The Ford Muscle Car That Was Rarer Than A Boss 429

Sure, the 429 is the Boss that every Ford muscle car fan wants. It makes sense as a rare model packed with mighty power. But today the Boss 429 is taking a backseat as I go over a car that’s even rarer. It’s fine, because the 429 isn’t the BOSS of me. Alright, sorry, that was the last dad joke of this section at least.

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Anyway, Ford was losing in NASCAR against some legendary rivals and needed to get more skin in the game. Ford racing takes competitive series extremely seriously, and has for decades, so it’s no surprise that engineers got to work in the late 1960s to build a real winner. It will really blow your hair back once you hammer down.

However, the rare muscle car didn’t arrive at the best time. Due to increasing costs and rising emissions standards, the racecar ran into significant problems pretty quickly. As a result, only a handful of models were made. This Ford car was pretty close to never existing at all, so enthusiasts are willing to throw stupid amounts of money at it.

Ford Wanted To Beat The Plymouth Superbird and Dodge Charger Daytona

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​When you go back to the 1970 NASCAR season, the Plymouth Superbird and Dodge Charger Daytona were doing more than dominating the track and making Ford a sore loser. They were taking the Ford Torino’s lunch money. This was pretty upsetting as the Torino proved itself as a massive winner and success in 1968 and 1969.

However, the Chrysler aero wars with radical designs were heating up as Mopar cars with massive rare wing spoilers circled the track. It didn’t matter if they were ugly, because they were winners that forced rivals like Ford to go back to the drawing board. The Ford Torino Talladega was a great start with its flush grille and aerodynamic nose that significantly reduced drag. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as the competition escalated quickly in 1970 despite being powered by the legendary Cobra Jet 428 V8 engine.

But the V8 engine that helped the Ford Mustang Boss 429 become the fastest street-legal car available also deserves a nod. It was supposed to power the Talladega. Due to delays, the Talladega got the Cobra Jet engine instead. Then Ford decided to drop the incredible Jet powerhouse in a more aerodynamic body with even more racing upgrades.

Via: Mecum Auctions

Here’s a quick side note. The Boss 429 is the Semi-Hemi from the 385-series block. It has massive crescent-shaped cylinder heads and a semi-hemispherical combustion chamber for tons of airflow at high RPMs. The 428 Cobra Jet is based on the older FE engine family with a smaller bore and longer stroke. It features thin-wall castings, a nodular iron crankshaft, and low-riser cylinder heads.

The 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra Struck Hard

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Watch out, the King Cobra is venomous! Both in snake and muscle car form, it’s dangerous. Not only is this rare muscle car a king, but it’s powered by the 428 Cobra Jet. The name also makes it a King Boss, and it probably wouldn’t approve of your vacation time. It features a radical aerodynamic design to build upon the success of the Torino Talladega. It features an aerodynamic fiberglass nose that curves downwards. The seven-foot fiberglass front end is paired with a low-mounted bottom-breather grille, and tunneled ‘sugar scoop’ or circular headlamps. But it maintained the Torino’s sport roof design, and the rear end was left mostly stock without a massive wing.

This race car strikes with the 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Big Block V8 engine. With the standard Cobra Jet, it generates 370 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. But for racing, it delivers 700 hp. This long car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.0 seconds and covers a quarter mile in about 14.5 seconds with a top speed of over 200 mph. The 1969 Ford Torino Talladega is rated at 335 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque. But many believe it delivers 400–600 hp and was rated lower for insurance purposes.

It will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 5.8 seconds and crush a quarter mile in 14.4 seconds with a top speed of about 135 miles per hour. Notice how the King Cobra is a little slower. That’s because it’s designed for high-speed track endurance over quick drag strip style launches.

This Car Was Dead Before It Hit The Track

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​Plot twist: the Ford Torino King Cobra project was canceled before it ever made it close to entering production. A few of you dedicated Ford fans may already know that the car only existed as a prototype, and only three models were ever made. The car would be too expensive to sell in order to meet NASCAR’s homologation rules.

Then in 1970, NASCAR changed the rule from requiring manufacturers to build a minimum of 500 production units to 3,000 in order to qualify for competition. Ford didn’t think it could successfully profit on that many King Cobra models! This came at a time when insurance companies and safety regulators were targeting muscle cars by raising insurance premiums.

It was forcing potential buyers to go for more affordable, practical cars instead. Ford President Lee Iacocca immediately put another nail in the coffin. He slashed 75% from the company’s racing budget, and there were internal executive firings from the design center. As a result, the project lost its corporate backing. On top of that, the Torino Cobra Jet wasn’t exactly proving to be a racing winner.

The car demonstrated aerodynamic instability. During high-speed tests at Daytona, the giant front end generated tons of downforce. This is where my confusion about not including a rear spoiler comes in. Without one, the back end lifted at speeds over 200 mph, making it dangerous and unpredictable. It would be too expensive to go back and implement design changes, and the project was scrapped.

Collectors Throw Crazy Money At The 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra​

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Enthusiasts would love to get their hands on one of the three 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra models. It’s much harder to find than other icons from the Chrysler Aero Wars era, including the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird. Plus, as a Torino with unique and radical styling, it certainly draws the eye. The car also represents experimental appeal as Ford dabbled with pushing racing limits.

The 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra prototype has a market value of $450,000 to $550,000. NASCAR owner Bud Moore originally bought two of the cars for $1,200. This was a solid investment as one of his models went up for sale at $459,900. Another model is documented at going for over $549,900.

These rare cars only cross the auction block every few years. The last time one was put up for sale was in May 2022. Before that, another model was sold in January 2019. Who knows how long the current owners will hold on to their literal treasure. For comparison’s sake, a standard 1970 Ford Torino Cobra typically sells for between $30,000 to $80,000 depending on the quality, condition, and engine.

Source: Hagerty, Hemmings