Mercury boss 351???

[71MACH-1]

I met a guy who told me he has a 71 cougar BOSS 351........

What the hell is that??

 

[Wolverine]

I met a guy who told me he has a 71 cougar BOSS 351........

What the hell is that??

That is a guy talking out his...well his rectum.

As much as I like Cougars(owned 2 XR7's), the 71-73 Cougars were a bust in my opinion. Would like to see the build sheet.

 

[72fastback]

A lot of people who have no clue about anything think the have a boss 351 because they have a 351c in their car. I saw a guy here at our mustang meet that came in with a 1970 and he goes on to tell me it a 351 boss. And he had the stickers on it. I look at him with this look on my face and tell him " buddy I don't want to burst your bubble but the only made the boss 351 for one year and it was 1971." :dodgy: He looks at me like I'm crazy hahaha. I then told him that there where a few different types of 351c the boss was just one of them. I wonder if he still has still has those badges on the car hahaha

 

[1971mach1]

They made a Cougar Eliminator with the Boss 302 engine option in 1969-70.

This cougar website said there was only 351-4v for 71, so they think there was no Cougar Boss 351.

http://www.classiccougarcommunity.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=78

 

[cobra3073]

Again, I have learned to never say "NEVER" as it relates to what Ford might have done.

That having been said, I am not aware of any documentation which indicates a 1971 Mercury Cougar came from "the Factory" with a Boss 351 engine. Of course, someone could have ordered a Boss 351 engine (and other components) or otherwise acquired said engine and installed it in a 1971 Cougar. Would that make it a Boss 351, perhaps not to a rabid "Restorer" but some may feel that it does.

Being a "modifyer", the first modified iteration of my 1973 Mach 1 was in fact a mimicking of many of the 1971 Boss 351 attributes (taken to a higher level of performance) based on information gleaned from the Ford "Off Highway Parts" Manual.

I guess my underlying motto is to build whatever you want and call it whatever you want to call it because it is yours. I know, I know, this does not mean that one should "misrepresent" it, if questioned.

...just my $.02

BT

 

[Wolverine]

Again, I have learned to never say "NEVER" as it relates to what Ford might have done.

I agree with everything you said, as I am also building to 351 Boss specs, except with a hydraulic lifter and roller rockers. On the outside, I want it to look like a 351 Boss in every way...except for that crappy autolite carb.

But, if I were looking at a 71 stock Cougar and someone said it was 351 BOSS from the factory, it better have the right manifold, right carb, solid lifters and pedestals cut down with 7/16 studs for adjustable rocker arms. Don't know how you would prove it came that way.

Would be nice to see a Mercury label on the air cleaner with 351 BOSS....that would be interesting.

As a side note, I always thought the BOSS 351 mantra referred to the entire Mustang, body and all, not just to the motor.

Good luck finding that.

 

[marks73]

I helped a good freid of mine put a 429 in a 62 Galaxie Sunliner. He put 429 emblem on the fenders and took it to a car show where he was told the Sunliner didn't have a 429. He opened the hood!!!

 

[mach71351c]

I don't think so.Not from the factory.

 

[whitesoc]

Friend of mine had a 67Galaxie.....it started out with a 289 finished up with a 390 and a 4 speed...390 P.I. badges....and the works.

Fellow at a car show remarked on how rare a car taht was and that he worked on the line at Ford at that time.......my buddy went over and closed the door so the guy couldn't see the door tag.

 

[sm3570]

my buddy went over and closed the door so the guy couldn't see the door tag.

lollerz

 

[woodsnake]

As probably one of the most cougar owningest members here, I call BS, and would have to see the Marti report. He probably thinks the C makes its a Boss 351...How many times have you heard BOSS 302 Mustang, that actually is just a plain jane 2V 302...

 

[69 Rustang]

If I had a $1 for every guy that told me his plain old 302 was a "302 Boss" as they always end up saying (instead of Boss 302), well, I could have a very very nice dinner with my wife. So here we are, somebody now has a Boss 351 Cougar--I say, show me the dataplate and evidence. I am certainly aware of the Cougar Eliminators, but sorry, I have to be pessimistic on this claim.

That isn't to say I don't chase these things down to see what they really are if there appears to be an opportunity. Several years ago someone told me he had a "302 Boss" for sale, of course I went and looked at it. What do you know, it was a 2v 302, nothing Boss about it other than the idiot selling it. When I told him it was a standard 302 he got beligerant with me. Funny, but it was MY time that he wasted in my opinion...

 

[71MUSTY]

Well, my dad had a BOSS 429 Country Squire that he bought new as a special order so anything is possible. But not likely!

 

[Wolverine]

While we are on this subject, I did some investigating into 351 BOSS MUSTANG literature from FORD.

I cannot find an ENGINE labeled BOSS 351. I find literature on BOSS 351 Mustang's with engines that are labeled 351-4V HO.

I do find 302 BOSS engines in shop manuals. No 351 Boss. The key here is I do not have a shop manual that details a 351C with mechanical lifters, although there is a note in the specifications indicating FOR HYDRAULIC lifters.

I have looked at engine labels, emission labels, and I do not see 351 BOSS, simply 351 CID.

Maybe someone has one?

 

[midlife]

I do know of a 1972 Boss 351 Mustang (sorta). It was ordered by a Ford dealer owner as his own car, and managed to get the 71 Boss 351 engine, but the car came without the 71 Boss stripes. He ordered the stripes from the parts department, applied them upon arrival and the dealership. The current owner has the paperwork and everything to back this up. The car resides in Tucson.

 

[Boss1Ray]

The 351 4V HO for '71 IS the Boss 351 engine. And other than a few very uncommon one-off special orders or dealer engine swaps, these engines were only installed in Boss 351 Mustangs's for 1971. (I think I said the same thing twice... LOL)

Each and every 1.806 Boss 351's will have their VIN as 1F02RXXXXXX.

So...

In 1972 the R codes were what many refer to as the "detuned Boss 351 motor". And forgive me if you already know this, but these (1972 motors were available in ALL 1972 Mustang body types. (unfortunately I do not have the details for Grande or Mach I; they are included below under hardtop and sportsroof, respectfully.

Anyway, here's the breakout from an earlier thread by vamach1:

1972 351HO

19 hardtop

13 conv

366 sportsroof

Ray

 

[midlife]

The 351 4V HO for '71 IS the Boss 351 engine. And other than a few very uncommon one-off special orders or dealer engine swaps, these engines were only installed in Boss 351 Mustangs's for 1971. (I think I said the same thing twice... LOL)

Each and every 1.806 Boss 351's will have their VIN as 1F02RXXXXXX.

So...

In 1972 the R codes were what many refer to as the "detuned Boss 351 motor". And forgive me if you already know this, but these (1972 motors were available in ALL 1972 Mustang body types. (unfortunately I do not have the details for Grande or Mach I; they are included below under hardtop and sportsroof, respectfully.

Anyway, here's the breakout from an earlier thread by vamach1:

1972 351HO

19 hardtop

13 conv

366 sportsroof

Ray

Yup, I know. This was a special order...a very special order from Ford. The engine is the real McCoy.

 

[Boss1Ray]

The 351 4V HO for '71 IS the Boss 351 engine. And other than a few very uncommon one-off special orders or dealer engine swaps, these engines were only installed in Boss 351 Mustangs's for 1971. (I think I said the same thing twice... LOL)

Each and every 1.806 Boss 351's will have their VIN as 1F02RXXXXXX.

So...

In 1972 the R codes were what many refer to as the "detuned Boss 351 motor". And forgive me if you already know this, but these (1972 motors were available in ALL 1972 Mustang body types. (unfortunately I do not have the details for Grande or Mach I; they are included below under hardtop and sportsroof, respectfully.

Anyway, here's the breakout from an earlier thread by vamach1:

1972 351HO

19 hardtop

13 conv

366 sportsroof

Ray

Yup, I know. This was a special order...a very special order from Ford. The engine is the real McCoy.

Many of the R code Mustangs for 1972 ran the Boss 351 fender decals.

The owners as well as many salesmen identified these cars as Boss 351's -but they were not. While they did carry the closest relation to the actual 1971 Boss 351's, they were 1972 351 HO equipped Mustangs.

It would be very interesting to see the motor and verify the parts of this special order motor as purchased by the dealer you reference. It is apparently a very rare 1972 351 HO Mustang.

I have always appreciated all of the 1972 HO Mustangs and have recognized them as very desirable cars.

Ray

 

[vamach1]

The 351 4V HO for '71 IS the Boss 351 engine. And other than a few very uncommon one-off special orders or dealer engine swaps, these engines were only installed in Boss 351 Mustangs's for 1971. (I think I said the same thing twice... LOL)

Each and every 1.806 Boss 351's will have their VIN as 1F02RXXXXXX.

So...

In 1972 the R codes were what many refer to as the "detuned Boss 351 motor". And forgive me if you already know this, but these (1972 motors were available in ALL 1972 Mustang body types. (unfortunately I do not have the details for Grande or Mach I; they are included below under hardtop and sportsroof, respectfully.

Anyway, here's the breakout from an earlier thread by vamach1:

1972 351HO

19 hardtop

13 conv

366 sportsroof

Ray

Yup, I know. This was a special order...a very special order from Ford. The engine is the real McCoy.

Many of the R code Mustangs for 1972 ran the Boss 351 fender decals.

The owners as well as many salesmen identified these cars as Boss 351's -but they were not. While they did carry the closest relation to the actual 1971 Boss 351's, they were 1972 351 HO equipped Mustangs.

It would be very interesting to see the motor and verify the parts of this special order motor as purchased by the dealer you reference. It is apparently a very rare 1972 351 HO Mustang.

I have always appreciated all of the 1972 HO Mustangs and have recognized them as very desirable cars.

Ray

I thought we were validating whether there ever was a 71 Boss 351 Cougar. I don't so. Every 72 HO Mustang I have seen pictures of did NOT have Boss 351 decals but either had all the Mach1 trimmings or was just a plain fastback or coupe or conv but with of course a four speed and the real McCoy 351 HO engine. I suppose one of those could have made it's way into a the Mustangs cousin the Cougar. For all I know it could have even had GT351 decals. :huh: