Is the Boss 302S a blivet?

[Uncle Bob]

Being new to the Boss 302 discussion world I may have missed the definitive answer (if there is one) to the topic question. I just wonder because this morning I see 4 "new" 2014 Boss 302S cars for sale on ebay alone. That's something like 10%-ish of the total population! Were these just not competitive enough, over side marked by greedy dealers now paying the penalty, re-ruled out of competitiveness, or something else? Maybe we're reliving the experience of over 40 years ago when Superbirds/Charger Daytonas languished in show rooms, much like 427 SC Cobras, in their original life only to become highly cherished at some distant future era.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Do you have a link?

The 302S is a turn key factory race car offered for sale by Ford Racing and available through your dealer. They were available in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Prior to that the earlier S197 Mustangs were offered as FR500S and FR500C. The Bosses were available as 302S and 302R. The S designation is for race series under an hour like Pirelli World Challenge and the R or C for endurance racing and specific to the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=11687

 

[Uncle Bob]

Sorry Rick, I probably should have been more specific. I had done enough research to understand what this model is, I was more looking to find out why they seem to languish at the dealers.

As for links there would be four different ebay auctions, but here's a link for a search result for Boss 302 http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=boss+302&_sop=3 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 8th listings.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Well besides the fact they aren't street legal Ford has been selling these for several years now and there's a very limited market for them. You're either racing one or using it as a track day toy. The 2014 has only been available for three months so they haven't been sitting that long.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2014-Ford-Racing-Boss-302S-/181620141524?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2a49676dd4&item=181620141524&pt=Race_Cars_Not_Street_Legal_

 

[Uncle Bob]

Three months!?! Okay, that would explain that.
I don't know if you were interested enough to read any of the listings, but I thought it.................interesting............that the one dealer implied that he "might" be able to finagle a way to street register one in Tennessee. :

 

[VoodooBoss]

I could be off on how long they've been available. Regardless they don't have a VIN and I doubt any state is going to allow you to register if for the street.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Not to mention there are typically used ex-racecar versions with spares for less money available at any time from World Challenge teams.
A new one is probably a tough sell for people that would actually race them now. In addition to that, builders are already working up the S550 chassis cars...

 

[302 Hi Pro]

So the question is: Is the Boss 302S a what? A Blivet?

Thinking back in Boss 302R race history, the car was very successful by the end of 2010, then dominated in 2011 to the point where the Sectioning Body changed the rules and placed restricters on the Boss engines in 2012. During the series race at Mid Ohio, the Mustang Teams protested, ran a few laps to start the race, then they all hit pit row. Parked their cars.

The Boss 302S is a different car, but certainly don't think 4 units for sale on eBay at any one time constitutes a Boss 302S "problem" or "Blivet" what ever that is?

Ford Racing builds them in batch runs to fill the Order Bank? Some Dealers place big side stickers on them. They are novelty cars to some, good for showroom traffic in some markets.

With a P/N for a VIN, you can't even report the unit sold through normal Ford Sales channels, and NFSBoss is correct, No State will issue a registration for them. I suspect the CO, is stamped Off Road Use Only.

It's not a big deal at all. IMO of course.
Regards,
Dave
2HP

 

[dabossinnne]

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't know what the word "blivet" means in the context of this B302S thread.

A "blivet" from my Navy flying days is an aux fuel tank (aka drop tank) that's been converted to be used for holding cargo instead of fuel.

Googling the term you also find:
1. "Ten pounds of crap in a five pound bag" Or, an unmanageable situation.
2. An indecipherable figure that depicts two irreconcilable perspectives at once.

 

[F.D. Sako]

I pick the first definition ;D

 

[TGR96]

I had to google it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blivet

A blivet, also known as a poiuyt, devil's fork or widget, is an undecipherable figure, an optical illusion and an impossible object. It appears to have three cylindrical prongs at one end which then mysteriously transform into two rectangular prongs at the other end.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=blivet

Ten pounds of shiznit in a five pound bag. A situation so vile no matter how well you deal with it you will still get dirty.

 

[Roadhouse]

I'm sure there are several states where it would be easy to register this car without a VIN (Oklahoma being one of them). In fact, I've seen a 302S from Kansas that was in Tulsa, OK for the Shelby meet that was tagged and driving on the street ;D

 

[Grant 302]

Because not street legal and dealers looking for markups. That is all.

 

[Uncle Bob]

The definition of the term blivet got more interest than I expected. If you read the entire wikipedia commentary there would be several interpretations that hit closer to my intent using that expression.

That being said one of the most realistic responses seems to be the saturation of the market. With the apparent intent to produce 50 each model year, and the reduction of the final run to 40 (ish?), there's a pretty significant signal. True, the lack of vin and street registration, in addition to aggressively high pricing, would be a disincentives to typical car buyers, but the supposed target market shouldn't be phased by that.................though as a marketing decision it is very limiting should the need for options/alternatives arise as it appears it has.

Another one popped up in the last 24 hrs, a '13 that appears to be in private hands and claims no track time. Doesn't appear to be a prize for any of the speculators who may have given it a whirl......................unless like some of the historical examples given, you're willing to wait quite a while.

 

[Berol]

I think most of us at one point or another sort of look back and wonder if we should have bought a 302S to begin with.

Had I known production would continue through 2014 with incremental upgrades each year, I would have.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

I think most of us at one point or another sort of look back and wonder if we should have bought a 302S to begin with.

Had I known production would continue through 2014 with incremental upgrades each year, I would have.

If I could have afforded one outright, I would have.

 

[REAL 1]

If it could be made street legal I would own one.

I just could not justify tying up $80K to $90K in an asset that is not street legal, will only be used 4-5 times per year and has a razor thin resale market.

I think with some well thought out mods a standard Boss gets close in performance for the track and can be driven to cruise night too!!! ;D

 

[Uncle Bob]

I think with some well thought out mods a standard Boss gets close in performance for the track and can be driven to cruise night too!!! ;D

And that point feeds into the blivet question. A decent, low mileage '13 Boss is selling right now for $35-40k (LS a bit higher), and ask on the S cars (albeit with low to no miles) is $40-50k higher. Can you bring a "regular" Boss to S spec (admittedly without whatever if any pedigree the genuine article might have) with a $40k (+) budget? I would think so, especially guessing that the S would probably take a few permitted/desired mods to add to it's cost.

 

[wwilde001]

It would be very hard to duplicate what Ford has done with the S for the price. The driveline, cooling, brakes, suspension and aero on parts alone will consume almost $40k in parts alone if you decide to upgrade your Boss. This doesn't include the full caged chassis that Ford has dipped and painted, and all the safety gear that is included. If you want to go racing, go buy and S (IMO). If you want to convert your Boss to a street legal S, you will end up spending more than the purchase price of a new S.

 

[Grant 302]

Agreed with above. The main things you don't get access to with an existing Boss are the option to seam weld and the 'correct' cage. You could get those starting with a body-in-white, but you would probably end up spending more going that route.