Greetings from a strange world

[Viking71]

Hi to everyone...I am happy to find a forum dedicated to these special cars. I have wanted a 5.0 notchback since I was in high school back in the mid to late 1980s. When I went to college in 1989 in North Carolina (driving a 1971 Pontiac LeMans Sport I had just restored) I first started seeing state troopers in Mustangs and thought they were fantastic. I was even pulled over by a South Carolina State Trooper driving an SSP in 1992 (then driving a 1983 944). By the mid-1990s I was searching for SSPs at auction but never bought one.

In 1995 I decided to become a professional auto technician, and was fortunate enough to apprentice under three national finalist Saab master techs at the same time. I soon acquired my first Saab 900 turbo and had it tweaked to hang with stock 5.0 Mustangs and M3s. After working at several Saab dealers, I eventually opened my own Saab shop with one of the three master techs I had started with, and we still own it today. I currently own 8 Saabs, all turbos, including one I had searched for my entire career and only found last year...my black 1991 SPG (one of 254 made, one of 109 in black).

Despite my affection (affliction?) for Saabs, I have always had a soft spot for notchback 5.0 Mustangs. I look forward to finding a nice SSP one day and sharing it with my family (my wife also likes Fox body Mustangs, so that's an easy sell). I have a lot of learning to do...great site you've got here.

[ImEvil1]

Great story..and welcome to the site.

[Viking71]

Thanks, I am very particular about my cars (thanks to my dad) and it makes total sense to me that I wouldn't be satisfied with just a regular notchback 5.0 Mustang...once I figure out what I want I tend to go after it until I get it...hopefully it doesn't take as long to find the right SSP as it did to find my SPG.

I left a couple of cars out by the way...in addition to 8 Saabs, I also own a 1971 Pontiac T-37 that I bought from the original owners in 1995...was a 350-2bbl car, now a 455/TH400/12-bolt posi sleeper (except for the Flowmasters of course)...I also have a 1966 Corvair Corsa 140 that I found in 2006...nearly identical to the one my dad had when I was a young lad back in the 1970s...

[Viking71]

And yes, I know someone will ask...my insurance company (USAA) does love me.

[28HopUp]

Hi Eric - welcome to the site! I am in the neighboring state of Delaware. I know Maryland is big, but I do get down to Cecil County Dragway and Maryland Int'l Raceway some times.

I suggest that you look over the forum and also the host site to check out the in-service pictures and learn about the different agencies. When I first started looking at SSP's in 2008 I didn't even know that many of them came with 5spd transmissions. But as you look around you will be able to decide on the things you like/dislike about certain agencies, which will allow you to be a more educated buyer. You will also need to determine a budget and how much work you want to do on a car. We constantly post up classified listings of different SSPs we find for sale. Be patient, and you will find one that suits your wants/needs.

[Viking71]

Thanks 28HopUp. I definitely want a manual trans car, and I definitely want one of the '87-'93 vintage.

I have one other good story about SSP Mustangs...I was driving back to Charlotte one time in my Pontiac, and just before I crossed the line into NC on I-85, a VW GTI blew by me doing about 90. As I crossed the state line, I saw a marked NC Mustang heading north and then turn around in the cut-through at the line. I saw him fishtail slightly, flip on the lights and then watched in my rear view mirror as he hauled up on me in a flash. But he didn't slow down...blew right past me (sounded great) and then a little bit up the road he had that GTI pulled over on the shoulder.

[sspanthony]

Great Stories ! Welcome to the board !

[CNTLOSE]

Welcome to the site

[stadair]

Interesting car history! Nice to hear about it. Welcome.

[MOstang]

Welcome to the forum.