People in the Mustang club world well-know that our pony car hobby is in a class well above all the rest – and for the right reasons. When you buy a Mustang, you don’t just buy a car – you buy a lifestyle. And if you choose to live the Mustang owner lifestyle to its fullest by joining a Mustang club, then you soon discover that while the cars may come and go, the friendships you make along the way can last a lifetime. And in the case of Boss 302 owner Steve Riley of Waynesboro, Virginia, they actually last longer than a lifetime. Few Fan Spotlights we have received over the past 15 years have exemplified the bond of friendship in the Mustang community as well as the story of Steve, his Boss 302, and his Mustang club friends. If you read only one story all year about Mustang people, you simply must read Steve’s note to us below to understand just how deep and eternal Mustang relationships can run:

“Hi, Ford Performance! My name is Steve Riley and I, along with my wife Mary, are members of the Mustang and Shelby Club of Long Island -- even though we relocated to Virginia several years ago.

My Ford enthusiasm started back in 1977. I had a 1969 Mustang with a blown engine and I was looking for a replacement engine. My friend’s dad came across a 1970 Cougar with a 302 engine in it. We went to take a look at the car and it was a Cougar Eliminator with a Boss 302 engine. I ended up buying the Cougar and went to Ford to get parts to swap the engine into my 1969 Mustang. They informed me that the Eliminator is a rare edition, so I decided to rebuild it as is -- but that’s another story.

“Fast forward to 1988, and I was looking through Mustang Monthly Magazine and found a 1970 Boss 302 for sale in Delaware. The car was just a shell but there was $6,000 worth of new parts still in boxes that went with it. I learned there was another person very interested in the car that was coming to look at it, so I purchased the car right then and there. (I later learned that the other 'someone' was a member in my own Mustang Club. That person turned out to be John Dettori, a longtime enthusiast and member of the MCA Board of Directors.  

“I spent the next three years restoring that Boss 302 and finished the car in 1991. At my first show after that first stage of restoration, I received a 1st-place trophy, with my dad present, which made it extra special. From that point on, I kept replacing or finding NOS parts for the Boss to make it even better. Another goal was to have two complete engines. 

“The more I learned about the Boss 302 led me to join the Boss 302 Registry, and I eventually helped registry founder Robert Ream complete build information for the Boss 302 Registry. I still continue to learn more and more about how the car came off the Ford assembly line in Metuchen, NJ.

“From 1991 to today, I have enjoyed showing my Boss at our club’s shows as well as at Mustang Club of America National and Grand National shows, where it has earned 5 Gold and 1 Silver – the last being a Gold at the Grand National show in Georgia this past Labor Day weekend. I am now just 5 points away from the Boss earning my MCA Red Grille Medallion.

“Recently I was informed that I am terminally ill. I was having my second engine for the Boss being rebuilt -- and so now I needed it done faster. While talking to John Olesuk, President of the Mustang and Shelby Club of Long Island, he offered to install the engine for me as soon as it was ready. I then talked to two club friends of both John and myself, Dennis Healy and Tommy Morton, who both said they would help John with the install. They traveled to Virginia from Long Island in January 2022 to get the car and perform the work, and returned the Boss a month later with the engine installed.

“I wanted to leave my Boss 302 to someone who would love it and take care of it like I did. These three gentlemen have helped me through many struggles, so I have decided that they will receive the Boss after Mary and I have passed. This is an example of the strong friendships that are built within the Mustang community. Thanks for letting me share my story.”

Here’s How YOU Can Get In The Spotlight: For more than 15 years now, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.

All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Performance should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Your submission allows us the rights to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford in our Spotlight soon!