Here’s another car from one of my favorite eBay sellers that has a knack for finding some of the prettiest survivors in existence. This is a fairly unique Fox-body era Ford Mustang, as it combines the rare notchback body style with the older four-eyed headlight design. However, the bigger reason why this is such a special ‘Stang is because it is entirely unmolested SSP – or Special Service Package – car, which are the ones reserved for your local police department. Not only that, it never actually went into the hands of a local police department but instead to a private owner who kept in spectacular condition. Find it here on eBay for $48,890.
That’s a big number, yes – but how often does a car like this come along? I’m sure one of our resident Ford experts can comment on how it is possible to grab a genuine SSP car before it goes into service, but that seems like a certain kind of favor mere mortals cannot receive. Who knows; there are all sorts of options for collectors at a certain level to make requests the rest of us can’t. Ironically, the first owner’s name was none other than “Mr. Fox”, which suggests some sort of cosmic alignment between the first owner and a car that otherwise seemingly shouldn’t exist. The steel wheels sit perfect in the arches, and the trim rings still glisten like new.
Again, among our dedicated Ford fans reading this post, you may know that it is common knowledge that you can stop an SSP car from going into municipal use if you know the right people. But there’s no denying this car was intended to be beat on by your local constable with all of these obvious base-level trim items like cloth seats, the aforementioned steel wheels and hubcaps, and otherwise zero notable options. Of course, these earlier Fox bodies weren’t all that well-optioned to begin with, and as such, they looked pretty rough within a few months of actual police use. Not here; in fact, this may be one of the nicest SSPs left in existence.
While Ford didn’t give these Mustangs any additional horsepower, they did get upgraded in numerous other ways. These included beefier cooling systems, an upgraded alternator, a reinforced floor pan and spare tire carrier, silicone cooling hoses, an oil cooler, and more. SSPs are highly sought-after today, and this example with its exclusive history as a civilian car is quite the standout. While you’ll pay all the money for it, I suspect you won’t regret it for a second if it’s as nice as it appears to be in photos. Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever seen an SSP that never saw actual police duty.
No doubt it is a very special car. I just can’t wrap my head around a 50 K buy in!
This dealership isn’t too far away from me. I would place their collector cars in the outrageously priced category.
SSPs aren’t that hard to find if you look. All sorts of county water agencies, mosquito control districts, flood control, etc and other random government agencies buy them in large fleet purchases. Probably because the local government purchasing department is already all set up to buy patrol cars too.
Often these cars are white and have cloth interiors along with some creature comforts.
We got a nice low mileage Police Utility Interceptor cheap (Ford Explorer) for our kid’s first car. A bit too much power for 1st time drivers, but instead of a 3rd row of seats, a massive steel X brace designed to allow the occupants to walk away from a 70mph rear end hit. Also full size spare, extra cooling for all fluids and beefy electrical system.
I may be wrong but the author may have ment the Fox body mustang ssp. He is correct, not near as many of them produced and so many picked up after their service and flogged some more. These cars were 5 speed manual transmission with the 5.0 roller motor. Very durable and fairly quick. Yeah a nice original Mustang can easily go for 25K so the seller is fishing, but will probably sell it for close to that number.
SSPs are not hard to find- but the 86’s certainly are, at 415 sedans produced.
I bought an ’86 GT hatchback new ($13,636 – still have invoice), and it ran hard. Code 2R, Jalapeño Red 5 spd., and would have easily pounded my ’82, ’83 and ’84 lx 5.0s which all ran well.
This is a very uncommon car but not sure on the $, like we all feel.
There is someone that will have to have it and hopefully care for it but drive it as intended.
Thats a hard price but a very clean Mustang
Never saw any service. Wow…
And its Goners 👋
Really in beautiful condition and perhaps some rarity, but $50K? Come on. Of course it was a dealer.
Those factory steel (15X7) wheels have been obsolete since about 1988 or so. I worked at a Ford store then and one of the sales people ordered a set for their winter tires. I had a ’80 turbo Mustang at the time that I was fixing up on the cheap and ordered a set for myself. They were no longer available. As it worked out the sales guy never came back in for them. So I put them on my Mustang. I used the chrome center caps from alloy Mustang II wheels. (Same spacing for the attachment screws) I used to get many compliments on the look of my wheels as not many people had seen non-alloy 15″ Mustang wheels. They were original equipment on the early pursuit Mustangs, but were deemed not strong enough in very adverse conditions.
I wonder why a police car would have wheels with chrome trim rings! – local propery tax payers might complain.
How many people have seen the very 1st batch of ’65 stangs with v8s
& 13 inch 5 lug steel wheels?!
The trim rings were not included, nor were they even on the option code list. I don’t remember/know what they used for center caps. These caps on this car look familiar, but I can’t place them. (No nubs on the wheels, 4 holes in the wheels for plastic nuts for self taping screws.) Since the holes were the same pattern as many othe Ford Wheels (including some alloy wheels) that also used “hammer in” plastic anchors for center cap retention. The chrome center caps I used were from Mustang II 13 inch alloy wheels.
A friend has a Chevy SS that was destined for California CHP, he knew someone out there that was able to divert it.
I just looked at the pictures again and I believe the center caps are from a Tempo.
don’t see the sense. 50k is lot.
Isn’t there supposed to be blue hoses?
Yes. Those hoses are wrong. The trim rings are wrong. Beautiful car but I would really comb over it to make sure there’s nothing else wrong. The ask is too much like others say, even with documents. I get there were a little over 400 but if it’s being bought based on description, someone is planning on putting it in a bubble. It better be 100% correct at that point. Besides, if the car is “all that”, why not invest in making it correct?
Great car. Overpriced in my opinion.
The town of Hot Springs NC ordered a SSP in 92 or 93 at the behest of the Chief of Police. By the time the car arrived the town had elected a new mayor and the chief fired. The car was parked in the back of the fire station with 18-20 miles on it. They sold it via sealed bid for $12k (the town paid $10,5) about a year later, still had the plastic on the seats. The guy bought it for his mother to drive, but I only seen it out of his garage once. They’ve both passed on, don’t know where his cars went.
Nice car. Not $50k worth IMHO
You asked about SSP Mustangs that were never put in service. Famed baseball legend and car collector Reggie Jackson had one in his collection many years ago when I had the privilege of a tour in a private warehouse