Ironically enough, as Im 17, my first real car was bought for me for $2,500 and was a 1966 A3 Mustang coupe that me and my dad were to rebuild. Being 14 at the time, this was a great project. I had so many hopes and dreams for this muscle car.
When I got a job however, I lost time and interest for the ol' Muskrat. Including wages and tips at the local carwash, I decided that I could buy something bigger. All said and done, I purchased (my parents got the loan and I pay them monthly payments) a red 1999 T/A M6. Once I got the car, since insurance was so high, I couldn't drive it for a while until my insurance went down. This was a killer time for me, but I made it through...

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. My buddy and I are on our usual Sunday cruise after work. He wants an LS1 F-Body (him and his dad already put an LS1 in a 1991 S-10), so every Sunday, I take him out in mine for the evening. --
For the locals, this happened on Wendover Ave, at the end of the motor mile going away from I-40.

It all started just driving down the road. Traffic was moderatly heavy, so we were just "chillin'". A few cars ahead was a old Mustang. It was dark green, black/dark wheels, and blue traction bars or something suspension related visable from the rear. It was GORGEOUS. He slowed down by downshifting and made the T/A sound like a 4 banger. We were in awe.
Well, soon enough, traffic cleared out a little better. He had a car or 2 infront of him and I had a clear lane. I downshifted to 2nd at about 40... rode for a little bit, and gave him a pass by. He knew what I wanted.
We continue to drive normally, until about a mile down the road. He is about a car/car and a half in front on my right side. Then I hear it scream. The softball sized (no lie) exhaust pipes roared and deafened everything around them. I, still in second, at 40-45, ease the gas to the floor. Although my friend weighs about 225, I had the t-tops off, I kinda started to inch.
Like I said, he started a car/car and a half on me and by the time I was at 80 or so, I shut down at the back end of his door. He shut down soon after. My shift to 3rd with the new Pro 5.0 was clean, but IMO, slow. I was depressed. His was slower, but that is expected of an older car. The Mustang's rear was that of the post '68s. As I went by later on, I saw that hood scoop and 429 on the side of the scoop.
I was pumped. Although it wasn't a clean kill, I was excited for my first race. I'm wondering what it could have had in it to make me winning a hard struggle. ???

So that's it. All that story and no clean kill. I may get bashed for racing at 17, but I'd like those of you to know that I highly respect my car, and baby it most of the time. 19mpg is not uncommon in the city. I worked too hard for my car just to throw it away or risking it getting taken away.This was just spur of the moment, and I was/am pumped about it so I wanted to share.

So just incase you missed the question, what could a 429 Mustang have done, with visible exhaust and suspension mods, that would make an LS1 struggle to pull ahead?

 

A 429 mustang? One that was obviously not completely stock?

You're lucky you did as well as you did.

Edit: let me elaborate. He's easily putting down as much power as you. If a well taken care of 429 isn't putting down 300-350hp, something's seroiusly not right. Also he's probably, believe it or not, lighter than you unless you're talking about a 71/72 model, and even then with your passenger, it's still likely he's lighter.

 

A 1970 BOSS 429, which is pretty much what you described, was rated at 375hp in that year. Ford is/was notorious for overrating their engines, but something tells me that number has to be lower than what it actually put out. That being said a stock 429 should have eaten you alive.

If that was really a 429 car, he either couldn't drive worth a crap, you have a factory freak, or a little of both.

In any case, i'm betting that car was stock, besides the bullhorns you described.

 

modded 429's are usually sick...VERY sick,If you had raced him from a dig, the outcome probably would not have been nearly as pretty though. Props...and good race. Wish i got 19mph city, I get about 15-18city depending on driving style.)

 

A factory 429 car was still in the 13's...

 

What kind of mph? I was under the impression that the old school big block cars slow 1/4mile times were due to shitty bias-ply tires.

 

that's how it usually is. times of like 14.5 at 150mph

the boss 429 production model may have been detuned for the street. after all, that was the race motor they used in NASCAR. It would make no sense to let the public have that.

 

Not sure on the mph etc. All i know is magazines of the time (yes, crappy tires) placed the 429's in the 13's at best.

 

I have my doubts that it was a "real" Boss 429 Mustang. The car would be worth too much money to take a chance of trashing it on a street race. I owned and raced a 428CJ Mach 1 Drag Pack car back in the early 70's, and yeah, it would fry those Goodyear Polyglass F-60's all the way down the track! That car never broke into the 13 second bracket back then, but I bet given the tire and suspension technology of today, that car would be a low 12 second car.