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Whether a new or vintage Boss Mustang currently occupies a spot in your garage or sits atop your wish list, the name Randy Ream is one you should know. A printer by trade, Randy and his pal, Todd Eby, have owned and operated the Boss Registry since 1981.
Gleaned from years of research and shared member knowledge, the pair has also co-authored several Boss registry books spanning the past three decades.
“The new Boss 302 is much smoother and tamer while driving, but fast. The classic Boss is rough, loud and obnoxious, harder to drive and more work. It’s not as fast, but it’s fun!” Randy Ream said.
“I took printing in high school through the Vo-Tech resulting in a job at a local print shop during my senior year and I’m still in printing,” Randy said. “I’ve used this experience to help the Mustang hobby. I’m a Ford guy bred by my family. My dad bought a 1965 Mustang in ’67 and as a kid I thought it was the coolest car sitting in the back seat.”
At the impressionable age of 13, Randy’s father would pre-order a new 1969 Mustang before its release.
“I loved it as soon as I saw it,” he confessed.
This made me more determined to own a performance Mustang. — Randy Ream
“This made me more determined to own a performance Mustang,” he said. “I saw a 1969 Shelby at the Ford dealership and vowed I would own one someday.”
Although his dream of owning that ’69 Shelby changed a bit over the years, Randy did eventually claim ownership of a ’68 Shelby KR and a ’66 Hertz car that would later become famous in the movie War of the Worlds.
Randy’s ’69 Boss 302 is a regular at Boss events. His former ’66 Hertz Shelby would would become a bit more famous after appearing in the movie, War of the Worlds. (Photo: Tom McGean)
Providing ample giddy-up in the family stable today are several Fords, including a ’91 T-Bird with a factory 302, a ’69 Boss 302 with matching ’12 BOSS 302 and a project ’69 Maverick. Along with wife Cindy, Randy’s automotive influence is apparent with their aptly named daughter Shelbie and son Ryan who works at the local dealership.
He advises those who are looking to join the Boss ranks to “Get one with all the parts on it. It’s cheaper in the long run buying one done and complete rather than piecing one together.”
Solid advice from someone who would know.
A Boss Registry Is Born
If the possibility of a Boss is in your future, a visit to the Boss registry website is a must.
Like many who now join his Boss forum, Randy credits a longtime friend with first educating him about Boss Mustangs.
“He knew all the details about the history of the cars and I was hooked. A yellow ’69 showed up for sale about two years later in our small town,” Randy explained.“I just had to have it! I became a Boss fanatic at that point. Shortly thereafter, fellow Boss owner Todd Eby and I decided to do a registry for Boss 302s. The rest, as they say, is history.”
He freely gives credit to those who share their time and expertise with members choosing instead to give others their due. When asked if there was any one memory that stood out over the past 35-plus years in the hobby, Randy says, “They’re all good.”
Although steeped in vintage iron, the Boss Registry also caters to today’s enthusiasts encompassing both current and classic Boss examples. From 302s and 351s to asphalt-pounding 429s and modern Boss Mustangs, his website has something for everyone. Daily visitors can also utilize the site’s registry page, stolen car alerts and invaluable section on fake and questionable vehicle identification numbers.
Authors Randy Ream (right) and Donald Farr (Mustang Times editor) with Randy's 2012 Boss. Filling two spots Randy’s corral is this 2012 Boss 302 and its twin, a ’69 Boss 302.
With years of knowledge and thousands of devoted members, if the possibility of a Boss is in your future, a visit to the Boss registry website is a must.
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