Picking Up NMSP SSP Tomorrow

[CNTLOSE]

Well some of you may have seen the thread on the other board, but if not I wanted to share this great find.

It is a 1990 NMSP SSP Unit #130 currently located in IL. The car comes with the maintenance records from NMSP and an original key stamped "130". The current owner was in the middle of doing a T5 swap and restoration when he changed his mind. The seller was also planning on parting the car out to sell. I was fortunate enough to reach him before anything was gone, and we struck a deal for the complete car plus some spare parts. Car was a runner and driver before he took it apart and only needs put back together to be one again. I have been lucky enough that Mike (MOstang) pointed me to a facebook page with several NMSP photos. It looks like out of the 6 total SSP's 2 were black. I know Unit 125 was marked and I hope to soon learn if Unit 130 was or not shortly.

I am leaving tonight to pick it up...14 hours round trip. Will post some pics of her once we get back home. For now here are a few from the FB page. By the way...does anyone know what type of lights are mounted on the front bumper and rear deck?

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/529691_3761427919298_1832466748_n.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/538500_3761424399210_1523713878_n.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/471297_3731549812364_1292441210_o.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/413918_3742522966686_299175950_o.jpg

[CNTLOSE]

Current state of car...

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/IMAG0578.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/IMAG0579.jpg

[Rhino]

Way to go Matt!!

[28HopUp]

Very nice find! I hope you learn that was originally painted two-tone with the stripes on the doors, because that looks sharp. Please include pictures of the SSP-specific stuff for our VIN Project once you bring it home. :)

[MOstang]

Congrats Matt!! I agree with Bill re: hoping it was one with the white stripes on the side and white roof. That just seems to be one sharp setup!

[CNTLOSE]

Very nice find! I hope you learn that was originally painted two-tone with the stripes on the doors, because that looks sharp. Please include pictures of the SSP-specific stuff for our VIN Project once you bring it home. :)

Will do! It was a black and white as you can still make out some of the white paint on the roof near the moldings. From the photos all appear to have been two tone other than the white one. I have some people trying to help me get in contact with some retired Troopers so I can find out more about Unit 130...like if it was a marked unit or not. They are the ones who supplied the photos I posted plus a few more I have.

[CNTLOSE]

Congrats Matt!! I agree with Bill re: hoping it was one with the white stripes on the side and white roof. That just seems to be one sharp setup!

I do think the marked units are sharp...but at the same time I would not mind having an unmarked one. Honestly I am just happy I finally found a rare one to restore. I love my FHP and the FHP look, but it will be nice to have one that more than likely will not have a twin next to it at a show.

[sspanthony]

Congrats Matt !!! Be Safe and look forward to pics.....

[CNTLOSE]

Congrats Matt !!! Be Safe and look forward to pics.....

Thanks...I will post plenty.

[MOstang]

Here is interior pic of 1990 unmarked b&w NMSP SSP.

[MOstang]

By the way...does anyone know what type of lights are mounted on the front bumper and rear deck?

Are the grill ones lights made by Grote?

[CNTLOSE]

Are the grill ones lights made by Grote?

Not sure...but that gives me a point to start at. Hopefully the retired Troopers I am being introduced to will be able to help me out with equipment and such.

[CNTLOSE]

Here is interior pic of 1990 unmarked b&w NMSP SSP.

Awesome...thanks!

[CNTLOSE]

Well here she is in all her barn find glory. Last registered in 2004 so she had been sitting somewhere for awhile.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2012-07-19104315.jpg


First off a big thanks to Phil for posting this car listing from the corral.net. I have wanted a rare SSP since just after getting into the hobby...and I think it would be hard to find another state agency as rare as this one...well maybe the Tennessee SSP.

Me and my older daughters...some of you may remember from the Asheville, NC show a few years ago...headed out at about 0330 hrs this morning. We arrived in Molie, IL around 1030 hrs Ohio time. The seller was great and had everything ready for me. Included in the sale was a new deck lid, new fuel pump, extra driver door, and other misc pieces. He had a copy of the maintenance check list from MNSP, an original key stamped "130" that matches the unit number on the check list, both buck tags w/ one stamped New Mexico on it (May have more but that is all I can read with the dirt.)

This will be a total restoration project and I am looking forward to it. A lot of the NOS pieces I collected for the FHP will be going on this SSP so I have a head start. First thing I plan on doing is pulling the motor and getting a new core support put in. Looks like somebody tried to pull it out of a ditch and did not know what they were doing. Also I have some history to dig up on her. I think another agency may have used it after NMSP based on what appears to be a white respray at some point and the CarFax report. I will also forward pics and info for the VIN project as I get it.

Plan on getting home tomorrow and starting the tear down once we are back from vacation. I will be making a list of things needed and hitting some of you up for them.

One last picture of the good side at the nearby HD dealership...I needed to get a shirt...lol. I will post some more once we get home and I can clean it up a little bit.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2012-07-19113934.jpg

Oh yeah...a big thanks to Rhino (Ryan), I think I will be moving to Washington soon.

[mac88chp]

Great catch, congrats! I like your plan, you will have one unique SSP when you are finished. Save the FHP for another day. Keep us posted on your progress. :cool:

[Rhino]

Oh yeah...a big thanks to Rhino (Ryan), I think I will be moving to Washington soon.

C'mon up - welcome any time - and I have lots of cold beer and a garage full of SSPs and B4Cs. ;)

[CNTLOSE]

C'mon up - welcome any time - and I have lots of cold beer and a garage full of SSPs and B4Cs. ;)

Have room for two more and a Cobra? lol

[Rhino]

Sure!! We'll just stack them high along with the beer. :)

[CNTLOSE]

Here is interior pic of 1990 unmarked b&w NMSP SSP.

Wait....that is from a black and white unmarked!!!

....that would be mine then!!!

The other black and white one is Unit 125 and was marked.

Of the six two were white, one was blue and white, one was grey and white, and two were black and white. By process of elimination that would make mine unmarked and the car in your photo!

[28HopUp]

I don't know if this will help you all that much, but there's a 1988 New Mexico SSP listed in our VIN Project...

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/NM/1988NM220245/info220245.htm


...which is part of a 10 car batch of consecutive VINs. Your '90 is the second New Mexico SSP to have surfaced. :)

[kapracing]

Wonder if your door was damaged on that same wall the white car doors against in those first pics you posted... humm...lol

[CNTLOSE]

I don't know if this will help you all that much, but there's a 1988 New Mexico SSP listed in our VIN Project...

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/NM/1988NM220245/info220245.htm


...which is part of a 10 car batch of consecutive VINs. Your '90 is the second New Mexico SSP to have surfaced. :)

Hmm...According to NMSP they did not have any other years than 1 1983 and 6 1990's. That info is from a 1991 article from the Roadrunner...which I believe is a NMSP Publication. Which makes me wonder about this '88. I wonder if it might have been an undercover car?

Edit: I see the "UN" after New Mexico Police....I wonder if it was New Mexico University? My buck tag just has New Mexico and under that POLICE.

[CNTLOSE]

Wonder if your door was damaged on that same wall the white car doors against in those first pics you posted... humm...lol

lol...maybe...but this I think was done by the redneck that spray painted it black after service.

[CNTLOSE]

Hmm...According to NMSP they did not have any other years than 1 1983 and 6 1990's. That info is from a 1991 article from the Roadrunner...which I believe is a NMSP Publication. Which makes me wonder about this '88. I wonder if it might have been an undercover car?

Edit: I see the "UN" after New Mexico Police....I wonder if it was New Mexico University? My buck tag just has New Mexico and under that POLICE.

Sorry it was a 1982 that Ford gave them to try in 1983. I have a couple messages in to some retired Troopers. Hopefully I will be able to get a a couple things sorted out. I just learned that two of the six were marked and since mine would have been the state cruiser color scheme I am guessing mine was not unmarked. Hopefully I will know for sure soon.

[CNTLOSE]

Quick update!

My unit was marked!!! The above interior picture is actually of this NMSP SSP.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/413918_3742522966686_299175950_o.jpg


I just spoke to the Trooper who drove it and the above photo was took by him of his SSP Unit #93.

[28HopUp]

Hmm...According to NMSP they did not have any other years than 1 1983 and 6 1990's. That info is from a 1991 article from the Roadrunner...which I believe is a NMSP Publication. Which makes me wonder about this '88. I wonder if it might have been an undercover car?

Edit: I see the "UN" after New Mexico Police....I wonder if it was New Mexico University? My buck tag just has New Mexico and under that POLICE.

Matt, I do not have a definitive answer for you. The Buck Tag for that '88 reads "NEW MEXICO POLICE UN" before the right edge gets cropped off. Here is the thread where that car was discussed:

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3944&highlight=Mexico


In that thread, the new buyer says that the last word says "UNIT". It is possible that this car was used by the City of Albuquerque, but the owner has not confirmed that yet.

[CNTLOSE]

Matt, I do not have a definitive answer for you. The Buck Tag for that '88 reads "NEW MEXICO POLICE UN" before the right edge gets cropped off. Here is the thread where that car was discussed:

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3944&highlight=Mexico


In that thread, the new buyer says that the last word says "UNIT". It is possible that this car was used by the City of Albuquerque, but the owner has not confirmed that yet.

It would be neat to find out where that one is from. As for the NMSP they only had a total of seven. One 1982 that Ford gave them to test in 1983 and the six 1990 cars.

It seems several agencies in AZ and NM ran them. A couple years ago I was trying to purchase a Kingman, AZ SSP. We had actually made the deal, agreed on the price, a member was at the sellers house on my behalf, and the SOB sold it out from under me to some kid.

[CNTLOSE]

Well I received some good news and a little sad news about Unit 130.

I learned that Unit 130 was driven by Officer Edward Espinoza. His duty station was Anthony, NM just south of Las Cruces. He passed away from heart failure. He was apparently a very big guy as I am told. His fellow Troopers called his unit "the ant" because an ant can carry 50 times it's own weight.

So Unit 130 has a nick name now... "Ant". My NMSP contact is going to try an obtain some inservice photos of my exact car and of Tpr. Espinoza. But for now I have a new shot of excitement to get started on this SSP.

[stadair]

Not good to hear about the trooper. But kind of nice to hear a story about your car...his car.

[CNTLOSE]

Received Marti report today.

4513

[28HopUp]

Awesome! We will get your SSP added to our VIN Project soon. :)

[CNTLOSE]

Awesome! We will get your SSP added to our VIN Project soon. :)

Great...look below for some inservice photos.

[CNTLOSE]

Here are a couple inservice pics of my car, Unit 130 and Tpr. Espinoza. The Troopers I have made contact with have been great! I really have to thank Tony (WopMotor) for getting me in touch with these great guys.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/Unit130.png

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/U130.png

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/SSPTrooper.png

[28HopUp]

Awesome pictures! :2thumbs:

[MOstang]

Great job putting pieces of the history on this one together.

[CNTLOSE]

Thanks guys, I am enjoying uncovering the history of Unit 130. I am hoping to get the brake booster replaced on 1395 this week and then starting on 130. Time is ticking away until the 50th Anniversary show. :D

[28HopUp]

Matt, here is the new page in our VIN Project for Unit #130 -

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/NM/1990NM183695/info183695.htm


More pictures can be added, too... :)

[CNTLOSE]

Matt, here is the new page in our VIN Project for Unit #130 -

http://www.specialservicemustang.net/VINlist/NM/1990NM183695/info183695.htm


More pictures can be added, too... :)

Looks good. Would you want to load resto pics as I get started or wait until it is finished? I can supply you some if you like.

[28HopUp]

Matt, you may have noticed that we rarely include pictures in the VIN Project that are non-SSP specific. The photos and PDF's serve strictly as a resource to document each car as a SSP. So if you turn up some agency-specific things, a build sheet, Buck Tags, or VIN label, we can add those to your page.

We do have a Members' SSP section that allows people to create a thread about their SSP, whether it be restored, in-progress, or saved. If you want, we can retitle this thread and move it into that section, or you can start a restoration thread in there. Let me know. :)

[CNTLOSE]

Matt, you may have noticed that we rarely include pictures in the VIN Project that are non-SSP specific. The photos and PDF's serve strictly as a resource to document each car as a SSP. So if you turn up some agency-specific things, a build sheet, Buck Tags, or VIN label, we can add those to your page.

We do have a Members' SSP section that allows people to create a thread about their SSP, whether it be restored, in-progress, or saved. If you want, we can retitle this thread and move it into that section, or you can start a restoration thread in there. Let me know. :)

Okay, I was not sure what all photos you wanted for the VIN page. I will try to get you a picture of the original key stamped 130 if you like. Funny that both the FHP and NMSP have original stamped keys.

When I actually get tearing her apart I will start a resto page for her....which will hopefully be sooner than later. Keeping having projects around the house and OT at work popping up keeping me from her.