Fullfilled one of my automotive dreams

[jframe]

I belong to a local Mustang club here in town. Had a meeting tonight at city hall, and one of the members brought his 1970 Boss 302 Mustang that he drives regularly. I made the comment after the meeting that I had always wanted to ride in one of these since I was a little boy. (I'm almost forty now). He just threw me the keys and said "have at it"! I couldn't get in fast enough! Four speed, 302 engine with big valve Cleveland heads and factory Holley and 3.91 rear gears. What a ride! Solid lifters clattering away and a barely muffled factory exhaust with no power steering. Just sort of eased it around town a bit; didn't want to be gone too long with his baby. This was the automotive equivalent to me of touching off a round in Eastwood's big .44 from Dirty Harry. These cars are fairly rare, being only built two years, plus have a serious road racing pedigree, for you folks familiar with the old SCCA Trans Am racing series. Anyhow, the wife wasn't NEARLY as impressed when I told her, so I figured I might find some fellow gearheads here that would appreciate it. It's a far cry from my 2005 five speed G.T. Mustang, with all it's bells and whistles! This car is sort of an automotive holy grail to me, and it was an honor that a fellow club member allowed me to drive one of his pride and joys.

 

[godlessgael]

pics or didn't happen

 

[reerc]

I'm not a serious gear head, but I seriously lust after a late 60's muscle car - Chevelle, 'Cuda, Mustang, and a Camaro would be my ultimate.

I like to say that if/when I get to heaven, that's what I get to drive.

 

[jframe]

pics or didn't happen

Unfortunately, it was dark outside so no pics. However, it runs a close second to my first sexual foray on my happiness meter.

 

[310Pilot]

The Boss 302 was a fun car to drive, glad you got to experience one. It was about as close to a 65/66 GT-350 as you could get in a Mustang before Ford ruined the line (until 2005, anyway). BTW, good choice in your 2005 GT - I had a 2006 GT w/5-speed, and, when I bought it, I let my younger brother drive it for a few miles. He said the same thing I had been thinking - that it was just like driving a Shelby GT-350 in feel and overall experience, except it was a lot more luxurious. I was heavily involved with Shelbys and Cobras back when they were new, still own one (a '70 GT-350 4 speed convertible, the last Shelby sold new in Ford's Western Zone, and, we're quite sure, the last Shelby sold new anywhere in the world). No longer have the Cobras or the GT-500s, (the real ones, a '67 GT-500 and a '68 GT-500KR, the latter a yellow 4 speed convertible, one of only 3 that were built). Sure wish my brother hadn't been able to get the title and sell that one. Anyway, I'm glad you got to experience the Boss 302. Too bad you had to baby it (though that was appropriate), that engine doesn't really start to work until you're above 4,500 RPM or so (the '69 wasn't happy below about 5,000, due to its much larger intake valves than on the '70, Ford reduced the valve size for the '70 to get better street manners). Definitely fun cars, you "wear" them, rather than sit in them, and they give you all the right feedback, as a race car should. I raced A Production SCCA back then, first in 427 Cobras, then moved to L-88 Corvettes. Those honest, relatively bare-bones cars meant for serious performance just feel "right," as I'm sure you noticed. Enjoy your '05 Mustang, its a great car, and the first Mustang I've liked since about 1970.

 

[Super38]

Great cars that would give anything on the road a run for it's money, including the Vette or Shelby.
Some pics would be nice though. Maybe another time

 

[Spotteddog]

Reerc,
In the period J Frame was discussing the Challenger/Barracuda were the red headed step children of that breed of racing. But the 340's in them with some extremely exotic fuel delivery systems were hotter than a pop corn fart, believe me! They all (Mopar, GM, Ford) were the sperm donors for what everyone today thinks of as personal performance auto's.
Though I hate to admit it, many of the newer examples are far better cars. Faster, more reliable and safer as well.
There, I said it! (God! I hate myself for having to say that?)

 

[nvgunner]

Brings back some loosely connected memories. I had very little money in 1970 but had the car bug. Put some money down on a 65 Porsche but backed out when I found some rust. Went to Ford dealer and bought a new 1970 Mustang coupe, British racing green, 302, 3 on the floor. $2700 with AM radio, white walls and wheel covers.
What fun--easy to spin those skinny tires, 26 mpg on the road.
Did all my own maintenance, easy in those days, learned a lot. Then
I-5 opened up in the CA valley. No cops--cruised 80-115 no problem,
sometimes passed by old folks in big Chryslers. Thanks for the memory jog. So now years later, after the Porsche, Vette and Ferrari are gone, I missed that Ford V-8. Just bought a nicely restored Ford pickup--390, Holley 4V, 4 on the floor and great sounding exhaust.
Now I enjoy that sound again (but not the speed or handling), back to doing my own car work. (Kind of like going from the fancy semiauto back to an old revolver.)

 

[Beemerguy53]

Congrats on getting that ride. I envy you! Your bride might not have been impressed (women just don't get it) but the rest of us understand very well how lucky you were!

I was in high school in the late '60s, and the muscle cars of that era were all the rage. One of my classmates spend the whole summer of 1969 selling vegetables at a roadside stand, sunup to sundown every single day, so he could save enough money to buy a new Plymouth Roadrunner. It was a base model, with bench seats, no A/C, just an AM radio, but oh did it haul ass! What a blast riding around town in that car.

One of my other classmates had a '56 Chevy (suitably hot-rodded of course) while other friends and acquaintances drove GTOs, Olds 442s, 'Cudas, etc., etc...

I was into them funny little furrin' cars, and owned (or I should say was owned by) a succession of Triumphs and MGs, with a Austin-Healey and a Sunbeam thrown in for good measure.

Today I drive a 2009 Honda Civic Si, and like your modern Mustang, it's far more advanced than those older cars were. But there is something...charm, or personality, or whatever...missing from just about all these modern cars...

Thanks for starting this thread, and congratulations again!

 

[2000Z-71]

Yes, very few women could understand.

Two years ago I got to drive a Ferrari F430 around an autocross course. I tried to express my excitement to my wife but she didn't quite get it. Take a lesson from me though, if she asks if it was better than sex, don't answer honestly.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Yes, very few women could understand.

Two years ago I got to drive a Ferrari F430 around an autocross course. I tried to express my excitement to my wife but she didn't quite get it. Take a lesson from me though, if she asks if it was better than sex, don't answer honestly.

LOL! Thanks for the best laugh I've had all evening!

 

[Forty5]

Words like Faster, better, safer, mean nothing.
It's about style!

Don

 

[Lee Barner]

mark, congrats man. i'll bet the guys at work understood. they had a few of them in the club in NE where i was stationed. beautiful cars all. lee

 

[2Loud4You]

Your wife may not get it but we do! My dream is a '69 Camaro. I did drive one but wasn't able to come up with enough to buy it. If you want to call it that, I "settled" on a '69 GTO which I owned for 3 years. Once you've owned a muscle car you understand the magic. They're loud, obnoxious, drink too much gas, don't have the bells and whistles of today's cars and don't handle as well as them but damnit, they're cool! If I didn't need a big truck to haul around music equipment because I thought I was going to be a rock star I'd still own that GTO...wait, didn't someone post a thread asking if you ever did anything dumb? Yeah, selling that GTO!

 

[BarbC]

Oh yeah. 1968 Shelby with 427 CobraJet.

 

[2Loud4You]

Oh yeah. 1968 Shelby with 427 CobraJet.

That is a gorgeous car!!!!!!

 

[Forester]

Never get tired of seeing that car Barb.

Is that you getting pulled over in the third pic or is that hubby following in the Marauder?

 

[gunlovingirl]

Wow! You actually returned it? jk. Back a "few" years ago, I owned a '69 Mach I. My brother owned a '69 Camaro. How I'd love to have either one of those now! I'd be more than happy to sell my '04 Mustang to get that '69 Mach I back! Trouble is, I'd have to sell a lot more than my '04. (Come on guys. Get it out of the gutter! I meant cars!)

 

[bmhiii]

jframe,

Most excellent! Did you buy a lottery ticket on the way home? Lucky day for sure....

 

[ecam8000]

I love the muscle cars. Grew up in San Diego and around 1980 those care were pretty cheap. We built them for drag racing at Carlsbad. But honestly, I like the newer stuff. I bought my wife a 68 GT Mustand fastback with an auto and A/C, and she hated it. Kept it for a couple years then sold it. Bought her a mid 90's Z28 and she loved it (until it snowed). These days I like to build the old cars with modern drive trains. I'm working on a 48 Ford (fat fender) with foor doors to be my every day driver. They is no denying the soul of the older cars, I love em. But the new stuff is easy to live with.