There are some cars out there-no matter what shape they're in-that you are going to buy because of their rarity, allure, or just plain cool factor. Shelby, Cobra Jet, or Boss-these classics are a must for any elite musclecar collector. So when Joe Arrotta found this Royal Maroon '69 Boss 429 in Mustang and Ford Trader, it really didn't matter that the car was stored in boxes. At this time the Mustang was owned by a Ford parts counter worker, who was slowly gathering all of the OEM pieces needed. Joe sent his restoration man Ken Degenstein to Ohio to verify the car's authenticity and package it up for the long haul back to Spokane, Washington.
When the Boss landed in Spokane, the restoration process began from the ground up. But Ken Degenstein and Troy Hobbs quickly realized they were missing a few important parts. Digging back into the history of the car, they found the 429 was used as a drag racer by one of the former owners. That explained the missing seats, trim, hoses, and battery-just to name a few of the missing items. They worked from July 1999 to Labor day of that year, aiming to have it complete by the International show held in Cody, Wyoming. The Mustang was complete by show day, but they had to rent a garage in Cody to put the finishing touches on the car the night before. It took first in its class and Best of Show, not an easy feat to accomplish.
This Royal Maroon '69 Boss 429 was restored to stock specifications with Magnum 500 wheels wrapped with the original Goodyear F60-15 Polyglas GTs. With dual color-keyed racing mirrors, a manually-operated hoodscoop, and the ever-popular chin spoiler, this Ford is ready to rock the drag strips again. The interior was restored back to its original deluxe black glory with comfortweave high-back seats and deluxe seatbelts. The Ford-built four-speed powering the monstrous 429 motor feels strong under hand.
This Ford shares great company next to Joe's '65 K-code Fastback and his 2000 Cobra R. Joe owns the Midway Chrysler/Jeep dealership, and he is currently working on restoring a '70 Hemi 'Cuda for his collection. He did tell us that he has loved Fords for 20-plus years and will continue to be a part of the Ford family for years to come. He is defiantly a true musclecar lover, who knows a great car when he sees it-even if it does come in a box.