Boss 351 hood markings

[Jhornet]

If Hello-

I'm looking at a number of Boss 351s for sale. Some I've seen have 351 Ram Air marked on the hood, some just say Ram Air and some have no marking at all. I'm assuming that the ones with no markings at all have been repainted, but which is correct - 351 Ram Air or just plain Ram Air, or could they have come from the factory either way?

 

[secluff]

Hello Jhornet,

The correct and only way the 71 Boss left  Dearborn was with the "Ram Air" decal. Ford felt it would be redundant to use a "351 Ram Air" decal since the fender decal already proclaimed that it was a 351. There was also NOT a decal on the ram air housing lid. You will see a lot of them with a 351 ram air decal on the lid but that is actually a decal for the 69-70 GT-350 Shelby. Unless going for the Concours look you should use whatever you like. The lids on the ram air cars always looked a little plain with no chrome or decals.

 

[Jhornet]

Cool thanks. The one I have my eye on just says 'Ram Air'. I saw one on sale for $79K that had the 351 added. Thanks

 

[Boss1Ray]

Hello Jhornet,

The correct and only way the 71 Boss left  Dearborn was with the "Ram Air" decal. Ford felt it would be redundant to use a "351 Ram Air" decal since the fender decal already proclaimed that it was a 351. There was also NOT a decal on the ram air housing lid. You will see a lot of them with a 351 ram air decal on the lid but that is actually a decal for the 69-70 GT-350 Shelby. Unless going for the Concours look you should use whatever you like. The lids on the ram air cars always looked a little plain with no chrome or decals.

As usual, Secluff is 100% correct.  ::thumb::



As a Boss 351 owner  (for a very long time), I have seen many cars with incorrect striping, decals and emblems.  As for the hood decals, the "351" was not added.  It is the other way around.  They come from Ford as "351 RAM AIR" or "429 RAM AIR".  For the Boss 351, we just cut off the "351" or "429" part.  And they are only correct in argent or black to be placed on a non-gloss black or argent painted hood. Personally don't care much for gloss black or argent hood treatment. 

IMHO, it defeats the whole reason it was done that way to start with! 

Ray

 

[yancy55]

There is another decal that people seem obsessed with and which DID NOT come from the factory...…...the CAUTION: FAN decal on the fan shroud.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

The cautions fan decal was there. I am original owner and they are always crooked. This picture was made before I cleaned it up. It bugs me that you can never find the correct one on the valve cover that is original one on mine. Stickers I see on lots that were not on mine are the ones on the cowl. It is my belief that they were only on audit area cars that got picked over. They did so many a day and if issue was found they went back down the build to see if others were bad. They did not inspect quality in. 
I also paid the big bucks for the Marti radiator and heater hoses and they are nothing like the originals on my car. I kept the old one's and put the repo on. 

 

[yancy55]

The caution fan decal was NOT on the Boss 351....I saw mine come off the truck from the factory

 

[7173Vert]

Was there not a TSB from Ford concerning the Caution Fan install be dealer’s?...

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I would have to do some searching but I think the Caution Fan sticker was a Federal requirement. Ford did not add anything unless required. If every engine from 6 cylinder t 429 had it I am sure 51 Boss had it. The stoned worker on the line probably missed it.

 

[Stanglover]

 The stoned worker on the line probably missed it.

Good one David.

Probably the same reason why I have one fender minus the date/shift stamp that is without doubt original to the car.

When I bought my '71 car, almost nothing under the hood had been refreshed, changed or otherwise restored. It had the Caution Fan sticker along with all others except the engine tag sticker on the left valve cover, but the remains of the adhesive was.

 

[7173Vert]

I would have to do some searching but I think the Caution Fan sticker was a Federal requirement. Ford did not add anything unless required. If every engine from 6 cylinder t 429 had it I am sure 51 Boss had it. The stoned worker on the line probably missed it.

I don't think so... research it, get back to us.

 

[Idaho Chris]

FWIW my '73 came from the factory with the "Caution Fan" decal.  I bought it used in '74, long before anyone was restoring these old girls.  Oh, and my decal was actually applied pretty straight!

 

[yancy55]

The two pics of the engine posted are not the Boss motor.......The Boss 351 most certainly did not have the decal on top of air cleaner....

 

[SVO2SCJ]

Was there not a TSB from Ford concerning the Caution Fan install be dealer’s?...

Unfortunately Ford was slow to react to a known problem dated 7/1/1971 for 72 cars  https://www.conceptcarz.com/recall/8569/ford-mustang.aspx

And then taking even longer here https://www.conceptcarz.com/recall/8569/ford-mustang.aspx after the death of a Michigan Dealer Mechanic.    The stickers didn't appear until will into the 1972 production, first as a campain then installed on the lines by late 1972.

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/02/archives/ford-chief-admits-mistake-in-failure-to-recall-autos-late-ford.html

Mark

P.S.   Though not part of production for a 1971 car (or before) IF YOU WENT TO A FORD DEALER when they have stickers , there was a good chance you would get one.   For Example you purchase a car in June (any car) and in Sept you go to a dealer for service you may or may not have gotten a sticker on your car.  SAY you purchased a left over 1972  in  Aug................by then Dealers would have been sent a roll and told to PUT ON THE UNSOLD INVENTORY.

 

[7173Vert]

Unfortunately Ford was slow to react to a known problem dated 7/1/1971 for 72 cars  https://www.conceptcarz.com/recall/8569/ford-mustang.aspx

And then taking even longer here https://www.conceptcarz.com/recall/8569/ford-mustang.aspx after the death of a Michigan Dealer Mechanic.    The stickers didn't appear until will into the 1972 production, first as a campain then installed on the lines by late 1972.

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/02/archives/ford-chief-admits-mistake-in-failure-to-recall-autos-late-ford.html

Mark

P.S.   Though not part of production for a 1971 car (or before) IF YOU WENT TO A FORD DEALER when they have stickers , there was a good chance you would get one.   For Example you purchase a car in June (any car) and in Sept you go to a dealer for service you may or may not have gotten a sticker on your car.  SAY you purchased a left over 1972  in  Aug................by then Dealers would have been sent a roll and told to PUT ON THE UNSOLD INVENTORY.

Your last paragraph is what I was referring too... I still think there was an internal document requiring dealer’s to install the sticker during service visits, if it was not there. Sounds like you covered this also. Thanks.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

This is probably one of those that can never be nailed down. The assembly instructions that Osborne publishes are for what version Ford gave his dad. Daily changes were mad in production and without all the original blue prints and change dates will never be known. Without finding the worker that put the sticker on and talking to personally the true story will never be known.

 

[Wildryd]

As others have stated, the Boss 351 should NOT have a 'Caution Fan' sticker.  1972 and up is OK to have on the fan shroud.