Shocking Grabber Blue 1971 Boss 351 Thrills
Originally purchased by its current owner in 1985, this '71 Mustang Boss 351 spent two decades in hibernation, before being restored in 2015.
The Backstory
Whenever we come across well-preserved or immaculately-restored classic Mustangs like this 1971 Boss 351, we can't help our curiosity about its backstory. And much like most 50-year-old collectible sports cars, this Grabber Blue beauty has its own interesting history.
Photos and story: Hot Rod
For Sale on the Side of the Road
Dennis Weinman, who is believed to be the third owner of this Mustang, first laid eyes on it when attending a car show in Hershey, Pennsylvania way back in 1985. He saw a row of four Mustangs for sale in front of a barn in Annville. The Boss you see pictured above was one of the four. A Yellow 1970 Boss 302 was also in the group, but according to Dennis, the seller was asking for "an extreme amount of money" for that particular Pony.
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It Was Meant to be
Dennis went for a test drive in the Boss 351, and he immediately fell in love. He was ready to make the purchase, but his wife convinced him to hold off and save the money for other life expenses. About a year later, things changed and Dennis decided to call the seller, Leroy Horning, a Mustang enthusiast himself, and ask if the Mustang was still for sale. And it was. So Dennis made the trip back to Pennsylvania to pick up his new ride and drive back home to Long Island.
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Good Enough to Win Trophies
The '71 Mustang was in nice shape. Good enough to take part in shows and even bring home some trophies. But according to Dennis, it was "kind of a second-rate car." He drove the car for a while. But after a few years, other family matters took priority. Dennis and his son bought a boat and started fishing, which occupied most of his time for the better part of two decades.
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Back From Hibernation
But finally, in 2015, he decided to take the Boss out of the garage and breathe some life back into it. He commissioned HRE Motors in Freeport, NY to give the car a proper restoration. Thankfully, it didn't need too much work. Not much rust was found when the paint was stripped down. And while the body was being restored, Dennis took the opportunity to have the 351 engine refreshed by local engine builder Jeff Lawrence.
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Better Than Ever
A 780-cfm Holley carburetor was installed in place of the original unit, which made a significant improvement to the power production of the V8. And with the addition of a Comp Cams camshaft, the car was able to hit 450 horses on the dyno! Since the restoration was completed in 2016, Dennis has been collecting even more trophies with it at car shows all around.
>>Join the conversation on this classic Boss 351 right here in the Mustang Source Forum!
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