Crowd Pleaser: 1980 Ford Pinto Rallye

The Ford Pinto doesn't have the best reputation among so called experts of the horseless carriage, but what does a scientific consensus really mean anyway?  There was a time when the scientific community agreed that the sun & stars revolved around the earth, so all the haters who think it's settled science that the Pinto was a poorly built pile of parts will get their comeuppance when the Pintocentric model of the universe is finally realized.  Find this 1980 Ford Pinto Rallye offered for $6,000 in Fayetteville, NC via craigslist.  Tip from Rock On!

A Real Project: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302

 The original Boss 302 Mustang was sold in the 1969 and 1970 model years as a street version of the TransAm racer.  A large part of the concept is attributed to Larry Shinoda who added the c-stripe ('69) and hockey stick ('70) plus front air dam, rear wing, and deleted faux side scoops -- but the real hero is the screaming solid lifter equipped 302 V8 under the hood.  Find this 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 here on eBay bidding for $9,100 with less than one day to go.

Coffee Brake: Sacrilegious Engine Swaps

You'll see a few questionable engine swaps on these pages, mostly because they make for good publicity, but also because they often make the car better.  However, some engine swaps are downright taboo -- Chevy in a Ford (and vice versa) will get you dirty looks at car shows and forget about taking a non-Porsche powered Porsche to a PCA club track day.  With that in mind, I'd like to make the topic for today's Coffee Brake: what makes a sacrilegious engine swap?

15k: BOSS 302 Clone: 1969 Ford Mustang

Yesterday we posted a 1986 Ford Mustang SVO as an alternative to buying a new Mustang.  I casually mentioned that you'd have enough money leftover after getting the SVO to purchase a classic fastback before you'd reach the MSRP of a 2015 EcoBoost Stang.  That isn't necessarily the case with the early fastbacks (1965-1968) but if you are willing to go with the 1969-1970 restyle, you can certainly pick up a runner for about $15k.  Find this 1969 Ford Mustang here on eBay currently bidding for $13,544 with a few hours to go, located in Troy, MO.

5k: Larry Shinoda's Parts Hauler: 1969 Datsun Pickup W/ Boss 302 V8

Larry Shinoda (1930-1997) was the Los Angeles born son of Japanese immigrants, who, after spending some of his youth at the Manzanar War Relocation Camp (...not the best of times), brought into the world iconic designs such as the 1963 Corvette, Z/28 Camaro and Corvair Monza GT.  He left GM around 1968 and is best known for his work on the '69 Boss 302 Mustang, a performance and cosmetic package that brought TransAm racing style and performance to the streets.  If Mr Shinoda ever drove a pickup truck, we expect it would look a bit like today's feature.  Find this 1969 Datsun 530 series Pickup with Ford Mustang Boss 302 V8 for sale in Tacoma, WA for $7,500 buy-it-now on eBay.  Tip from Oddimotive who mentioned it in the comments to the Maverick Boss 302.

5k: Rare V8 Wrapped In Maverick: 1969 Boss 302 + 1973 Ford Maverick

Often when buying a car you may be willing to ignore the condition of the current engine because you plan a swap or budget a rebuild into your price.  Seldom do you buy a car specifically for the engine, but that should be the case for this lowly Maverick powered by Ford's legendary and rare Boss 302 V8.  Find this 1969 Boss 302 engine wrapped in a 1973 Ford Maverick currently starting on ebay for $5,500 reserve-not-met with 2 days to go, located in Houston, TX.

10k DT Flash: 1969 Mustang Boss 302 -Some Assy Required

Real 1969-1970 Mustang Boss 302s trade at Barrett-Jackson and other auction sites for close to six figures - so only the most horrible basket cases will ever grace the pages of the Daily Turismo.  However the Boss 302 is an icon and we are pleased to feature this 1969 Mustang Boss 302 for sale on ebay currently bidding at $9.500 no-reserve with 1 hour to go. (update - car sold for $10,201)

This is the real deal - an actual Boss 302 --there is a certain website that will remain nameless that this car could easily be offered for $25-30k as a 'barn-find!' and all sorts of wackos would call it a fantastic deal!  We think it is a rusted piece of junk and the price is a bit high.