Thanks much for coming up on this forum and sharing your experiences Steve. The history you are providing is beyond valuable and will live on with these cars.
I think you're on the right track with starting your research at Motor Transport. They were very helpful to me and I think they will be receptive to your inquiries, esp. if they would let
you do the footwork with the records in lieu of them expending the effort.
My car spent it's entire service life in the Valley. First two years down in Bakersfield where surely it was no stranger to I-5 then almost 10 years back at the Academy as a training vehicle. It was sold still in its (mostly) original B & W finish. From the scratches I could make out on the deck lid, it was outfitted with a mag mount antenna which I'm told was used with a CB. Here are a couple of small in-service pics of one with a similar setup:
Steve - does the office location in these photos look at all familiar to you?
I also spent a ton of time in the early-mid '80s driving between the Bay Area and Fresno right through the Los Banos area. I have vivid memories of the Mustangs from your office and how I had to really work to keep from getting nabbed for speeding on those long and desolate streches of 152 that I mostly drove late night. Good thing I had young eyes back then and a thorough recognition of the forward light signatures for the Mustangs and Dips...saved me everytime!
Well, I did receive a novel warning one night around the fall of '84. I was headed east just past the Dos Palos exit at about 70-75 when I caught a vehicle quickly entering the roadway about a mile back. In short order I recognized it was a smaller car and slowed right down to 65 then ducked into the slow lane at 60 as I could confirm it was a indeed Mustang as it closed in. The officer came up on me slowly in the #1, paused alongside as he passed and gave a quick on and off of the ruby right in my direction then he floored it into the night. I'll never forget that move and haven't seen it used since. Was that one you used?