FAQs/Facts

Please note this page is no longer being updated since we have gone to our new messageboard, The BOSS 302 Exchange.

The information is arranged in alphabetical order by subject. For example, if you are looking for information on paint, click on the P. Or, you can scroll down the entire page. The subject of the item is in bold print. Some questions have more than one answer which will be noted A1, A2, A3, etc.

Q: Was the air filter element in the shaker hood different than the air filter element in the regular air cleaner for a 1970 BOSS 302? What was the original Ford part # and diameter and height? A: The books I've got handy show an Autolite quick reference of a F-41 and no difference (on this engine) between the two (ram-air, non-ram-air) As far as part number I don't see anything except the common replacement/service filter (Ford number B7SZ-9601-A) Used on tons of applications. Described as 11.32" I.D., 13.30" O.D. and 2.22" high.

Q: Were the deleted rear air scoops on a '69 BOSS 302 filled in or was it a full rear sheet metal stamped pressing? A: A full rear sheet metal stamped pressing.

Q: How do I find my car's original block? A1: Contact the BOSS 302 Registry. A2: Try to learn as much history on the car as you can. Contact past owners and know locations where the car has been. Look for advertisements of engines for sale. Call the person and ask if the block has a VIN stamped in it. Go to swap meets looking for blocks and engines.

Q: Body build (buck) tag codes

PB Power Disk Brakes

DE Dual Exhaust

CL Courtesy Lights

PS Power Steering

RS Rear Spoiler

RM Remote Mirror

CT not in my book

BL Backlight Louvers (Sport Slats)

TT  hood paint details

BO - Black out??? (of trunk and taillights)

BTRAC Dual painted mirrors

Q: I have a'70 BOSS 302 that is missing the original buck tag and would like to see if there is any way to reproduce it. The car is really nice and very original, so I would like to get a buck tag for it. Does anyone know if these are available? I know that there are reproductions for the data plates/stickers. Any help would be appreciated. A: Buck Tags along with Door Data Plates, Ownercards, Engine Tags, Carb Tags, and Axle Tags can be obtained from: Marti AutoWorks Glendale, AZ. A2: I just spoke with Kevin Marti at Marti Autoworks. The price is $37.50 for the buck tag plus $2 for shipping. The correct phone number is: 623-935-2558; fax: 623-935-2579.

Q: My '70 BOSS 302 has the words "BOSS 302" hand written in script with factory seam sealer on the inside of the right quarter panel, in front of the inner wheel housing. Is this a documented "BOSS thing" or did some assembly line worker just get happy with the applicator gun. My BOSS is a low option car so it would be fun to know that it has at least one unique original feature. Has anyone seen this before? A1: I have seen that on 3 BOSS 302s. Either "BOSS 302" or just "302" written in either grease pencil, undercoating or "smutz." Don't know the technical name for the stuff but it was there. A2: I bought an original BOSS 302 from the original owner in 1979 and still have it. Years ago I had cause to remove the rear inner panels and on the inside of the rear quarter panels "Boss 302" was written in yellow grease pencil. My car is a Metuchen car built in late 1969.

Q: Did Ford make a 1971 BOSS 302? A: No. Ford did have a plan for a 1971 BOSS 302 but it was cancelled in favor of the BOSS 351.

Q: Are the brake shoes for BOSS 302 special? A: There is nothing special about the brake shoes and pads for a BOSS. A quality semi-metallic pad/shoe from any of the big manufacturers will work great.

Q: I have got a 289 HIPO cam and was wondering if I can run it in
the BOSS 302 or if it has too much lift? .460 with 1.6 rockers,
approx. 0.497375 with 1.73 rockers. A: Yes, you can run it in the BOSS 302. No, it does not have too much lift. No, it is not the best cam for the BOSS 302.

Q: How many Cougar Eliminators were built with the BOSS 302 engine? A: In 1969 there were 168 Cougar Eliminators built with the BOSS 302. There were 469 BOSS 302 Eliminators produced for 1970. 323 with the close ratio transmission, 146 with the wide ratio transmission.

Q: My data plate is missing does any one know if any can make replacements with the information from my invoice? A: Marti Autoworks is a licensed reproducer of the door labels and tags.Kevin @ Marti Autoworks (623) 937-4122 or 935-2558 12007 W. Peoria, El Marize, AZ. 85335. Send copy of your invoice.

Q: I have a 1969 BOSS 302 I am in the process of restoring back to original condition. I am trying to find a correct intake manifold for this car. The build date on the car is May 5, 1969. What would be an acceptable casting date on the manifold to keep my car valid? A1: I think its fair to say a generally accepted principle is that parts should be dated up to 90 days before the car's assembly. I also think this should be applied with some caution, but it certainly seems to hold true for the vast majority of Mustangs. However, this "common wisdom" falls short when it comes to low production models, like the BOSS. Many low-demand parts were run off fewer times during a model year, mainly to save money with economies of scale. Fewer runs means more parts per run and more profitable man-hours without downtime for re-tooling. How does this affect you? It's my experience there were only two or three runs per year of hard-to-find parts like BOSS carbs and intakes. And, since you have a '69, there might be only one or two manifold dates available before your car was built. Thus, it's likely any part you find will test the 90-day theory to its limits - or pass beyond it, completely. A2: Since you have such an early car it should be a pretty easy answer IMHO. Early intakes did not have a cast date pad just forward of the carb flange like later manifold did. What is even more interesting and slightly off subject, is the fact that the date on your door could be off from the real finish date on the car by a number of weeks. So guessing at a "correct" date is fun. What you might be more interested is what is acceptable or expected. First "rule" would be to have one with a date cast before your stated build date or the date on your engine tag. It's real simple to understand why a later date would cause some problems. Another discussion would be which intake manifold you should hunt for if you have a choice. You should find (for your car) the following intakes out there 1. Intake manifold with the words "FIREING ORDER" on the rear upper runner. No Casting date 2. Intake manifold with that area ground smooth (likely to remove the incorrectly spelled words) No Casting date (at least on the ones I've got) 3. Intake manifold with the words "FIRING ORDER" on the rear upper runner. Had casting date on all the ones I've seen. It appears (and the story goes) that there was a mistake in the first castings and because of the mistake and numerous intakes in the system yet unused that the words were removed. Once the supply had run out a new casting was made with the correction.

Q: My VIN is 0F02G145115, and my original invoice seems to indicate it was delivered Dec. '69 to an Iowa dealer. Where is the build date info? The little holes on the side of invoice seem to indicate 12/69. My door panels are stamped Nov. or Dec. '69. A1: Since your door sticker only includes the month and year you'd be correct in using 12-69. In looking at cars built before and after (140903 to 146731) they all list 12-69 as theirs on the door sticker. Even though cars were not built in sequentical order this should be a safe bet. A2: It's not on the invoice, that's for sure, unless someone wrote it there in longhand. Many dealers did this, transcribing the door tag info onto their invoice-copy. The "punched" date is the "date shipped". This usually bears little resemblance to a car's date of production and cannot be directly related in any way to the "date" code stamped on your door tag. Unless you'd be happy guessing at the build date, my advice is to contact Marti Auto Works. As licensee to Ford's assembly records, MAW can tell you just about anything you want to know about your car - dates, options, you name it. They charge a small fee, with individual factoids costing only $5, each. See their website for more info: http://martiauto.com.

Q: Can anyone help me with chassis detailing tips or relevant information? A: A good source for this is the December '89 and June '97 issues of Mustang Monthly.

Q: 1970 door data tag is missing. How can I determine what information was on the original label? A: Check the invoice if you have it, the body build tag, transmission tag, rear axle housing (differential) tag, and engine tag if they are on your car.

Q: Was the Drag Pak available on BOSS 302's? I have read in books that it was not. A1: I am the original owner of a 1970 Boss 302 that I ordered new with a Drag Pak. It included the oil cooler in question, 4.30 gears with a Detroit locker differential. It was listed on the window sticker as optional ratio axle and Detroit locker differential but included the oil cooler. The factory figured with the 4.30 gears that you might need some help keeping the oil temperature down. The option listed for $65.00. From the owner of  0F02G190780.

Q: Could someone please enlighten me on the proper way to set the dwell on a ,70 BOSS 302? My book calls for 30-33 degrees I believe. My question is, do I block off one set of points at a time and then take the reading, and if so what should that reading be? I get a reading of 30 degrees with neither set blocked off. Both sets of points are set at .0020 with a feeler gauge. A1: Sounds like you're on the right track. Donald Farr's book says dwell angle is 30-33 degrees. The Ford shop manual says the most precise method to adjust dwell on dual point distributors is to disconnect one set of points while adjusting the other. This way spring tension on the cam is equal. The example the shop manual gives is "where a 33 degree combined dwell is specified, the points are set separately at 25-25 1/2 to secure the specified 33 degree dwell." The shop manual also says NOT to use a feeler gauge to check the gap on USED points because the points are rough and the roughness "makes an accurate gap reading or setting impossible." Procedure is 1) follow the instructions of your dwell meter 2) operate engine at specified idle speed and note dwell reading. 3) stop engine and make adjustments to points. Decreasing gap INCREASES dwell. Check dwell again. 4) repeat as required until specified dwell is obtained. A2: My favorite way is to block off one set of points with a matchbox cover folded double right between one set of points. I also use a remote starter (between the 's' terminal and Battery), first making sure I have the car in neutral! Level ground and a good parking brake are also good safety tips. I prefer adjusting the dwell while doing a full tune-up, and having all the plugs removed. This helps the starter spin the engine faster. (You can do this with plugs in, but cranking speed will be lower and the dwell meter will bounce more). Now simply spin the engine with the remote starter while having a good dwell meter hooked up. Placing the meter on the engine helps your viewing. Watch out for the fan!! You don't need the ignition on either, because the 'I' terminal on the starter solenoid gives voltage to the coil during cranking, thus driving the dwell meter. CAUTION! Because the coil is energized anytime the solenoid is engaged, do NOT do this with the cap on and the plugs in! The engine will momentarily fire (until you release the remote starter button). If you accidentally left the car in gear, it will run over you! I go for about 24 deg. on one set of points. If the dwell is off, it is a simple matter to loosen the set screw and adjust the dwell as you spin the motor. Yes, adjust as the starter is cranking so you can watch your efforts on the dwell meter! (Points closer = higher dwell) This approximates the car running at (albeit very slow) idle. After you think you're close, tighten the set screw. Of course, the act of tightening the screw will change the dwell, so test after tightening. Now remove the matchbox cover and place in the other set and repeat. V-8 SB Fords have always been approximately 28-32 deg of dwell, and this method gets you very close to 30. Oh, before you go for a test drive, hook up the 'S' terminal again. Now you know why people yank 'em and put in Pertronix!

Q: Engine block casting dates. What and when? What is the correct engine casting numbers for a BOSS 302 block? What casting date code ranges should be on a BOSS 302 block? A1: My car 9F02G194310 has its original block which is a C8FE casting. These are the race block castings not machined for dry deck. These blocks were used for a time in place of the C9 castings. I read that late '69 cars were built with D0ZE-A blocks. This is possible since I have a D0ZE-A block cast in late June 69. A2: Casting numbers on a BOSS 302 should be C80E-6015-B, C8FE-6015-B for early '69. C9ZE-6015A or B or D0ZE-6015-A for '69. D0ZE-6015-B for '69 & '70. D1ZE-6015-B for service block. Example of date code in casting C9ZE is C meaning the decade, 9 meaning year, Z meaning car line, E meaning Eng. div. If the engine is originally installed it will have the Mustang's partial VIN stamped into the rear of the block, just above the area where the bellhousing attaches. Example is 9F02G196957 will have 196957 stamped into it. Up front a small flat area on the driver's side carried another code that identified the engine build date. Several digits appeared only the first two decode as the date. The first digit is the last numeral of the year. For example, 9 is 1969, the second is the month. Example A is January.

Q: Will 351C four barrel exhaust manifolds fit in a BOSS 302 Mustang? Obviously I'm not looking for concours here, just tired of those noisy headers and unwilling to pay $$ for original manifolds. Upon inspection, it appears that the 351C manifold interferes with the oil filter. A: No, you'll have problems on the passenger side also, the manifold hits the block.

Q: On Car and Driver, there was a red BOSS 302 that had '69 GT exhaust tips. Was there an option for GT exhaust tips on a BOSS, or was this the owner's idea? A: Owner add on/modification. Actually, if you look closer, those aren't even '69 quad tips to begin with - they are much too large in diameter to be the rolled quad tips found on 69 351W 4V and 428CJ. The BOSS had no optional exhaust package and did not come with the rear exhaust cutout valance as pictured on the Car and Driver car.

Q: Does anyone know if you can take regular Mustang fenders and roll them? Know anyone who can do it? A: Dave Shanahan, who runs PonyWorks (413) 637 1017, can handle that. He is located in Lee, Mass. He is just finishing my Boss and his metal work is impeccable.

Q: Are the BOSS 302 fenders interchangeable between '69 and '70? A: No, not without a lot (and I mean A LOT) of modification. The cars have different styling. Different headlights and side marker lights are the main features.

Q: I need to replace the floor pans in my '70 BOSS 302. Who makes the best repro pans to replace the originals? A: The Paddock makes the best I've seen. Heavier gauge than original with correct bead stamping patterns and cleanout holes. Easy to trim.

Q: I am planning on replacing the floor pans on my newly acquired '70 BOSS 302. Does anyone have any helpful hints or advice they would like to share? This car is not concours, however it is a complete and driveable car worth the effort. A: I have never had the need to personally replace floor pans, however, I do know that the repro pans available do not have the correct ribbing unique to the 69/70 floor design. Rather, the floor pans are configured like the 64 1/2 - 68 design. Do you have some original rust free pans or are you planning on using repos? Depending on the extent of the rust, you may also want to use some detective work and check out your torque boxes, outer rockers, frame rails and so forth. Sometimes, a floor pan job turns out to be a bit more, again, depending on the extent of damage.

Q: I am rebuilding my 1970 BOSS 302 engine and keeping the stock 10.5:1 compression ratio (although .040 diameter oversize). What fuel, fuel additive, racing fuel, etc. will work without damaging the engine? A: At selected stations in your area, you can purchase CAM2, Union 76 Racing, Turbo Blue (101 MON), Trick Racing Gas (108 MON) either with MEL (8 oz. bottle) per tank full. Make sure you rebuild with hardened valve seats (I used Manley) in the event your lead percentage is low to prevent the seats from sinking after use. You can mix unleaded premium (3 parts) and unleaded regular to get to 95 MON. I usually use a blend of 100/130 aviation fuel (one part) with three parts of unleaded premium which gives a blend of 96-97 MON which works well in my BOSS (10.5:1 CR). Aniline is OK as an additive 20:1, but you need to run the fuel out of the tank to avoid corroding fuel lines and carb. fittings.

Q: What is the BOSS 302 fuel pump? A1: The BOSS 302 came with a Carter X pump which was a high volume pump. It has a large X in the casting. The Pep Boys part number is HP-43. A2: I replaced my old fuel pump with a Carter hi-flow unit that was available at my local speed shop. It was no big deal and not that expensive. A3: Rebuild kits will allow you to keep the pump original. Companies like AMK were offering new rebuild kits for these pumps. A4: I recently rebuilt my original Carter fuel pump with a kit from AMK, it was easy and now runs like a BOSS should!

Q: Is the '70 gas cap different for a California emissions car? A: Yes. I have heard about people using a new cap on their new/restored gas tank and causing it to collapse due to the vacuum caused by the pump. The caps are available in reproductions for around $50.

Q: My car has been in the resto process for the past 3 years, and sat for approx. 4 years before that, however at that time the engine, transmission, brakes, had all been rebuilt. Now that the car is done, I went to put it on the road for the first time in about 7 years. This is what happened: After going through all brake hydraulics, and checking all fluids, the car seemed to run ok, however I had a lot of pinging on premium fuel, I do have a cam in it and don't really know where to set the timing. Also after winding up the R's, my radiator foams through the overflow. It seems to be somewhat restricted in the exhaust as well, when the engine was rebuilt I had a muffler shop install new pipes and mufflers. One muffler blew in the first couple weeks, and the car doesn't have that throaty sound, it sounds like it needs to flow more. I thought about installing flow masters or the original equipment. A1:It sounds to me that you may have a bad/blown head gasket which would account for the foaming/regurgitation out of the radiator. If that is the case, then it is overheating and would cause the car to detonate under load which is a dangerous condition for your motor. Most good shops have an "exhaust sniffer" that detects exhaust gases in the coolant. IF that is the case, thaen a head gasket job is in order. A2: I think it might be beyond a blown head gasket. (look for water in the oil for that) BOSS motors, especially when cammed, are very sensitive to both ignition and cam timing. Did the muffler blow due to backfire? Does the car run well and make good power? If not, all these symptoms, including overheating, could be traced to timing issues. That might be a good place to start. A3: I think you should check the head gasket. When my engine was rebuilt I found out that the head water passage had been drilled this caused some of the same problems you are experiencing, especially with the radiator. When the head was taken off and plugged, it ran much better.

Q: Will a 351C (4V) heat stove work on a BOSS? Do they share the same general size and shape? I know the manifold bolt pattern is the same, but block dimensions are different. A: It might depend on which 4V shroud you're referring to, but I've seen several that work "well enough". Appearance is another matter, altogether. I know of no commonly available heat stove which looks and fits like either of the BOSS assemblies. And that's partly because the BOSS used a 2-part heat stove. Of course, once you've jammed it into that snug space, few people could spot the real thing anyway.

Q: How can I find out my car's history? A1: Contact the BOSS 302 Registry. A2: contact your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Beware that most state DMVs only keep records for a certain amount of time (maybe 10 years). A3: Contact previous owners if you are lucky enough to find them.

Q: How do I get a "History 999 Report" from Ford? A: Call 1-800-392-3673. Have the VIN ready. Note, the accuracy of these reports has come into question and some have been known to be wrong. Just keep in mind you are not dealing with Ford Motor Company personnel. This is a service provided by a non-Ford company and these people are not as classic Mustang/Cougar smart as you might like them to be.

Q: Were hood pins/hood twist locks an option? A: No, they were not an option on BOSS 302s from the factory. But some dealerships may have installed them on their own or at the request of a buyer/owner.

Q: What is the proper placement of a dealer installed hood mount tach pod on a 1970 BOSS 302 with a shaker hood? I want to know if mine was done correctly. A: Since these items were installed by the dealer, there was no set location for their positioning. I used to own a '69 Mach 1 with a dealer installed hood tach, and over the years encountered a few other cars which claimed "dealer installation." Each of our cars had a slightly different location. So, I guess if it looks good where it is and it is easily visible from the driver's seat, then I would consider it a "correct" placement.

Q: What's a quick way to identify a BOSS 302 motor in a vehicle? A1: Find the freeze plugs --- if they are pressed in then it's not a
BOSS 302. If they have a large square indentation in the middle of what looks like a giant set screw, it's a start. A2: Check if there are 8 bolts holding down the valve covers. Next, check the radiator hose inlet at the top of the engine. If it enters the manifold it's a BOSS 302. If it enters the block, it's a Cleveland (351C).

Q: What is the proper setting for the ignition points? The gap setting and the dwell settings? A: From the 1970 shop manual, dwell angle at idle speed is 30-33 degrees. Distributor point gap is 0.020, dual points.

Q: What is/are the right casting numbers for the intake manifold? A: C9FE-9424-E or C9ZE-9424-D.

Q: What do you recommend to stop the oil splash while doing lifter adjustments? Crane doesn't show any in their catalog, my car has Crane roller rockers. Will the Mr. Gasket units work on the roller type? Should I just use a shop towel? A1: The old trick is to get a second pair of steel rocker covers, then cut an access hole with snips...turning the flap so as to become a splashguard. Not a perfect solution and dangerous to your fingers, but it does work. A2: Set them static! This works well and is very clean. See the HP Books on how-to rebuild small block Fords for standard instructions. A3: Check out Mustang Monthly October, 1998. There is a story about solid lifter adjustment.

Q: I haven't been able to find anyone who stocks the small nylon louver grommets on my BOSS 302. I have come up with a temporary fix (take this for what its worth). Take a tire air stem cap with a good edge running around the open end. Using a sharp razor, cut about a 1/4" from this open end. To match the smaller hole in the louver you will have to carefully cut a piece out of the side to match the hole(cut this at an angle). The edge on the tire cap will stop it from falling through the hole. A1: A good temporary fix and a good anti-rattle aid is to measure the hole diameter and go to a large hardware store like Home Depot or HomeBase and find the small doo-dad section (tech-no-speak for small hardware, nuts/bolts, etc). You're looking for black rubber grommets of the correct inside diameter. Since rubber grommets are used for things like firewall pass-through holes, they're ideal. Mine still work great after 5 years.

Q: What are the correct paint stripe and part number/stamping for the '70 Magnum 500s? A: See January 1990 Mustang Monthly article.

Q: I'm thinking of getting 8 inch Magnum 500s for my '70 BOSS 302. Does anybody know what the biggest tire that will fit? I do have the car lowered about 1 inch and the negative roll kit on it. have 265 50 R15's on 8 inch Magnum 500s with no problem.

Q: My BOSS 302 was built pretty early in production, specifically on April 21, 1969. The car really was without options except for power steering (e.g. no folddown seat, etc.). It was apparently a drag car and all modifications seems to have been done for that purpose. My question relates to the authenticity of the exterior mirror(s). When I got the car, it appeared not to have been repainted, not wrecked, and the doors appeared have been original (i.e. tag on drivers door, paint looked the same...). However, the driver's door didn't have a sport mirror but instead had the rectangular chrome "deluxe" style remote mirror (with a '69 part number). There was no mirror at all on the passenger's door and apparently never was one. I received the original invoice from Lois and it doesn't list "sport mirrors" as an option. Did all April 1969 BOSS 302s have sport mirrors or was the chrome mirror that was on my car correct? A: According to Donald Farr's book, Mustang BOSS 302, Ford's Trans-Am Pony Car, color-keyed dual racing mirrors where optional for 1969. But if the rear window louvers were ordered, the color-keyed dual racing mirrors were mandatory. If your invoice doesn't show the mirrors option or the louvers, your car is correct with the chrome mirror.

Q: My Eminger sheet says my BOSS came with optional Decor Group. The '70 facts book states that Decor Group included chrome wheel opening moldings. My rear wheel openings do have small screw holes that appear to be for molding. Did BOSSes come with this? Will the special front fenders accept a molding? A: The dealer ordering guide says a BOSS could be ordered with this option, but the bright moldings (wheel lip & rocker panel) were deleted. As you suspect, no, the front fenders will not take the molding. You need that lateral flange, or there's no place to anchor the screws....hence the deletion of those parts when ordered with the BOSS package. I presume the rocker moldings were deleted because they clashed with the whole "blackout" look. This also would explain why the Ford History 999 report says "Interior and Exterior Decor Group", yet there is nothing on the outside of the BOSS in the way of that trim package.

Q: Where can I get back issues of Mustang Monthly? A: http://www.mustangmonthly.com/

Q: Does anybody know the oil capacity for the BOSS 302?  The books say 5 quarts with the filter, but I've heard Ford had an update in the seventies which said to put in 7 quarts with filter. I just finished rebuild and want to make sure. A: 7 Quarts with filter. 8 quarts with an oil cooler. Use the updated dipstick (casting # D0ZE-6750-C). This might still be available from FORD. It was a couple years ago.

Q: Should my car have an oil cooler (Drag-Pak)? A1: Oil coolers started to appear on 1970 BOSS 302s with 4:30 rears and some 3:91 cars. It also appears that all 1969 BOSS 302s had the horns placed as if it was to receive a cooler. I have a '69 3:50 open rear car with the horns placed as such and a '70 3:50 Traction-Lok with the horns in the normal one left and one right position. A2: According to Donald Farr's book, Mustang BOSS 302, Ford's Trans-Am Pony Car, "In 1969, BOSS 302 engines received a 299-S engine code in the lower right hand corner of the engine identification (sic) tag. In 1970, the engine code was either 299-B (standard BOSS 302 engine) or 300-B (BOSS 302 engine with oil cooler). A3: After much discussion on The BOSS 302 Exchange and taking into account information in Donald Farr's book, in order to really know if your car is a oil cooler (Drag-Pak) car, you would have to have a build sheet showing the 300-B code. Or have the original engine tag and letters from previous owner(s) swearing the car came from the factory with an oil cooler.

Q: Does anyone use oil restrictors in their engines? My engine runs about 70 psi at 6000 rpm and I get A LOT of oil up in the heads. I've seen in the BOSS 302 Engine book where the T/A engines had drains from the valve covers back to the pan. Any comments? A: I purchased a '70 BOSS 302 with 78,000 miles and rebuilt the engine last winter. Inspection showed major wear in all the valvetrain components. Cam and all parts were stock except for trans-am roller rocker pivots. The wear was so bad I couldn't use the roller pivots again. Valve guides were replaced at some point but now had major guide and valve stem wear. Crank, bearings, and bores all looked normal. The only reason I could find was the
block had upper end oil restrictors. So based on my experience, I
would not recommend them for street use.

Q: I'm wondering if there is a way to verify a car's originality, like the options on it being correct for the car, but the owner not having the build sheet or invoice? These are cars for sale. I read somewhere that Ford has a # you can call about this subject, is there a way to to do this? A1: You can decode the buck tag but only the options related to body and trim will be listed there. A2: Contact Ford for a "History 999 report" and they can send you a list of options your car came with. (Not always complete nor correct due to decoding process.) A3: Contact Kevin Marti at Marti Autoworks. He recently got access to all Ford records for this time period. For a basic report he asks $15.

Q: Does anyone have the correct paint code and manufacturer name for the black paint on the trunk and hood stripe on a 1970 BOSS 302. A1: The correct finish for 1970 BOSS 302 hood black is the textured low-gloss black, PPG/Ditzler code DDL-9381 Hi-Performance black. This paint is available in factory pack only. You can have your paint store order the DDL-9381 in factory pack quarts. The rear deck spoiler and taillight are also textured low-gloss black DDL-9381. The tail lamp bezel, however, is low-gloss black without the texture. You can use PPG/Ditzler DDL-9423 low-gloss black by paint gun or Krylon semi-flat black 1613 for correct color and finish. A2: The only company that recently made the paint was PPG/Ditzler, code DDL-9381. However, this paint has been discontinued for a few years (I tried to get this paint approximately 1 1/2 years ago for my car. The rep. from PPG told me it was no longer available). Also, the rear spoiler and louvers (if equipped) as well as the molding around the back glass and the taillight panel should be a textured low gloss black (i.e. DDL-9381). The tail lamp bezel and shaker hood scoop trim ring should be a low gloss black without texture. Your paint shop should be able to use a painter's trick called "dry shoot" when they paint to replicate the texture paint.

Q: Could a BOSS 302 be ordered with a special paint color? A: In 1970, you could order a special paint color on a BOSS 302 Mustang. In 1970 Ford expanded the color choices over 1969, which supposedly could not be special ordered. In 1970, the cars would have Special Paint on the Option list with Sport Mirrors deleted and the drivers mirror in chrome due to the production sport mirror only being painted standard colors. Some cars supposedly got the dealer to put on the right colored sport mirrors, though. Also, reportedly, the paint code is blank on the data decal on the car. There are a few '70 special order color cars out there including silver.

Q: What paint color were the 1970 Bud Moore Trans-Am race cars? A: The cars were actually 1969 Dodge schoolbus yellow.

Q: What is the right color for paint code T, red? I believe PPG paint #'s were used. A: For code T red, I used PPG Delstar Acrylic Enamel DAR71528 SC. Perfect match.

Q: Where can I get the silver/grey paint to paint the export
brace struts and the hood latch supports. A: The color/paint you describe is commonly referred to as batch or slop paint. It is a combination of grey primer and left over exterior colors such as grey, black, white, green and blues. Versions of it are available in spray cans. Expect the spray can colors to be different from your original color since the color varied greatly.

Q: What paint is used for the interior pieces such as interior quarter panel, sail panel, hat tray (non-folddown)? Mine are black fiberglass (original) in good shape. A: Though it appears to be (or been repainted) the original color (even Ford called it black) it is Dark Charcoal Grey Metalic. This color was used starting in '67 for all of the Mustangs and Shelby black interiors. Ford p/n 2083, Ditlzer #32586. On the rear package tray (on non-folddown cars) and the dash extensions (the thin plastic pieces of the dash at the bottom - 4 of them) use Ditzler.

Q: Are BOSS 302 pistons available from any other supplier than TRW? A: A possible source is Ross pistons. They are all custom made. They start at standard bore and go up in .010 increments. Ross needs to know the compression you want to run, valve lift (for the relief cuts) and your deck height.

Q: Can you run regular flat top 302 pistons with 4 valve relieves in the BOSS 302? A: No, you cannot run a conventional 302 piston in the BOSS 302 because the pin height (compression height) is not the same. And even if you did the compression ratio with a flat top would be low.

Q: After a recent engine rebuild, I reinstalled power steering with all new hoses. At initial start up a leak was discovered and stopped after fluid was lost. After a short drive I remembered to top off the power steering fluid level. The dip stick says to use transmission fluid, I had used off the shelf power steering fluid thinking they were all the same. The system was drained and type F transmission fluid was used. Very shortly after start-up, the system started to go crazy. The wheels and steering wheel would violently rotate in very short turns. I could not control the wheel. It would then make a very sharp right turn. I tried to dry steer with the wheels raised to release an air pocket but there still was a lot of resistance. Any suggestions? A1: It sounds like to me that you have the hoses reversed from the control valve to the slave cylinder. A2: I concur. If you do this with the front in the air, you can break a finger as the wheel whips back and forth!

Q: Should pucks be installed in Boss 302 heads? On the flow bench it seemed to help, but it's peaking at 5400 rpm on the dyno. Any advise would be helpful. A: Any build up of the floors will help. We have welded the intake and ex. ports all the way back to the short turn radius. This fills the port about 30%. The intake ports will flow the same total CFM but at a much higher speed and increase the low end. On the ex. port you will pick up another 20% over the best porting methods. The BOSS 302 T/A heads used by P.J. and Folmer had the floor of the intake ports raised when the heads were cast. That is why the Mini-plenum manifolds have smaller ports than a standard BOSS 302 head.

Q: Did '69 & '70 BOSS 302s come from the factory with the rear wheel lips rolled? A: No.

Q: Does a '69 (early build date if that matters) rev limiter have 5 wires coming from the box without any branching, or 3 wires coming out of the box with 2 splitting to form a total of 5 connectors? A: 3 wires coming out of the box with 2 splitting to form a total of 5 connectors. There are 3 wires coming out of the box for both '69 and '70. The '69 rev limiter wire harness has two splices under the tape that result in five separate wires at the end. The '70 has three wires under the tape and two pigtails crimped at the end of the wires totaling five connections. Check out Mustang Monthly's Dec. '89 article on rev limiters if you run across an old copy.

Q: I recently purchased a rev limiter, but I am not sure where the
wires are supposed to go. There is a B,F,G on it. Does anyone
know what they mean? The G is a red wire, go figure? You would think it would be for ground. A1: First, the B,F,G don't really mean a thing for rev limiter wiring. The box Ford used for the rev limiter was adopted from another application, a voltage regulator for trucks. I believe the B,F,G stands for battery, field and ground. If you hear of "fake" rev limiters usually they have a rev limiter harness run into one of these old voltage regulator boxes. The only way to tell the difference is to open the back cover. The guts are completely different between the rev limiter and the voltage regulator. There is a picture of the rev limiter wiring on page 45 of Donald Farr's book, "Mustang BOSS 302 Ford's Trans Am Pony Car." The ring terminal goes to a combination stud/bolt on the left
(driver's side) front of the intake manifold and is held on by a
nut. Take the battery feed off your coil and put it into the mating red
lead on the rev limiter. Tape the connectors together. Put the red
lead from the rev limiter on the coil. Take the distributor lead off you coil and put it into the mating black lead from the rev limiter. Tape these connectors together. Put the other black lead from the rev limiter on the coil. What this does is "daisy chain" the rev limiter with the coil. When the RPMs get too high, the rev limiter cuts off the coil firing to the distributor. A2: fyi- the rev limiter was a good idea for Ford to keep people from blowing up their engines. However, at high RPMs, not giving a spark at all times when the air/gas mixture is in the cylinder may not be good for you. If you are lightly modifying your car and don't care if you lose show points the modern ignition systems can be programmed to retard your timing at high RPMs. The larger distributor is the biggest give away if you hide the "brain" box under your dash or elsewhere. My friends '71 351C Mach 1 has a rev limiter mounted for looks only and the box hidden. I haven't made up my mind yet so I keep an eye on the revs.

Q: Would like to know how to jumper the wiring inside the rev limiter box when you are building "dummy" or non-functional units. I have both a '69 repro harness with a black, yellow, and red wire as well as a '70 repro harness with two black and one red wire leading into the rev limiter. A: You don't jumper any of the wires inside the box. Cut the wires and tape over the ends with electrical tape so that none of the ends can make contact with each other or the box. What you have in those three wires is battery power, spark and ground. Any combination of the three would definitely not be good and could be potentially dangerous.

Q: I'm having trouble with the key cylinder in a '70 tilt column. When I insert the key/lock cylinder into the column it won't rotate fully to the off position, and the key cannot be removed. There is no reverse lockout connected to the transmission. The steering column has been changed from a straight column to a tilt. The straight column didn't have a reverse lockout and all operated fine. Could a former owner have made some kind of adjustment?? Is the transmission lockout really important? A: The transmission lockout isn't really important unless you are going concours. The funny thing is the reverse lockout isn't located in the transmission, it's located in the steering column. When the transmission is shifted to reverse, a rod connected from the transmission to the steering column turns the lockout device. If you look at the end of the steering column in the engine compartment, you'll see a lever with a hole through it. The rod fits through the hole. If you look at the steering column in the passenger compartment, you'll see a metal ring about an inch thick going around the column. That's part of the lockout mechanism. With no rod connected to the transmission, you can turn this ring on the column to lock or unlock the key cylinder.

Q: My BOSS is running rich. I have rebuilt the carb and have tried to adjust the mixture, but it still smells very rich. I do not have a cross over tube on the exhaust, but the right bank is dry and the left bank is wet. The fumes are overpowering. A: If you have had the intake manifold off recently, retorque the bolts, then adjust the carb again. While leaking air into the induction system actually causes a lean condition, many people (I've done it too) adjust the carb to be rich to try to get it to idle before figuring out that a loose intake manifold was the problem.

Q: Thinking about moving the driver's seat/rails back for more leg room. Has anyone out there done this who could provide some details on what's involved? A1: Ford had a Technical Service Bulletin that addressed the problem of tall drivers. The fix included two small brackets (one per track) that was approx. 3" long flat steel with a hole at each end. In one hole a carriage bolt appears to have been inserted and welded. The stud was placed in the stock rear seat bolt location and tightened down. At the rear of the bracket a hole was drilled so that the seat rear bolt passed through and it was tightened down. At the front two new holes are drilled approx. 3" to the rear of the original ones. There is just enough room to reach these (to put nuts on) through the stock front holes. A2: Change the standard column to a tilt. I am in the process of this swap and it is very straight forward. This is much simpler in a '70. The '69 has the tilt away column that is very different. The tilt column will allow the necessary left knee room for clutch action.

Q: Does anyone have a template for cutting the hole for a shaker hood? I have seen the template advertised before, but now that I need one I can't locate the advertisement. A1: Jeff James has advertised having the template to cut the shaker hood, here is his email: jljames6569@hotmail.com. A2: Got a copy of it converted to a .pdf file (Adobe Acrobat) if that will help. It's a series of pages (finished product/hole is larger than 8.5" x 11") Sent it to a few others with no problem and haven't found time to post to my web site as of yet. http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/6473/ Jeff Speegle MCA ANHJ email: speegle@pipeline.com A3: Download the .pdf file here: shaker hood hole template. Adobe Acrobat is required to open this file. Once you have the file, print all the pages, then cut and paste them together to create the template. Yea, it's not pretty, but it's functional and FREE!

Q: Was the shaker hood scoop available in '69 for the BOSS 302? I have seen photos of cars with the shaker, but think this may have been an add on. A: No, the shaker was a factory option for 1970 only.

Q: When I bought my 70 BOSS 302 I received a shaker set up with it but I don't know if it is the correct for a 302. I believe the shakers were all different for each, 428, 351C, 351W, and 302. Are they different and how are they different? A: This is to the best of my knowledge! All shaker tops were painted satin black - only the BOSS 302 had the upper ribbing painted argent. The BOSS top had no eng. id. or cobra jet inscriptions pinned on the sides. The bases were all different to allow the base to clear the distributor - plus the mounting stud on driver's side of the "can" was in different positions. mounting brackets were different too ! I believe the 351 Windsor shaker used in '69 was very similar to the '70 BOSS 302 except for the eng. id. on the sides. I'm sure there's more! The parts identifier book for '69/70 lists the shaker part numbers used in all eng. applications. A2: Click here for more.

Q: Does anybody have a template or location measurements for the side stripe placement on a '70 BOSS 302 Mustang? A1: I recently "supervised" the installation of stripes on my 1970 Boss 302. Prior to beginning, I researched as many photos and   specifications as I could find with the following conclusions: The hood and side stripes all index to the flat black painted section on the hood. I recommend using the stencil from Graphic Express. It makes it much easier and leaves a very fine edge on the paint. As you mentioned, hood stripe placement is shown in "Mustang BOSS 302 by Donald Farr." The spacing between the rear hood edge (next to the cowl) and the stripe needs to be aligned with the painted section on the hood regardless of the dimensions shown in the documents if it is to look good. The stripes on top of the fenders align with the stripes on the hood and stop at the peak of the outer fender (before it rolls over to the vertical section of the fender). The front fender, door, and forward section of the rear fender stripe pieces should be aligned with each other just above the body crease. Fore/rear placement of the front fender section visually aligns with the stripe on top of the fender (you have to eyeball this one, trying to measure this might result in it not aligning with the stripe on top of the fender). Stripe on the forward section of the rear fender (also the stripe on the rear section of the rear fender) does not extend around the fender lip. Placement of the stripe on the rear section of the rear fender is variable. Every car I looked at was different. Some very high (almost touching the rear marker light), some parallel to but higher than the rest of the stripes on the side, and some angled up slightly toward the rear. The only guidelines I can give on this one are the rear of it should end somewhere in the indentation in the bodywork for the bumper and the front of it looks best (to me) when it begins above where the stripe on the front section of the rear fender ends. In other words, this stripe is not a continuation of the same line as the other stripes on the side. A2: Click here for a photo of 0F02G168350 circa 1972 showing the side stripes.

Q: Has anybody ever seen a silver 70 BOSS 302? A1: Yes, it was a Lincoln color in '70. It is closer to metallic gray than silver. A2: I know there was at least one 1970 silver BOSS built in 1970. I ordered one with a special paint job. The color was a Thunderbird color called Light Metallic Gray.

Q: I was told that not all '70 cars had smog. Depending on the DSO, some cars were shipped w/o smog. My DSO is 25 should I have smog on the car or not ? A: All '70 BOSS 302s that were sold to the public had Thermactor systems. In '70 BOSS 302s sold in Calif. also received a vapor return system in addition to the Thermactor one.

Q: Anybody know where I can get a complete repro smog system for a '70 Boss 302? A: Try KAR Auto Group or CJ Pony Parts. Look in back of Mustang Monthly.

Q: Is the space saver spare a 15 inch or 14 inch ? A: 14 inch.

Q: What is the correct space saver spare for a '69 BOSS 302 with a :June 27, 1969 build date? A: According to the sources available to me 7.75-14" Early 69's used 7.35 - 14". When each started being used or ended is a generalization.

Q: Can someone please confirm if indeed a full size spare tire fits (secured) in the trunk of a BOSS. If so, please confirm position and required parts. If not, are there any workarounds? Smaller rim size, different storage position, etc? A: Yes a full size spare will fit, just check any non-BOSS they are all made the same. Parts are available from most Mustang vendors.

Q: I have a '70 BOSS with a 71D for the DSO. The Mustang Decoder indicates the D as (Special Order Unit D). Does anyone know what this means? A: As a past owner of a number of special order cars I've never heard of a letter being used as part of the DSO. All of them have had a 6 digit DSO that related to the order paperwork. Looking through my decoders and Ford documents I see nothing to support a D being used.

Q: Is there info. available for positioning the tape stripes and painted hood section on a '70 BOSS 302? A: The book "MUSTANG BOSS 302" by DONALD FARR on page 111 has a diagram and specifications for the '70 BOSS 302 hood stripes.

Q: Can anyone tell me how to clean water spots or just how to keep the black rear window louvers clean and also the shaker and the stripes on the hood? They get dust on them and I wipe the off easy and they scratch very easy. A1: Use Turtle Wax Black Chrome. Use a good amount then wipe off. Helps color in scratches on stripes also. A2: I use Mothers Back to Black on mine and it does the best of anything I've tried.

Q: Does any one know of someone repairing tach instrument clusters? The tach is not working. A: When I bought my Boss 302 a few years ago. My tach was also broken. Last year I located a repair shop that accomplished the fix for my tach. The name of the shop is H&H Auto. Gary Herbert runs the shop. I do recommend him because he worked with me in finding out what was wrong. His e-mail address is  tachman@charter.net. His website is www.tachman.com

Q: When did Ford switch to Goodyear Polyglas GT tires with the size printed on the sidewall? A1: If your BOSS is a 1970, the only difference in tires is your build date, early cars get no size tires, later cars get the Polyglas with the sizes in white letters. A2: That is correct. The cut off date is somewhere in the 12/69 - 1st quarter '70 timeframe. As a point of reference ALL BOSS 429s came with no size tires. The last BOSS 9 came out in 12/69 so one can estimate that the cut off date is somewhere in that proximity. Also, repop "size" Polyglas GT's are NOT exactly the same as the originals. The repop tires have a "symmetrical" spacing between the final "s" in Polyglas and the "f" in F60. The original tires have a larger gap between the two letters. Minor detail but a detail none the less. There is no repop for no-size tires. A3: There was an article written in Mustang Monthly but I don't know what issue.

Q: What size, brand, and model of modern RADIAL tire is close to the OE tire in appearance for a 1970 BOSS 302? A1: Size P235/60R15 are a close size. Tires are measured as follows. The 235 is the width of the tire in millimeters, 60 is the height as a percentage of width, R is for radial, 15 tills you wheel size in inches. A2: There are some cool tires on the market raised white letter "PARNELLI JONES". Call Progressive Custom Wheels 800-726-5335 and ask for a catalogue. They look great and may befitting on the BOSS 302.

Q: I know this is heresy but has anyone got experience on swapping a modern T5 5 speed transmission into a BOSS 302 (or any '70 Mustang). I would keep the original trans. to swap back of course! Sacramento Mustang has a swap kit and only thing "hard" would be shortening a drive shaft. Looking for improved driveability. A1: As the proud owner of a '69 Boss 302 and a 1986 Saleen Mustang  that had a Borg-Warner T5, I can offer the following advice: Your BOSS 302 would "grenade" a T5 in short order. I have installed an aftermarket transmission made by Tremec in my Saleen, which is rated to handle the torque produced by our Boss Mustangs. The Tremec is a direct replacement for Fox Chassis (79-93) Mustangs, and would also be adaptable to the Boss. The Tremec uses mainly parts from the Toploader 4-speed, so even if Tremec disappears from the scene, the parts would still be available. It is an excellent tranny, and I would recommend it. The cost is around $1200.00. A2: Search around the Internet. There are a number of websites showing articles about transmission swaps.

Q: What is the fluid capacity of the 4 speed Toploader? A: According to the 1970 Ford chassis shop manual, the fluid capacity of the 4 speed Toploader is 4.0 pints to the bottom of the filler hole.

Q: The manual calls for 12 in. manifold vacuum at idle. I am reading 15 in. at idle. Is this ok? Is it possible to have too much vacuum? A1: You need at least 12 in. vacuum to run the power brake booster. Too little vacuum and no brake assistance. A2: 15 in. does sound a tad high at idle but nothing really to worry about. You may want to check your air/fuel ratio. Low vacuum (or normal, in the BOSS 302 case) at idle is generally caused by a shade bit of overlap in the cam. This is the neat-o thumpada-thumpada exhaust noise with a slight engine roughness. If you still have a stock cam, then perhaps the idle is too high.

Q: What is the correct valve lash settings for a BOSS 302? A:  Published specs for a stock BOSS cam is .025 hot for both intake and exhaust valves. This specification and the procedure can be found in the Ford Car Shop Manual for your vehicle.

Q: I need some assistance pinning down a driveline vibration on my BOSS 302. The vibration is quite severe in all gears starting at about 4000 rpm, it's most severe in 3rd & 4th gear. I have changed the tranny mount, clutch, had the drive shaft rebalanced, and of course the tires have been balanced. It's so severe you cannot drive the car over 70 mph. There is no vibration when the car is in neutral and being revved up, its only there under power and it's real brutal! A1: I had a similar problem--After weeks of looking at the whole driveline, I discovered the yoke on the front of the drive shaft that fits in the transmission shaft, was worn. You might want to check that. A2: Keep in mind that your vibration is sensitive to rpm, and that the only things turning during the times you mention are the engine, the clutch, and the input shaft of the trans. The fact that its worse with speed is a bit confusing as the speed of the driveline increases with the speed of the vehicle, contradicting the rpm idea. Perhaps you have two problems at once. A3: You might want to check the splines on the shaft and the yoke to make sure they're not worn. A couple other things you might try: You said you are getting vibration around 70 m.p.h.--I would try jacking up the car, putting it on stands and removing the wheels and drums. Then take the speedo up to 35 m.p.h. which should equal 70 m.p.h. off the ground. If the vibration is still there, this would eliminate the wheels and brake drums for run out. Note--don't use the brakes with the drums off. You never mentioned if you checked the harmonic balancer. You might want to put a dial gage on the driveshaft to see if it's straight and true. Sometimes it's best to balance the wheels while on the car. Final solution: I have changed the pilot bearing it was worn about 8.5 thou, had the tranny rebuilt, new bearings, new blocker rings etc., had the driveshaft taken apart and reassembled. It seems the yokes were not in perfect phase, the rear one was out about 1/2 inch, this was a great tip and most likely played a role in the vibration. I am now trying to track down a wheel vibration. One of the rear ones is bent a bit.

Q: Where is the VIN stamped on the engine block? A: The number is visible on a flat area on the driver's side of the block just behind the intake. This flat area is about 2-1/4" long and 3/8" wide. I find it best to look between the hood and cowl at the base of the windshield when the hood is open. Take a cloth and reach around the open hood and wipe the grease away, use a flashlight and get in there. The number is right next to where the bellhousing bolts on. But it is hard to see especially if filled in with paint. Beware, the original stamping looks pretty poor, is not in line (done 1 letter/number at a time and only contains the "02 187691" without the "G").

Q: Will a 351C water pump fit on a BOSS 302? A1: No. Different animal. A2: Nope. A Windsor pump will, though they differ from '69 to '70. Also, the BOSS 302 water pump had a different impeller.

Q: Are water pumps for BOSS 302 special, or will a water pump for a 302 work? A: The BOSS 302 water pump has a different impeller than the 302W water pump. It was designed to reduce cavitation at high rpm. A 302W water pump will bolt right up and will work fine if you can't find or afford a BOSS pump. Make sure you get the right year as the radiator hose locations changed between '69 and '70.

Q: My car is freshly painted and getting ready for its first coat of wax. I have been told not to wax the black paint or the stripes. Can anyone confirm this, or give any input or related experience? A: Yes, do not wax the low gloss black. What to use? Well, I've always used (first clean any wax that does get on it with wax and silicon remover) then I apply Pledge to the area. It does tend to give it a deep shine but also tends to collect a little more dust (read magnet) when uncovered.

Q: What is the correct roofrail weather-strip retainer seal? A: The 1970 Body Installation manual shows D0AB-63516A02-A, Seal, or Ford   spec. ESB-M3G102-A, P.V.C. Tape, 1/4 inch thick, 3/4 inch wide, applied between the retainer and the body the entire length of the retainer. Extend seal 1/2 inch beyond ends of retainer. It's very likely the original is not available from Ford. Look for an N.O.S. part or another current maker of similar P.V.C. tape.