Ford Mustang I Mach 1, Cobra Jet, Shelby and Boss: Books

Cobra Jet : The History of Ford's Greatest High-Performance Muscle Cars

Ford's "Total Performance" racing program in the early 1960s aimed to attract the youth market. The Mustang's introduction boosted this effort, but even the 289 Hi-Po model couldn't compete with the Pontiac GTO or other muscle cars. The 1966 Fairlane GT and the 1967 390 Mustang also fell short.

However, the debut of the 428 Cobra Jet Mustang at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals transformed Ford's image from wholesome to fearsome. Cobra Jet Mustangs dominated the competition and won the Super Stock Eliminator title, showcasing a powerful new engine. By the next year, the Cobra Jet-equipped Mach 1 featured a shaker hood and a striking snake emblem, completing Ford's image makeover.

The end of the muscle car era didn't stop the Cobra Jet legacy, as Ford continued with the 351 Cobra Jet. The Mustang, Cougar, Torino, Cyclone, and Ranchero models powered by 428, 429, and 351 Cobra Jet engines left a lasting impact.
Mustang Monthly editor Rob Kinnan and muscle car expert Diego Rosenberg revive this history in a comprehensive book that covers all Cobra Jet cars, including modern drag cars.

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Mustang Special Editions : Over 500 Models Including Shelbys, Cobras, Twisters, Pace Cars, Saleens and more

When Ford introduced the Mustang in April 1964, it was an immediate success. Despite its popularity, Ford Corporate, zone managers, and dealerships continued to innovate. Just two months later, the first special-edition Mustang appeared at the Indianapolis 500 as the pace car, and the momentum has continued ever since.

This book explores over 500 special-edition Mustangs from 1964 to the present, detailing their production numbers, key features, and photos of surviving cars. It includes factory models like the 2001 Bullitt and SVT Cobras, regional promotions like the Twister Special, third-party tuners like Roush and Saleen, and factory race cars like the 1968 ½ Cobra Jets and the 2000 Cobra-R. You may discover Mustangs you never knew existed!

This comprehensive volume, the most detailed of its kind, compiles decades of research by the authors. It is sure to be a valuable addition to any Mustang memorabilia collection.

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1968 Shelby Mustang GT350, GT500 and GT500 KR (Muscle Cars in Detail)

This volume of CarTech's Muscle Cars In Detail series covers the 1968 Shelby GT350, GT500, and GT500 KR. In 1968, Ford took over much of the production process for Shelby Mustangs and increased production to meet sales demand, marking a transition year.

To appeal to muscle car fans rather than race fans, the cars shifted from a race car feel to high-end performance road cars, offering options like 428 Cobra Jet engines, automatic transmissions, and air conditioning. They evolved from sports cars to exceptional muscle cars.

Each volume in the "In Detail Series" includes an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts, a look at marketing and promotion, and an in-depth study of all hardware and options. It also examines the car's current market status and includes paint and option codes, VIN and build tag decoders, and production numbers.

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1969-1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 (Muscle Cars in Detail)

Not to be outdone by Chrysler, Ford had to build and field its own race-duty big-block to compete with the 426 Hemi in drag and stock car racing. In competition trim, the Boss 429 powered Ford and Mercury stock cars to victory in Nascar and the Mustang to many wins in drag racing.

With this exclusive racing pedigree, the Boss 429 is among the most valuable and rare Mustangs ever built.The project was the brainchild of Bunkie Knudsen, noted stylist Larry Shinoda, and other talented Ford personnel. The semi-hemi Boss 429 was so large, it couldn't fit in the small Mustang, so Kar-Kraft, a specialty car builder, had to shoehorn the engine into the compact Mustang fastback.

Author Dan Burrill collaborated with Boss 429 expert Denny Aldridge to give you the straight story on the car, its special equipment, 429 engine, 4-speed Toploader transmission, interior appointments, paint codes, and options.
Also featured is the exciting story of developing this monumental engine, engineering the components and parts to fit the engine and chassis, and assembling the cars.

All In Detail Series books include an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, and an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today.
Also included is an appendix of paint and option codes, VIN and build-tag decoders, as well as production numbers.

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The Definitive Shelby Mustang Guide 1965-1970

All car enthusiasts know about Shelby Mustangs, but what truly sets them apart from their production-line counterparts? What defines a Shelby? This book by Shelby American Auto Club (SAAC) historian Greg Kolasa details the performance and appearance modifications with descriptive text and excellent photographs.

The book provides a detailed look at the performance and styling features of each year of the 1965-1970 Shelby Mustangs through text, photographs, and charts. It dispels many myths and misconceptions about these legendary cars. Kolasa uses factory documentation and interviews with Shelby American designers, engineers, stylists, fabricators, and race drivers to present the true story of these remarkable cars. The cars included were chosen for their historical and technical accuracy.

This guide will be the definitive illustrated sourcebook on Shelby Mustangs for years to come. It is essential for Mustang and Shelby enthusiasts, as well as general automotive historians.

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