Vehicle Description
Will Saleen Mustangs become the Shelbys of the 1980s? I wouldn't
bet against them, particularly when cars like this 1989 Ford
Mustang Saleen convertible remain eminently affordable when you
consider the rarity and the performance. Prices can only keep going
up from here, right?
Saleen was always quick to point out that they were not a mere
"tuner" but rather a small-volume manufacturer, and in terms of
collectability, that makes a world of difference. It means that
this nicely documented, Saleen (#681, by the way) has a Saleen VIN
and serial number, ensuring its exclusivity. And while Saleen would
sell their parts to the average Mustang owner, having one with that
all-important serial number ahead of the driver's headlight means
the world to enthusiasts. With just 67,238 original miles, this is
one of the finer, all-original survivor Saleens we've featured and
it shows a lifetime of expert and careful maintenance. The Saleen
body kit is stylish yet restrained, save for the massive rear wing
which was the car's most distinctive feature. The Scarlet Red paint
is in excellent condition overall, especially when you consider the
age, and you can't even tell where the Saleen parts were added and
the factory paint ends, which is a testament to the care with which
these cars were built (they were roughly twice as expensive as
standard Mustangs). The distinctive Saleen graphics package
highlights the rockers and it still carries its Ford-applied
pinstripe along the flanks, too. All of it remains in first-class,
top-driver quality shape with very few imperfections to speak of,
making this an excellent choice for future appreciation.
Befitting the original $25-30k sticker price (that's assuming the
original owner didn't pay over MSRP, which happened a lot back then
due to demand), the interior got a comprehensive makeover at the
Saleen facility in Anaheim, CA, before it was shipped to a Ford
dealer in Beaverton, OR for sale on the showroom floor. Leather
sport seat buckets are as grippy as Velcro, and they show very
little wear outside a few minor 'comfort' marks on the
higher-traffic areas of the driver's seat. The original rear seat
was finished to match, as were the door panels, and the center
console and plush carpets on the floors are all in great shape.
Saleen touches include a MOMO steering wheel, 170 MPH speedometer
(the original went to 85, which was pretty lame), a special
short-throw shifter that manages the 5-speed manual gearbox below,
and an upgraded Pioneer stereo system which was then replaced with
a modern Pioneer multi-media head unit and fit neatly in the center
stack. All the other Ford options were standard, too, including
A/C, cruise control, tilt wheel, power windows and locks, power
mirrors, a power seat, and a power folding top that stows under a
matching gray boot. As you'd expect, everything is in first-rate
survivor condition and fully functional save for the A/C (although
the owner will include a new A/C compressor clutch with the sale to
remedy this), which is typical of low-mileage Fox-body Mustangs.
Even the trunk looks practically unused!
Ford's venerable 5.0 liter V8 was left pretty much factory-stock,
but when you're the king of the streets already, there's not much
point to changing the successful formula. Saleen included a special
engine calibration as part of their upgrades, yet the car is docile
enough to be a daily driver. With the Racecraft suspension, the
Saleen could still run circles around anything this side of a
Porsche 911, and with the oversized throttle body, it has
'right-now' throttle response. Saleen added a strut-tower brace,
subframe connectors, and a front-cradle brace to stiffen the
convertible's chassis in a very noticeable way, which makes the
upgraded suspension all the more effective. They also remedied the
Foxbody Mustang's biggest liability with proper power 4-wheel disc
brakes and 5-lug hubs, which make a huge difference in the way this
car feels on the road. Drive this back-to-back with any other Fox
Mustang and they don't even feel like the same kind of car, with
performance Bilstein shocks and a throaty X-pipe dual exhaust
system providing a killer soundtrack below. This droptop is fitted
with arguably the most handsome wheels ever created: the
Saleen/American Racing 5-spoke alloy wheels, which are in great
shape and wearing 225/50/16 performance rubber.
Well-maintained and beautifully preserved, this low-mileage Scarlet
Red droptop comes documented with a copy of its original window
sticker and original owner's manuals, and is primed and ready to
continue to shoot up in value. It's over 33 years old now, and the
new generation of collector's view the Saleen droptop as one of the
top Mustangs ever made, and in our opinion, it's about darn time.
Call today!
