Sometimes saving money costs more.

That's a crying shame. I've used Reliable several times. They've alway done me right. Not cheap but there's an old saying "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the cheaper price is forgotten". Ironically I read that on a aftermarket hood panel box. There's another saying in business "Price ,Quality and Service pick two because you can't have all three".

There's no such thing as a 429 Mach 1, right?

LOL
Don't tell Kevin that..

https://i.postimg.cc/pXztLZgk/195820-Front-3-4-Web.png

Ford stopped using the 428 Cobra Jet at the end of the 1970 model year in the Mustang. It was replaced by the 429 CJ for the 1971 model year.

it's not the boss 429 motor though right?

Correct. The 429 was offered in three variations:

429 Thunder Jet - basic 4V
429 Cobra Jet - performance
429 Super Cobra Jet - high performance

The 429 was unique in many ways. It offered:

• Thin wall casting
  
• Longer bore centers than the FE block
• Huge bearings
  
• Canted-valve cylinder heads forming a slightly hemi-spherical combustion chamber
  
• Rocker shafts were replaced with rockers riding on fulcrums with separate pedestals

https://www.carmemories.com/ford-eng...428-429-specs/

It was first offered in the 1968 Thunderbird (Thunder Jet). Later on it became the Ford 460. It is not part of the FE engine class: 427, 428

Can I be that guy wondering how Cooper Cobras ended up on a freshly restored 429 car? :)

Jeff

Tire choice might have something to do with budget constraints, see comments above re
choice of hauler.
IMHO never trust anybody who says "don't worry, we'll take care of everything"....