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1986 Mustang LX SSP Update: Got Any Bad Guys to Chase?

UPDATE 05/24/2023: It is not unusual for a classic car owner to be unsuccessful with their first attempt at selling their pride and joy, and such has been the case with this 1986 Ford Mustang LX SSP. The bidding fell short of the reserve at $28,100 previously, but things look more promising now. Frantic action has seen sixty-three bids submitted since they listed the Mustang here on eBay. This has pushed the price to $30,100, which is still short of the reserve. Even if this beauty is beyond your financial means, monitoring the auction could be worthwhile to see if the seller strikes gold on their second attempt.

05/13/2023: Grayson, Georgia, is where you’ll find this 1986 Mustang LX Coupe, driven just about 1,000 miles per year throughout its life to a total of 31,800. It’s up for auction here on eBay, and although it’s not a convertible, it’s still an important piece of Mustang history, if only for its state of preservation. What’s it worth? Apparently, someone thinks a number in the $30-plus-thousand range. It will be interesting to see if that happens.

As it sits, this machine is much like any late-model used car, its condition and mileage eclipsing the years that have passed since it came out of the factory. And as a modern-ish vehicle, it has everything a new car would. OK, there’s no Bluetooth connectivity or Apple Car Play, but things like working AC, power accessories, and a cassette player. Oops, not modern, but if you’re going to relive the 1980s, you’ll need to go out to the garage and find your Tiffany tapes. And Madonna. Perhaps some Pet Shop Boys. And ABC. (Please leave your ideas for 80s cassettes in the chat.)

Despite its refinements, this car is still a somewhat raw muscle car, with a 5.0-liter engine and a five-speed stick to run it. The car here is a Coupe, but Hatchbacks and Convertibles were also available. The engine was rated at 200 horsepower but 285 foot-pounds of torque, which is what you feel. Don’t forget the muted horsepower of most cars of the era as you evaluate these numbers.

But wait—what’s up with the wheels? They tell a tale, suggesting the car has the Special Service Package. In fact, look at the vanity plate for further confirmation of this. The ad calls out “SSP” at one point but doesn’t make a big deal or explain it. It seems like it’s not much of a selling feature to the current owner, though these vehicles have their fans, and they sport a long list of mods from a calibrated 140MPH speedometer to Kevlar drive belts, as seen in this article. There is an online forum dedicated to SSP Mustangs, indicating their desirability. So why would you drop this much money (I honestly think too much, but I’ll be glad to hear the opinions of the Barn Finds world in the comments) on a mid-80s car? For one, because it’s darned good-looking. For two, because it’s not just “another GT” (with all due respect to GTs). For three, because it’s a mission to preserve these cars, and this one’s been babied since day one. Time for someone else to take up the task. Is that you?

 

Comments

  1. HoA Howard A Member

    More than one state trooper found out they were unsafe cars,, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/359162139018730612/

    Like 4
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Fact is, there’s a whole website dedicated to wrecked SSPs. What a age we live in,, http://www.specialservicemustang.net/DPS/DPSMustang.com/page14.html

      Like 5
      • Avatar Yblocker

        I have yet to see any cop car that didn’t get smashed up during a collision, Mustang or otherwise, pretty normal stuff.

        Like 14
      • Avatar Grape Ape

        No matter how much evidence you put in front of someone, the narcissist won’t change their mind.
        Mopars for the dragstrip, Camaros for the twistys, Mustangs to hit other cars leaving the car club.

        Like 4
  2. Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

    A friend of mine has one of these, a Camaro and a 1954 Ford all decked in the original Nevada Highway Patrol livery; Jeff said these will bite if you are hamfisted when driving it. He was issued one, then later went to the Camaro that he bought from the state motor pool before he retired. Solid rear axle, short wheelbase, lighter weight, mucho ponies in this pony with a stick make for a real handful if you’re not really well versed in driving it.

    Like 2
  3. Avatar Stan

    Fast and squirrelly cars in wet or slippery surfaces Howard. Add in the adrenaline of a pursuit, and some under trained, under experienced police staff driving … lookout.

    Like 8
  4. Avatar C Force

    With 200hp? What are you gonna chase down imports?i had a 1970 maverick that would run this thing down.SSP could also mean super slow pursuit as well…

    Like 3
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Um, I beg to differ unless you had one heck of a Maverick. A Neb. trooper was clocked at 144 mph in a SSP. The purpose was a more personal cruiser, an enclosed motorcycle, kind of, but aside from it’s handling quirks( at that speed), there was no room for a perp, and another full-size cruiser was needed. Besides, it was determined, there’s not much faster than the 2 way radio. In the 80s, there were some mighty fast imports, so yes, that and those pesky truckers with their fancy Peterpullers,,,I don’t think I ever got stopped by a SSP. Seemed they were more a southerrn cruiser, due to the poor winter handling.
      I berate these cars, having one exactly like the gray LX a while back. I thought the V6 Mustang ll was a better car. While I never had the grapes to see what mine would do, it was an exhilarating car none the less.

      Like 2
    • Avatar Joe

      A 1970 Maverick 302 wasn’t faster, and had a lower top speed also.

      Like 8
      • Avatar C Force

        My maverick was a 275hp 302 swap,headers, msd box, roller valvetrain and a c4 with shift kit and a b&m console shifter.it weighed about 2600 lbs.3.23 gears.if that answers anyones questions as to ” was it a stock maverick?.”…nope.

        Like 7
      • Avatar Wade

        I don’t know of many cars that do well in high speed collisions? I have a 92 florida ssp and i haven’t ever been run down by a maverick! lol. Its not the fastest car but it will suprise you especially since I ditched the stock exhaust system & air intake. That definantly woke it up and it sounds great going through the gears.

        Like 7
    • Avatar Bkak

      In the mid 1980s these things were the fastest copcar on the street. If you grew up in Florida in the 80’s u probably got a ticket from some good ole boy in a campaign hat driving one of those!

      Like 4
  5. Avatar TorinoSCJ69

    C Force – you were not around in the ’80s driving unless you were in your import!

    1986 GT, I had one:
    6.2 sec zero to 60
    Car & Driver

    What in ’86 was faster ?
    This is 1970 LT1 camaro fast to 60
    (6.5 sec, Car & Driver).

    Like 7
    • Avatar C Force

      I grew up with muscle cars,my parents didnt drive new cars.we had two. a 64 plymouth valiant and 1969 roadrunner which was a 12 sec street car,his and her mopars!in the 1980s

      Like 3
      • Avatar Joe

        You could take the 86 Mustang and modify it also and it would have been quicker than your Modifed Maverick. Stock for Stock the 86 Mustang was faster than any Stock Maverick Car.

        Like 8
      • Avatar Stan

        CForce had a pretty hot setup on that 302 mill in the maVerick. Cruise-o-matic autoloader, nice combo 3.23 gear ⚙️. 👍

        Like 4
      • Avatar Grape Ape

        Had a stunning 69 440 Roadrunner sitting next to me at the car club last Saturday night. Nice body lines on the vehicle.

        Like 1
    • Avatar lbeas33549 Member

      In 1986 I had a new Buick Regal T Type (Which is a Grand National in plain clothes). Never had a 5.0 Mustang, Camaro, Firebird or Corvette from that time period that was a threat from 0 to 100. The ’86 Corvette did have a higher top speed, but not many places to do that in Florida at the time.
      I did have a Camaro with NOS that got me from a 30 mph roll, so I added a chip and a 125 shot of happy juice to my Buick to solve that!

      Like 2
    • Avatar andrew moore

      I love Ford haters. They always think anything can beat a Ford. 1982 mustang was faster than an 1982 Corvette. Around the same time frame ( early 80’s) Pontiac had a 10 second 0-60 V-8 Trans-AM . in 1994 and 1995, the fastest car you could buy in a showroom had a 5.8 (351 Ford V-8) in it, it was an S351 mustang, faster than the Corvette or Viper. The Saleen S7 was one of the fastest cars you could buy it was powered by a 5.8 or 7.0 Ford V-8. In the 70’s, the Ford powered Pantera could blow the doors off of any stock Corvette. I am in no way saying GM or Chrysler doesn’t build anything that can beat Fords, I know plenty of instances where Ford was the slowest of the big 3, but there have been plenty of times they were the fastest. And to all that talk about traction problems in the mustangs. Newflash! I’ve seen plenty of people fishtail Camaros and Corvettes. If you don’t have experience, you can easily turn a powerful car sideways without trying.

      Like 4
      • Avatar Grape Ape

        Love prejudged strawman arguments

        Like 0
  6. Avatar T. Mann Member

    Let us go back 30 years. Early one Saturday morning, I’m driving a red Corvette coupe East on I-10 in lonely West Texas. On the frontage road is a full dressed Texas Highway Patrol car also heading East. There is an exit in one mile. Do I want him behind me?
    Took the exit and saw a mom and pop restaurant for breakfast. The full size patrol car beat me to a parking space and a couple parking spaces away was a Texas pursuit Camaro. I parked between them. We complimented each other on our cars and had breakfast together. The Camaro Trouper was wearing racing gloves with the knuckles open.
    I asked if he catches a lot of Corvettes. He said he catches a lot of Camrys at 105 MPH. Said he was hiding on the ramp one time and a Corvette flew by, he hammered all 5 gears in his Mustang pursuit car and at 150 MPH he got near the speeder but could not gain on him and the Corvette could not get away.
    Then the Corvette pulls over to the side and the Trouper sees the right rear tire had brown out and the steel belts had destroyed that corner of the car. Trouper wanted to compliment the driver on his driving ability to control the car at 150 with a blow out.
    BUT it was a stolen Corvette.

    Next time for a new pursuit car this Trouper asked for and got a Camaro with 6 speed manual!
    I drove carefully in Texas that day, and still do, in a Camry.

    Like 5
  7. Avatar T. Mann Member

    A true story!

    Like 5
    • Avatar T. Mann Member

      Lets go back 30 years. Early one Saturday morning, I’m driving a red Corvette coupe East on I-10 in lonely West Texas. On the frontage road is a full dressed Texas Highway Patrol car also heading East. There is an exit in one mile. Do I want him behind me?
      Took the exit and saw a mom and pop restaurant for breakfast. The full size patrol car beat me to a parking space and a couple parking spaces away was a Texas pursuit Camaro. I parked between them. We complimented each other on our cars snd had breakfast together. The Camaro driver was wearing racing gloves with the knuckles open.
      I asked if he catches a lot of Corvettes. He said he catches a lot of Camrys at 105 MPH. Said he was hiding on the ramp one time and a Corvette flew by, he hammered all 5 gears in his Mustang pursuit car and at 150 MPH he got near the speeder but cound not gain on him and the Corvette could not get away.
      Then the Corvette pulls over to the side and the Trouper sees the right rear tire had brown out and the steel belts had destroyed that corner of the car. Trouper want to compliment the driver on his ability to control the car at 150 with a blow out.
      BUT it was a stolen Corvette.

      Next time for a new pursuit car this Trouper asked for and got a Camaro with 6 speed manual!
      I drove carefully in Texas that day, and still do, in a Camry.

      Like 13
      • Avatar Steven Baker

        True enough. My ex wife lived in Alamogordo NM about 80 miles north of El Paso Texas. She managed to pick up a 1982 trans am that the Texas Rangers had. THAT car was not stock. Not sure what was done to it, but let’s just say she managed to get it up to 182
        Don’t try running Texas pursuit cars.

        Like 3
  8. Avatar BA

    If I was into a classic Mustang I would start in the 2003 model year where even though they are classics (20 years old) the appreciation of these cars has not caught up with them unless it’s a ultra rare model mind you but a much more hp to cost ratio is a better value. I would find the right spec in need of maintenance GT/ Cobra with 300 hp easily obtained with all the other fixes that 15 years of progress by Ford produced. Just my opinion which no one asked

    Like 1
  9. Avatar C Force

    If i had an unlimited budget i could always build a faster maverick.my grandfather was a custom engine builder for 60yrs and i learned a few things along the way.i’ve always assembled my own engines,i can build em’ cheaper than the next guy and theres a good sense of accomplishment when you can do that.follow this formula. cars weight÷10.example 3400 lb car,you want a motor that makes at least 340hp,1hp for every 10lbs.

    Like 2
    • Avatar jwaltb

      Wow- barn find and an education. Brilliant stuff on power-to weight ratio…

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Andrew

    Love all the Ford haters here. Yep, Ford never built a fast car (sarcasm) .

    Like 1
  11. Avatar Big Bear 🇺🇸

    I thought they had the Police interceptor badge on the back. And under the hood the upper radiator hose was a special blue color since it was silicone? Other things in this ride shows it’s a SSP the speedometer being certified at 140 mph. Good luck to the seller..🐻🇺🇸

    Like 2
  12. Avatar C Force

    I see that the cheap plastic 80s mustang is still for sale.put a realistic price on it…you might sell it one day

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Bill D

    ’80s music? I’m a Goth so Siouxsie, Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, Bauhaus (Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape would be thematically appropriate), Love & Rockets, Christian Death, Specimen, The Cure, Ministry. Maybe some Goth-adjacent stuff like Joy Division, The Smiths and Depeche Mode.

    Most of the “industrial metal” like Nine Inch Nails and Rammstein didn’t come along until the ’90s. Ditto EBM, although Front 242’s “Headhunter” and Nitzer Ebb “Let Your Body Learn” are 1980s proto-examples.

    (I’m 57. It wasn’t just a phase, Mom.)

    Like 1
  14. Avatar PRA4SNW

    Ended at 32K, Reserve Not Met.

    Like 0

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