WHITE-HOT MUSCLE: HEMI Superbird and Boss 429 from the Amato Collection will be heating up the Barrett-Jackson block
May 16, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by independent automotive journalist Roger C. Johnson
White hot: this 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback (Lot #669) and 1970 Plymouth HEMI Superbird (Lot #650) from the Amato Collection will be crossing the block in Connecticut.
White heat is a temperature that is higher than red heat – and at which a body becomes brightly incandescent. It’s fair to say that would apply to the subject at hand: a pair of smokin’ hot white muscle cars from the stellar collection of enthusiast Vincent Amato. You are about to see why “body in white” muscle cars may have a reputation as the best of the best, the baddest of the bad and the most desirable of all.
1970 Plymouth HEMI Superbird (Lot #650)
Designed to conquer the world of stock car racing and to bring “The King” Richard Petty himself back home, the Plymouth Superbird orbited the speedways of America like nothing before, except for its Dodge stablemate. Even today, many of this car’s speed records are still out of reach for modern-day NASCAR race cars. It was a moment in time when design engineers had unrestricted access to the outer edges of their own imaginations. To them, sheer horsepower and advanced aerodynamics were the obvious answers to the challenge of shrinking space and time.
The car on offer here is one of the best examples of that philosophy on the planet. A rotisserie restoration with moon-shot attention to detail on every single element showcases the character of this machine for future generations. Naturally, this Alpine White Superbird still carries its original Street HEMI engine along with the correct 3-speed automatic transmission and driveline components.
Well-respected Mopar expert Galen Govier produced a 20-page visual inspection document for this car, confirming its authenticity – and rarity – as only 77 of these HEMI Superbirds were ever produced with the TorqueFlite transmission.
Additional features include power steering and power brakes with vented discs up front. The 8-3/4 rear end houses 3.55 gears, which keep the HEMI engine in a playful range, but still civil during cruising hours. A Rally dash, 3-speed windshield wipers and an AM radio are also included. As you might imagine, radios were the least-used option on a Mopar with a Street HEMI under its hood. It is simply an act way too hard to follow for conventional musicians.
If the sky is the limit for your next collectible car, this fantastic HEMI-powered Superbird is the white lightning in a bottle you’ve been looking for.
1969 Ford Boss 429 Mustang (Lot #669)
The crosstown rivals at Ford already had their equivalent to the Millennium Falcon, but were searching for the right power source to combat Chrysler’s HEMI on the big ovals. The Boss 429 was their space-age solution. And since the company had to offer it in a certain number to the public in order for this engine to be accepted by NASCAR, the Mustang got the nod as host vehicle. Pony car lovers around the world are still thanking their lucky stars for that decision. By making the Boss 429 legal for their intermediate-bodied Grand National race cars, Ford also invented the ultimate pony car all in one single stroke of genius.
To a great extent, the 1969 and ’70 Boss 429 Mustangs have stolen much of the thunder of the highly prized ’70 and ’71 HEMI Barracudas on the auction blocks around the country. The one here is a star in its own right. This two-owner example has been treated to a total restoration and is a full-blooded original born with all the right options. Over 300 photos document the restoration and its matching-numbers status, in addition to a Marti Report that signs, seals and delivers on its authenticity.
Backing up the Boss is a close-ratio 4-speed manual transmission and a Traction-Lok differential, along with power front disc brakes and power steering. Deluxe interior consisting of Black Clarion knit/vinyl on high-back bucket seats offer the perfect contrast to the car’s Wimbledon White exterior. A console houses the 4-speed shifter, while deluxe seatbelts and a corresponding warning light are additional safety devices.
A special competition suspension delivers on the required control over the ambitious powertrain. The battery is mounted in the rear to improve weight distribution and therefore handling. F60X15 Goodyear tires with raised white letters and front chin spoiler are perfect period-correct accents.
Very few engines deliver as much visual impact as the Boss 429. And that impact is significant. This is the kind of car that can wow any crowd just by you opening the hood. Naturally, opening the throttle takes that “wow factor” to an entirely different level. This is your chance to own not only a great Mustang, but one powered by a superstar. And its name is the Boss.
These two white muscle cars from the collection of Vincent Amato could slip through traffic unnoticed and even be ignored by most drivers who consider them just plain vanilla traffic. But to the rest of us, they are white-hot shooting stars that may harness all the power in our muscle car universe. They never looked more appealing, purpose-built or eager to run roughshod over the unsuspecting. And we don’t care at all who doesn’t know it.
For up-to-date information on these and other vehicles on the Northeast Auction docket, click HERE.