H-M Boss IntakeI have a question concerning a Boss 302 intake manifold. A good friend of mine said he once had a Holman and Moody-lettered intake on his '69 Boss 302 in the '70s. He said it was a single four-barrel version that looked very similar to the stock intake except for the Holman and Moody logo on the front. I've never seen one-even at swap meets or on eBay-although I have seen Holman and Moody intakes for 289/302s and FEs. Did they really make one?Brad KamenBoston, MA
Holman and Moody did offer a single four-barrel Boss 302 intake manifold. It has "Buddy Bar" embossed on the bottom, similar to most Ford aluminum intakes. The one I have is very similar to the stock Boss 302 intake with a few minor differences. The carburetor base is machined differently than the factory version, mainly for installing a larger carburetor. The opening for the thermactor check valve is smaller than stock, and the thermostat opening is machined for the early-style housing with a machined groove for the thermostat.
I've only seen a couple of these intakes throughout the past 25 years.
Jet ColorI have a '70 Cobra Jet Mach 1 that I plan to show at Mustang Club of America events this summer. I have a question about the correct finish for the windshield washer jets. The ones on my car were so weathered I couldn't discern the original color. Some judges say they should be gold, but one judge has said they should be olive green. I have them painted with Eastwood's Gold Dichromate out of a can right now. Which is correct?John McCoyHickman, NE
Early '70 Mustangs built before Sep-tember 2, 1969, used the C9ZZ-17603-A washer jets, finished in zinc dichromate (gold). It has two nozzle openings.
Cars built after September 2, 1969, used the C0ZZ-17603-A washer jets, with a special finish that Ford referred to as S100 in the Standard Parts and Finish reference manuals. In this case, the S100 finish was a drab olive-green iridescent color on the jet. That jet has only one opening in the nozzle.
Chrome Boss CoversI recently purchased a pair of what I thought were '69 Boss 302 valve covers at the Columbus, Ohio, Ford swap meet. While I was walking through the vendor area carrying them, a knowledgeable gentleman asked me about my chrome "'70 Boss 302 valve covers." He went on to explain why they were '70 versions and not '69s. I didn't really understand everything he was saying.
Can you tell me the differences between '69 and '70 Boss 302 chrome valve covers? I've always been under the impression that '70 Bosses came with the finned, aluminum valve covers.Cory ThomasDayton, OH
There are indeed two versions of the chrome valve covers. The '69 version in the photo (right) still has the original 299-S and C9AE-9L485-E stickers. The finger is pointing to the '70-style cover, which has a dimple on the corner and is flat on the side where the emissions sticker was usually located. The '69 cover has a step-in on the side, also where the emission sticker was applied.
The '70 covers are rare compared to '69 covers. I've only seen a few '70 Boss 302s with chrome covers, and they were early production cars. They also had blue-anodized anti-backfire valves in the smog system.