Mercury boss 351???

[Boss1Ray]

Vamach1, you are correct- but the thread took a few turns, as many do.

See one of the threads above, "while I am on the subject"...

I was just attempting to clarify the R code motors. Or at least I tried.

And I guess I should have said "SOME owners and salesmen referred to these cars as 1972 Boss 351's" and "many INCORRECTLY ran the Boss 351 fender decals".

I am with you - no Boss 351 Cougars.

Ray

 

[71MACH-1]

Ah.... My answer

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

I have a 1973 Q code that I am working to make more "BOSS" like. I still have a few things I need to do, but while looking I found an old vintage era article http://www.gapponline.net/2011/09/24/bossing-the-351/

It goes into a lot of detail that I am working with in my upgrade, though I am not being a purist as there was not Boss 351 in 1973

 

[Wolverine]

I thought we were validating whether there ever was a 71 Boss 351 Cougar.

In my reference, I was attempting to clarify exactly what would justify a COUGAR to be called a BOSS 351.

And, as far as I can tell, my point is not refuted. The literature from Ford indicates BOSS 351 refers to the car, and the motor is referred to as a

351 4V HO.

So if a person had a Cougar with a 351 4V HO Motor, there might be some justification for the Boss reference.

 

[rpmcarter]

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!!!

As far as I know, the Eliminator was the Merc version as stated above. No knowledge of a 71 like that

 

[hyena429]

My cousins best freind has a 428 cougar eliminator with factory tri power....Sence i was a teenager we been tring to get it from him...Its a marti report 1 of 1...Its the only 4 speed cougar that was orderd with AC...Which i didnt think ford would do..but i guess who ever ordered that car must of had alot of pull!!..lol

As for the boss cougar...Naw...Then my mach 1 should be called a boss too..Cause mine has a 351 4v with the same carb as a boss 351...Just lower compression..lol

 

[72MustangSprint]

My cousins best freind has a 428 cougar eliminator with factory tri power....Sence i was a teenager we been tring to get it from him...Its a marti report 1 of 1...Its the only 4 speed cougar that was orderd with AC...Which i didnt think ford would do..but i guess who ever ordered that car must of had alot of pull!!..lol

As for the boss cougar...Naw...Then my mach 1 should be called a boss too..Cause mine has a 351 4v with the same carb as a boss 351...Just lower compression..lol

One of my favorite cars growing up was a yellow 70 Cougar eliminator with a 428 CJ. Big money now but back then you could afford one.

 

[rpmcarter]

yeah I had a 70 Cougar xr7 with the 351 cleveland... nice car with an ORIGINAL 38k miles!! I bought it for 1300 thinking I would restore it. Dang thing all I did was rebuild the carb and she fired up after sitting for 30 years. Sold it when I found out my 67 was for sale. Sold the Cougar and a 65 Malibu to get the convertible.

But I joined the Cougar club in Florida and saw my FIRST 428 car!!!

 

[Martin Duke]

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

What the hell is that??

The Dorm supervisor at a Missouri College I attended in 1978/79, had a 71 Cougar that was factory ordered coming back from Vietnam (OkinawaNX, PX, MCX?). The option he got at the PX was the 351 Boss. The Mercury dealer that he picked up the car from was also a Pantera dealer offered to install a 5 speed for a good price. He let me drive that one a few miles. The Boss 351 Plaque was on the glove box with number of the engine. It did have 5 forward gears with a perfect clutch. That car had leather interior and power rear window (notch back). Sky blue with creme interior. Peterson wrote articles about these cars and book about them. It was scary fast. I had a Galaxy 500 with a 7 Liter but that Cougar handled as well as some modern cars.

 

[Spike Morelli]

Oh my, how times have changed! Back in the late sixties/ early seventies, the street trend was NOT to advertise about the cubic inches of your engine, if you did a swap, or had a stroker, but to play it down if you were battling it out on the street .There were a LOT of "sleepers" prowling the streets when these cars were new. Many guys ran small block badges on their big block cars to lure some other small block cars into an "impromptu acelleration contest". Ford, Chevy, we all did it. Vegas had V-8s, Pintos had V-8s, it was the times. Special cars, like Bosses, Z-28s, GT-350/500, "aero-cars", hemis, Stage 3s,and the like, were left pretty much as they were. Street rod guys might tell you that they just have a 283, when they really had a 327 or a 350 . The 427/428 Ford guys might tell you they have a warmed over 390. Many guys kept their hood pins locked so you couldn't see what was under the hood. Want to race? Pay to see, boys.

 

[72MustangSprint]

Oh my, how times have changed! Back in the late sixties/ early seventies, the street trend was NOT to advertise about the cubic inches of your engine, if you did a swap, or had a stroker, but to play it down if you were battling it out on the street .There were a LOT of "sleepers" prowling the streets when these cars were new. Many guys ran small block badges on their big block cars to lure some other small block cars into an "impromptu acelleration contest". Ford, Chevy, we all did it. Vegas had V-8s, Pintos had V-8s, it was the times. Special cars, like Bosses, Z-28s, GT-350/500, "aero-cars", hemis, Stage 3s,and the like, were left pretty much as they were. Street rod guys might tell you that they just have a 283, when they really had a 327 or a 350 . The 427/428 Ford guys might tell you they have a warmed over 390. Many guys kept their hood pins locked so you couldn't see what was under the hood. Want to race? Pay to see, boys.

You bring back memories, friend got dusted in big block SS Chevelle by another white Chevelle SS 396 car that we found out was running a 427 instead of the original 396 . This was back in the 80’s. Later my friends car was running a 454 .

 

[Martin Duke]

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

What the hell is that??

My dorm monitor in college (1978) had ordered his XR7 in Korea after a few temporary duty to Vietnam. He was offered the 351 Boss from the factory. We went on several trips nearby. There was a number plate on the glove box (1200 something). Additionally, when he picked it up from his local Lincoln Mercury dealer, they asked him he'd be willing to get a dealer installed upgrade, a 5 Speed from a Pantera for a nominal fee; they had several on hand and no Pantera came in with a broken tranny under warranty.

Color was powder blue. Dark blue interior with a electric rear window (notch back). It was faster than what I was driving: a built 400 small block in a Galaxy 500.

 

[Martin Duke]

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

It was offered by Ford for military Exchanges overseas. Knew more than one person that was offered the Boss 351 in a Ford or Mercury products. Green 1971 Coupe with a 351 Boss. 1971 XR7 with a 351 Boss and his dealer installed 5speed from the Pantera parts bin. Also, a 1972 Mustang Mach I Convertible with a 6 Cylinder and 4 speed because thw Soldier like the smoothness of the inline 6. That's nothing, according to Peterson's many books and pamphlets, Canadian factories put engines in Fords a years later than the engine codes: example, 428 SCJ in a 1970 Mustang. 351 Boss Convertibles. 1971 302 and 429 Boss Mustangs. I didn't even bring up the special order Pinto from 1981 ro 1983. They got whatever options were available except the 5.0.

 

[detritusmaximus]

It was offered by Ford for military Exchanges overseas. Knew more than one person that was offered the Boss 351 in a Ford or Mercury products. Green 1971 Coupe with a 351 Boss. 1971 XR7 with a 351 Boss and his dealer installed 5speed from the Pantera parts bin. Also, a 1972 Mustang Mach I Convertible with a 6 Cylinder and 4 speed because thw Soldier like the smoothness of the inline 6. That's nothing, according to Peterson's many books and pamphlets, Canadian factories put engines in Fords a years later than the engine codes: example, 428 SCJ in a 1970 Mustang. 351 Boss Convertibles. 1971 302 and 429 Boss Mustangs. I didn't even bring up the special order Pinto from 1981 ro 1983. They got whatever options were available except the 5.0.

I have to argue with the Pantera 5 speed. Someone may have swapped in a ZF from a front engine DeTomaso, but it would probably have been done a couple years later, after the Longchamp/Deauville began production. Definitely not putting a midengine ZF transaxle in place of the stock trans.
Or maybe a ZF from an Iso Lele/Fidia.

DeTomaso Lonchamp article. These cars came with a 351C 4v. Very nearly Boss spec, as they seem to be either 351C R code motors or the 300-330 hp motors from the Australian Falcon GT.

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/10/rare-rides-a-very-rare-de-tomaso-longchamp-from-1979/

 

[Martin Duke]

I have to argue with the Pantera 5 speed. Someone may have swapped in a ZF from a front engine DeTomaso, but it would probably have been done a couple years later, after the Longchamp/Deauville began production. Definitely not putting a midengine ZF transaxle in place of the stock trans.
Or maybe a ZF from an Iso Lele/Fidia.

DeTomaso Lonchamp article. These cars came with a 351C 4v. Very nearly Boss spec, as they seem to be either 351C R code motors or the 300-330 hp motors from the Australian Falcon GT.

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/10/rare-rides-a-very-rare-de-tomaso-longchamp-from-1979/

I can't argue with the source of the DeTomaso because just going by what the original owner said. There was a Boss 351 Tag on glovebox or dash. 1200 something. Under the hood, the engine tag had it as the Boss 351 and the Air Cleaner. It was a 5 Speed and he had the paperwork from the Lincoln Mercury dealer for the installation; however, it was part number for the transmission. Maybe we should look for the Boss 302, 351 and 429 list and see what cars got them. It would be registered somewhere at Ford. The same thing with the Canadian factory's habit of using all the parts for the year prior. Don Peterson of Ford history made mention of the off year Canadian cars. He said in one magazine that there 1971 Boss 302 and Boss 429 convertible. They'd be suspected by socalled experts as fake. I drove a 1982 and 1983 special order Pintos in about 2009 in Spanaway Washington. One had the California only 2300 HO with factory header and 5 speed. The other had the 1982.5 only 2800 EFI and a 5 speed. It was a dry summer day and 175 HP was too much for Pinto hatchback. They exist. That doesn't even touch the PNW Mazda rarities ran on the streets of Tacoma during the 1990s...and left hand drive. Wife talked me out if it and bought a base Honda Civic instead for the commute. Unicorns indeed.

 

[Martin Duke]

I can't argue with the source of the DeTomaso because just going by what the original owner said. There was a Boss 351 Tag on glovebox or dash. 1200 something. Under the hood, the engine tag had it as the Boss 351 and the Air Cleaner. It was a 5 Speed and he had the paperwork from the Lincoln Mercury dealer for the installation; however, it was part number for the transmission. Maybe we should look for the Boss 302, 351 and 429 list and see what cars got them. It would be registered somewhere at Ford. The same thing with the Canadian factory's habit of using all the parts for the year prior. Don Peterson of Ford history made mention of the off year Canadian cars. He said in one magazine that there 1971 Boss 302 and Boss 429 convertible. They'd be suspected by socalled experts as fake. I drove a 1982 and 1983 special order Pintos in about 2009 in Spanaway Washington. One had the California only 2300 HO with factory header and 5 speed. The other had the 1982.5 only 2800 EFI and a 5 speed. It was a dry summer day and 175 HP was too much for Pinto hatchback. They exist. That doesn't even touch the PNW Mazda rarities ran on the streets of Tacoma during the 1990s...and left hand drive. Wife talked me out if it and bought a base Honda Civic instead for the commute. Unicorns indeed.

 

[Martin Duke]

View attachment 97904

That's what was under the hood of the 83 Pinto; though this is a Capri III (US Capri II). Seen a couple of these as well on the West Coast.

 

[detritusmaximus]

I can't argue with the source of the DeTomaso because just going by what the original owner said. There was a Boss 351 Tag on glovebox or dash. 1200 something. Under the hood, the engine tag had it as the Boss 351 and the Air Cleaner. It was a 5 Speed and he had the paperwork from the Lincoln Mercury dealer for the installation; however, it was part number for the transmission. Maybe we should look for the Boss 302, 351 and 429 list and see what cars got them. It would be registered somewhere at Ford. The same thing with the Canadian factory's habit of using all the parts for the year prior. Don Peterson of Ford history made mention of the off year Canadian cars. He said in one magazine that there 1971 Boss 302 and Boss 429 convertible. They'd be suspected by socalled experts as fake. I drove a 1982 and 1983 special order Pintos in about 2009 in Spanaway Washington. One had the California only 2300 HO with factory header and 5 speed. The other had the 1982.5 only 2800 EFI and a 5 speed. It was a dry summer day and 175 HP was too much for Pinto hatchback. They exist. That doesn't even touch the PNW Mazda rarities ran on the streets of Tacoma during the 1990s...and left hand drive. Wife talked me out if it and bought a base Honda Civic instead for the commute. Unicorns indeed.

In 71 there is and is not a Boss 302. It does not exist as Ford never sold one. But it does exist since Ford built one before canceling the 71 Boss 302 as a Mustang model for that year. That one car was built with a genuine G code vin.
After it was canceled, that car was renumbered and rengined with an H code 2v 351C. Then sold as a genuine, from the factory 351C H code.
So, that car has two identities. Both of them 'real' in every way that car collectors consider 'real'. The car is currently restored to the Boss 302 G-code vin. Even has a genuine (built before cancellation) 71 Boss 302 motor.