Got my 83 NCSHP Mustang back!!!

[mustangpro]

Well I finally got her back after 16 years! There's a long story behind it, but I'll try to make it short. My buddy's mom bought this retired NCSHP Mustang for him for graduation back in 89. He had it painted Sherwin-Williams yellow and got the engine hopped up. After a few tickets he decided to sell it, so in 91 I bought it from him. It was a lotta fun to drive but my soon to be wife hated it at the time. So in 92 I traded it towards a new Ranger, man how stupid!! So that was the last time I saw it until about 1998 at our local 1/8 mile drag strip. A guy had stripped it down and built it up strictly for drag racing, still wearing it's yellow paint. I tried to buy it back but he wouldn't sell. Fast forward to 07. Just for the heck of it I traced the car down using the VIN, come to find out the same guy had it but wasn't racing it any more due to money/divorce/kid issues. After thinking about he FINALLY decided to sell it to me. So after 16 long years I have my first Mustang back!! The pics attached are how I found it parked next to the previous owners trailer, it had been sitting there untouched for 3 years. Surprisngly it wasn't in too bad of shape. The last pic was taken in my shop, just before looking it over real good. Notice all of the leaves that came out of the engine bay. From what I understand NC ordered 50 SSP Mustangs that year, I've yet to see another still on the road.

http://www.mustangpro.com/images/SSP_POST/IMG_0021.jpg
http://www.mustangpro.com/images/SSP_POST/IMG_0020.jpg
http://www.mustangpro.com/images/SSP_POST/IMG_0019.jpg
http://www.mustangpro.com/images/SSP_POST/IMG_0016.jpg

[predator20]

What are your plans for it?

[86NeSSP]

Welcome aboard... I saw you over on FEP and thought what and awesome car you had. I am glad that you are hear and have now shared the story of finding your first Mustang and it also being a NCHP SSP... Have fun if you restore it back to glory days. If you just get it back to the colors interior and exterior that would be cool with me. Leave the engine unless you want to tackle putting a OEM 83 GT engine in there. Have fun above all else.

Matt

[mustangpro]

Thanks guys! I'm still stumped on how to restore it. I like the racing setup, but I also am equally excited about it's SSP heritage. I remember when it was bought from the state and how ugly it was, walnut interior, desert tan paint and those plastic Fairmont hubcaps. I refuse to go that route. But..... here's what I have in mind. Keep it in race form, but paint it up like the marked NCSHP cars of the 90's. See my "Photochop" attached. I welcome any opinions.

http://www.mustangpro.com/images/bee/IMG_0020_ck.jpg

[ImEvil1]

Welcome. :)

Was this the unmarked car we talked about before?

[mustangpro]

Welcome. :)

Was this the unmarked car we talked about before?

Thanks! Yep, this is it. Since we've last talked I've gotten rid of all the tacky stuff, pulled the engine, yanked the interior. I'm currently assembling the engine and tranny, hopefully I'll have it driving this spring.

[86NeSSP]

Sounds like you're already heading down the path to a better looking car. I like the photoshop picture. I'd say powder coat the wheels black and it will look the part.

Cool SSP.

Matt

[mustangpro]

Sounds like you're already heading down the path to a better looking car. I like the photoshop picture. I'd say powder coat the wheels black and it will look the part.

Cool SSP.

Matt

Thanks! I'll probably go with the stock black 10 holes with silver center cap. I don't think NC painted them black, but they look cool.

[jarhed123]

Great story behind the car and welcome to the sight!! I like the photo shop. To think I could have done that to my car and not have had to re-piant it. I could have save lots of $$ :Wow: .

[ImEvil1]

Thanks! I'll probably go with the stock black 10 holes with silver center cap. I don't think NC painted them black, but they look cool.

Wow....if it's actually an unmarked car, it would be the earliest documented unmarked car I've ever heard of.

The wheels should have been the 14 inch steel ones. Did you car have them on it when you originally bought it?

[mustangpro]

Wow....if it's actually an unmarked car, it would be the earliest documented unmarked car I've ever heard of.

The wheels should have been the 14 inch steel ones. Did you car have them on it when you originally bought it?

Yep, it was an unmarked car, Light Desert Tan. It did have steel 14" wheels, including the spare. NC ordered them in GL trim, which included Fairmont "turbine" hubcaps. My buddy still has the pics of how it was when they bought it from the state. I have a few pics of when I owned it inthe early 90's with the hubcaps painted black.

Earliest documented unmarked? For NC or the entire fleet? It was built 6/30/83, Entered into service in June 83.

Soon I'll have an entire page on my site deticated to it's history, gathering the pics and paperwork this week.

[mustangpro]

Here are some SSP specific interior pics. Again the factory int color was Walnut, the dash faceplate was woodgrain. I've gotten rid of the tacky yellow accents.

Here's the speedo, I've restored the intruments since this pic, thankfully the stickers came off without much fuss.
http://www.mustangpro.com/images/SSP_POST/IMG_0004.JPG

The relocated trunk release button, to the right of the steering wheel.
http://www.mustangpro.com/images/SSP_POST/IMG_0005.JPG

And the NC Dept. of Crime Control and Public Safety serial tag.
http://www.mustangpro.com/images/SSP_POST/IMG_0006.JPG

[ImEvil1]

Very nice pics. My '83 CSP car is also GL trim. They still came with the correct hub caps, per the special-order parts list that came with my car, but the agency definitely could have swapped on the wheel covers (full size).

I have never heard of an unmarked '83. In fact, I know of less than 10 1983 SSPs period. I know there are more out there, like yours, that aren't curently in the hands of board members or other hobbyists, but they are definitely few and far between.

[mustangpro]

I ordered a Original Equipment Report from Ford a couple of months ago. For the wheel/tire combo it lists.....

• P205/70Rx14" Radial WSW Tires
• Deluxe Argent Wheel Covers

I'll scan this report in soon so you can see all of the original equipment that came on the car.

[ImEvil1]

Those History 999 reports are very inaccurate. There are posts about that explaining the ins and outs over on Four-eyed pride.

Did you find the build sheet in your car?

[mustangpro]

This report so far dead on. Everything listed is just like it was when my friend bought it from the state. When he had the car painted yellow one of the painters pinstriped each fin on those turbines yellow........ talking about tacky!! YUK!! First thing I did when I got it was paint them flat black.

No buck tags and so far no build sheet. But I have taken the back panels out yet. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

[ImEvil1]

This report so far dead on. Everything listed is just like it was when my friend bought it from the state. When he had the car painted yellow one of the painters pinstriped each fin on those turbines yellow........ talking about tacky!! YUK!! First thing I did when I got it was paint them flat black.

No buck tags and so far no build sheet. But I have taken the back panels out yet. Keep your fingers crossed!!!


Let us know....hope you find one.

The parts list I described to you is posted on the website in the tech section.

[FHP0665]

Sweet turn around of events. Looks to be a nice project ahead of you.

[v8only]

wow, that's a great story, and a killer find. It's a very bright car, but seems very clean despite it's hard years. I look forward to seeing your progress, and which route you do go with it.

[Mustang Crazy]

Welcome to the site!

[mustangpro]

Just an update guys. I removed the front bumper cover and headlight panel. Sadly no buck tags to be found. But I did notice while I was under the car that there was an few extra ground straps. Are those SSP specific? One was on the passenger side front cross member and one from the firewall. Both attached to the engine somewhere. I'll take a pic of them and post them.

Hopefully this weekend I'll get around to removing the rear interior panels and see if I can find the build sheet. Since the car has been stripped I doubt I'll find anything.

[ImEvil1]

Good luck with the buildsheet....keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I have a theory on the "second" bucktag and why there aren't any to be found on any of the non-special paint cars yet.

My '83 CSP car, which is original down to the original paint, only has one buck tag, just like any other civilian coupe. A couple of guys with '84s from Oregon, also in white, also have one tag. If your car was a factory unmarked, non-special paint car, it could have come with only the one tag (even though yours is missing). I believe that on the early cars, the solid colors only got the one tag. I could be wrong, but I've yet to see anything to the contrary.

Anyway...thanks for the update and keep 'em coming. :)

[mustangpro]

Sadly there's no build sheet to be found. Oh well. It sems that the buck tag and the build sheet are the only 2 historic items that are gone forever. I guess it could be worse.

I also did a quickie PhotoChop of what my car looked like new. It's also a good explantion for NOT restoring it back to factory colors. YUK!

http://www.mustangpro.com/images/bee/104vi-vi.jpg

[mustangpro]

After some long hard hours put into research I finally hit pay dirt!! I tracked down the Trooper who drove my car in service. Luckily he's a Mustang fan and was very interested in the car's condition. He also saved all paperwork and pics of the car. What an awesome find! Below are pics of the car in service. 2 pics are of the car after an encounter with an F150. These pics were taken between 83-85.

http://www.mustangpro.com/images/my_83_ssp/IMAGE1.JPG

[86NeSSP]

Excellent score... I hope you get a lot of paperwork and maybe some more info on the car as it was in service. What kind of lights, radio and that sort of stuff.

[jarhed123]

Did that car have luvers on the back glass? I kind of looks like it did from the center picture.

[chp1982]

I'm excited for you, that thing is awesome. You are right about the car being ugly but I love it! If it were mine, I would paint it the original color and put the old steel wheels back on but use the dog dish hub caps instead. That would make the car look so much tougher. Maybe put a spotlight on it, if I could convince myself that it should have had one when it was in service, and if the engine is going to be built up, I'd widen the rear steel wheels to 9" or 10". That's my version of your car. I think I better put that excitement towards finishing mine!

[mustangpro]

Did that car have luvers on the back glass? I kind of looks like it did from the center picture.

Thankfully no luvers, it's a combination of a low resolution scan and something behind the car. Hopefully I'll meet up with the Trooper soon and will make better quality scans of the pics.

[mustangpro]

Hello guys!! It's been a long time since I last posted on this and any other Mustang forum. Early 2008 was the last of the good times for me, the great recession bit me hard, and sadly I'm far from where I was before it happened. Shortly after my last post here I lost my job.

I still have my '83 NCSHP Mustang. Sadly nothing really has been done to it since I removed the drag racing parts. She's sitting in front of my shop under a carport awaiting restoration, which may not come anytime soon.

Hope you all are doing well!!

This pic is from Feb of this year.

http://www.mustangpro.com/fox/83_ssp_15.jpg

[MOstang]

Glad to see you posting again, and sorry about the hard times. A rare and interesting car...glad to hear that you still own it.

[kapracing]

Glad to see you posting again, and sorry about the hard times. A rare and interesting car...glad to hear that you still own it.
X's 2


The important thing is "you still have it" :2thumbs:

[chp1982]

Good to hear you still have the car, Chris. I hope all else is well. -Jon

[nighthawk756]

Sorry to hear the bad news. I'm amazed with what you went through that it didn't end up having to be sold. Glad you didn't have to sell. Hang in there and keep us up to date if you make any progress on the resto! ;)

[mustangpro]

While I'm on here for Jon's car, might as well update the ongoings with my SSP. The wife and I celebrated our 30th anniversary this past May. So for gits and shiggles I cleaned up the old Mustang and recreated the photo that was taken at our wedding. It turned out to actually be quite a hoot! Our daughter directed the shoot and took the pics. Fun family times with the old SSP.

http://www.irontreecreative.com/mustang/unnamed.jpg

And unfortunately while cleaning up the floorpan and underdash area, I noticed a hole has rusted through in the cowl area. Sooooo... got to practice up and get good with my welding and address this. But it's slowing heading in the right direction.

http://www.irontreecreative.com/mustang/unnamed-1.png

[chp1982]

That's a car with some great stories!

[28HopUp]

VERY cool! :cool: Thanks for sharing...

[mustangpro]

New wheels! I know... not 83 correct. But these did come off of an 85 NCSHP Mustang! Working on the Escort centers, then refinish the wheels and new tires.

http://www.irontreecreative.com/mustang/IMG-2761.JPG

[NoDrama43]

very cool you still have this one. lots of history for sure.

[dougphillips48]

Chris, you can make it easy on yourself and find a set of 15" 1985 Crown Vic Hubcaps to go with the wheels. That would be correct for a NC SHP car.

[mustangpro]

Chris, you can make it easy on yourself and find a set of 15" 1985 Crown Vic Hubcaps to go with the wheels. That would be correct for a NC SHP car.

I don't know man, not too impressed with that look.

[chp1982]

Looking good, buddy!

[mustangpro]

In service pic...

http://www.irontreecreative.com/mustang/83NC.jpg

[dougphillips48]

Great picture! Hope I can find one someday.