Mike Sedlak's  '69 Boss 302
Ex Chuck Cullinane independent racer

© Mike Sedlak, Wolfgang Kohrn -  October 27th, 2003, last updated 11th January 2009

 



The racecar as it appeared at Watkins Glen






All pictures except below Mike Sedlak/2003

Picture courtesy Mustang Monthly/1991

 


The History of Chuck Cullinane's,
then and now Mike Sedlak's 69 T/A period correct Boss 302
 


Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen are the preferred race tracks of Mike Sedlak, owner of this famous #8 blue 69 Boss 302.
Built in April 1969, it came from the factory fully equipped in bright yellow and used as a dealer show car in New York. Somebody downtown finally bought it and popped the engine during one of its initial test drives. Back at the dealer for repair a befriended racer Chuck Cullinane bought it.
After a good dose of club events at the end of 69 it was fully prepped for a race car and got a roll cage and beefed up suspension und some engine mods. After a successful 70ies season Shelby suspension and engine parts bought from Bud Moores inventory were put on the car and the body updated to 70ies specs. The car then underwent the famous blue paint job.
It was raced in this configuration in the northeast:
- An unknown racer used it until 1978 and parked it in a field.
- Mike Sedlak got notice and ownership of this car in 1983. Stripping it down and revitalizing it to '70 T/A SCCA specs was done together with Randy Hubbard and last one put on a Corporate Blue colour, as it appears today and as it was used on the early Shelbys.
- A race-spec BOSS 302 engine was prepared early by Bill Clawson and installed and mated to a Toploader and 9-inch-rear end. Kelsey-Hayes discs on all 4 corners with Koni adj. shocks and 850-pound front coils incl. 15x8" magnesium Minilite rims are under the body.


Mike has some memories to share about this with us: (Dec. 2002)
"We have had an absolute great time with the car and I have over 30 hours of in car and outside of car videos. The in-car-video from Road Atlanta in 95 - I was following Ed Jenson in a Camaro for most of the race. It was a duel in the best of sportsmanship spirit. Neither one of us giving or gaining a inch on each other until the last lap when I passed Ed for good to finish third in the reunion race. During the last lap a Cortina came over on me while approaching the bridge and I actually went over the curbing under the bridge. That resulted in the car going airborne on the right side while under the bridge. Quite a scare."

Some update from Greg Coleman on the car (Dec.2002)
"I started doing Mike's engine work in 1989, when I was still at Roush Racing. We have been good friends ever since. Bill Clauson is mentioned in your article as the engine builder for Mike's car. He built the first one, in 1988. Bill was our mentor and friend for many years. At the age of 83, he could still cut competitive laps at Waterford Hills! 
When Mike and I first began discussions of my doing an engine for him, he brought Bill along. Pretty early in the discussion, Bill looked at Mike and told him that "This new engine builder will work out pretty good."
Bill passed way in 2001at the age of 87. The car hasn't been out for the past couple of years. Maybe because of other commitments by just about everyone around the car. Our Crew Chief moved, Mike changed jobs, I changed jobs, etc. The fact that we lost our best engine to a broken crankshaft at Summit Point, WV. in 2000 has some impact as well! I think some of the reason is that Bill isn't looking at us and asking "When are you going to have that car ready?" Plans are being made to get a new engine together and take the car back out where it belongs. Perhaps in the coming season."


Read also details about the purchasing, modifications and Mikes interest in T/A-racing in an interview done in November 2003. Click here


Some information taken from Mustang Monthly September 1988 and 
thanks to Mike Sedlak himself, 2002/2003

Still owned by Mike Sedlak as of 2010. 

I am sorry that I have listed another owner recently. I got the information myself wrong from another owner that he had bought the Ex-Cullinane T/A car and erroneously thought of Mikes car. Sorry to Mike for trouble. (January 11th. 2010)

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