One of my favorite muscle cars is the Special Service Package, or SSP, Fox body Mustangs. This just seems like a car from a different era that wasn’t all that long ago but is still a time we won’t ever see again. Imagine, giving a highway patrol officer a muscle car with a 5-speed manual, all in the goal of being able to hunt down traffic scofflaws. The Mustang shown here is an early SSP with the “four-eyed” headlight lenses and is formerly of the Utah Highway Patrol division. It’s offered by the owner’s faster, who passed away before finishing this project.
This particular SSP also features another one of my favorite Fox body configurations, which is that of the notchback body style. I don’t think it gets any better than a notch Fox, and this one is hopefully fairly rust-free owing to its dry, mountain-region location. The seller notes it was a runner when parked but it sounds like his old man didn’t get to drive it much over the last few years. The nose section is gray but the white body appears to be correct for a Utah patrol division car. This Mustang was one of 25 cars the highway patrol purchased for Utah police officers in 1985.
The Mustang SSP came with several upgrades over the standard Fox body, including an engine oil cooler and auto transmission cooler; silicone radiator hoses; heavy-duty alternator; reinforced floor pans; and a full-size spare tire. The tricky part of the SSP Mustang was learning how to multi-talk, like shifting, talking on the radio, operating emergency lights, and doing it all while potentially engaged in a high-speed pursuit. Of course, one would hope that by the time a fleeing criminal realized a Mustang SSP was involved, they would ceases to evade knowing they couldn’t outrun the high-performance patrol unit.
The seller acknowledges he is a Ford enthusiast but doesn’t have time to tackle this project. He suspects that by 1986, the number of SSP Mustangs in the Utah fleet had increased to 42. There was a time when the entire field fleet consisted of Mustang SSPs, according to one website, but the cars were phased out when the next generation Mustang arrived and the price increased significantly. Overall, I still believe the SSP Mustangs are one of the more collectible Fox bodies you can buy, and this one is listed here on eBay to $2,825 and the reserve unmet.
I like these and worked with a guy who owned one. The car was very unique, but was in excellent shape and had been stripped of its Florida trooper colors and repainted in the Mustang teal green. This car looks like it needs everything addressed. And the lavender seats? C’mon man!
Poor ol’ thing looks like it’s a long way from what it was in its patrol days. Absent rust, it looks like a full rebuild is in order. Or at the very least , a full clean-up and cosmetic re-do, with attention to things like brakes, shocks and tires.
Some SSP-specific parts may be hard to source, like the blue silicone radiator hoses. But it looks like all the basics are still there, and 5.0 Mustang parts are plentiful. Many SSP cars had automatics. Being a five-speed, this one is that much more attractive.
BTW, Jeff, I recall that ALL SSP Mustangs were notchbacks. At least the CHP versions, which I remember coming up behind me back in the day. If wrong, I’m sure someone will correct me.
After a pretty fair outlay of cash and time, this could be a show-stopper (at least for those who know their Mustangs) and a whale of a lot of fun to drive.
Blue silicone hoses was an option that Utah did not purchase.
Biggest expense for parts missing on this car is the wheels and center caps.
This car original camp with steel wheels unique to the SSP along with 1986 only wheel center caps. Expect $1,000-$1500 to find a complete set of wheels and caps if restoration is your bag!
The blue hose kits are still readily available, it’s now listed as Goodyear/Continental Hi-Miler/Super Elite. They are currently in stock on Amazon.
Steve R
Meh. I wouldn’t worry about keeping things original. The significance of the SSP edition would be lost on anyone born in the last thirty years. Fix it up and enjoy it.
Disagree!
The collector car hobby has recently discovered SSP Mustangs.
Correctly restored and equipped cars now sell for $30K-$40K+ at auction on a regular basis depending upon condition.
My dog just caught me looking this one over, and he said “Do not do it. This one is too ruff.”