‘It brings back the glory days of Boss 302 Mustangs kicking butt during the golden years of Trans-Am racing,’ says Prestige Auto President and Sarasota Café Racer, Marcello Serrato.
Some of the best racing ever in SCCA’s (over-two-liter class) Trans-Am pitted Boss 302 Mustangs against Z/28 Camaros, 340 T/A Challengers & AAR Cudas and Javelins. There were also Pontiac Firebirds in the mix. Some of the biggest names in the business wheeled our favorite Ponycars on sports car tracks throughout the country. While Chevrolet won the Championship in 1968 and 1969, Ford nailed it with the Boss 302 Mustang in 1970. SCCA started the series in 1966; pure American Ponycars dominated the scene from 1968-1972.
“Many of the legendary greats competed in the Trans-Am: Mark Donahue, Vic Elford, George Folmer, Dan Gurney, Jim Hall, Parnelli Jones, Ed Leslie, Sam Posey, Swede Savage and Jerry Titus. However it was Follmer & Jones, in the Bud Moore Engineering Boss 302 Mustangs, who won the Championship in 1970 and created the Boss 302 mystique that’s still going strong after more than four decades,” says Serrato who owns a very collectible low-serial-number two-seat Boss 302 School Bus Yellow Laguna Seca Mustang, the Sixth built!
“It’s an absolutely incredible machine that combines pure muscle car power with a track-ready platform and, best of all, it’s a pleasure to drive on the street turning heads wherever I go.”
Two-seat Boss Laguna Seca Mustangs have Sterling Gray accents and are available in vintage School Bus Yellow, honoring Parnelli Jones’ 1970 Trans-Am Championship car prepared by Bud Moore. Gray sets off hockey stick stripes, interior rear cross-brace, grille, mirror caps and rear pedestal spoiler, while Laguna Seca rear badging and unique two-tone gray and silver wheels round out the exterior accents. The ‘13 Boss features a grille with removable covers where fog lamps would be for improved cooling on track days.
“Everything we did for 2013 is consistent with, and links directly back, to our 1970 heritage. The reflective stripes and hockey stick graphic in particular mean something to Mustang enthusiasts,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “Last year, we proved the car had
what it takes to perform, and this year we focused on enhancing its eye-catching looks
and celebrating its history.”
The powerful Boss engine, above, yields 444 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, while still offering a smooth idle and low-end torque for comfortable around-town driving. Monte Carlo bar improves structural rigidity. A race-inspired clutch with upgraded friction materials helps the short-throw, close-ratio six-speed transmit power rearward.
Power is delivered to the speed-rated tires via a 3.73-to-1 rear using carbon fiber plates in the limited-slip differential to improve handling and longevity. For those who want even more precise control over power delivery, a torque-sensing (Torsen) limited-slip differential is available, coupled with a pair of Recaro buckets, below.
In keeping with the Boss’ handling heritage, the best-handling Mustang ever now sports a highly refined GT suspension. Higher-rate coil springs at all four corners, stiffer suspension bushings and a larger-diameter rear stabilizer bar all contribute to its road racing manners. Boss models are 11 millimeters (front) and 1-millimeter (rear) lower than the GT. But the real key to handling is the standard adjustable shock and strut suspension.
Working in concert with the suspension upgrades, the Boss 302 has unique, lightweight 19-inch black alloy racing wheels in staggered widths: 9 inches in front, 9.5 inches in the rear. The Pirelli PZero summer tires are sized specifically for each end of the car, with the front wheels, below, fitted with 255/40ZR-19 tires while the rears are 285/35ZR-19.
Boss braking sports Brembo four-piston calipers and14-inch vented rotors up front. In back, standard Mustang GT brakes have been upgraded with Boss-specific high-performance pads. Thanks to vented brake shields and unique ABS-tuning, Boss drivers enjoy maximum control and rapid, repeatable fade-free stops in road and race situations alike.
“Thanks to the Recaro seats, short throw shifter, big Brembos and Torsen limited-slip rear, I feel like I’m driving a street-legal racecar,” said Prestige’s Marcello Serrato, left, after a cruise to Miami’s South Beach!
Photos: Sharbel Murrillo, (Prestige Auto) & Ford Motor Co.
For the latest information about Ford’s Boss 302 & Laguna Seca Mustangs, please visit http://www.ford.com/cars/mustang/2012mustangboss/?searchid=61240949|2322876509|14584356749
For more information about Prestige, The Concierge Experience, check out http://www.prestigeautous.com/
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