1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Replica - Project Timber Wolf

We have a new project car-but this one is different. For one thing, you'll have a chance to win this '69 Boss 302 clone after its transformation into a muscular-looking restomod at Flores Motorsports. In conjunction with Timber Wolf, we're going to rebuild this Mustang with numerous improvements and upgrades during the next several months. Then it will be given away as part of a Timber Wolf Moist Snuff Speed Shop sweepstakes. See the sidebar for more information.

While not every detail has been set in stone as we go to press with this first article, our plan is to cover the transformation in three articles.

After getting our hands on the car, the first step was to deliver it to Rick Flores and his crew in San Antonio. We did that by driving it from our Los Angeles offices to Texas this past March. It was a smooth and uneventful trip, as the car's decent-running but relatively tired 302-it used several quarts of oil-buzzed right along throughout the 1,400 miles.

There's plenty on this car that needs attention. For now, take a look at the Boss clone and consider how good it would look sitting in your driveway after we infuse it with some serious attitude. Planned upgrades include a small-block Ford crate engine, a five-speed transmission, a coilover front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, modern four-wheel disc brakes, and larger wheels and tires.

Upon arrival in San Antonio, the car looked good from a distance. Many thought it was a real '69 Boss 302, since the fake side vents on the quarter-panels were filled in. While it's a cool clone, the car is really a plain F-code (302 two-barrel) '69 fastback. It's the perfect canvas for the type of project we have in mind.

As far as details, the word from Timber Wolf is as follows: From May 15 to November 1, you'll find a code under the lid of every Timber Wolf moist snuff can. Enter that code at www.twspeedshop.com, pick the Mustang (among the cars that five other magazines are building), and estimate how much you think it will be worth once the transformation is complete. For a better chance of estimating its value, watch the Web videos of the car's makeover and keep an eye on the upcoming articles in Mustang Monthly. The first person with the correct bid wins the car. Every lid is a bid and the more lids you collect, the more estimates you get-and the more chances you'll have to win.

You Could Win This Car
Or one of five other classics at the Timber Wolf Speed Shop. Visit www.twspeedshop.com for details.

Abbreviated rules: No Purchase Necessary to enter or win in the Timber Wolf(r) Speed Shop Promotion. For Official Rules and how to obtain a free code, visit www.tw-speedshop.com. Starts 12:01 a.m. CT 5/15/07, ends 11:59 p.m. CT 11/1/07 or while supplies last. Open to legal residents of the contiguous 48 US & DC (excluding VA & MA), 21 or older, tobacco users and who have a valid US driver's license. Void in VA, MA & where prohibited. Sponsor: Pinkerton Tobacco Co. LP.

This is what we have in mind. We picked Rick Flores for the buildup because we've been impressed with his '69-'70 Mustangs, including this CJ Mach 1 he built for the Baer Racing display at the '06 SEMA Show. His cars maintain the factory look but add a more muscular appearance with lowering and larger wheels.	As soon as we arrived in San Antonio, Rick took a closer look at the car so he could ascertain what he's going to do with it. He looked underhood and right away noticed the reinforced shock towers, a desirable upgrade for any vintage Mustang. Though the car's 302 ran well during our three-day trip from California, it's going to be swapped out in favor of something spicier. Think along the lines of a 347 crate engine.	Rick also checked out the body panels. The car is straight in a number of important ways, but he still intends to soda-blast the body and refinish it in a shade of silver along with black Boss-style stripes. While the car's existing 15-inch wheels look good, the plan is to step up to 17- or 18-inchers.
Though a scattershield is a good thing for drag cars, the need for one on a street car is debatable. Along with the Top Loader four-speed, it's slated to be replaced with a five-speed conversion package.	The staggered shock setup is cool on paper, but it's a problem here in practice. The car had side-exiting straight pipes without mufflers, which was way too loud for a 1,400-mile trip. We installed this temporary system, but had to run the tailpipes under the 9-inch Lincoln Versailles axle because the relocated shock on the driver side was in the way.	The suspension will be updated with all modern components, including coilover shocks and rack-and-pinion steering. Though the car already has four-wheel disc brakes, we're planning to upgrade to a newer aftermarket system.
The Optima battery is a good choice and the trunk is a great location, but the switch setup doesn't look good. Improvements will be made here.	The car's interior has some good points, but there's plenty of room for improvement. Quick-release steering might be appropriate for NASCAR, but we're going to opt for something with more of a Pro Touring vibe. We're also planning to scale back the six-point rollcage to a four-point version.	We like Auto Meter gauges, but this tach is too big. The main problem is its location in the center of the dashpad. Of course, that will also be replaced.