Bill Stroppe's Boss 'N' Bronc

Bill Stroppe was one of America’s greatest race car builders, leaving an indelible mark on motorsports history. From winning the Carrera Pan-American Road Race with Johnny Mantz in a Lincoln to dominating the Pikes Peak Hill Climb with Mercury and Parnelli Jones, his legacy spans decades. Stroppe’s mastery extended to off-road racing, where he became the king of Baja with Ford Broncos and Parnelli Jones once again.

Stroppe also built iconic drag racing machines, including the Ford Thunderbolt, AFX Mercury Comet, and the 1968-1/2 Cobra Jet Mustangs. Beyond competitive racing, he fabricated 650 special Baja Broncos for Ford to sell through dealerships from 1971 to 1975 and occasionally crafted custom vehicles for celebrities and close friends.

I’m fortunate to own two incredible pieces of Ford Racing history: a one-of-a-kind Stroppe-built 1969 Mustang Boss 302 and one of only 25 1975 Baja Broncos.

The Discovery of the Boss 302

In April 2005, I stumbled upon a disassembled yet rust-free 1969 Mustang Boss 302 in a barn in rural eastern North Carolina. After some incredible breaks during my research, I discovered that this was one of Bill Stroppe’s special builds.

Longtime Ford racer and 1950 Southern 500 champion Johnny Mantz had ordered one of the first 11 Boss 302s and commissioned Stroppe to modify it for his son, Rick, who aspired to become a race car driver.

Stroppe’s Custom Touches

• Interior Modifications:

  • Four-point roll bar
  • Competition gauges
  • Competition shifter and steering wheel

• Suspension Upgrades:

  • Front and rear sway bars
  • Coil spring-mounted air bags
  • Custom rear springs and welded-on traction bars

• Performance Enhancements:

  • Battery relocated to the trunk
  • Electric fuel pump added

• Unique Graphics:

  • Original Boss 302 stripes and black-out replaced with sleek blue paint
  • Hand-painted gold-leaf "Boss 302" graphics on both front fenders

The car had only 11,870 miles on the odometer when I found it.

The Restoration Journey

Restoring the Boss 302 was more like an archaeological dig, requiring expertise to identify parts that had been removed and replaced over the years.

• Expert Assistance:
  • Technical advice from Bill Stroppe Jr. and Lee Holman
  • Roll bar and traction bars restored by Ken Thompson (noted Holman-Moody fabricator)
  • Boss 302 engine rebuilt to stock specs by Mike Kutkuhn

The Mustang is now fully restored and on the road, racking up miles for the first time since 1971.

The 1975 Baja Bronco

During the Mustang restoration, I met Baja Bronco guru Andrew Norton, who had discovered a 1975 Baja Bronco hidden under a red repaint job. This vehicle, one of Stroppe’s legendary creations, had originally belonged to Ford Marketing Corp. and was equipped with unique two-way and CB radio systems.

Restoration Details:

• The Bronco was shipped from Ventura, California, to North Carolina and restored to its original signature paint scheme.
• Retained original equipment, including:
  • Twin boom antennas
  • Radios mounted under the dash

Living History

Both the Boss 302 Mustang and the Baja Bronco are regularly driven and occasionally showcased at car shows. They represent an incredible piece of Ford’s racing legacy and the genius of Bill Stroppe.