Are are mods to SSP sacrilege
 

Im working on my 93 FHP car and wanted to test the waters on what mods can be done without tainting the originality of the car.

I was thinking maybe camber caster plates as almost all fox mustang I have seen have a good deal of negative camber w/ inside tire wear

So what are the limits on this? Is 30-over boring an 200K engine crossing the bounds?

Everyone has a different definition of going too far with modifications. The two things you've asked about aren't crossing any type of line in my opinion.

Welcome to the forum! Have you posted any pictures of your car yet?

From my perspective I don't have any problems if the modifications are tasteful. I think most SSP enthusiasts tend tend to prefer those that are stock or stock appearing.

This is my take on this. As long as the upgrades appear stock you are good to go. For example, upgrading from drum to rear disk brakes is acceptable as well as tastfull engine mods. ie. installing GT-40 heads because they appear stock. You see where I'm going with this? Now, if your talking about ripping out the interior to make it a race car, then someone here will shoot you.

NOOOOO Ricky Race Cars .....:No no:
And Yes , The more original ... The better .;)

ssp91ssp

ya'll are doing a good job on this one so I think I will sit this one out....:yes:

IMO, as long as you keep the car on the road, most everything can be put back to stock later. Save your original parts for a future owner. And as previously mentioned, hidden mods are just that. More fun, without drawing attention.

Why are there so few people interested in preserving these cars for what they were and keeping that way? I would like to know. To me, as I have said before, hot rod cars are a whole different topic from what this site was created for.

Hi Joe - Looking forward to seeing you at a car show this season. I'm not sure if your question above is directed towards the originator of this post and/or those of us who replied. If inclusive of those who replied, I don't interpret any of us are suggesting that hot rodding an SSP is the way to go.

As a for instance we all know the brakes are a concern if you do much driving of these Mustangs. While I haven't done so myself I could see someone wanting to improve the safety of the vehicle by addressing the brakes (in what would likely be a modification from original spec). Even with the limited driving (mostly to/from shows) I do with my SSP's, this thought has crossed my mind. With the nut-jobs driving (seems they are all on road at same time when an SSP or classic car is driving) it can be scary out there even for us defensive drivers.

I agree. Keep it as stock as possible. There are tons of Fox body Mustangs out there available for mods. If you already have a well running stock original SSP why screw it up? But as I've said for a long time, the more SSP's that are modified it just makes my 100% stock SSP appreciate in value just a little more. :-)

Yes the brakes are an issue with me also... I am putting as much back to stock as I can however I would like to put the black rims and rear disc brakes on her even though the black rims were not on the '91. I like them!!! I still want everything stock appearing. My car doesn't really stand out like most of your beautiful marked units... But the black 10 holes look sharp on the black SSP. I have been buying all of the little parts and next is a complete strip and re-paint.

ok.....I will weigh in......yeh i know it didn't last long. ;)

I think Joe asks a very pertinent question here. I am sometimes amazed at the stuff people want to do to these cars. Not citing anyones specific post here but brakes are a perfect example.

These cars were put in service and driven 130 MPH every day. The factory brakes were fine then and they are fine now as long as you drive the car with some sort of common sense. Can we make the brakes better? sure we can. Hell I can make the brakes better on the GT500 but why would I?

I see no valid reason to feel the need to have rear disc brakes on an SSP car. Granted the brakes are not nearly as good as anything built within the past 5 years but in reality how many of us are driving these cars aggressively every day. Very few. Having rear disc brakes on a fox body mustang will NEVER look stock to anyone that knows how the cars were built. If you track your car then yes I can understand the need for brakes as standard fox brakes suck on a road track. But why beat an SSP on a race track anyway? I know some do and repectfully I will always 100% disagree with that practice. It's your stuff though so we can just agree to disagree.

Boring the engine 30 over on a 200k motor is perfectly fine IMO. If the stuff is worn out it needs to be fixed. Just don't try to convince me it needs a bigger cam, and then bigger injectors, after market headers etc.

My response to mods is if it is anything other than a stock NOS part or a stock replacement part...it ain't stock. Everyone can do what they want with their own car and I am not picking on anyone in particular. i think this site and our members all have a pretty good idea what we believe in when it comes to the cars. That is why we don't have any members with twin turbo FHP cars. :)

Given the fact there were milions of fox body non SSP cars built I will always sugest that you buy one of them if you want to "enhance" the vehicles performance qualities.

I did a rear disc conversion on my '93 GT and I used Turbo Coupe components which makes it appear stock. You cant really tell from the pictures but it looks OEM from outward appearance. I plan on swaping the conversion over to my SSP. To me that is completelly acceptable.
http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/6523/picture078.jpg
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5267/picture026hj.jpg
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/6579/picture046o.jpg

again i would say that it will never look oem to have rear disc brakes on a fox. Ford never built them that way. When you swap it over to your SSP it will just look like another of the 9 billion modded fox body coupes. It will also take away from the value (to us SSP purists anway). Save the original rear end for when you sell the car. :thumbsup:

Just my humble opinion.....

Good debate. The only reason I planed on swapping it over is that I'm selling my GT and it appears I am going to have to more or less give it away. If I do that then off comes all the high dollar things I have done to it. I may just return it back to stock brakes and sell the conversion. I still really have not made up my mind. :)

If it's better braking you're after then why not simply swap in a set of high-perfomance pads? That'll help you slow down from all those 120mph+ runs I'm sure everyone here does a daily basis.

Unless that Fox happens to be a '93 Cobra Mustang! (just razzin' ya there Jim!) Actually, my '85 SSP has the '93 Cobra rear with the 8.8" 3.27:1 gears and 4-lug disk brakes. I'll blame a previous owner in deviating from stock. :)

Ya know, asking about modifications on a forum dedicated to the preservation of SSP's is like going into a bar and debating politics or religion. But then again, maybe it's a good thing to talk about it here.

I have the utmost respect for members here like Joe and Jim who hold steadfast to maintaining the originality of these cars. It's folks like that who ensure that these cars will be around for the next generation of SSP enthusiasts. But SSP enthusiasts come in all shapes and sizes, and they will have differing opinions on how far away to stray from OEM with aftermarket parts or even Ford non-SSP parts (like a Turbo Coupe rear).

Other factors to consider are rarity/desirability of a specific SSP. Some cars are simply too valuable to not be restored properly. Show cars certainly have their purpose, and their preservation allows the public to see how these cars were outfitted by their respective departments.

But let's face it, other cars from departments with higher in-service numbers, missing documentation, or unknown history are less desirable to SSP collectors. These cars are better candidates IMO to stray away slightly from stock. SSP's like this can still be refurbished and driven, which also shows the public a side of our hobby and the enjoyment we get from taking to the road in our SSP's.

I've typed long enough for tonight. But I hope the discussion continues.

I'm glad to see it, also...because we are all sharing our opinions without being disrespectful (minor sarcasm from Eric aside) :) .

I've heard the "I want to improve X Y and Z" side of things before, but I'm definitely all about originality. However, like Bill said, I can see where the less-desirable car that's already been modded fits in. At least it's still in existence, and not being parted or junked.

I think our mission statement here is pretty clear...and it's definitely not about hot-rodding or tubbing out perfectly restorable SSPs.

well put, 28HopUp !
As we continue to chat on this subject ... Some of us are forced onto some of these mods ... on initial ssp purchase !
When i found my rare 88 CSP it had been a race car for some time with lots of mods !
I was not going to pass up the car because of the mods ,so with time some of the mods have already come off .
The mods will continue to come off as i find correct orig equip to put back on .
But in the end..ORIGINAL is the way to go ...
on the other hand , orig police equip is hard to locate so some of the stuff i have located for my CSP is NOT correct ..
will i be bashed for this ??? maybe .
I think me saving it from a race history was a major plus !
this is just my opinion:p

ssp91ssp

I'm starting to see the whole meaning behind keeping these cars all original. Time to rethink the direction I'm taking with mine. :)

Yea sorry about that, I just couldn't help myself! LOL

my ssp has a 347 5lug swap and mach1 front brakes. but still has factory color and always will. i plan on having it repainted and add a cowl hood and make it faster though

Just my opinion!!
I think you need to save those comments for another type of site !

all the comments up to yours where about preserving the ssp original !

ssp91ssp

You do know that the cowl hood won't make it any faster, right? :bouncy:

I would recommend that you keep as many of the original parts as possible, and perhaps spray the original hood at the same time that you add the cowl for the repaint. Hopefully you will be able to turn up more info about your car, which may encourage you to keep future mods limited to those that aren't too hard to "un-do", should you or a subsequent owner (we can't live forever ya know!) decide to return it to stock at a later time.

Sorry guys I didn't mean to start a battle here... I was only considering the brake swap but I sill wanted the stock 10 hole wheels... Yes Im want to have the extra set painted black... I am returning everything back to stock.. I have already removed the "X" pipe and placed the stock type mufflers bac on it. I have the original air filter assembly allthough I may sneak a K&N filter in it.. I am going to instal the original headers back in it.... I will keep the original brakes on it... So it will just be the black wheels...

By the way there is a '93 LX coupe on Ebay that the seller is stating that it is original and it has 4 wheel disk brakes on it from the factory...

Check his other auctions, he probably has a bridge to sell too.

lots of good comments here. Sometimes when you buy the cars the racer parts are already there. Kudos to the people that make these "saves". My CSP car had a tubular k member and all kinds of other stuff on it that got pitched. I was more than happy to buy the car with the stock parts all back on it. I think the main focus here is to keep things original as possible but little minor things are no big deal. Things like putting on black wheels instead of silver is not an issue with me at all. Now if you want to roll the fenderwells and put a narrowed 9 inch under it...It could possibly get ugly. :)

i think if u dont like my comment then u need not quote it!!! i was refering too modding mine but not so much to where its so difficult to go back orginal. if u want to keep yours stock thats fine. as far as saving saving my comments for another site i will say what i want here or on any other site. this special service mustang.net not RESTORATION TO ORIGINAL SSP SPECS.NET is it?!?!?!?


here is a 88 flordia patrol car ooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh nooooooooo............... its modded and on a drag strip????? that must be a sin

actually a cowl hood can make it faster. cowl hood weighs 17lb i believe and stock is over 50lb i'm sure. but i'm definantly gonna spray both hoods when i get my car painted thats for sure. im not gonna mod it to the point of no return thats for sure. but i do plan on hiding underhood wireing in the fender and welding up holes and wat knot. maybe when i get older it will be returned to stock, but as for now its gonna look pretty much stock. everyone has restored/original cars, but i want mine to be different.

Good luck with your race car !!
It's starting to sound like you joined the wrong site!!!!

As far as the sin part ... on this site it actually is a sin !!!
Again , good luck with your car .

sorry to the rest of the members for how this is going down .
ssp91ssp

It's not a big deal, Hec. I think it's a good discussion.

93ssp, you are free to share your opinion, but don't get upset when the majority here do not agree with it. As for your comment in the post that Jim deleted, membership and posting here is a privilege, not a right. You wont have a problem as long you abide by the guidelines.

I'm all for preservation of the Mustang SSP's and enjoy seeing folks not only save them, but also enjoy reading/seeing the progress that many have taken when restoring these back to in-service (whether marked or unmarked vehicles) specifications. If someone wants or desires a Mustang 5.0 notchback - definitley go for the civilian notchbacks, be it a 4cyl or factory 5.0 and go modify to your hearts desire...

Seeing that this subject has sparked some good conversation, I'm just curious - what ever happened to the tastefully modified RMCP Mustang that graced many Mustang magazines and I believe the owner was on multiple sites as well - it was the one w/ the supercharger, etc - but the rest of the car was retained as it was when in service?

Was this vehicle frowned upon due to it's owner added mods?

The last I saw, this vehicle was up for sale a couple of years back - and I believe the owner was deleting the added mods prior to the sale?

~~~~~

Good statement about the factory disc/drum brakes and how they were still fully functional when these SSP's were in service, especially when involved in high speed pursuits. I always laugh at the statements that "Fox brakes suck", when these were the same factory components used on the 82-93 SSP's, which saw their fair share of high speed events also... It comes down to common sense and KNOWING how to not only drive, but also how to handle a Fox Mustang in the event that one has to make or take an evasive or emergency maneuver.

It's the same as someone driving a Mustang in the snow - sure, they're not the best vehicles to drive in the snow - but driving one in the snow that is modified w/ 500+ hp w/ littles up front, non-DOT slicks on the rear, manual steering & manual brakes while still attempting land speed records to get from A to B and saying it "sucks" is just plain ignorance... LOL.

David, I was just goofing about the hood not adding speed. And your comment about not modding it to the point of no return will be appreciated by the members here. If you go to the main page of this website, the mission statement is pretty clear -

"Dedicated to the promotion, protection, and restoration of the 1982-1993 Special Service Police Mustang."

It doesn't mention anything about hot rodding SSP's. The comments towards you about looking for other forums means that there are other sites where modding cars is at the root of their existance. But this site is geared to promoting the SSP hobby as the cars were used in-service. So there is a lot of information here about these cars.

As ImEvil1 stated, don't be put off when you hear a backlash from the majority of members about modding your car. They're passionate about preserving these cars, that's all. Being able to learn my SSP's history with the CHP through documentation made me change my plans for the car (I bought it to drag race). Now the research and restoration process have added a new aspect to my enjoyment of the car. I hope that you are able to learn more about your SSP, and can unearth its unique story.

its not a race car... its a daily driver. i'm sorry to everyone else for how this is going as well for some people making you think you have to restore your car. its a car hobby... to each his own.

i can fully appreciate a restored or original ssp car. but its not what im doing to my car. if u think i should restore my car please tell me what it is??? i know nothing about it, nor does anyone else... i searched everywhere and cant find anything about it

your right i do get offended when someone tells me what to do to my own vehicle. there must not be alot of information here as noone can tell me about my car. i know nothing of it either. if everyone assumes its so rare why doesnt anyone know of it? if my car is a one of a kind unique car it would get restored for sure. i joined this site to hopefully learn more of ssp cars and more of my own car? can someone shed some light as to why my carfax on the first owner shows no title number? do all ssp cars show that?

i don't think anyone is telling you what you have to do with your car. if someone disagrees with you or me or anyone else it doesn't mean someone is right or wrong. it just means that people have different opinions or a different focus on the car.

if i shouldnt get upset with what people say about my car than they shouldnt get upset with what i said i have done to my own car. it sounds as though its a one way street here.

again apologize ti whom takes me or my statement the wrong way

you are very right. i was on a mission to get an ssp and paint it dark highland green, you know like that movie bullitt with the 68. and was thinking about it with this car. but as said before its a unique car and i will be returning it to factory color and painting both hoods

See your other thread....there's enough info in there to get you started.


No one here is upset....there is a constructive way to give an opinion v/s the way you chose earlier. Posting pics of raced-out FHP cars isn't tolerated here, and surely doesn't add anything to the topic we are discussing.

Good to hear. It is a very unique car.

Ok,I got the idea guys. Stock is good, better, best!

I do agree with the statement about with the less desirable cars is "less or a sin" to modify.

I have seen more than a few Old SSPs that are too far rusted or wrecked for sale cheap because they are not "virgin" enough to be collectable/desirable.

My 90 WI car is one, I had to replace the entire front clip--now it is no longer an untouched example of WI trooper car, but she is still a SSP with police history and I felt/still feel that it was worth saving for this reason.

Save them all and preserve what you can, not everyone can afford to have a show SSP car that only gets driven on the weekends. Mine will have to be a daily driver and thats ok with me, being driven regularly it brings attention to SSPs and might interest someone else into preserving another SSP. I love telling people that mine is a ex-FHP car and is the last year of the Fox body cars--thats why I own it