Mythical Muscle: The Tale of Two 1969 BOSS 429 Mercury Cougars
During the zenith of the muscle car era, acquiring a street-legal race car directly from a dealership showroom was a tangible reality for enthusiasts. This unique market condition stemmed largely from NASCAR regulations, which mandated that manufacturers sell at least 500 units of a specific car and engine combination to the public for it to be eligible for competition. Ford, aiming to challenge the dominant 426 HEMI, responded with the legendary 1969 and 1970 BOSS 429 Mustangs. Fewer than 1,400 of these specialized Mustangs were ever produced. Significant engineering effort was required to fit the massive engine into the Mustang’s engine bay, making them some of the most unique and coveted Mustangs ever built. However, even rarer and potentially more valuable were two specific 1969 Mercury Cougars factory-equipped with the same formidable BOSS 429 engine. What became of these ultra-rare automotive unicorns?
The Gentleman’s Muscle Car: Cougar Context
The Mercury Cougar, introduced in 1967, was strategically positioned as “the gentleman’s muscle car.” Effectively a re-bodied Mustang featuring a longer wheelbase, it stood out in the Ford lineup as a model available exclusively with V8 power. For its debut year, engine choices included the 289 or 390 cubic inch V8s. By 1970, the options expanded significantly, encompassing the 302, BOSS 302, 351 (both Windsor and Cleveland variants), and the potent 428 engines.
Through 1973, the Cougar largely mirrored the Mustang’s performance trajectory. However, 1974 marked a distinct shift; the Cougar shed its muscle car persona, transitioning towards an entry-level personal luxury vehicle, while the downsized Mustang II launched without a V8 option initially. Notably absent from the Cougar’s official engine roster during its performance heyday was the BOSS 429, an option available on the Mustang for the ’69 and ’70 model years. Or was it entirely absent?
Genesis of the BOSS 429 Cougars
In a fascinating footnote to muscle car history, Ford did commission the construction of precisely two 1969 Mercury Cougars equipped with the race-bred, semi-hemispherical BOSS 429 engine. Both vehicles were sold for the nominal price of $1 each to two prominent drag racers of the era. Mercury designated these special Cougars as “clinic cars.” Their purpose was to tour dealerships, serving as educational tools to teach Ford technicians and enthusiasts about high-performance engine technology and horsepower.
Schartman's 1969 BOSS 429 Cougar serving as a dealership clinic car, teaching about performance engines
The chosen drag racers were none other than “Dyno Don” Nicholson and “Fast Eddie” Schartman. These racers were key figures in Ford’s competitive efforts against Chrysler, achieving considerable success and fame campaigning their “flop-top” funny car Cougars. However, Ford management reportedly grew concerned about the image projected by the highly modified funny cars, desiring a competition vehicle closer to showroom stock that the public could better relate to. This strategic shift led Ford to focus more on the Super Stock racing class.
Taming the Beast: Kar Kraft Modifications
Similar to the BOSS 429 Mustangs, extensive modifications were necessary to accommodate the physically large 429 engine within the Cougar’s engine bay. The two designated Cougars were dispatched to Kar Kraft, Ford’s contracted performance vehicle builder in Brighton, Michigan, for the specialized conversion work. The BOSS 429’s “semi-HEMI” cylinder head design resulted in a very wide engine. To create sufficient clearance, Kar Kraft engineers had to relocate the shock towers outwards by one inch on each side, yielding an extra two inches of space. Furthermore, the front lower A-arms were dropped by an inch. Even with these modifications, a substantial hood scoop – the largest ever fitted to a production Mustang or Cougar – was required to allow the hood to close over the engine. The battery was also relocated to the trunk to free up underhood space. These were physically imposing powerplants, even in an era defined by large displacement engines.
On the Circuit: Racing Careers and Modifications
Upon receiving their specialized Cougars, the racers took different approaches. “Dyno Don” Nicholson quickly removed the factory-installed BOSS 429, replacing it with the even rarer and more exotic Ford 427 SOHC “Cammer” engine, and had his Cougar painted red. “Fast Eddie” Schartman, conversely, retained the BOSS 429 engine and the car’s original white paint scheme but updated its appearance by fitting a 1970 Cougar hood and front clip, utilizing fiberglass components.
Fast Eddie Schartman's white 1969 BOSS 429 Cougar fitted with a 1970 fiberglass front end and hood
The use of fiberglass front-end panels on both cars technically rendered them ineligible for the Super Stock class they were intended for. However, reports suggest the cars were not particularly competitive on the drag strip, allegedly being relatively slow, so their technical non-compliance drew little protest. Consequently, their actual racing careers were quite limited. Both Cougars were contractually obligated to be returned to Ford upon completion of their promotional duties, and standard procedure likely destined them for the crusher. Intriguingly, neither car made its way back to Ford, and both vanished from public view for a time.
Lost, Found, and the BOSS 429 Legacy
Like many famous muscle cars from the period, these two unique Cougars faded into obscurity, becoming lost chapters in automotive history for several decades. Unlike the BOSS 429 Mustangs, which received a special “Z” engine code in their VIN, these Cougars were built using standard “R-code” chassis. The R-code typically designated a Cougar equipped with the 428 Cobra Jet engine – a potent and desirable powerplant in its own right, but distinct from the BOSS 429. Initially, the unique nature of these two BOSS 429 Cougars went largely unappreciated, partly due to their limited and reportedly underwhelming racing appearances. It wasn’t until decades later, as the collector value and historical significance of BOSS Mustangs soared, that serious interest in tracking down these exceptionally rare Mercury cats resurfaced.
The BOSS 429 engine itself was conservatively rated by Ford at 375 horsepower, primarily for insurance and homologation purposes. However, it’s widely rumored and accepted within the enthusiast community that the actual output was closer to 500 horsepower. While derived from Ford’s NASCAR 429 engine program, the street version featured milder tuning but remained incredibly potent. Its most distinctive features were the massive aluminum cylinder heads with modified hemispherical combustion chambers. The engine also boasted a robust bottom end with a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods. In stock street trim, its quarter-mile performance was often comparable to the 428 Cobra Jet, which likely influenced Dyno Don’s decision to swap to the 427 Cammer. Fast Eddie Schartman reportedly only raced his Cougar three or four times, primarily utilizing it for the intended “muscle car clinics” to demonstrate performance principles.
Although the factory tune was somewhat conservative, the BOSS 429 engine responded exceptionally well to basic bolt-on modifications, capable of producing significantly higher horsepower levels. Thanks to its heavy-duty forged internals, the engine could reliably handle substantial power increases, contributing significantly to its enduring legendary status among performance enthusiasts.
Fast Eddie’s Cougar: A Survivor’s Journey
Despite the incredible engine under the hood of the BOSS 429 Mustang, Ford invested surprisingly little in marketing the car compared to the media campaigns surrounding later performance models like the 2012 BOSS Mustang. Awareness was primarily limited to sharp-eyed customers and those deeply embedded in the performance scene. Ford’s primary motivation for producing the street cars was simply to meet NASCAR’s 500-unit homologation requirement, enabling them to compete against the dominant HEMI engine. While the initial goal was 500 units for 1969, Ford ultimately produced 857 BOSS 429 Mustangs that year – along with the two Cougars. In 1970, another 499 BOSS Mustangs were built, but no further BOSS 429 Cougars. Even without significant advertising, Ford sold more BOSS 429 Mustangs than strictly necessary for homologation, highlighting the engine’s inherent appeal. This production reality also confirmed that there was never a plan for a regular production run of BOSS 429 Cougars; the two examples were created purely as promotional assets. But what happened specifically to Fast Eddie Schartman’s car?
National Dragster classified ad from 1971 listing Fast Eddie Schartman's 1969 BOSS 429 Cougar for sale
Instead of returning the car to Ford, Schartman listed his unique 1969 BOSS 429 Cougar for sale in National Dragster magazine in 1971. It was purchased by Lou Cerra, who reportedly replaced the engine and continued to race the car through 1973. Subsequently, the Cougar was sold to Steve Comstock. Comstock installed a potent 454 cubic inch Holman & Moody-built BOSS engine and campaigned the car for several more years.
The ex-Schartman BOSS 429 Cougar racing under Steve Comstock's ownership with a Holman & Moody 454 engine
During its racing life under Comstock, the Cougar’s body reportedly suffered significant twisting. Despite being purpose-built, these specialized Cougars lacked crucial chassis reinforcements common in dedicated race cars, such as subframe connectors or a properly welded-in roll cage (a simpler bolt-in roll bar was used instead). After its racing career ended, the car sat neglected for some time before being acquired by its current owner, Douglas Herzog, a respected racing engine builder and a dedicated 429 engine aficionado.
Doug Herzog has undertaken the ambitious task of meticulously restoring this historically significant Cougar. With support from various sponsors, his goal is to return the car to its former glory while incorporating necessary but subtle updates to enhance its structural integrity, potentially allowing it to be safely driven or even raced occasionally upon completion. He has documented the restoration progress on a dedicated Facebook page, inviting fans to follow the resurrection of this incredible piece of muscle car history.
While the BOSS 429 Mustang rightly holds its place as an iconic and awesome muscle car, it’s important to remember the other remarkable machines that shared the automotive stage during that era. Few were as closely related yet distinctly unique as the Mercury Cougar. For a brief moment, these two ultra-rare BOSS 429-powered Cougars stole a sliver of the spotlight. Although the Mercury brand itself was eventually phased out, the enduring legacy of vehicles like the two 1969 BOSS 429 Cougars continues to captivate enthusiasts, reminding us of a time when horsepower reigned supreme and muscle cars were the undisputed kings of the road.
