500-HP Saleen Mustang Is Your Ticket to Supercharged Heaven

You don't even need a huge budget to fill up all the parking spaces in your driveway. Because finding project cars for cheap isn't all that difficult. But if you want to retain your sanity, I suggest you stay away from project cars. Instead, just buy ready-to-drive vehicles, that will save you the headache. And remember, you don't need 1,000 horsepower to have fun on public roads!

So, if you were thinking about getting something new for your collection, I've come across an interesting piece for you. The SN-95 might not be the most popular Mustang ever, but this is no ordinary unit. Because this is a Saleen-built vehicle. Ford delivered its 10 millionth Mustang a few years ago. Slightly over 1.5 million of those cars are part of the fourth generation, SN-95 series.

But let's narrow down those figures a bit shall we? This 2002 Mustang comes equipped with a 4.6-liter V8 engine. But that wasn't enough for a Saleen-branded vehicle, and so a Kenne Bell supercharger was added to the equation. Looking over an official report from the Saleen Club of America, you can get an idea of how rare these cars are. 232 coupes were built in the year 2000, 243 in 2001, 242 in 2002, 128 in 2003, and just 101 in 2004.

That means that this example, which has just 9,000 miles (14,484 km) on its odometer, is 1 out of 946 such cars ever to be delivered. This car is #43 out of the 242 produced in 2002 and has been part of the seller's collection since 2017. The engine should be quite resilient to abuse, as it comes with a series of upgrades meant to improve performance and reliability. On that list you'll find Wiseco pistons, Icon forged connecting rods, and a polished crankshaft.

An aftermarket intercooler has been installed too. So in theory, you shouldn't worry about the car overheating. Although a dyno sheet has not been included in the sale, the owner notes that at 12 PSI (0.82 Bar) this engine should be capable of producing about 500 horsepower. While the 20" Verde wheels do a great job at complementing the Mineral Grey Metallic paint job, you might want to switch to some smaller wheels for improved handling purposes.

The New York plate reads "Bad S281", and other than the wheels I don't think I'd change anything on this car. The seller has even included a short walk-around video of the vehicle. I do feel a driving video would have been even better, considering the potential of this vehicle. But I guess that anyone interested in purchasing this car can probably get a test drive in advance. With 6 more days to go before the auction is over, the highest bid stands at $5,500, but I'll be surprised if this doesn't get more than $50,000.