Resurrection of New Mexico State Police SSP Unit 130

[CNTLOSE]

This thread will be dedicated to the resurrection on NMSP SSP Unit 130. Many of you know I have always been on the look out for a rare SSP with some history since shortly after coming into the hobby. I am proud to say I have found it with this SSP.

This unit served with the NMSP from May of 1990 until August of 1993. Unit 130 was driven by Trooper Edward Espinoza. His duty station was Anthony, NM just south of Las Cruces, NM. Unit 130 and Unit 125 were the only two marked units of the six 1990 SSP's ran by NMSP. Each Trooper had to receive special training before hitting the streets with them. Below is an inservice photo of Unit 130 at this training with Tpr. Espinoza.

I purchased this car in July of 2012 and have been collecting as much information on the NMSP SSP program as possible. I have manged to make friends with the Trooper assigned to Unit 125 (The other marked unit.) and one of the unmarked SSP's. They have provided me with a wealth of informaiton. I also have made friends with another NMSP Trooper who is more or less a historian of the NMSP and is who sent me the inservice photos of Unit 130. I am sad to say Tpr. Espinoza died on duty due to medical reasons. However as shared in the purchase thread of this SSP, all of Tpr. Espinoza's cruisers were called "Ant" because an ant can carry 50 times its weight...and Tpr. Espinoza was a large man as seen below in another inservice photo.

After I purchased this unit and began discovering her history. After service she had a hard life. She was in a minor front in collision at some point and the entire car was sprayed with the thinest layer of black paint possible. No prep work at all, just spray painted. The car did however remain all stock, including the air silencer. The car was last registered in 2003 and expired in 2004. Since then she had been sitting in a garage feeding mice her interior. The car was rescued by a couple with the intentions to restore it, but not as an SSP but as a performance modified coupe. They realized it was a bigger project than they wanted so they parted with it. In the deal included was the maintenance sheet from the NMSP and an original key stamped "130"

So today I went into the garage and said today is the day we get this project started!

[CNTLOSE]

I am planning on doing an all out restoration on this car. I think with her rarity and history she deserves nothing less. I decided to start at the rear and work my way forward.

So my first discovery was this...

...the original spare tire.

But once removed it revealed the only major issue I am aware of so far...

....swiss cheese in my spare tire well.

I was aware of this issue when I purchased her and the seller included the necessary patch piece from a donor Mustang. I then began tearing out the interior and confirmed what I thought I had noticed...mice. Plenty of mice poop and garbage all over the place. I was able to get most of the interior out, leaving just the headliner, dash, and passenger door panel for another day. One thing positive was the rear deck tray was the original one. It shows where the rear ER lights were and the rear radar mount.

So all of that brings everything up to date. My basement is full of interior pieces...in addition to a bunch of FHP stuff for FHP1395. I am meeting with SSPAnthony this weekend to pick up some pieces for the front that she will be needing. All and all it was a great day!

(Note to self...use real camera more not cell phone.)

[MOstang]

This will be a fun thread to keep an eye on....congrats!

[NoDrama43]

nothing like a little ssp action to make the day more enjoyable.

[28HopUp]

Very nice save, Matt! As stated, this will be a fun one to watch...

[CNTLOSE]

Thanks gentlemen, I hope to get the rest of the interior out later today. With any luck I will start getting the engine ready to be pulled as well.

[CNTLOSE]

Finished gutting the interior today. I just have the wiring left to pull out and it will be time to move to the front and get the motor out and engine bay emptied.

Also I am picking up a bunch of parts this Saturday from SSPAnthony. Progress should keep rolling until time to weld. That I will have to hire out

Couple pics of the interior and nastiness that was once sound deadening above the headliner.









...and the nasty.

[CNTLOSE]

Well I was able to spend about an hour on the car today. Have most of the interior wiring unhooked...and my thumbs are killing me. Hope to have the rest out in the next couple days. Should be picking up some parts tomorrow morning and hopefully get the welding done soon.

[CNTLOSE]

Picked up a front clip, nose, dash, and other misc pieces fro SSPAnthony today. (Thanks again Anthony!) Glad to say she will be staying OEM when it comes to the metal.

Dropping off at the storage unit time to install.

[28HopUp]

Happy to hear that SSPanthony was able to help you out. Good call on using original Ford metal. You will never regret doing the job right!