Every auto manufacturer has experienced a prototype program that for some reason gets cancelled abruptly for some reason. Most of the prototype cars in process at the time of the cancellation are disassembled or destroyed and the prototype is lost to history.

A production 1971 Boss 302 Mustang. Photo from wikipedia.org.

Some of these prototypes cars are the subject of rumors and industry lore. They become mythical in the tales that are told. Unicorns do exist, and from time to time one of these hidden legends comes to life and the story gets told from all of the bits and pieces that are uncovered. Thanks to the internet, we’ve stumbled on one of these rediscovered lost prototypes.

The Boss 302 series high-performance Mustang was developed for the Trans-Am racing series, only in 1969 and 1970, piloted by Parnelli Jones and George Follmer. The Boss 302 Mustang was dropped after 1970 when the factory reduced support for the program. The AMC team dominated in 1971, primarily due to Ford and GM pulling back their efforts. Ex-Mustang driver George Follmer and former Chevrolet driver Mark Donohue led the way for AMC.

One of the many supporting documents that verifies this car as the legit prototype.

The 302 Boss Mustangs continued to be highly sought after by enthusiasts and collectors and today are worth a great deal of money. A pair of restored 1969 Boss 302 Mustangs sold for $530,000 in 2007. Imagine what a prototype Boss 302 from 1971 would be worth.

How the unrestored car looks today.

The story is captured here on this harshly edited YouTube video, which details how the former owner discovered what the car was, the current owner’s obsession with the myth and his determination to track it down, and all the history surrounding this rare unicorn.