V6

[MidwayJ]

Don't get me started on convertibles. Here in Florida every single person renting a Mustang gets that option... V6 convertible I would rather rent a Jetta!

Those are Ecoboost convertibles now. Haven't made the V6 since 2017.

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[dirtwarrior]

The 1969-70 302 H.O. engine was developed in 1968 for the SCCA's 1969 Trans-Am road racing series. Fitted to the factory-made Boss 302 Mustangs of 1969-70, it is a unique Ford small-block featuring a thin-wall casting. It differed substantially from regular 302s, featuring 4-bolt mains, screw-in freeze plugs, higher nickel content, and cylinder heads using a canted valve design developed for the 351C, which made its debut in late 1969 Mustangs.
The block had a thicker deck and a taller intake manifold due to the heads. It also had a distinct harmonic balancer, crankcase windage tray, bigger diameter alternator pulley (from the 289 HIPO), and bigger diameter power steering pulley all to accommodate the higher RPM capabilities of the engine vs a standard 302. While the standard 302 used six bolts on the valve cover, the Boss 302 has eight bolts. The valve cover was chromed in 1969 and changed in 1970 to cast aluminum. The connecting rods are the same as used in the 289 HIPO and have an engineering number of C3AE-D on them. They are capable of higher RPMs than standard 302 rods (up to ~8k RPM), aided by a spot face for 3⁄8 in (9.5 mm) bolts with a unique football-shaped head (vs 5/16 for standard small blocks), and beefier cap. The crankshaft is cross-drilled with hollow crankshaft throws (this was changed in 1970 for better reliability) high strength steel forging. The cam and lifters are high lift, solid mechanical units. The cam featured 290 degrees duration and .477 in (12.1 mm) of lift.
The wide and large port heads with staggered valve placement give the 302 H.O. high power capabilities. Because of the pent-roof design of the heads, the Boss also had forged pop-up pistons to achieve the desired 10.5:1 compression ratio. Early units were typically characterized by very large intake 2.23 inches (56.6 mm) and exhaust 1.7 inches (43.2 mm) valves sitting in a small quench style combustion chamber. Exhaust valves were sodium-filled to aid cooling. Valve springs were dual units with an inner and outer spring to minimize harmonic resonance at high RPM. The heads feature steel spring seats, screw-in rocker studs, pushrod guide plates to aid in pushrod stability at high RPMs, and adjustable rocker arms. Fuel was provided by a Holley 780 cu ft/min (22.1 m3/min) manual choke carburetor. The taller intake required a thinner spacer. Ford used a phenolic spacer that incorporated an aluminum tube for the PCV hose and also helped isolate the carburetor from the heat of the intake. Ignition was handled by a dual point distributor firing unique 14 mm (0.6 in) AF 32 Autolite spark plugs specified because of their smaller size (5⁄8-inch (15.9 mm) wrench vs. 13⁄16-inch (20.6 mm) wrench) so as to fit within the tight confines of the combustion chamber alongside the very large valves.
The motor produces a unique sound as a result of its solid-lifter configuration. At idle, properly tuned, the engine produced a significant amount of 'chatter' noise.
The power output was 290 hp (216 kW) at 5,200 RPM with maximum torque of 290 lb⋅ft (393 N⋅m) at 4300 RPM. It had a 6,250 RPM limit. The Boss 302 engine competes well with other high performance 'small blocks', such as the Chevy 302, the Chrysler 340, and the AMC 360.[2]
The "Boss" in the Boss 302's name came from original designer Larry Shinoda's reference to Bunkie Knudsen, the CEO at Ford and an outspoken proponent of the car's development, who told his designers, "I want to design a car that's the coolest Mustang out there. I don't want somebody else's name on it, like a Shelby."[citation needed] Boss 302 is the name of the car (the engine is the 302 H.O.) but it also became popular to call this specific engine the Boss 302.
This engine was also optional in the Mercury Cougar Eliminator, with a total of 169 produced in 1969 and 469 assembled in 1970.




The Ford Boss 302 is a high-performance "small block" 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 engine manufactured by Ford Motor Company. The original version of this engine was used in the 1969 and 1970 Boss 302 Mustangs and Cougar Eliminators and was constructed by attaching heads designed for the planned 351 Cleveland (which debuted the following year) to a Ford small block.[1] The construction was aided by the two engines sharing a cylinder head bolt pattern, though the Boss heads had to have their coolant passages slightly modified.[1]
An entirely new Boss 302 engine was introduced for the 2012 Ford Mustang using a variant of the Ford Modular engine.

 

[dirtwarrior]

To bad the Ford hemi didn't make it into Mustangs. It made frame twisting power

 

[vanquishvzla]

anything other than a V8 should be dropped.

 

[Bikeman315]

anything other than a V8 should be dropped.

I'm pretty sure that every Mustang owner, ever, with an I6, V6 or I4 would disagree with you. Probably most V8 owners as well. Like me.

 

[Nagare]

anything other than a V8 should be dropped.

Anything other than a Shelby should be dropped, smh poor folks buying GTs because they can't afford a real Mustang like they really would get if they had the money.

 

[Balr14]

I have a friend in Florida who has a 2015 Mustang with the 6 cylinder engine. He is very happy with the performance. I got to drive it when I visited and I thought it was well balanced overall. It's the kind of vehicle you don't mind driving, but probably wouldn't be real disappointed if you didn't get to drive. I guess it's all a matter of what you are used to driving.

 

[Rick#7]

.... cylinder heads using a canted valve design developed for the 351C, which made its debut in late 1969 Mustangs.

This is not exactly accurate, although the 351C arrived in showrooms late in '69 it was in MY 1970 cars. There is no documented case of a MY 1969 regular production vehicle with a factory installed 351C engine. All 1969 produced 351 engines were from the Windsor engine family.

That's the problem with the internet, without the same level of research and fact checking of traditional media outlets, one persons error or poor choice of terminology finds it way onto multiple sites and soon enough many people seeing it all over the place believe it to be true.

 

[Stam616]

I bought my V6 new in 2015. I ordered it with the 051A package which gave it the 18” wheels, foglights, power seat and spoiler (which I deleted). The 300 hp is more than enough and far faster than my old Fox V8’s I owned in the past. She’s comfortable and quick on long trips, gets great gas mileage and sounds really good as well. I’d wished Ford would’ve given us the options for leather, shaker sound, etc- but that was not to be.



I’ve been updating my car when I can afford to over the years. I’ve got the exterior where I want it, so will be working on the interior and some power/suspension upgrades. I have nothing against the 4cyl, but I drove one and just didn’t like the sound. I felt the V6 gave me as close to a V8 in sound and power as I could get without getting the V8 ( I just couldn’t afford a GT). Mine stickered at like $27k but I got her for about $23k so I was very happy. It’s over six years later and I still turn around to look at her every time I walk away after I park. It still brings a smile to my face every time I get in and push the start button. I drive it every day and I’m hoping soon to get another one and let her become more of a show car.



My Mustangs part of the family, and I’d recommend to anyone looking for affordable performance to get a pre-owned V6 and enjoy it! There’s some great resources on this site as well so you can really make the car yours and get as much power as you want/need. Don’t mind the haters, I sure could care less because when I’m out my car still turns heads. People always ask if it’s new, and at car shows no one’s said anything to my face about the V6. Especially since she’s a trophy winner.

 

[Rick#7]

To bad the Ford hemi didn't make it into Mustangs. It made frame twisting power

If you're referring to the 427 SOHC (or the Cammer as it often called), it wasn't factory installed in any car, because the intended use of the engine (NASCAR) changed their racing rules to ban the design before production could begin, but to salvage the development costs Ford sold it as a crate motor to drag racing teams, many of whom put them in factory sponsored Mustangs.

When you say "the Ford hemi", it sounds like Ford only made 1, which is not true. The Boss 429 was as much a hemi head design as the modern Chrysler Hemi, having only a small quench area on the edges of the combustion chamber for improved burn that keeps the chamber shape from being a true hemispherical shape, but still hemi design none the less. And of course we all know the Boss 429 engine was only found in the Mustang of the same name, but we have short term Ford boss Bunkie Knudsen to thank for that. That engine was initially intended for Torinos since that was the car representing Ford on the NASCAR tracks, but Bunkie was adamant that their flagship engine be sold to the public in their flagship performance car for homologating the engine per NASCAR rules.

 

[cmxPPL219]

Folks here have pretty much outlined the key points for why Ford offered the V6 and why V6 models were equipped the way they were. (Rental-ready/friendly, base models)

However, as for the engine itself, it's a shame because from a reliability point of view, they were pretty stout engines, and very few if any major problems. Also, depending on the exhaust, when opened up, they sound real great, too (subjective, obviously) and I've heard/seen anecdotally that many prefer the exhaust note and induction sound of the V6 over the I4 Eco., in a Mustang.

Plus, Ford had invested heavily in the EcoBoost family of turbo engines, due to the turbo/downsizing of displacement approach, and in the roadmaps, you could probably see the N/A V6's time was done.

IMO, it's a shame Ford strategically relegated it to Base models only, but we know why they did.

 

[Dave2013M3]

anything other than a V8 should be dropped.

To be honest that would kill off the Mustang. That would kill off close to 50% of the sales of the Mustang. Ford needs to sell non V8 Mustangs for CAFE as well as to keep the sales numbers up so for those of us who want V8 Mustangs can get them.

 

[vanquishvzla]

I knew some people will be triggered. It's called A JOKE.



































like your V6/I4 engines lol...


again, it's a joke. lol

 

[Dave2013M3]

I knew some people will be triggered. It's called A JOKE.
like your V6/I4 engines lol...


again, it's a joke. lol

Whats funny a lot of us posting in favor of the V6 Mustang have a GT. Look at the cars from the sigs on the people who post.

 

[wilkinda65]

My son has the V6 (3.7L) in his Mustang. its pretty decent. We added a Roush exhaust to it and it sounds pretty good now too. Gas mileage on it is not that great though..... but better than mine....

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