extraordinarily attractive, the Mustang has been capturing the hearts of drivers for nearly 40 years. Introducing a whole new breed of automobile, the pony car, Ford wasnt content to stand on the sidelines while others jumped ahead. Rather than....
Continue Reading >>

1969 Ford Mustang Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Related Automotive News

Neil Verhagen Presented with 2016 RRDC Mark Donohue Award in Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 27, 2017) - Neil Verhagen, a 15-year-old high-school student from Mooresville, N.C., was presented the RRDC Mark Donohue Award at the annual RRDC members dinner at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25. The dinner...
RM MONTEREY OFF TO A RACING START WITH ESTEEMED JIM CLICK FORD PERFORMANCE COLLECTION

RM MONTEREY OFF TO A RACING START WITH ESTEEMED JIM CLICK FORD PERFORMANCE COLLECTION

RM Sothebys returns to Californias Monterey Peninsula, August 19 – 20, for its flagship sale during the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance Early entries powered by the Jim Click Ford Performance Collection, a superlative group of competitive raci...
15 Exciting Collector Automobiles to Watch During This January's Scottsdale, Arizona Car Week Auctions

15 Exciting Collector Automobiles to Watch During This January's Scottsdale, Arizona Car Week Auctions

Scottsdale, Arizona (January 13th, 2016) – Astute Collectors of the worlds most sought after and most valuable automobiles know that Scottsdale, Arizona in January is where the market values for collector cars are established each year. As such, they...

Sonoma Historics' Racing Seminar to discuss Can-Am and Shadow Race Cars

Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festivals Racing Seminar to discuss early Can-Am years and the radical Shadow Race Cars SONOMA, Calif. (May 12, 2014) - For the third straight year, the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival (May 17-18) will...

RRDC VOTES IN 37 NEW MEMBERS FOR 2013

HILLIARD, Ohio (Nov. 7, 2013) - Thirty-seven race-car drivers and motorsports professionals have been voted into the Road Racing Drivers Club in 2013. The group includes 13 Regular Members from the open-wheel and sports-car racing ranks, 20 Associate...