Original owner buys Boss 351 back

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My Car
1971 Boss 351
1971 Mustang Sportsroof
1972 Q Code 4-speed conv.
AutoFair_Boss 351.jpg

Cool story

(FYI the yellow car in the photo above is obviously not the Boss 351 mentioned in this story, it is just a pic from the referenced event.)

Davidson, N.C. Resident Brings Exceptional Story, and Car, to Charlotte Motor Speedway AutoFair April 3-6 2014.

Many older vehicles have a unique story behind them and the story behind Alan Goodman's 1971 Mustang Boss 351 might just top them all.

The Davidson, N.C. resident specially ordered his '71 Mustang Boss 351 from Mooresville Ford right out of high school so he could outrun all of his buddies who drove Chevrolets. The car was his most prized possession, but once he decided to start a family, he sold the car in 1983.

"My friends would ask, 'Do you still have the Boss Mustang?' When I would say no, they'd say 'Well that was stupid. That car was so special,'" said Goodman. "And I never escaped it."

Then in 1999, when Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the 35th anniversary celebration of the Mustang, two different people called to tell him they thought they found his Boss 351 at the event.

"I received a voicemail from my friend from high school. He said, 'Alan, your Boss Mustang is over here, call me tonight,'" said Goodman. "I called him and said, 'Steve, how do you know that's my Boss?' He said, 'Do you remember the name tag that said 'this car made especially for Alan Goodman?' It's in the ashtray of the car.'"

Goodman drove to the track to see it for himself and sure enough, the car he had let get away was back in his life. He asked the owner if he ever thought about selling it and lucky for Goodman, he was planning to retire the car from the show circuit in 2000. When the time came, Goodman purchased the car once again and is sure he will never let it go.

"When I went around the turn and I saw that Mustang sitting there, I cried," said Goodman. "It was emotional. My dad raised me that there are two kinds of cars, four-door Fords and two-door Fords. To think that I was so blessed to have bought a car in 1971 that turned out to be a limited production car; Ford made 1,806 of them. And to think I was blessed enough to have bought that car and still have it back in one piece, original. It's just about overwhelming to be honest."

Goodman's '71 Mustang Boss 351 will make its return to Charlotte Motor Speedway to be on display as part of the 50Th anniversary exhibit in the Nationwide Insurance Classic Car Showcase Pavilion.

https://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/littleluggies/news/unique-mustang-makes-return-collector-car-auction-with-rare-jaguar-lawn-mower-racing-much-more-autofair.html

another link to same story in a newspaper article:

http://www.independenttribune.com/news/lost-and-found-one-man-s-mustang-love-story/article_8af88ea6-c628-11e3-b88f-001a4bcf6878.html

Ray

 
Just a quick update - the yellow car is obviously not a Boss 351. That pic was just one from the webpage from the referenced carshow.

Ray

 
Neat story. Glad I can say I never let mine go although, I wished I could have been fortunate enough to to be the original owner.
Brian - maybe you will see or hear about him at Charlotte! That would be really cool.

Ray

 
Is the car all original? With just 40K on it, it probably is. Would be nice to know what work was done to it in the intervening years.

 
Is the car all original? With just 40K on it, it probably is. Would be nice to know what work was done to it in the intervening years.
From what I have read the previous owner(s) restored it - or maybe just freshened it up.

It looks like they added a few things, probably not knowing the additions are incorrect.

The "Caution Fan" sticker on the fan shroud is incorrect for the Boss 351 as is the "Boss 351" sticker applied to the valve cover. If I EVER get my car to that point those items will be correct. I might play with some other stuff but it will appear VERY stock.

Ray

 
Isn't it funny how so many people pine away for a long lost car they once had...and when and if they find it, don't car if it all beat up?

Too bad that don't work with old girlfriends: they never come close to what we remember. I'll take the old car any day!

 
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