During the mid-1960s, Ford faced stiff competition from Chrysler in NASCAR competition. An all-new engine was needed, and Ford’s solution was a new 429 cubic inch engine featuring deep-breathing heads, hemispherical combustion chambers and huge valves. Rather than installing the new engine into the midsize Torino, Ford dropped the new monster engine into the Mustang, creating the ultimate ponycar. The Boss 429 was underrated at 375 hp but actually developed over 500 hp, with stock examples capable of quarter-mile times under 14 seconds and mildly modified versions easily dipping into the 12s.
