In the Mustang, yes. In a Sunbeam Alpine [renamed the Sunbeam Tiger with the engine upgrade? Oh, no, not at all. Yes, that's Jay Leno in his.
That was a ‘68 fastback with the big block 390 motor. The 289’s were pretty weak compared to the 390. The most desirable Mustangs came with the 428 and 429 motors with the 429 SOHC NASCAR clone version the apex predator that will bring the real big bucks. I remember Hertz renting these at LAX when my father and I flew in summer of 1966. They also had XKE’s which I really wanted but the few they had were out as were the Shelby Mustangs. I recall we settled for a Chrysler Crown Imperial loaded with leather and everything and it was a much more comfortable way to fly the Freeways.
In the Mustang, yes. In a Sunbeam Alpine [renamed the Sunbeam Tiger with the engine upgrade? Oh, no, not at all. Yes, that's Jay Leno in his.
Re: the 429 motor. There was a lot of high tech innovation going on for NASCAR, and some of it trickled down to street cars. The only negative I’ve heard about the 429 relates to air flow and the need for high RPMs for it to breathe properly.
As a teen some of us were on a Ford dealer’s lot at night after they were closed walking around, kicking tires and dreaming of muscle cars (and in full view of the street, nothing underhanded going on). There was a brand new bright red Ford Torino 429 Cobra Jet sitting in the parking lot with the keys in it. We never even cranked it, afraid if we were found sitting in it with the engine running we would be accused of trying to steal it.
The Chevy dealer was a few hundred yards away with a bunch of Chevelle SS396s lined up by the street, and the Plymouth dealer was a stone’s throw away with all the Road Runners and Barracudas lined up. Those were the days.