One of the best eras of the Saleen Mustang, in my opinion, harkens back to the early days of this high-powered collaboration. When Steve Saleen and Ford began rolling out these limited-production Fox bodies, the focus was less on raw performance and more about an overall improvement to the vehicle chassis and dynamics. Despite not being high-powered, these vintage Saleens are very sought after and, accordingly, not cheap to buy – making this high-mileage example listed here on craigslist for $20,000 a rare opportunity for someone who intends to drive their investment rather than parking it.

These early Saleens were not fire-breathers under the hood, but they did reflect the absolute best the 1980s had to offer. The first thing you notice is the bodywork, which featured period-correct decals and stripes, along with color-matched BBS-style wheels. The front and rear spoilers and side sill enhancements were all functional for improving aerodynamics and downforce; say what you will about Saleen, but they were intent on providing functional improvements to any car they touched. On the inside, you got these awesome bucket seats, which I believe were made by Flofit and had the desirable netted headrests.

The stock 5.0L V8 was unchanged from a standard car, which may disappoint some but let’s face it: it still made good sounds and provided more than respectable acceleration. The chassis was where the magic happened, as Saleen introduced Racecraft suspension components, which included firmer springs and shocks and fatter sway bars. The engine generated the standard output of 225 b.h.p. and 300 lb.-ft. of torque, so you’ll move along just fine despite there not being any change in performance figures. However, the aftermarket can help you make any number of sleeper-style upgrades under the hood.

This 2-owner car has 185,000 miles on the clock, which is why it’s one of the cheapest Saleens on the market right now, if not in years. The seller is quite direct that he’s not looking for offers, and I can’t blame him – these cars routinely sell into the 30s and 40s, so even with the miles here, there’s no change in the limited supply of these early tuner Fox bodies. The condition looks entirely decent for having nearly 200K on the clock, but the miles aren’t that crazy when you look at the accumulation on an annual basis. This ’88 Saleen is car number 88-570, and I doubt it will last at this price. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the find.