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.

:D

[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.

[Viking71]

Thanks everyone. With my car history, you might think I'd be an SVO kind of guy...while those always appealed to me, there's nothing quite like a nice 5.0 notch.

[chism]

Welcome. The T-37 is a rare bird! I hope you find a fox! They pop up pretty regularly so that shouldnt be a problem. But I must warn you, these cars are addictive! LOL

[Viking71]

Yes, I was fortunate to find the T-37, especially still in the hands of the original family. One of these years that car will get the paint job it deserves.

Here is one of my Saabs that you guys might appreciate...it is a '92 900 base sedan in Nocturne Blue (similar to a Ford blue I see was available on Mustangs).

It started as a normally-aspirated 2.1 liter, 16V car, automatic, cloth seats, no sunroof, steel wheels with full wheel covers. I got it from a customer who moved to Vegas and didn't want to take it with him as it was in need of a transmission (pinion bearings shot due to quick-lube shop draining differential oil instead of engine oil...very common on these 900s due to configuration of drivetrain...engine sits on top of transmission)

I pulled the drivetrain to replace the automatic with a good used unit I had from a wreck, and added a Mitsubishi turbo with stock intercooling system while it was out (same turbo and system as on my stock '91 SPG). So...now it runs about 7-8 psi of boost on the stock 2.1 engine with 10:1 compression. Pretty quick off the line, surprises some people!

It has no emblems (other than the small "turbo" in the grille) and I added the dog-dish style hubcaps that were used on 8-valve base cars in the mid 1980s. Kind of gives it a sleeper/unmarked look, especially in this color IMO. Someone who doesn't know these cars well would think it came this way from the factory. Fun car but unfortunately getting quite rusty underneath as it is my winter beater.

[stadair]

I remember some guy trying to race me in one of those Saabs late at night, back in 91-92. I was driving a 1973 Volvo 164E. He was taunting, but I didn't respond. Finally he gave up. I'm sure I was no challenge.

[Viking71]

I remember some guy trying to race me in one of those Saabs late at night, back in 91-92. I was driving a 1973 Volvo 164E. He was taunting, but I didn't respond. Finally he gave up. I'm sure I was no challenge.

Depends if he had a turbo or not. The non-turbos are pretty slow, especially with automatic transmission. They are heavy cars.

I have an '86 900 S notchback (only imported to US in '85-'86) that I turbocharged. It ran 15.30 @94 mph at MIR about 10 years ago. Could have been in the 14s that night except it was 30 degrees out and the skinny tires I had on it (on black steelies) were like ice blocks. It spun all the way through first and halfway through second...

Several parallels with the Fox Mustangs...both made '79-'93, both got "aero" body changes in '87, both got airbag in '90...