Pennsylvania State Police Mustangs
 

I posted this at .org, but I'm going to re-post it here for anyone that doesn't post there...............


In the vehicle usage page it only shows PSP as having 1992 Mustangs. I know they had them in 1985.

Back around 1985 a few friends and I were taking a little road trip across IS90 in PA when I noticed a Ford Mustang come up behind me. I was in the left lane speeding. I moved over to let him pass and he came up on my left side and sat there for a couple seconds. I looked over and it was a PA State Trooper. He had a light on his dash that looked like it was mounted to a bracket that allowed him to flip it up in view when needed, and down out of sight when not. I immediately slowed down and he went ahead of me and stopped someone else.

I don't remember much about the car other than that. I just remember the officer being in uniform, the dash light flipped down in front of his dash, and the fact that he was driving an unmarked FORD MUSTANG!

I was wondering if anyone had any information on the PSP Mustangs??

Who is Fred Johnson? He's listed in the Special Service Mustang Owners Association as having a 1985 PSP SSP.

I know PSP had a Mustang on the interstate in '85. It's the only Mustang I've ever actually seen in service.

If anything, someone at least tell me who Fred Johnson is.

No idea on who Fred Johnson is, but there have been a few mistakes discovered over the years in the usage chart you referred to (nothing is ever perfect, right?).

Definitely could have been an SSP you saw, or a regular production coupe used in-service. We bought both (for some reason) where I work now.

I found a possible phone number for the guy. I'm just going to try and call him myself tomorrow and see what I can find out.

I know the list isn't right. I also bet there's more out there than we know. My Frisco Texas PD car is a 1 of 1. Still has the buck tags and I've confirmed it through the PD. I'm betting there's cars out there we don't yet know about.

I saw that thread....and I'm glad you were able to confirm it. There are tons of them out there that we don't know about yet.

You are lucky to have confirmed yours (luck with some hard work on your part). Many guys have no idea what agency, if any, their cars served with. Something that is often overlooked in other discussions is that numerous governmental agencies (non-LE) and private (fleet) companies ordered these cars, too.

PASP has had many unmarked cars over the years running traffic so it could have been an SSP in 1985 as most all of the cars they used were package vehicles. I don't think they had many though due to the weather conditions. Since Police in PA are not allowed to take radar unless they are PASP, many of the stealths PASP ran out there either ran radar and then paced cars for speed checks when they were mobile.

I was glad to read that you had confirmed through the Frisco PD that they used a Mustang. As Mike noted, it could have been a non-police use car bought by the city. But now you can proceed with the restoration as it was originally used. Since Frisco apparently used different markings, did you decide on a paint/marking design?


Getting back on topic -
Jim, let us know if you find out any information from the gentleman you are trying to contact.

Believe it or not, Frisco doesn't have any photos of their old Mustang. The did email me pics of what the cruisers looked like at that time, and then the (2) style changes since then.

My car went from a white marked cruiser to a black detectives car. So it's last point of service was in no way marked or equiped. FPD has 'School Resource Officer' cars that have more of a simple NYPD look with the patch on the door and Frisco Police in blue letters next to it. I feel that if the car would have been put back in service instead of sold, that's probably the direction it would have went.

I could make it a black detectives car since that's how it was last used in service, but I want to return it to its factory color.

The 1985 PSP SSP Mustang lives!

I have been in touch with the owner. The only thing more fun than finding a SSP, or information on a SSP, is finding one that wasn't known to exist.

Good to hear...keep us posted on what you find out. Also, shoot me the VIN if you want so I can include it in the project we are working on here.

I almost bought that Frisco car myself.....and am glad you picked it up. It is a rare one for sure especially with the vinyl interior. I hope you can get it back in running order as it is a neat car.

Looking forward to getting to know you all as I am new to the forum. My father (Fred) and I have an 1985, what we beleive to be an unmarked SSP, Mustang that we bought in 1988 from an ex- PA detective that was never used in service. I am in the process of trying to validate it so that I can restore it.

Best,
Clay Johnson

Welcome to the site. Is your car an AOD by chance?

Great job with trying to pull some of these pieces together. :thumbsup:

What is a package vehicle? I can tell you that our Mustang came with Ford undercoating (prob to combat PA road salt) and is all black with no cutouts or holes for lights, etc. which leads me to think it was detectives car. It does have the 140 speedometer....and a caution sticker my the shifter that reads: Do not lower windows above 140 m.p.h.

Sorry....what is an AOD?

Clay, a "package car" is a factory-optioned police package vehicle. A police package car could be anything from a Crown Vic, Charger, B4C Camaro, SSP Mustang, etc.

If your car is a SSP, then it would have a 6-digit DSO number listed on the door's VIN sticker. All SSP's have a 6-digit DSO, but not all 6-digit DSO cars are SSP's. Ford built regular cars and were sold with 6-digit DSO's. Your car's Buck Tags on the radiator support may contain useful information. The restoration info linked on our main page should help you identify your car.

An AOD is an automatic transmission with overdrive. ;) Post up some pictures when you can...

Interesting, our car has a four-digit DSO...

"Larger orders have been seen filled via different 4 digit DSO numbers, and the numbers also varied when batches of cars with different options were ordered, such as with the 1993 Florida Highway Patrol's unmarked cars."

Hopefully ours is not fake. It is a 5 speed transmission.

Ours was definately unmarked and not used in service (we bought it in 88 with 3k on it).

I will work on getting some photos uploaded and a full description of the car's options/ features.

off the top of my head, it has:

stabilizer braces underneath
stainless steel exhaust
hurst shifter
trunk quick release button
140 certified speedo
3.08 rear
no emission control system
undercoating with blue ford logo plugs
dead pedal

Clay, another great resource for Ford fans is Marti Auto Works, who sells a Standard or Deluxe Marti Report that lists the options for a specific vehicle -

http://www.martiauto.com/reports2.cfm


These reports have been invaluable to the research we've been doing as part of our VIN Project.

Clay,

The cars could either have a 2 digit DSO, or a 6 digit DSO. Yours is 6. The quote above refers to the method that Ford used to separate the orders, which are educated guesses on our parts based on the documentation that we've seen. In the FHP example above, the special-paint (two-tone) marked cars were produced under different order numbers than the non-special paint (solid color) unmarked cars. Thus, the 4 digit order numbers are different (the last 4 of the 6 digit DSOs).

The sticker that you mention was added by someone and is not an original part of the car.

One last thing to add to what Bill said...the "package" is the Special Service Package. It isn't a "police" package as it relates to the Mustang, and Ford specifically mentions that in its' published literature.

We are looking forward to seeing your pics.

I already have a marti report. Is there something I should be looking for?

If the order type is retail, does that mean it's not anything 'special'?

I will post a picture of the ad from Hemmings from back i 88 when we bought it.


ORDER TYPE: RETAIL
DSO ITEM #: 6005
DEALER #: 44U509
FOX AUTO SALES INC
743 E HIGH ST
WAYNESBURG PA 15370
IMPORTANT DATES
ORDER DATE: 02/02/85
CAR SERIALIZED: 03/01/85
BUCKED: 03/21/85
SCHEDULED FOR BUILD: 03/25/85
ACTUALY BUILT: 03/30/85
RELEASED: 04/02/85
SOLD: 04/12/85
STATISTICS
Your car was one of:
5,005 With this Paint Code
2,492 With these Paint/Trim Codes
1,159 With these Engine/Transmission Codes
2,449 Ordered from this DSO
56,781 With LX Decor Group
For the 1985 Mustang 2-Door Sedan
Your vehicle was equipped with the following features:
- Console
- Traction-Lok Rear Axle
- Optional Axle Ratio
- P225/60VRX15 Black Sidewall Performance Tires
- Tilt Steering Wheel
- Air Conditioner - Manual
- Rear Window Defroster
- AM/FM/Cassette Stereo Radio
- LX Decor Group
- Tinted Glass
- High Output Carburetor Engine
- Five-Speed Manual Overdrive Transmission

http://www.specialservicemustang.net...6&d=1331307839

http://www.specialservicemustang.net...6&d=1331307839

Mike, thanks for clarifying what I had said. I should have known better...

Clay, thanks for the pictures. That's a sweet looking 85! For your reference, here is a Standard Marti Report for a 92 SSP (I haven't seen one yet for an 85) -


http://www.specialservicemustang.net...9595marti1.jpg



You'll note that the Special Service Option is listed. Now, it's entirely possible that errors may occur on these Marti Reports, but they are generally spot-on.

Where's the photos of the car? I don't see them Bill.

I just edited Post #21 of this thread to make the attachment appear as a regular picture.

Bill, follow the link of my 10:47am post.

Thank you all for your patience and expertise as I try to figure out if I have something rare or just a 'knock off'. I really appreciate your time and interest.

Clay: You're looking at the DSO # 6005 that is just below the order type and just above the dealer number. That is the district sales office order #. That is not the domestic special order #, which is what we're talking about and is what all SSPs had. Same acronym but two different things. The domestic special order #, if it exists for any particular car, is part of the two-character region and district, also know as the district sales office. Which means the DSO would be a total of six characters. Looking at your Deluxe (Marti) Report, it would be in the "Door Data Plate Information" box and would say "_____ ordering district under domestic special order # ____" and in the image of the door sticker (above where it says DSO).

+1 to what Mick said. The lack of the SS option on the Marti report could be an error, since they manually look those up, but if it doesn't have a 6-digit DSO on the door tag/buck tag/buildsheet, then it isn't an SSP.

The 140 Speedo doesn't look factory, and doesn't have the verified calibration label. Haven't seen any ssp evidence, but that doesn't mean an agency couldn't have used it

"Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"

That's all I get right now. Why can't I see the photos?? I can see the Marti report though.:headscratch:

He already stated that it wasn't used in-service and had 3k miles on it when they purchased it.

Same here, Greg. It looks like the original attachment was deleted.

Ok thanks Mike... I thought I was staring at the screen too much and missed it!!?:D

But the owners question is whether or not it's a SSP, not if it was used in service.

Also, this car in question is the one I've been talking with the owner with for some time now.

Right. I didn't mention service use, I think that you did?

If you have pics, which it sounds like you may have seen at some point, can you post them up here for him? It looks like he's having trouble posting them up and the link above is dead.

No, you mentioned service. I was just replying to your comment.

Lets backtrack:

I had seen Fred Johnson listed as owning a 1985 Ford Mustang PSP SSP here:

http://www.sspmustang.org/ssmoa/SSMOA_Members.htm

I tracked him down and contacted and have been trying to get info.

His son Clay contacted me this pass week with this:


Fred told me he installed those red deck lights on the package tray years ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OSP959(R) (Post 33139) The 140 Speedo doesn't look factory, and doesn't have the verified calibration label. Haven't seen any ssp evidence, but that doesn't mean an agency couldn't have used it

The post above was what I referenced. If your comment about an agency "using it" didn't refer to service use, my apologies.

Thanks for posting the pics, too, so we can all see what you were referring to.

Oooooo look!? I can see pictures now! What's with the early 80's hubcaps?

194570 is not in a consecutive batch of 5.0L coupe VINs, but it is immediately followed by two consecutive 5.0L hatchbacks

Thanks Fox! :cool: Regardless if it is a SSP or not, that still looks like a nice notchback... :yes: