Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 1FABP41E2HF174446
As American car manufacturers emerged from the doldrums of the
1980s, muscle car offerings began to reprise the glorious
horsepower figures and exciting appearance packages of the 1960s
and early 70s. The car that had established the pony car segment
just two decades earlier, the Ford Mustang, received an aggressive
styling update to the "Fox Body" platform in 1987 with revised
ground effects, a wide front air intake, and a large rear spoiler
in GT trim. The GT's revised 5.0-liter V8 now pumped out a
respectable 225-horsepower owing to updated heads, upgraded fuel
injection computer, and low-restriction exhaust system. However,
for those who sought a return to the ultimate in Mustang
performance offered in past models like the Boss 302 and Mach 1,
there was now the Saleen Mustang.
Steve Saleen, an SCCA Formula Atlantic racing driver and an admirer
of Carroll Shelby's world-class Fords, began offering performance
Mustangs of his own in 1984 through his company Saleen Automotive
Inc. With production numbers in the low hundreds and price points
of approximately $7,500 more than the base Mustang LX, the Saleen
package introduced a stiffened Racecraft suspension, a ground
effects kit, American Racing basketweave wheels, and sticky
high-performance tires. As the years went on, modifications grew to
include five-lug wheels, four-wheel disc brakes with a heavy-duty
master cylinder, and an optional 3.55:1 rear axle ratio from 1987.
Following Shelby's philosophy of making "a racehorse out of a mule"
by focusing on suspension and braking upgrades, the Saleen package
offered substantially better handling and quarter-mile times
without going under the hood.
This Ford Saleen Mustang is number 105 of 280 built in 1987,
identified by the trademark Saleen build number front bumper decal,
finished in Shadow Blue with Silver tri-color racing stripes over a
Charcoal Grey cloth interior. Well preserved, this Saleen features
a number of correct as-delivered details such as its "SALEEN"
windshield banner graphic, AutoSport Competition Design rear wing,
and 16-inch American Racing five-lug basketweave wheels. Inside,
exclusive Saleen features abound, ranging from the original Kenwood
cassette/radio with a graphics equalizer to the FloFit sports seats
featuring contrasting red piping. The accompanying CARFAX Vehicle
History Report documents diligent maintenance and ownership history
in North Carolina, Kansas, and Virginia from new. Today, this rare
and delightfully-80s Saleen is offered with just under 27,000 miles
on the odometer and is sure to draw an audience at a future RADwood
event and thrill its driver on the open road.
