January 10, 1969 marks the 54th birthday for one of Australia’s most revered racing cars holding an enviable record of race wins.
Allan Moffat’s Kar Kraft built and developed Ford Mustang Boss with its iconic Coca-Cola sponsorship is arguably the greatest to ever grace the circuits of Australia, but it was a journey to acquire the beast.
Starting with a letter directed to Ford’s Head of Motorsport Jacque Passini, a meeting was arranged mainly due to Moffat’s previous success in America where he won the third ever Trans Am race and as a test driver for Kar Kraft.
Moffat asked the question of Passini to get him a car to race in Australia following a brief spell in a Cortina, but this was to be replaced as it was outclassed by the latest breed of American muscle cars.
Leaving with the assurance Passini was on the hunt for a car, Moffat failed to leave his hotel room for four days until he received a faithful phone call to head to Spartansburg, South Carolina. A car was waiting for him.
At Spartansburg was the legendary workshop of Bud Moore, NASCAR and Trans Am team owner where a primer ready Ford Mustang Trans Am lay waiting for its new owner.
This special Mustang was one of seven Boss 302s built with three each destined for the factory squads of Moore and Carroll Shelby, with the seventh going to Smokey Yunick’s NASCAR operation.
Moore didn’t look Moffat in the eye when stating, “the middle one is yours”, and this is when the Canadian realised Passino had pulled strings nobody, but maybe Henry II could do.
And at no cost!
Moffat was drafted into Ford’s team competing in series production and was immediately thrust as the number one driver.
Still needing money to run the Mustang, Moffat contacted Coca-Cola and it provided a small sponsorship to aid in his Australian Touring Car Championship tilt.
Of course, Moffat never won the ATCC in the Mustang despite achieving 101 wins from 156 starts.
Happy birthday to one of the greatest ever.