Looks like you have several ways to re-do this car.

I played with the contrast and brightness and the interrior color never changed. Light colors would get brighter. Next to what I believe is the roll bar, clearly visible, is the seat belt.

If, and I only say if, this truly is one of the prototype Mustangs for the CHP and possibly/ultimately the 1st EVOC Mustang, isn't it possible/probable that Ford would have provided the car to the CHP to test and help develop and package and the DSO "may" have been different than what is normally expected? This car shows a color code of 1C, all black. Given the production date of 12/81, had the SSP package even been created at that time?

I personally do not know any of these answers. I am just speculating and looking to see if any of you with much more knowledge than I can answer many of the questions that have and will arise with this car.

I believe this car was a solid color car of 1C. Notice on the first picture the roof is only painted on the very top. The part of the sail panels and the spot light areas are black, very much like how they paint cars now witht he CVs.

Here is the Ad that Jerry had scanned in yesterday...

Good questions, and I'm sure there will be more discussion on the car as more information becomes available.

As for the DSO....it wasn't a special ordered car, because it doesn't have the order number next to the sales office code. Ford was doing special orders (and fleet orders) long before this and still does (with the longer, 6 digit codes). It looks like the sales office code for this car code is for Detriot, which doesn't really help, either, as any car destined for a dealership lot up there would have had the same code. I've seen Ford executive cars with Transportation Services DSOs, and there was even an SSP on ORG last year with that same DSO (I think it was 89), so who knows?

It's definitely a 1C, non-special paint car, per the door label, which does not have a blank paint code. Did you ask the seller if it had two buck tags? My guess is that it does not, since it wasn't a special order.

Bottom line is that any documentation will go a long way to help prove what this car is or isn't. I'm sure some of the contacts at CHP that we now have may be able to help as well.

While we are on the subject...Texas DPS tested a car in 1982 also...also with black interior. :)

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/images/1982dps.jpg

Charles Ricks already did a fair amount of research on SSP vehicle usage and a state by state chart of his work was published in the "Fox-Body Mustang Recognition Guide 1979-1993" by Shreiner and Sessler.

About CHP vehicles, here is one of the footnote quotes:

"Total number includes five 1982 hatchback Mustangs (part of original 400) which may not have been actual SS Package Mustangs. Total does not include 1982 California Highway Patrol Mustang E851963 which is a prototype car."

Jim Dingell will argue with the 400 number, and I think Mike Riley ran the VINs up via Carfax and posted them on his website. I think the number that he came up with is 406 package-cars, which is the same as Jim.

The shot of E851963 above is the same pic used by Ford in the press release, which I guess is why were are seeing it in so many places.

I'm not sure where the "prototype" designation came from in Charles' research, but I hope Mike is able to put some documentation with the story and fully identify this car.

I had a conversation with Charles Ricks once about the prototype car and I recall him telling me it was suspected that there may have been more than one protype car built and that the E851963 plate may have been used on more than one vehicle. Might explain that odd looking one with the chrome rockers and turbine wheels...or maybe not. I too am anxious to see what documentation turns up on this latest car. If it's legit, it is a hugely historic vehicle for sure!

That's entirely possible....and we don't know if the cars were just modified regular-production models or not. Judging from the tags on this one, if it turns out to be verified, I'd guess that they were. Remember, CHP was given the cars to evaluate, and I doubt that they special-built a one-off version for them.