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Topic starter
01/03/2023 6:19 pm
I have the 1969 Boss 429 Prototype built for Ford President Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen while he was at Ford. I think Ford made a huge mistake firing Knudsen in favor of Lee Iacocca. Knudsen brought along Smokey Yunick as R&D so when Ford fired Knudsen they also lost Smokey Yunick. This Boss 429 was painted to match the Boss 302 Mustangs sent to Smokey Yunick.
01/03/2023 6:36 pm
Awesome car (I did not know the history behind it), but it's hard to argue the overall success of Lee Iacocca (Mustang, '69 Marks, K-cars, Minivans...)
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Topic starter
01/03/2023 6:49 pm
Here is the Knudsen Boss 429 with the John Wick Boss 429, the John Wick car was created using Mustang Mach 1 bodies and is not a real Boss 429. Here is a photo of the Boss 302 sent to Smokey Yunick, the Boss 302 sent to Smokey Yunick was configured as a Trans Am car but Knudsen wanted Smokey to run it at the Talladega NASCAR race, Smokey was not happy but converted the car to meet NASCAR specs and told Knudsen that the engine would not last the full race length because the valve train was the weak link and sure enough with just a few laps left in the race while leading a pushrod went through a rocker arm ending the race for Smokey's car.
Topic starter
01/03/2023 6:57 pm
@chris Where I think Ford lost was Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen was instrumental in high performance cars for both Pontiac and Chevrolet, Henry Ford II was the one who brought in Knudsen but other members of the Ford family were not happy with that decision and over the next year they were able to oust Knudsen because they liked Lee Iacocca. If not for Knudsen the Mustang Boss 429 would have never happened. The entire reason for the Boss 429 was to meet the NASCAR requirement of 500 cars sold with the 429 engine for use in NASCAR. The 429 was supposed to go in a Ford Galaxie to satisfy the NASCAR requirement, but Knudsen saw a short coming with the Mustang and felt installing the 429 engine in a mustang would go a long way in helping the Mustangs performance image. Knudsen was correct.
This post was modified 7 months ago by john3976
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Topic starter
01/03/2023 6:59 pm
Just a note, the Boss 302 photo, that car was done from a welly mold from my understanding. The Boss 429 is from a Highway 61 mold and is a more detailed example than the cheaper Autoworld version they did.
This post was modified 7 months ago by john3976
Marty Johnson and John Kuvakas reacted
01/03/2023 7:33 pm
Just a note, the Boss 302 photo, that car was done from a welly mold from my understanding. The Boss 429 is from a Highway 61 mold and is a more detailed example than the cheaper Autoworld version they did.
Yes, that I know.... the Ford/Mustang history, however, no way! I'm no expert (my best friend is...he's owned over 250 Mustangs). I knew you'd have the "muscle end" of that story. I can only look at it from a business sense. By 1970, new strategies were needed (muscle cars were out) enter: Iacocca....of course (as you know) Lee ultimately "refocused" the spotlight away from H. Ford II and, well.... that was the end of Lee's Ford career.
01/03/2023 9:39 pm
Wow! I worked at Ford when Bunkie Knudsen was at the helm. I thought I knew the corporate politics that was occurring then. You've opened my eyes and provided new knowledge of what happened that I never knew. I didn't know Smokey Yunick was brought into the Ford fold. I also never knew that "Yunick" Mustang existed, either. Good stuff!
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