Back in a SSP...FHP 1395
 

Well I am the new owner of FHP1395. I purchased the car this past week and have put about 60 miles on it so far. My plans are to use it as a DD until this summer or fall...with a break during the salt season. If all goes according to plan I will start a "driver" restoration at that time. I have this cars entire history since the first civilian owner purchased it from the FHP. I also have copies of the accident report and all the photos.

Here are a couple photos from the ad. With the weather and Holidays I have yet to be able to take my own...although I think most of you know this car.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...1914_33_59.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...lose92/122.jpg

Congrats. Looks like a nice car.

Matt - Looks like a real nice SSP...congrats.

That is one clean FHP:thumbsup: Its cool you got the old photos of it too. If I ever look at buying an FHP, I would try to find one that was wrecked when inservice and hopefully get the awesome inservice photos:)

love the FHP cars !

This site actually has 3 of the accident photos on the agency in service picture page. What is great about them is they document a lot about this car. Like one interesting fact is this FHP SSP did not have FHP seal on the trunk like all the others I have seen. I also have some poor in service interior pics that could help if I wanted to do a 100% correct restoration. But my intentions are to keep this as a driver, trailer queens are not my cup of tea.

Amen!!!

Matt, congrats on the new FHP! I actually thought long & hard about buying that car when it came up for sale. I thought FHP #1395 would complement CHP #8395 quite nicely. :)

Please post up pictures as you make progress on the car.

Will do.

I have already began collecting all the correct pieces for a marked restoration including a JSS controler, ventshades, and radio equipment. I am also picking up a set of NOS quarter windows after the first of the year. Only thing that will give me some trouble is the correct Federal deck lights. I already have some Dasmasters which would be correct for the time period...just not on this car.

the radar that was used in that car is going to be expensive too.

I will prob just buy one on ebay...you can usually pick them up rather cheap. Only problem is I can not tell for sure whay kind it was based on the pics. They removed the radar unit before they took the interior photos at the body shop / tow yard. Based on the antenna I am guessing it is a MPH K55 though.

its not an mph unit. ill get back to you later on it

I stand corrected. It WAS a MPH unit. It was the BEE system with dual antennas according to the trooper who drove it.

http://policeradar.net/mph_radar.htm

Thanks....did you get that info in an email by chance? If so I would love to have it to add to the info book.

If so let me know and I will PM you my email address.

no email sorry. It was via phone conversation I had with him while I was at work. He is now a Lt. in the FHP

Okay, thanks. I may try to email or call him at some point. I am just curious if he remembers correctly...at least on the rear anntena. None of the accident pics or tow yard pics show one. I guess it is possible it came flying off during the crash. I will check the rear deck for extra holes but if it was mounted to the headliner I am out of luck as the original is long gone.

Thanks again for the info.

He thought it was mounted on the rear package shelf but you will not find evidence of it. I looked. Im not so sure it ever was really there. There was nothing on the headliner.

Okay, thanks!

Well after looking over the package tray I did find two unusal holes. I found the four from the rear deck lights, but next the driver side deck light I found two additional holes. They are at an angle so maybe this could have been where a rear antenna was mounted?

I will try and post a pic soon. But does anyone know for sure if the FHP they own had a rear antenna and if so where are your mounting holes? are they at an angle?

I am still thinking at the time of the accident it did not have a rear antenna based on the pictures. But since the entire radar was removed while waiting for repairs I guess it would be possible that when it was replaced a rear antenna was added.

Well today was the day. We went and pulled her out of storage today. Hooked the negative cable back up and fired up on the first try!

So I ran her downtown and had the out of state inspection done finally, so now I can DD for the summer. One thing and the only thing I did before storing her was I put a Steeda Tri Ax shifter in it. Clutch cable is shot so I had already ordered a Steeda adjustable one while she was in storage...that will be the first thing I do. Last thing it needs for now is an alignment. Once those issues are addressed she will be used quiet a bit.

Future plans are this winter to pull the motor and re-gasket the entire engine and take care of all those PIA 302 leaks. Plus change out a few items like timing chain and oil pump to keep her healthy. Engine bay does not look bad so I will probably leave it alone other than cleaning it up. I have already aquired NOS quarter windows, a JSS controler, a like new VASCAR unit, MICOR set up with NOS speaker and mic, and a few other odds and ends.

So here are a few pics fresh out of storage and with no bath.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26164929.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165019.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26164908.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165032.jpg

A few more...

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165215.jpg

A little FHP tan still showing

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165241.jpg

FHP kill switch still installed and working.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165336.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165414.jpg

Last two...

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165111.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...6-26165145.jpg

I've always had a soft spot for that particular FHP. I always thought FHP 1395 would look nice next to CHP 8395, so at some point we will have to get our cars together for a photograph or two. The car looks sweet! Now that the weather is nice, I hope you get her back running smoothly for many happy miles.

Looks great Matt. :cool:

Thanks guys, it really is a nice car. Just a few items to address on the mechanical side, but not to the point I can not enjoy her while I work on her.

Great Car! Where do you guys get lucky and find these things? All the ones I find on need serious work... Hope to find one like yours, super nice!

Thanks!

Keep looking, they pop up. Right now on ebay is a nice low mileage white unmarked SSP.

Yea, I saw the white one and I'm watching it. I'd rather not spend 700-1000 bucks on shipping a car. I'd rather put that into a nicer car that is a few hours away and drive it home.

Can you explain the FHP kill switch? Does it simply kill the engine when the clutch is pressed and keys are not in the ignition?

The keys are in the ignition and the car is left running. When the switch is flipped if someone pushes the clutch in, it will kill the engine. You then have to flip the switch back to restart the car.

As far as travel....some of the best times I have had is flying in to pick up a car and drive it home. Mainly because I get a much needed break from our four little ones..lol.

Cool thanks!

I bet! lol

Looking good! If you poke around on ebay you can find the correct older style plastic spotlight handle, sometimes by itself although you might have to buy a complete unit to pirate the handle.

I actually have one in a box already...just waiting until I restore the car before putting it on since I will be gutting the interior. But thanks for the heads up!

Well today was so nice out I figured it was time to give 1395 a bath. She sat outside all summer and due to the leaks, brake booster, and now a clutch issue she has just been sitting. I put the Cobra away a couple weeks ago and since she has been sitting nice and dirty in the garage next to the NM SSP.

The NM car is basicly on hold until spring time when I will get her media blasted. So in the mean time I will be addressing the fluid leaks, clutch...which I hope the cable just needs adjusted, new brake booster, and a few other odds and ends on 1395. I am also debating on putting on some GT40P heads and matching hardware that I have sitting around. With this being a FHP I know I will never put the time and money into that I am the NM SSP...just too many of them. Whatever I do it will be nothing crazy and will be stuff that could be undone in a weekend.

So for the time being here are some updated photos of 1395.

...man I wished the paint looked half as good as these photos make it look. :D

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...5/100_9681.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...5/100_9678.jpg

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/q...5/100_9669.jpg

Still looks good, Matt!

Thanks!

Always fun to get them out and cleaned up! :thumbsup:

Reading this thread and enjoying it

Was just wondering where the photos are of the accident that was mentioned?

Lovely looking car.

Peter

Thank you

Here is link from a former owner who loaded them on the site in 2008. I have a few more, but you get the idea.

http://specialservicemustang.net/for...hlight=fhp1395