"See above the original work order/build sheet of what Bud Moore Engineering did to produce the race car, which includes a race prepped 302 engine. Everything is itemized out with a dollar amount. Note the on and off plate assembly. I personally talked to Bud about this on June 13th 2016. He described how Ford sent him a Jig/Template to build the cars on. He mounted the cars to them to insure them being square/straight."
Tim Olive

Meeting the Legend in 2016

Bud Moore signing a b/w picture of the Solana Mustang for Tim..
..and two original Bud Moore Engineering stickers, that Tim got hold of over the past years. These are true originals, not remade ones.

"I took the above pictures myself,  just driving up to Spartanburg, SC. It is a story in a typical enthusiast way.
I spent a couple of days to see if I could find him and talk with him. This was June 13th 2016. I knew that Bud was getting old. I had heard that he started his day at the Peach Blossom Restaurant in Spartanburg. I simply drove up there, spent the night in a Hotel and got up early the next morning and went to the Restaurant. I walked in and asked if I was in the right place to maybe meet Bud Moore and the Waitress said "You sure are and as a matter of fact he's right back here, come go with me and I will introduce him to you". 
He was very nice to me. I told him who I was and that I had driven all the way from Alabama just to meet and talk with him. I had always had a really good feeling about buying the Solana Mustang and I just started talking with him about it. He told me about Ford sending him the Jig/Templates and building the Mustang cars. He talked like money was no object on parts and cost from Ford. He dwelled on wishing that if Bill France could have gotten ahold of SCCA along with NASCAR. He kept on saying that SCCA would be like NASCAR if he had. Bud was very glad to see the photo of the car. He said that he sent most of his cars out in primer and he never did get to see how some of them turned out. He remembered building the car for Solana and talked with me for about 15 to 20 minutes about it."

About the original racers Moises Solana and Freddy van Beuren
"Moises Solana was 33 years old, when he took possession of the Bud Moore Mustang. He got the Mustang in April of 1969 and he died in a Can Am car crash in a race in July of 1969.

He only enjoyed the car for approx. 3 months. He left behind a wife and 5 girls. He is still revered as one of the most famous race car drivers of all time in Mexico. His family has a long history in racing.

I was advised to restore the car to the way that Solana drove it.

Attached is a photo of Freddy Van Beuren.  After Moises Solana's death, his family sold the car to Freddy Van Beuren. He won often in the car and raced it for a few years.  In the series that he ran, when you won the Championship, you were required to wear the number 1.
This photo clearly shows Freddy with his name spelled correctly and wearing the door number 1."

The car was shown again at the Ford at Carlisle event in July 2020

The History of the Bud Moore built Moises Solana car
as reported by Tim Olive.
"In late November of 1968 or early 1969, one of Mexico's most famous race car driver, Moises Solana called Bud Moore and commissioned him to build him a full blown, new 1969 Mustang Road Race car. 

He gave Bud Moore a check for 5,000.00 for him to get started towards building the car. Bud needed a new, clean, straight Fastback body to start with, so he obviously picked a no option 6 cylinder Fastback (VIN 9T02T141473). The car sat around the dealer lot of Garrett or Henderson Ford for almost 3 month.

According to the Marti report the car was built and released on 11-19-1968 and delivered to Henderson Ford in Chesnee, SC. and sold to Bud Moore Engineering on 3-13-1969.

Note that actually according to the original paperwork the car first went to Garrett Motor company in  Hendersonville, NC  and then later went to Henderson Ford in Chesnee, SC. Both of these towns are within 25 miles of Spartanburg, SC."

"Bud took possession of the car on 3-13-1969 and completely finished building it as a race car in 23 days. Bud installed apparently a Boss 302 engine and completely modified it to road race specs.*

Keep in mind that Bud Moore Engineering was building the Ford Factory team Mustangs and was also finishing up Allan Moffat's 1969 T/A Mustang, which raced first on a circuit in May 1969.*  "

*Editors note: Boss block seems to be logical based on the timeline that the B302 engines arrived in February, they were homologated at Ford by Walt Hane in early 1969. The invoice shows "302". 


Note Bud Moore’s original notarized signature in the Bill of Sale.

"Bud delivered the car to Moises Solana on 4-5-1969. Moises Solana started racing the car about a week after buying it from Bud Moore Engineering. On 4-26-1969, Moises Solana raced the Mustang at the VII Circuito Los Fuertes in Puebla, Mexico. He won the race. This win on 4-26-1969, makes this Mustang the first win for a 1969 Bud Moore built Mustang, anywhere in the world*."

Editors note: The Parnelli Jones #15 car was piloted at the February 1969 Citrus 250 in Daytona/FL, but went out of race due to gearbox failures.  Edd Stevens, Bud Moores engine builder (see interview on ponysite.de) joined BM in May 1969, he does not remember the Solana car, since it was gone already by that time. So he could not tell us more about it.

"See the top photo of the Solana Mustang in it's 1st race. Some of the unique Bud Moore features can be seen. You can clearly see the 200-S wheels on the front with 5 on 5" lug hole pattern.

If you look really hard, you can see one of the roll cage bars on a 45* that was a typical Bud Moore roll bar style. The quarter panel scoops are missing. The running lights on the front and rear have been removed. The wheel flares are typical Bud Moore style and the headlight covers are unique to BME." 

"The next photo shows the car again racing on 4-26-1969 when it won it's first race. It seems to show the Mustang ahead and at full speed coming out of a curve. Seems as if dust is flying and the car seems to be digging in as it leads. Note the door handles were removed, as Mexico did not have the same rules as America."

"Above photo shows Moises racing at the same race in April 1969 with door #19. I have several of them."

"The top photo is Moises Solana in front of Freddy Van Beuren. Many of the original Trans Am cars of this era went down to Mexico. This car raced against many of these cars."

"The next photo, you can barely see evidence of the front 200-S wheel  and the Weber trumpets sticking out of the top of the hood. Seems like Moises got rid of the hood scoop and also took a saw-zaw to the rear wheel flares to use a larger tire. He is in the Mustang car and is talking to his brother in the Can Am car beside him. You can barely see the word Solana on the Can Am car. Also, note the triple digit numbers on the side of the car. Also note the gas filling hole at the back of the word Pepsi.
Moises also ran earlier a 1967 Mustang with Pepsi sponsoring."

Above photo shows the Solana car as of June 1969. Source: Steve Francis archive.

Below you see it during Freddy van Beurens ownership. Freddy is still alive as of 2019 and Tim made a few attempts to talk to him. We hope to get soon more photos and his stories. 

Alvaro Diaz B. was the Head of Shelby Mexico. He purchased the car from Freddy Van Beuren and sold it to Rick Nagel, a car collector very well known in the T/A scene.

Rick Nagel had it shipped back to the US. declaring it as an american product returned to the US, thus allowing the free entry and low value declaration.

"It was slated to go to the Shelby American Museum, but that never materialized.

I bought it from Rick Nagel on July 12th, 2019 and soon started a restoration back to the Solana period. I restored the body in about 5 to 6 weeks to get it finished for the BOSS Reunion.  It does not have an engine in it. "

Update Tim Olive:
"I have a NOS Boss 302 Trans Am Block installed meanwhile, complete with the SK Assy and appropriate # numbers. It is a C8 block and is standard bore and has not ran and has provisions for the O-rings. I have the original Falconer & Dunn Weber Intake. It is a duplicated T/A Boss engine in the end.

BTW something that I have noticed while gathering up information on this car through the years. Amazing is how this 1969 Bud Moore Built Boss 302 Trans Am Mustang is really similar to Allan Moffat's 1969 Boss 302 Trans Am Mustang built as well by Bud Moore.

Allan's car was red and sponsored by Coca Cola and this Solana car was white and sponsored by Pepsi."

Back on the Racing circuits

The car appeared finally in August 2019 for the first time after Tims restoration at the Boss Reunion.

This one shows the Bud Moore style hood pins moved outward toward the fenders .

Note the fuel filler next to the Pepsi sticker.

"To my knowledge this is the best documented Bud Moore built racer."
reported by Tim Olive/September 2019/updated August 2020