This 1985 Saleen Mustang is a bit scruffy from a cosmetics standpoint, but packs a 331 stroker, four wheel discs, Racecraft suspension and more. The seller says it’s the best handling Fox they’ve owned, adding that it will return mid-12 second ET’s with ~110 MPH trap speed on sticky street tires. Find it here on Craigslist in Mesa, Arizona for $8,500. Special thanks to BaT reader AMF for this submission.
1985 Saleen Fox Body Mustang
Saleen production chassis #65, this number can be seen on both an interior plaque as well as on the horizontal surface of the left side headlight bucket. The seller says it’s one of about 130 built for 1985, of which only five were painted gray. Paint is a respray, which the ad describes as being a 20-footer job at best. The car looks reasonably straight overall, though the passenger side door wears a noticeable ding. The Saleen bodykit looks cool matched with original-style color gradient lower door/rocker decals, and the black-centered snowflakes tie everything together nicely.
1985 Saleen Fox Body Mustang
The interior wears original Flofit sports seats, though the driver’s has a 3-4″ seam split near a bolster. The back is color-matched to the fronts, and appears to have seen little use over the years. A simple Momo wheel with Saleen horn button is paired with manual windows and locks, but the tach is inop due to incompatibility with the upgraded MSD ignition, and the speedometer isn’t working either–presumably due to a stripped drive gear.
1985 Saleen Fox Body Mustang
Says the seller: “This is the best handling Fox Body I’ve owned, bar none. It’s a little bit street cruiser, and a little bit dirty old race car. Mildly modified with rear disc brake conversion and forged 331 stroker with aluminum Edelbrock Performer heads. Koni Adjustable suspension. Crisp throttle response and power, power everywhere. Easily overwhelms these tires, so please no test pilots apply.”
1985 Saleen Fox Body Mustang
Rough and ready but probably a lot of fun, this one could easily be brought up to snuff for relatively little cash, while still enjoying the occasional drive.
BaT Essentials
Lot #191
Location: Portland, Oregon
VIN: 1FABP41E1KF237060
1,083 miles
Never registered
Fully documented
Excellent condition throughout
100% original
Private Party or Dealer: Dealer
1989 Ford Mustang Saleen SSC
1989 Saleen SSC Mustang Front
This 1989 Saleen SSC Mustang is chassis #031 of the 161 SSCs built and has just under 1,100 original miles with comprehensive paperwork from new. Sold with a large binder full of documentation including original sales order, correspondence between buyer, dealer and Saleen, photos of the build process and much more, it’s essentially a brand-new car and remains in excellent, untouched condition throughout. Still registered on its original Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin or MSO certificate, the car is one of our favorites of any Saleen ever built.
1989 Saleen SSC Mustang Rear
Many professionally taken photos show the car in great detail throughout. Built as an unofficial tribute car for the Mustang’s 25th anniversary, SSC stood for Saleen Super Car and modifications were more than skin deep, though a good-looking, Saleen-designed bodykit and Dynamic Performance wheels were standard fit. The seller has verified that all paint is all original using a paint gauge.
1989 Saleen SSC Mustang Interior
Inside, FloFit leather seats and matching door panels wear yellow and light gray trim that complements the exterior stripe scheme. A Momo Montecarlo replaces the bulky Ford OEM airbag steering wheel but retains its cruise control switches, a three-way, center console-installed switch operates electronically adjustable Monroe Formula GA shocks, and Steve Saleen’s signature is scrawled in Sharpie right above the glove box. Also notable is the rear-seat delete option and roll bar. Gauges were specific to the Saleen as well, and somehow were offered with a 200MPH speedo instead of the goofy DOT mandated 85 mph unit in the standard Mustangs that year. The Pioneer stereo and equalizer were fitted by Saleen to all SSCs.
1989 Saleen SSC Mustang Engine
Underhood, Saleen mods include a larger throttle body and revised intake plenum feeding large port Saleen heads. Other changes included an uprated cooling system, roller rockers, and stainless steel tubular headers, the result of which was 292, 50 state smog legal HP—an increase of 67 over stock. Torque was also increased from by 25 lb. ft. to 325.
1989 Saleen SSC Mustang Underneath
An Auburn limited slip differential with 3.55 gears was also added, and the above-mentioned Monroe shocks are joined by Racecraft coil springs. Note that the stock exhaust system is retained and complete including the cats, something very rare on even survivor mustangs these days. Four wheel grooved discs are clamped by SVO calipers, which was a big upgrade over the rear drums on the standard Mustangs, and additional chassis stiffening comes via a four-point brace visible above in the engine bay shot. Note the multiple factory-applied panel VIN stickers shown in the gallery, as well as several more lift shots.
1989 Saleen SSC Mustang Documents
Documentation is extensive and neatly organized, this photo showing only two of dozens of pages of work orders, sales receipts, factory brochures, build process photos and more. The car runs and drives nicely despite minimal use over the years. Oil changes have been performed throughout the years and the car has had one oil filter change – the original oil filter is included. Rear hatch struts have been replaced (originals included), and everything else on the car is original including the tires.
