So, I made an off-hand comment that I thought it was “too bad that the Boss 429 Cougars never made it to production.”
Now, we all know that they DID build a handful, I don’t dispute that. They travelled down the assembly line, and were converted to Boss 429’s, but were never destined for the public. And none were ever sold to or release to the public. (IMO, the drag cars were leased, not sold, since Ford stipulated they were to be returned). You could not walk into a dealer and buy one, nor could a dealer finagle one out of Ford.
Wikipedia (not the end all be all, but a good starting point) defines Production Vehicle as “mass-produced identical models, offered for sale to the public, and able to be legally driven on public roads (street legal).” But the page also goes on to say that production numbers aren’t a solid consideration (which I agree with).
My question is: Should the Boss 429 Cougars be considered “production vehicles”, on the basis that they were street legal, had legal VIN’s, and travelled down the assembly line, even though they were never going to be put into the hands of the public?
Don’t believe they were “converted” on the line but at Kar Kraft a sub contractor and not sold to the general public. They didn’t exit Dearborn as Boss 9 Cougars
Basically a PR project =“stunt” for attention
So no IMHO not a production vehicle though it really again IMHO doesn’t make a difference
were they converted or were they completed at Kar Kraft?
I would like to see an image of a mustang or cougar leaving Dearborn factory before it was sent to Kar Kraft.
did it have an engine installed?
did it have a trans installed?
did it have ft shock towers? if not, did it have any suspension?
did vin have correct Boss 9 engine code (Z)?
personally I would say if VIN had engine code of (Z) it was a production vehicle.
I think you could do the comparison between the XR7 G and the Boss 429 Cougar to answer the question.
XR7 G left the Dearborn factory as a XR7 model shipped to AO Smith and modified to the G model. = A special build production vehicle as it was offered to the public for sale and you could walk into a dealership and order one. It was street legal after the modifications.
Boss 429 left the factory as a standard 428CJ model shipped to Kar Kraft and modified into the Boss 429 drag car or clinic car if you want to throw that in there. = A special build non production vehicle as it was not available to the public to purchase and not street legal once it left Kar Kraft. We know of 2 people that ordered a Boss 429 Cougar and received a 428CJ instead.
did it have an engine installed? Yes 428CJ
did it have a trans installed? yes 4 spd
did it have ft shock towers? if not, did it have any suspension? Yes modified at Kar Kraft to fit the Boss 9
did vin have correct Boss 9 engine code (Z)? NO
If a Boss 429 Mustang is or isn’t then the Cougar Boss 429 is or isn’t. All of them started life as 428 CJ cars and all of them were converted at Kar Kraft in Brighton, MI. They made a lot more Boss 9 Mustangs but the process was identical and the Boss 9 Cougars, Like the Boss 9 Mustangs, had smog equipment and were 50 state street legal upon their completion at Kar Kraft.
So you’re saying that it doesn’t matter if they were built for sale to the public or not? It is the process itself that defines it as “production vehicle”?
So, for example, if I make a reproduction part. I go through the process to create the tooling and process to create a handful for demonstration purposes. After that I choose not to make any more, and never offer it to the pubic. That part is considered a “production part” / “made it to production”?
The BOSS 429 Mustangs were definitely production vehicles.
The two BOSS 429 Cougars that were built may or may not be. My reason for thinking that is only because the engine code “Z” was not applied to the Cougars. They were delivered as “R” codes to the two lessees, with the intent of them to be returned to Ford and not sold to the general public. The same argument could be made for the Trans Am race cars that retained their “M” code engine designations even though they were shipped with a BOSS 302 “G” engine.
So, to add confusion the two BOSS 429 Cougars were production vehicles as far as being 428CJ cars, and what a registration or title would indicate 9F91R, but should they then be classified as manufacturer prototypes, proof of concept, or production vehicles as “Z” code BOSS 429’s?
I don’t really know what the correct legal answer is, however, we do know they were not Eliminators.
With only 2 going anyplace but internal Ford use I would call them Prototypes. Many Prototypes were made for the Mustang line including the 2 Quarter Horse Mustangs that used the Cougar dash. IMHO prototypes, proof of concept are usually the same thing when it comes to a complete assembly like a car.
I enjoyed reading everybody’s thoughts on this.
Given the current application of terms (don’t always agree with them but they are commonly used in the media) would not those pieces be referred to by some as “pre-production” parts
Never like the term nor agreed with the application since if the cars were being built - especially with the plan on continuing production they are just early production since they were being produced when built
Agree with all the possible terms other than production that have been offered since the plan was not to build these and make them available to the public
Something that we do not know is whether there were any orders placed for other Boss 9 Cougars. Or if there was dealer pricing given. I bet there was dealer pricing so Ford / Mercury could write off the vehicles that were given away.
Here is what we know for certain. On March 14th, 1969 an internal memo was written by M. S. McLaughlin to Harold MacDonald V.P. of Product Development, and copied to R.R. Conner, E. F. Laux, W. D. Innes, and J. H. Passino . The letter outlined the order for a total of 50 Cougars equipped with the 429 NASCAR engine. The letter requested “immediate assistance with on the following” : “Release of competition 429 NASCAR engines for four (4) Cougar cars for Messrs. Nicholson, Schartman, a Special Vehicles prototype, and the existing magazine car. This latter car is equipped with an early prototype 429 NASCAR engine that is unsuited to any useful purpose.” What this means is that prior to the two well known Cougar Drag cars, there had been another Boss 429 Equipped Cougar built in some unknown location!
The letter goes on to say this. “Converting the existing magazine car from a 429 Prototype, to a 429 Holman-Moody engine and appropriate trim and paint changes. TO be handled by Kar Kraft or Nicholson/Yunick and funded as part of the magazine car budget. (Cougar Eliminator Program blue letter dated 2/17/69.)”
The plan was to run an additional 47 Cougars, through the Kar Kraft facility as soon as more engines were available. “These premium cars will be sold to customers, recovering as much of the premium costs for drag-preparation as possible.” At the time the letter was written the actual cost of the 429 conversion was unknown. The cost of converting each Cougar was $4444.26. We can only speculate why they did not build the other 47 Boss 429 Cougars, but the cost of the conversion more than doubled the cost of the car.
The first two Boos 9 Cougars were slow. They were taken almost immediately to the drag strip and they were no faster than the 428CJ. Following the test two drivers put over 500 'break-in" miles on the Cougars to see if they would run better. They did not. At that point it probably appeared worthless to pursue the other 47 cars.
No. You’re saying Boss 429 Mustangs were given to racers for race / promo use. I’m saying street versions of those promo / race cars were available to the public. That’s not the case for the B9 Cougars.
Also, looking at the Memos. I don’t think the Boss 429 Cougars actually were street legal - or at least not intended for street use. The March memo says “we request all 50 Cougars to be set up as race rather than street vehicles.”
Furthermore, the Nicholson sale doc says “shall not be used as a passenger car on public highways”, and included no warranty.
Sure, those are probably standard verbage. But… It’s in there.
