We've known Richard Jonec for a long time, becoming acquainted with him when he worked at Eibach Springs a decade ago. In those days, Richard had a '69 Boss 302 Mustang and was clearly a guy crazy about high-performance Mustangs. Eibach Springs was a natural employer for Richard because he enjoyed rounding the esses and cutting the apexes while helping others do the same. Today, Richard makes his home at Vogtland North America, also a suspension manufacturer; proof positive he keeps both feet and four tires squarely on the pavement.
But would you believe Richard traded a Boss 429 for this '70 428 Super Cobra Jet convertible?
We felt compelled to ask Richard why he would swap a highly desirable Boss 429 for a SCJ convertible. With confidence, he replied, "According to the 428 Cobra Jet Registry, this is an extremely rare Mustang." He added, "Only 47 428 Cobra Jet convertibles were produced in 1970, and of those, only five were Q-codes. A total of nine Super Cobra Jet convertibles were produced in 1970."
Richard acquired this bright yellow convertible from a collector in Santa Clarita, California, who wanted a Boss 429. It was a match made in heaven because each of these gentlemen had what the other wanted. He calls it good, old-fashioned horse-trading because the Boss 429 needed a full-scale restoration while the Cobra Jet convertible was already restored. Richard insists he came out on the better end of the deal.
When Richard brought his SCJ convertible home, he became obsessed with its background, eventually contacting the third owner in Louisiana. The car's DSO code of 64 indicates it was sold new in the New Orleans sales district. He also learned it had spent most of its life in Baton Rouge. When the Arab oil embargo hit in 1973-1974, the original owner unloaded the car for $600. It was sold again in 1978 to the third owner. In the late '80s, the convertible received a full-on restoration, which included some modifications that weren't true to its original identity, such as the Shaker hoodscoop and hood stripes. Although Richard questions the previous owner's judgment, he has come to accept the modifications. He explains, "Although ram air is not correct for this Mustang's Q-code identity, it does remain true to its musclecar image."