1969 Ford Mid-engine Boss 429 Mustang: Wolf Heiau
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- 1969 Ford Mid-Engine Boss 429 Mustang
Ford built a single prototype in 1969 for a mid-engine version of the Boss 429 Mustang. Built by Ford’s Special Vehicles Unit (SVU) along with Detroit-area skunkworks, Kar Kraft.
The project was designated as LID (Low Investment Drivetrain) Mustang. To reduce costs down they used as many off-the-shelf components as possible.
To improve the poor 60/40 weight distribution of the Boss 429 Mustang the prototype relocated the engine from the front to over the rear axle. The rear seat was removed. Engine access was through a rear louver assembly that replaced the rear window.
A standard Boss 429 engine and C6 automatic transmission were flipped around and mounted in a custom rear subframe. A marine drive inspired custom transfer case fed power to a 9-inch Ford rear axle converted to an independent rear suspension. The axle housing incorporated engine mounts and attachment points for Koni coilover shocks and rear control arms.
The LID Mustang resembled a standard 1969 Mach I Sportsroof with little indication of the revised engine location. Up front was the battery, radiator, air-conditioning condenser, with electric fans to provide cooling and even a misleading hoodscoop.
The front heavy 60/40 weight distribution was reversed to 40/60. Except for reduced wheelspin, there was no significant improvement in performance. With that revelation the LID Mustang program was brought to a screeching halt.
The prototype was supposed to be crushed at a Detroit-area salvage yard. Reportedly it simply vanished one day before that happened. Just what was the fate of this special car? Where could it be today? Perhaps someday we will know.
Music Credit: Wolf Heiau
Thank you to Moore Guitars
www.mooreguita...
#mustang #fordmustang #boss429 #mooreguitars
It could have worked if they taken the project more seriously and allocated more resources to it. By doing this on the cheap they took a nose heavy car and just turned it into a rear heavy car. I am also guessing the cars interior was turned into an oven.
I am with you for sure! It was more of a rear-engine than a mid-engine. The heat may have been why it had to have AC. Nice try, but no cigar!
No amount of money was going to help this pig's ear. The physic's & dynamic's were against this configuration. The AC you refer to would only make the lop-sided weight distribution worse. The 385 engine series was to heavy for a streetable car like the Mustang. The standard 429 weighed 720lbs.(326.6kg); the Boss 429 w/ aluminum heads & intake weighed 635lbs.(288kg). That's still 10lbs.(4.5kg) more then the 427FE w/ iron heads & manifold.
If the executives listened to the Engineering Dept., a suggestion possibly could've been mentioned of a front engine, rear drive vehicle w/ a trans-axle. Moving the tranny from behind the engine(a divorced layout) to a divorced or possibly married layout w/ the differential. In a married layout, the gear oil between the manual tranny & the diff. could be shared. If there was offered an automatic tranny option, it would only be in a divorced layout, the automatic & the diff. don't have compatible oil.
In 1964; a Ford Engineer, Klaus Arning; designed an IRS system for the Falcon/Mustang models(Hot Rod Magazine - Dec. 2007). I don't think it would take much effort to incorporate the IRS to a manual/auto. tranny configuration. The IRS system even had a automatic rear-steer feature. So that would come closer to a 50/50 distribution instead of the 60/40 abomination. In my opinion, the 427FE w/ aluminum heads & intake would be the best engine.
The Engineer's/Designers would've predicted the weights but I'm sure the managers didn't listen. They usually never do. Anything to please the 'great ideas' by the higher-ups. A very predictable outcome & a waste of money.
Great point! By trying not to waste money and doing the project on the cheap they wasted money because the project was never properly funded. All of the funds expended on the project went down the drain. What a shame.
@@WolfHeiau Well; it really has nothing to do w/ the money issue. As I said, the Engineer's/Designer's could've predicted this outcome but bigger ego's needed to be stroked. I left a reply to other comments that are more detailed.
@@CarmieThompson very thorough analysis indeed! When you look at what people have accomplished in garages on things like altered and gassers I believe they did not have the commitment to redesign the entire car. I would say the bean counters had a lot to do with the direction of the project. I like the idea of the 427 SOHC. There is a reason NASCAR outlawed them!
@@WolfHeiau The 'Cammer should've stayed in the back room of the Engineering Dept, There was no reason for the 428FE because of the smaller bore & longer stroke, it's an RV motor. I don't understand the 'need' of the Boss 429. Chevy refined their 427 & it became the LS. Ford should've done the same. I could tell you about the opportunity that Ford turned their back on from the collaboration of Dan Gurney & Harry Westlake & the 1966 CanAm series. It's a little long for this format. It would've embarrassed the Boss.
@@CarmieThompson fill me in. It would make a great video!