Remember the 305-equipped Chevrolet Camaro from the Malaise Era? Notorious camshaft issues prompted the California Highway Patrol to pick the Mustang over it for law enforcement, which brings us to the SSP that was produced to the tune of 15,000 examples between 1982 and 1993.
The Special Service Package served in more than 60 law enforcement organizations and government agencies in roles that include… wait for it… special duties. For example, the U.S. Air Force purchased a handful of them to serve as chase vehicles for the Lockheed U-2 “Dragon Lady” spy plane.
Essentially a ‘Stang with beefed-up suspension and a stiffened frame, the Special Service Package is rocking the good ol’ 5.0 small block that actually displaces 4.9 liters. The car we're covering today is a 1989 model that served with the Florida Highway Patrol, which means that we’re dealing with 225 horsepower and 275 pound-feet (373 Nm) in bone-stock flavor.
As the headline implies, this fellow is hiding a few mods under the hood, starting with an unknown camshaft that’s believed to be an Alphabet. GT40P cylinder heads, a Trick Flow Track Heat EFI intake manifold, 75-millimeter throttle body and mass air meter, 24-pound fuel injectors, Contour electric fans, and an SVE aluminum radiator also need to be mentioned, along with Ford Performance shorty headers for good measure.
The list continues with an off-road mid-pipe, a cat-back exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers, an aluminum driveshaft, 4.10 gears, and 93 octane in the fuel tank. Pictured on 225/55 R16 rear tires, this rather tasteful pony is rocking 257.3 horsepower and 294 pound-feet (399 Nm) at the wheels.
Not bad for a car this old, right? On that note, it’s worth remembering that Florida was the second U.S. state to use SSPs after California. Offered either as a coupe or a hatchback, the Special Service Package could be had with a four-speed automatic or a much nicer five-speed manual. Owned by Jared Ferrell of Late Model Restoration, the 1989 model in the clip below is rocking the BorgWarner T-5 used in V8-powered Ford Mustangs through 1995.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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