Big News! 1982 SSP Research

[28HopUp]

As many SSP enthusiasts know, doing research on these cars is a huge aspect of the hobby. Being able to track down the history of a specific vehicle can be extremely rewarding. So imagine my enthusiasm when I discovered a shocking revelation about all of the 1982 SSP Mustangs!

I have always wondered about the speculation surrounding the wording of the original SSP Mustangs. It's been reported that the original SSP's were called Severe Service Package cars, and in 1983 the name was changed to Special Service Package. We've all taken that as fact for a long time, and there hasn't been anything to prove or disprove the claim conclusively. The wording on the 1982 buck tags (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/Bucktags.html) did not spell out the option. Even Ford's own advertising (http://mustangforums.com/forum/members/28hopup-albums-misc-stuff-picture31395-chpadvertisement.jpg) back then did not directly identify the 1982 CHP Mustangs as SSP's.

As most of us know, Kevin Marti at Marti Auto Works is selling Deluxe Marti Reports (http://www.martiauto.com/reports2.cfm) for any 1969 - 1986 Ford Mustang. These reports generated by Marti are available to anyone interested in obtaining a copy (a non-owner can buy one). Thankfully, we are starting to see copies of the Deluxe Marti Reports being published. Attached is a copy of a Deluxe Marti Report on Jim Young's 1982 SSP Mustang.

[28HopUp]

As you can see in the previous Marti Report on Jim Young's 1982 SSP, the option is worded as Special Service Package, not Severe Service Package. This is getting interesting since it conflicts with the general opinion of many. However, it is not a smoking gun in my opinion because the "proof" is a report published by a 3rd party. I'm not taking anything away from the great folks at Marti, but it would be so much better if we could find some original Ford paperwork that supports what Marti stated in their report. If only...

Well, that information DOES exist! Marti also sells the Eminger Invoice (http://www.martiauto.com/eminger2.cfm) for certain cars where the factory paperwork had been saved. The buyer must prove that he/she is the owner of that specific car in order to receive the original Ford document. In addition, many of the invoices are missing. Until now, no Eminger Invoices had been found on any 1982 SSP Mustangs.

With the help of FoxChassis from FEP (http://www.vb.foureyedpride.com/), we have been compiling a list of VIN's where batches of 5.0L notchbacks are known. Larger DSO orders would be grouped together, and we have been asking owners of SSP's to send us information for our on-going VIN Research Project (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/VIN.html) where we can document actual SSP's that fall within that VIN range.

In terms of the 1982's, we know the VIN range of 400 cars. Collectively, we all agreed that Kevin would have a better chance of success if we asked him to look within a broad range of numbers instead of a specific car. So I approached Kevin Marti with a proposal - Since I do not own a 1982 SSP, would it be possible for me to buy a PDF copy of an Eminger Invoice on a SSP contained within the range of 400 VIN's? Kevin agreed, and was able to find an Eminger Invoice on a 1982 SSP. Kevin still retains that original Eminger Invoice, but he sold me a picture copy of the two page Ford document, which I am VERY happy to share (with Kevin's permission) with all of you here:

http://images49.fotki.com/v629/photos/1/1804951/9996267/Eminger82SSPpg1-vi.jpg

http://images61.fotki.com/v432/photos/1/1804951/9996267/Eminger82SSPpg2-vi.jpg


Page 2 confirms with 100% certainty that the CHP in 1982 bought Special Service Package Mustangs, not Severe Service Package cars. Although this news won't restore peace to far off lands or solve the world's problems, it does re-write SSP history a bit.

And the research continues as well. We have recently been discussing the 1982 CHP hatchback Mustangs (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3690), to determine if they were Special Service Package cars or not. Through our research we have determined through the known VIN range and Deluxe Marti Report that there were likely only four hatchbacks used by the CHP (not five). The question comes as to whether or not these four cars were included in the 400 Mustangs bought by the CHP in 1982, or were they in addition to the 400 Mustangs? We hope to determine an answer to that question soon, knowing all too well that we may not be able to conclusively know for sure either way.

[ImEvil1]

Great post, Bill, and thanks for all of your hard work on this. It doesn't get any more definitive than that. :2thumbs:

[FHP813]

Way to go Bill! That's the way these things are done with verified, black and white documentation.

[FoxChassis]

Fanatastic! Good Work. Also a big thanks to Marti Auto Works and Kevin Marti for allowing you to obtain an image of an Eminger Invoice and share it with us.

Thanks also for posting the Deluxe (Marti) Report for Jim Young's '82 CHP SSP. You'll notice that one and the "evaluation" hatchback were ordered through the same dealer.

[NoDrama43]

Being able to confirm whether or not your vehicle is actually equipped with the Special Service Package, which confirms your car as an actual SSP car will be very important down the road as the value of these cars rise. If you cannot provide this documentation to authenticate your car, or provide police agency documentation ( CHP assignment card, etc. ) it clouds the issue of authenticity.

Great work to everyone that contributed to this project. When we had the SSP work week at my place we discussed a game plan for our research. Hats off to Bill for taking off on a dead run to get it accomplished. :) Also a big thanks to Kevin Marti for helping us get it figured out. He has been fantastic to work with on every issue !! :thumbsup:

Mike you used the word before I could get to it but I have to agree this information is very definitive, and will forever provide correct documentation for the next generation of owners of Mustangs equipped with the Special Service Package.

good stuff guys. Ya done good !!!!!!!!! :) Great day for the hobby !!!!

[mac88chp]

Outstanding work guys, this type of effort moves the hobby forward tremendously! :2thumbs:

As an aside, I ran the VIN on the invoice above through the CA BAR smog history database but came up empty handed.

[MOstang]

Very interesting and thanks for adding clarity around it. :cool:

[Andy]

As always Bill
great work
Thank You!

[CHP8336]

Awesome post Bill!! Thanks!!:D

[Wolfe1013]

Absolutely over the top, Bill. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to each of you involved in this research.

I am one that could not get my Eminger invoice from them. I have yet to order the deluxe Marti report. Soon, very soon, I'll get to that.

Greg

[28HopUp]

Outstanding work guys, this type of effort moves the hobby forward tremendously! :2thumbs:

As an aside, I ran the VIN on the invoice above through the CA BAR smog history database but came up empty handed.

Michael, thanks for commenting about that. For the benefit of others who are researching a SSP from California, here is a link to that website:

http://www.autorepair.ca.gov/pubwebquery/Vehicle/PubTstQry.aspx

[28HopUp]

I decided to search for images on Google under the phrase "1982 CHP". I found an interesting picture hosted on the Internet Movie Cars Database website from the 1989 move "Homer & Eddie", which you can visit here:

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_117507-Ford-Mustang-1982.html


Under the comments section, someone incorrectly posted that the 1982 SSP was a "Severe Service Package" car. I joined there to address the incorrect information. EDIT: It turns out that ford_guy is the IMCDb site Adminsitrator! :)

[chp1982]

That is an awesome picture!

[28HopUp]

The following information was posted in the CHP hatchback thread on FEP, but it certainly belongs here, too. For years, it has been reported that the CHP purchased 406 Mustangs in 1982. Mustang Kid posted up some documentation, as shown here...

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/forums/showpost.php?p=33168&postcount=10


...which says that the CHP ordered 400 1982 Mustang SSP coupes, and in another document confirms the total number of 1982 Mustangs (coupes and hatchbacks) to be 404 units. Additional research is being done on the 1982 cars, so watch for updates.

:)

[28HopUp]

Through the VIN Project, we have developed a nice relationship with Kevin Marti, of Marti Auto Works. The picture files we have collected for the project have helped Kevin learn about how certain cars were coded, and his Marti Reports and Eminger Invoices have been a HUGE resource for our efforts. Kevin has been great to work with!

Not only have we been getting Marti Reports on SSPs, but also "cars of interest" like the 1982 CHP hatchbacks. Several months ago, Kevin provided us a Deluxe Marti Report on 224464, which is the only known surviving CHP hatchback.

http://images12.fotki.com/v155/photos/1/1804951/9996267/870600-vi.jpg


Recently, I had Kevin run reports on 224461, 224462, and 224463. The reports for all three cars had information that was in conflict with the Deluxe Report he ran earlier on 224464. I questioned Kevin about it, and he dug deeper. I requested that he look for an Eminger Invoice on one of the four cars, and he found one for 224463. This original Ford document confirms that the four CHP hatchbacks were equipped with the SSP option!


http://images61.fotki.com/v444/photos/1/1804951/9996267/82hatchback1FABP16F0CF22244631-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v301/photos/1/1804951/9996267/82hatchback1FABP16F0CF22244632-vi.jpg


Here are the four newly added pages to our VIN Project -

224461 (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/CHP/1982CHP224461/info224461.htm)
224462 (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/CHP/1982CHP224462/info224462.htm)
224463 (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/CHP/1982CHP224463/info224463.htm)
224464 (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/CHP/1982CHP224464/info224464.htm)


How amazing is that? We now have definitive proof that the four CHP hatchbacks in 1982 were SSPs, which are in addition to an unknown quantity of 1982 SSP notchbacks.

You may wonder why I worded the previous sentence that way. Well, I had requested that Kevin run reports on the "1st" and "400th" cars in the consecutive VIN batch from 1982. The first car (1FABP10F6CF213038) came back as expected. However, Kevin was not able to run a report on the 400th car (1FABP10F9CF213437) because the order was cancelled! In turns out that according to the Marti-owned Ford paperwork, the last six cars in that batch of 400 were cancelled.

In support of the idea that some of the 1982 SSP coupes were never built, look at the unit number shown on the above hatchback - E870600. Now look at the CHP paperwork provided by Mustang Kid's dad saying that the 1982 coupes had Unit Numbers E870201 - E870600:

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/images/82chpdoc-04.jpg


It appears that a coupe's unit number was used on a SSP hatchback. Interesting! I wonder if the six coupes were cancelled because the CHP ordered the four hatchbacks (whose VINs are after the coupes)?

At this point, I think we can say with 100% certainty that we cannot determine exactly how many 1982 SSP Mustangs (coupes and the four confirmed hatchbacks) were built by Ford. I guess we need to update our SSP History page to include the new information. :D

[ImEvil1]

Definitive. :2thumbs:

Great work, Bill, and another reason why this project is so important. I can't wait until the next "discovery".

Kudos to Kevin Marti for working with us, too.

[FHP813]

Great work Bill! It just goes to show that sometimes you have to dig a little to find the correct information. If you hadn't taken on the vin project, everyone would still be unknowingly spreading the incorrect information. :2thumbs:

[28HopUp]

Thanks guys! What is amazing to me is the accidental events leading up to this discovery about the six SSPs being cancelled. Everyone believed that 213437 (the 400th car in the batch of VINs) was the last SSP built that year. Ordering the reports on the first and last cars in that batch was a last minute decision which led up to the discovery. So we are VERY fortunate indeed to have this relationship established with Kevin Marti. His time does not come freely, but the moderate expense has paid off immensely!

[chp1982]

Thanks for your hard work and dedication to the VIN Project, Bill. That's big news!

[EXNODRAMANOTCH]

I consider the $5.00 per car that I spent with Kevin Marti to have him match the factory color to the VIN for the 20 MN State Patrol SSPs (and verify the MN DSO) as money well spent for the common cause.

[28HopUp]

Bob, I agree with you that the time/money spent with Kevin Marti is well worth it.

I have also learned through this effort that everything is not black & white in terms of documentation. We have seen official CHP paperwork touting X number of Mustangs on one hand, yet other paperwork indicating a different number of cars. Although I would love to be able to say with 100% certainty that a given number of SSPs were actually built that first year, we just are not to that point (yet).

[it's still fun to try though!]

:D

[28HopUp]

Our SSP History Page (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/History.html) and the SSP FAQs Page (http://www.specialservicemustang.net/Faqs.html) have both been updated with the new information we learned about the 1982 SSPs.

:)