1970 Boss - 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1
1970 Mustang - the Boss 302 and 429 Show Who is the Boss
As Ford entered into the 1970s, the Mustang underwent some changes. The 1970 production year saw the last of the smaller Mustangs. There were fewer than 9,000 Boss 302’s produced while about 1,300 Boss 429’s were produced in 1970.
The legendary 428 "R" code engine in the Mach 1 Cobra Jet, made its appearance for the second year, packing a 335 hp punch. This was one of the Ford Mustang landmarks that collectors and enthusiasts covet today.
Overall, the 1970 models saw little change in design. Most notably, the traditional four headlights were replaced with two seven-inch headlights. The steering wheel was also changed, but everything else remained pretty much the same.
With the Boss 302 and 429 delivering such great performance, the Shelby was rendered obsolete. The public’s infatuation and excitement with the Shelby waned and they were phased out. 1970 was the final production year for the Shelby.
1971 Mustang - 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Rise to the Top
The 1971 production year marked some significant changes for the Ford Mustang. For many collectors and enthusiasts, this marked the end of an era for the Mustang. The age of total performance cars slowly began to draw to a close as smog and fuel efficiency restrictions were enacted.
This was also the time known for the "big" Mustangs. They grew to "massive" proportions, adding 2.1 inches to the length, 2.8 inches to the width and 1 inch to the wheelbase. They also increased by about 100 pounds. Built on the Fairmont/Torino platform, these Mustangs were introduced as luxury Mustangs. Their bulk, however, did not allow them to handle as well as their smaller ancestors.
The Boss 302 and Boss 429 models also fell to the wayside and the 351 rose to the top even though it was taken from 300 bhp down to 285 bhp. However, the Mach 1 and the Boss 351 hailed as the Mustang’s performance cars.
