QThe instrumentation group
and Hurst shifter were standard
equipment on the Boss 351, but the
Interior Decor Group and full-length
center console with a rectangular
clock were extra-cost options.QRight after he purchased it, Steve
Vagnier modified his Boss 351 like many of
the other muscle cars that were running
the streets in the 1970s—Cragar chrome
wheels and chrome side pipes. Steve even
added a set of ’69 Shelby sidescoops to
be more unique.42 MUSTANGMONTHLY.COM
of Bosses were sold at that
dealership and began to
wonder if maybe this was
his old car. Then he peered
into the interior and saw
those two 5-inch Radio
Shack tweeters mounted
on the rear corner trim
behind the back seat. Steve
knew immediately at that
moment that this red Boss
was his old red Boss.
But now what? He was
at the auction to just look
around and did not have
a bidder’s pass. The Boss
hadn’t gone up for bidding
yet but was set to go across
the stage in less than an
hour. He quickly completed
an application form so that
he could bid on the Boss,
but the process wasn’t
completed in time and the
Boss was sold after some
spirited bidding. It went for
$32,500 plus the 6 percent
commission.
Steve’s brother-in-law
told him to put a note
on the car saying he was
interested in the car to see
what would happen, and
after about four hours he
received a call from the new
owner. That new owner,
Claude Mondou, was a
car dealer from Quebec,
Canada. Being a dealer,
Claude had no attachments
to the Boss. His intentions
were to take the car to
Canada and resell it there.
Here was Steve’s opening.
Steve made sure not to
mention that he was the
Boss’ original owner so as
not to drive up the price. He
just told Claude he liked the
car and would like to buy
it. After some discussions,
Steve was able to get it for
a couple thousand dollars
over selling price at the
auction. Claude didn’t
have to do anything to the
car other than hand over
the title. The transaction
was completed on Sunday,
September 4, which
happened to be Steve’s
birthday.
Once home, Steve
assessed the car and
decided he wanted to
enter it in Mustang Club
of America shows in the
Concours Trailered class.
The first thing to address
was the incorrect Holley
850-cfm carburetor and
intake manifold. With some
searching, Steve was able
to track down an original
Autolite 4300D 715-cfm
spreadbore carburetor and
correct intake manifold.
The interior was in nice,
original condition and only
needed new carpeting and
the rear interior pieces that
had those 5-inch tweeters.
“It was amazing seeing
my old work when pulling
up the original carpet and
seeing all those wires that
I had run for the stereo
system all those years ago,”
Steve says. He still has
those rear interior pieces
and speakers at home
for nostalgia.
In August 2006, he
entered the Boss in its
first Mustang Club ofAmerica show, held in Lake
Erie, Pennsylvania, and
hosted by the Lake Erie
Mustang Owners Club,
where the Boss ended
up with a Silver award.
A respectable showing
for its first time out, but
Steve was looking for Gold.
Going over the judging
sheet, it appeared that the
engine compartment and
undercarriage needed some
additional work.
Steve then went
looking for a restorer to
correct these deficiencies
and went straight to the
top and contacted MCA
Authenticity head judge
Bob Perkins. Unfortunately,
Bob was too busy to take
on the job, but he referred
Steve to Don Goebel. Don’s
shop, Goebel’s Performance
Corner in Evansville,
Indiana, is also known
for performing top-notch
restorations, including
some that have competed
in the MCA Thoroughbred
class. Goebel had the Boss
for a year and half, and
much of that time was
spent searching for N.O.S.
or original parts to replace
missing or incorrect parts.Bob even came to the rescue
with a N.O.S. fuel pump and
exhaust system. “I jumped
on the chance to purchase
the exhaust,” Steve says. “It
was not cheap, but I wanted
that original sound.”
Goebel detailed the
engine, engine compart-
ment, and undercarriage,
taking special pains to detail
with the correct chalk marks
and paint daubs. Goebel told
Steve he enjoyed working
on the Boss since it was
such a nice car and also
because he doesn’t get many
opportunities to work on
the bigger ’71-’73 Mustangs.
Since the freshen-up
by Goebel’s, the Boss is a
consistent Gold winner,
with its last award coming
at the 2018 Granite State
Mustang Grand National
in Merrimack, New
Hampshire. Now Steve is
only two points away from
being awarded his blue
grille medallion.
After missing it for
27 years, Steve’s Boss
351 is back in his garage,
and he’s not going to
make the mistake of letting
it go a second time. It’s
for keeps.THE BOSS...AGAIN