SPECIAL EDITION CONVERTIBLES 1992-1993

In 1992 ½ a special edition LX Convertible Mustang was developed by the Mustang Business Planning group at Ford.  A total of 2196 of these “traffic builder specials” were ordered by dealers to enhance their showrooms during this promotion.  They were all powered with the 5.0L V8 and were available with either the 5-speed manual or AOD transmissions. 

The $850 special cosmetic package included Performance Red paint (exclusive to this limited edition Pony in 1992), a monochromatic scheme to the side moldings, window header, side mirrors, and top of the door trim.  The Pony’s wheels are the stock 5-spoke, running pony wheels – but were painted with a special White (Opal Pearlescent) paint done by Superior Wheel in Kansas.  On the rear deck, a special spoiler was mounted in place of the usual luggage rack, which is found on other LX convertibles.  The interior wasn’t forgotten - the seats were covered with White leather upholstery and trimmed with Black piping to really set it off.  The convertible top also was given a special black interior headliner – not available on other convertibles until 1993 models, when it became standard.

In the last week of February 1993, production was started on two special Limited Edition LX 5.0 Monochromatic Mustangs.  One was done in White, the other in Bright Yellow.  These extra cost packages added $1488 to the price of a normal LX 5.0 convertible.  Both of these Ponies were offered with either white or black personalized leather “Pony” interior (Ponies embroidered on the front headrests), complete with Pony floor mats.  They also came with special Chrome 16” 5-spoke wheels (with the yellow car) or special White 16” wheels with the white car.  A unique rear spoiler replaced the regular LX luggage rack on the trunk lid. Convertible tops were available in either white or black vinyl.  Total production was quite low with only 1460 White limited editions made and 1419 of the Yellow edition.

MUSTANG INDY PACE CARS

So far, there have been 3 Mustangs chosen to pace the Indianapolis 500 race.  The first of these was the original 19641/2 Mustang Pace Car Convertible.  Two convertibles were prepped for use in the actual race and 35 others were used as parade cars.  All were painted Wimbledon White and had a blue “rally stripe” applied lengthwise from the leading edge of the hood to the rear of the trunk lid. On both sides of the car they were decorated with bold “Official Indianapolis “500” Pace Car – Ford Mustang” signs.  The interiors were done in red, white, or blue vinyl.  The two actual pace cars were equipped with stock 289 Hi Po V8s and Borg Warner T-10 4-speed transmissions.  Their suspensions were modified to handle the high-speed turns during the pace laps.  The other parade convertibles had 289 4-barrel (D code) low compression engines and Cruise-O-Matic transmissions.  Ford family namesake Benson Ford drove the pace car.  After the race, one of the actual pace cars was presented to A. J. Foyt, winner of the race.  He reportedly gave it to his maid who used it as an everyday driver – its whereabouts and that of the 2^nd pace car is unknown.  The 35 parade cars were sold to the highest bidding dealers right after the race.

Additionally, 105 Indianapolis Pace Car replica hardtops were presented to Ford dealers as prizes for winning a special “Checkered Flag” sales contest.  80+ Runners up (called “Green Flag” winners) were given the opportunity to purchase one of these replicas.  These 19641/2 hardtops were painted a special “Pace Car White” color, adorned with all the Pace Car signage and rally stripes, and given White vinyl with Blue appointment interiors.  They were all powered with 260 2-barrel V8s, Cruise-O-Matic transmissions and standard 3:00:1 non-locking rear axles.

The second Mustang to pace the Indianapolis 500 race was the 1979 Mustang Indy Pace Car.  The actual car driven on the track had to be capable of speeds in the 100+ mph range and capable of accelerating to 120-125 mph quickly.  Special engines had to be built for this duty and Ford had to reach far back into the parts bins and use some Jack Roush performance pieces.  Just a few parts used: Boss 302 cranks, connecting rods, camshafts, lifters, TRW replacement pistons…289 Hi Po rocker arms, 351W cylinder heads, valve springs…Shelby-type aluminum high-rise dual plane intake manifold…600cfm Holley 4bbl carb…Jack Roush Performance oil pump, oil pan, oil pump drive, push rods, guide plates.  Jackie Stewart drove the pace car in 1979.  Ford built about 11,000 replicas in this new body-style Mustang hatchback.  Only two engines were available, the 302 V8 or the Turbo 4 cylinder.  All were painted a Pewter color with black paint used on the hood and lower body.  Red and orange tape striping gave a bold accent to the bodylines.  “OFFICIAL PACE CAR” bodyside decals were provided loose so the customer or dealer could install them, or not.  Other features included a rear spoiler, front air dam with integral foglamps, pop-up sunroof, non-functional rear-facing hood scoop, special horizontal bar grill, TRX suspension package including forged aluminum wheels and Michelin tires, dash emblem, and black & white checkered Recaro sport seats.

The third and last Mustang to pace the Indy 500 was the 1994 Mustang Indy Pace Car.  These were 1994 Rio Red Cobra Mustang Convertibles.  Three cars were prepared for on-track duty. Relatively few modifications were needed to prepare them.  They were equipped with specially calibrated electronic four-speed automatic transmissions (in place of the stock 5-speed manual), a racing fuel cell, some suspension upgrades, a fire extinguishing system, and a true roll bar. Parnelli Jones, 1963 Indy winner and 1970 SCCA Trans-Am champ, drove the pace car. 

Only 1000 Pace Car replicas were built. They were all Rio Red Cobra Convertibles (the only 1994 Cobra convertibles built) with Saddle Tan interiors and Indy logos on the seat backs.  The Official Indy 500 decals were shipped in the trunk for dealer or owner installation.  They were powered with the 240-horsepower SVT Cobra 5.0-L V8s.  Each car was given a special numbered dash plaque (1-1000). 

In addition to these replicas, Ford also produced 108 Festival cars for use by track officials and other VIPs.  These convertibles were also painted Rio Red and had the same Indy decals but were GT models instead of the Cobras and were equipped with automatic transmissions instead of the 5-speeds.

FORD "PROMO" MUSTANGS

Back in 1964 when Ford was introducing the Mustang, one of the items used by Ford to help promote sales of their cars was the “promo” model.  These were primarily 1/24^th scale plastic models of the cars.  Many of these were given away at dealerships or shipped by mail to prospective customers. 

Today, these “promo” models are highly sought after by model car collectors and Mustang enthusiasts.  The value of these once “give-away” items can range into the hundreds and even thousands of dollars!  Even the dealer’s display racks for these promos and the original boxes they were shipped in are worth serious money to the collectors. 

Ford produced Mustang “promos” starting with the 1964 ½ hardtop.  In the box with the model was a miniature size Mustang brochure.  In 1965 both hardtop and fastback “promo” models were available in several colors.  Most of the Promo models were pretty plain…no opening hoods or doors, and few details, other than the undercarriage.  Starting in 1966 Ford started putting stripes and badges on them.  In 1967 the Promo Mustang was only available as a GT fastback in white, light blue, or red.  The 1967 models, for the first time, were friction models with non-detailed undercarriages.  In 1968 the Promo Mustang was changed to a 1/43 scale and only came in one color – white.  It did come with its own plastic display case.  The 1969 Promo went back to the 1/24^th size and was only available as a Candyapple red Mach I – it is the rarest of the Mustang Promos.  There was no 1970 Promo Mustang.  In 1971 the promo was brought back, available as a Mach I, this time only in the Pewter Metallic color.  The last Promo Mustang was the 1972, again a Mach I, offered in only blue or yellow.

Ford also marketed some other Mustang scale models other than the “promos”.  One was the 1966 motorized Mustang GT, which came fully assembled with batteries and had working headlights – all for just $6.  If you wanted a gasoline powered model it was available for $8.50.  In 1967 Ford offered a GT motorized Mustang which came in a special box which was set up like a garage with windows, etc.  Ford also made 1966 and 1967 fastback Mustang models with Philco transistor radios inside them – the radio controls were on the bottom.

20TH ANNIVERSARY MUSTANGS

Ford developed a special Limited Edition Mustang to mark this occasion.  It was released on April 17, 1984 - exactly 20 years to the day of the original release of the very first Mustang.

 It was offered in both 3-door hatchback and convertible body styles.  All were 302 HO V8 GTs or 2.3L 4 cyl. Turbo GT models with Oxford White paint and Canyon Red interiors.  The front seats were the articulated style but without the adjustable lumbar support. The Anniversary models were also trimmed along the lower body with G.T.350 metallic tape stripes in Canyon Red.  (Carroll Shelby later sued Ford over the rights to the GT 350 name) An original style running horse and tri-color badge adorned the fenders and a special Horseshoe shaped anniversary badge was affixed to the passenger side of the dash.  Three to four months after purchase, the owners were sent a form in the mail to fill out.  Then an appliqué with “Limited Edition,” followed by a serial number (unrelated to the VIN), and below that the original owners name engraved on it was sent to them.  The intention was for this badge to be affixed to the dash by the owners. Bodyside moldings, ala SVO models, in white along with white bumpers rounded out the appearance package.  Convertible owners also had a choice of either a white or black top.

A total of 5260 of these Special Edition 20^th Anniversary Mustangs were built.  Of that, 3,683 were Hatchbacks, Convertibles accounted for 1,317, and the 260 more were sent to Canadian dealers and Ford executives and their breakdown is unknown.

THE TWISTER SPECIALS

In 1970 the Kansas City sales district approached Ford with a request for a special group of muscle cars.  They wanted to order 100 Mach I Mustangs equipped with the most powerful 428 Super Cobra Jet engines and other performance goodies like the Drag Pack, power disc brakes, competition suspension, shaker hood scoops, and Goodyear Polyglas F70X14 raised white letter tires.  Half of these would be C-6 Automatics with 3.91:1 Traction-Lok rears and the other half would be outfitted with four-speeds and 4.30:1 Detroit Locker rears.  They also wanted 100 Torino Cobras similarly equipped and powered with the 429 SCJ/Drag Pack drive train. Additionally, they requested some kind of a special trim package to identify these high performance cars. 

Unknown to the Kansas City group was the fact that Ford stylist Larry Shinoda had just finished designing a special trim stripe and logo for American Raceways, Inc. (ARI), for Mustang pace cars to be used on their 5 tracks.  In fact 10 of these pace cars had been completed, 5 convertibles and 5 Mach Is, all equipped with 428 SCJ engines and 4-speeds.  Meanwhile, ARI went bankrupt, leaving Ford holding the bag on these specially designed cars.  In order to recoup some of the expense that had just been wasted, Ford decided to use this styling package for the Kansas City group special order. They utilized the side stripes, removing the ARI logos and replacing them with Mach I logos instead.  On the rear quarter panels, where large ARI logos had been planned, a large “Twister Special logo” was placed – seeing that Kansas was of course well known for having it’s share of tornados.  All these special Mach Is were painted Grabber orange with the striping done in black.  The Torinos were all painted Vermillion with similar striping. 

Unfortunately, while these Twister Special Mach Is were being assembled, a shortage of 428 engines forced a switch of about ½ of them to the then new Cleveland 351 4V, 300 horse engine.  Since the shortage of 428 engines wasn’t discovered until the special Mach I bodies had already been assembled, all Twisters came with reinforced shock towers.  By the end of the production run, 96 Twister Special Mustangs and 90 Torino Twister Specials were delivered to Kansas City International Raceway to participate in “Total Performance Day”, a factory sponsored event.  Bob Tasca, a well-known Ford performance dealer, gave a seminar to the dealers on how to sell the muscle cars.  From the raceway these hot Fords were driven to the various dealerships in the district.

Incidentally, the ten ARI pace cars were not converted into Twister Specials.  They were probably sold to Ford employees.  At least one convertible has been found in the Detroit area and has been restored.

In 1985 Ford and the Kansas City district sales office once again produced a Twister Special.  Just 90 1985 Mustang GT Twister Special IIs were built by Ford.  76 of these were hatchbacks and 14 convertibles.  The majority were painted Bright Red, the rest were either White or Medium Canyon Red.  Other features include 5.0 HO engines, Traction-Lok differentials, special handling package, quad-shocks in the rear, and dual exhaust.

THE T-5 MUSTANGS

When Ford wanted to sell Mustangs in Germany, they found out that the copyright for the name “Mustang” was already owned by a German trucking company.  Unbelievably, Ford turned down the offer to buy the rights for a paltry $10,000 (due to a long-standing company policy not to buy a name) – instead, opting to re-badge all German export Mustangs as “Ford T-5”, the obscure name that Ford originally gave the Mustang project. 

American service personnel could order a “T-5” through special arrangements with the military PX system and pick it up from the local Ford dealer – shipped free via the US Govt., and home again after his tour of duty, also free.  This is why today we have a number of T-5s in the USA. 

During the first few months of export, Mustangs were transformed into T-5s at the dealerships in Germany, where the cars were delivered.  Ford had packaged the necessary parts and instructions in the trunk.  The dealers were to take these “T-5 kits” and handle the transformation at their own expense.  As a result, the work in many cases was not done correctly, and sometimes not at all.  Starting in late summer, 1964, the T-5 makeover was performed either at the factory, or at Ford’s export facility in Newark, New Jersey.  This ensured that the modifications were done with consistency, a requirement of the German Government.

The changes that were made included: the Mustang badging on the front fenders was removed and replaced with T-5 emblems, wheel cover center caps were changed from one with the word Mustang to plain black ones, the horn ring center was modified to eliminate the Mustang name, on GT models the letters MUSTANG were eliminated from the racing stripe on the lower sides (used unbroken stripes), the tire inflation decal on the inside of the glove box was cut to remove the word Mustang, and the owner’s manual was stamped on the front cover with the words “In Consideration of Trademark rights in Germany T-5”.  Like other export Mustangs, the T-5s also received the underhood export brace, heavy-duty suspensions (to deal with the generally more severe driving conditions in Europe), kilometer speedometers (optional), and locking gas caps (most).  In 1966 the changes were the much the same except the black hubcap centers were not needed. 

Ford continued to convert Mustangs to T-5s through at least model year 1979.  Ford did not keep accurate records of these special Ponies but it is estimated that about 600 were exported each year in 1965 and 1966.  About 200 T-5s have been located and verified as of 1994.  Parts and information on these special editions are very difficult to find.  If you have further questions, you can contact Gary Hanson, an authority on the T-5s:

Ford T-5 Registry
P.O. Box 669
Livermore, CA 94551-0669
(510) 443-0889 call between 6-9pm Pacific Time

For more information, visit the web site of a T-5 owner in Lansing, Eric Line: T-5 Web Site

This option was introduces in April 1965, one year after the Mustang was first sold to the public.  There is no such thing as a factory 1964 1/2 Mustang GT.  Any Mustang that is a real factory GT was built in February 1965 or later.  The GT package was available on all 3 body styles - hardtop, fastback, and convertible.  GTs would be available in the Mustang lineup through 1969.  In 1969 the Mach 1, Grande, and Boss Mustangs took so many sales away from the GT that it was dropped in 1970.  In 1982, Ford, once again trying to enhance the performance image, brought the GT back.

The original 1965 GT option was available only with the two most powerful V8 engines in the Mustang lineup. You could order the "K" code 271 horsepower, solid lifter, high performance engine or the "A" code 225 horsepower 4V power plant. The " A " and "K" designation comes from the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), where in the 5th digit spot they identify which engine was installed in the vehicle. This code is stamped on the door data plate and on the left fender apron (is also stamped on the right apron, but not visible). The 225 horsepower engine could be ordered with either the 3-speed or 4-speed manual or the automatic transmission. The "Hi-Po" 271 horsepower engine was available only with the 4-speed manual. Starting in '66 the Hi-Po could be ordered with the automatic also. Standard rear axle was 3.00 for the A-code and 2.50 for the K-code. A customer could order a number of different ratios as well as limited-slip differentials if they so desired.

All GTs came with front disc brakes. Disc brakes required a larger master cylinder with a "clip-on" lid as apposed to the screw-on cap on the regular master cylinder. In 1965 all the disc brake systems were manual -power assisted was not available. The "Special Handling Package" was also standard with the GT option, which included increased rate front & rear springs, larger shocks, and a larger (.084" diameter) front sway bar. Additionally, the steering box was upgraded to a quicker 22:1 over the standard 27:1 ratio. The steering box tags read "HCC-A W" or "HCC-AX".

The exhaust system also received an upgrade to the dual muffler/resonator system, which terminated with the distinctive through-the-valance chromed trumpets. Rear bumper guards were deleted and chrome rings were inserted in the valance surrounding the exhaust tips.

The exterior changes for a GT were subtle but notable. The grill was equipped with a pair of fog lights emanating from the pony and corral on a set of chrome bars. A special grill with 2 round factory cutouts for the fog light wiring harness was used. On the side fender, the tri color running horse was replaced with the special red GT badge. The "Mustang" emblem was replaced with individual letters spelling "MUSTANG" that ran along the lower fender, inside the rocker panel "racing stripes" that ran between the front and rear wheel wells. Although many were equipped with the styled steel wheels, they were not part of the GT package; they were instead a separate option. The Interior Decor Option ("Pony" interior) was another separate option and not part of the GT package. GTs all came with the then new 5-dial instrument cluster, replacing the Falcon style package. The non-decor interior came with a '65 only black camera case bezel, slightly different than thc '66 one. The brake pedal has a chrome circle with "DISC BRAKE" spelled out in it. A special fog light switch is mounted to the left of the wiper control on the dash.

The GT option was so successful that Ford made all the components available over-the-counter or dealer-installed for all Mustangs. This makes it difficult to determine today, if a particular Pony was indeed a factory GT. Many people have added these parts; some hoping to deceive others into believing their Mustang was a true GT, since they do command a much higher price in the collector's market today. The best way to try to weed out the pretenders is to check all the items above to be sure all of them are present and look factory. Of course, original documentation is the best proof, but it is not always available.

The 1965 GT was the first in a string of high performance Mustangs from the Ford factory. It certainly lived up to the GT badge, by providing true performance in a stylish package!

In 1992 the Special Vehicle Team (SVT) was formed. Their first offering was the 1993 Mustang Cobra. It featured 235 hp 5.0L modified with an 65mm throttle body, 1.72 ratio roller-rocker arms, 28 Ib Bosch fuel injectors, tuned length tubular headers, a "Cobra" upper and lower cast aluminum intake manifold, Borg-Warner World Class T -5 transmission, SVO heavy duty clutch, and a recalibrated EEC- IV engine management system. Suspension consisted of a heavier duty 28.5 mm front anti-sway bar , heavier duty specific rate coil springs, 10.84 inch (front) and 10.07 inch (rear) vented rotor 5-lug, four-wheel disc brakes, and P245/45ZRxI7 inch Goodyear Gatorback rubber.

Styling was a cross between the LX and GT pieces, with the nose cap exhibiting the best of both styling approaches. The rear spoiler was somewhat different than most traditional Mustang spoilers, and special Cobra and Mustang running horse badging appeared both front and rear and on the car's fender flanks. Interiors were in either 1993 Mustang GT trim, or optional Ebony or Opal Grey leather with special badging. The Cobra was available in Vibrant Red, Ebony, or Teal Metallic. A total of 4993 Cobras were built.

The 1993 "R" model Cobra was sold mostly to racers, although more than a couple have ended up in the hands of speculator/collectors. Only 107 of these race-bred Ponies were built. Drive trains were the same as regular 1993 Cobras but they were equipped with considerably stiffer suspensions and larger front and rear disc-brakes. Special SN95 type six spoke wheels with black-out centers were also a part of the R-model packages. Deleted from the standard Cobra's amenities were: power windows, radio, heater, insulation, sound-deadening materials, and other luxury amenities.

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE IN 1972  When Ford's Mustang sales were sliding and high horsepower rating were a thing of the past, a limited edition Sprint Mustang (also available on Pintos and Mavericks) was born in 1972.  A special eye-catching Red, White, and Blue paint scheme along with bold USA flag decals was developed to not only salute the 1972 Olympic team, but also add some flash to the advertising and bring potential customers into the showrooms.

A special group of 50 convertibles (1 for each state) were built for the Washington DC annual Cherry Blossom Parade.  All the rest (150 estimated) were built in either Sportsroof (fastback) or Grandé (coupe) body styles.  There were Two option "packages" available.

These packages listed for $156.00 for package "A" and $347.46 for package "B".  Most of the Mustang Sprints were produced with the 2-barrel Cleveland V8, but others were built with 302 2V Windsors, a few Q-code 351 4 barrels, and even a 6-cylinder engine.

Trying to identify the 1971-73 Mustangs is much more difficult than for the early cars, simply because there were not as many visual changes to the exterior as in previous years.  The ’72 Mustang was a virtual carryover from ’71, with most of the changes coming from making optional equipment standard.  The ’73 added some subtle styling cues, but for the most part remained almost identical.  But there are some key differences between the cars.

GRILL – The grill area provides some of the best identification available.  In ’71 and ’72, the base grill is a plastic honeycomb mesh, and the familiar horse and corral with two horizontal bars running to the headlight buckets returned after a two year absence.  The headlight buckets mold around the mesh area, making a one-piece unit.  The outer opening is trimmed in chrome and the whole unit sits back slightly in the grille area.  The Mach I grille for ’71-’72 utilizes a honeycomb pattern with two parking lamps mounted horizontally on each side.  The horse and corral was replaced with a smaller Mustang and tri-bar setup, ala the ’69-’70 Mustang.  The ’73 grille takes on a different look altogether, going to a rectangular mesh center and omitting the horizontal grille bars in favor of a pair of vertical ones.  The headlights were placed in a rectangular bezel finished in either chrome or flat black and the grill is nearly flush with the front edge of the hood.  The parking lamps are standard in both the Mach I and the regular grille, and the lens run vertically instead of horizontally.

BUMPER/TRIM/FENDERS – The standard bumper on the base Mustang is a chrome unit.  Bumper guards were available in two styles:  one that covered the front edge of the bumper and one ran from the bottom of the bumper to the lower front valance.  The Exterior Décor package included a molded color keyed bumper with matching front hood and fender trim.  This bumper had small indentations located at the point where the front license plate would match the bumper.  For ’73, the bumper is a full 1” bigger due to the new 5 mph regulation.  The small indentations are moved out to a point equal to the inside of each headlight bezel.  Because of the new bumpers, fenders for the ’73 Mustang will not interchange with those of ’71-’72 vintage.

REAR EXTERIOR - The quickest and easiest way to tell a ’71 car from a ’72 or ’73 is the rear Mustang lettering.  On a ’71, the individual letters are stretched across the back of the trunklid, similar to the type used on early Mustangs.  For ’72-’73, a small script “MUSTANG” appears on the decklid just above the right taillight.  All years had a chrome rear bumper, and rear bumper guards were available on ’71-’73 non Mach models, and bumpers on ’73 models extend farther from the car, due to the new safety standards.  ’71 Machs came with a pop open gas cap, while ’72-’73 Machs used a standard twist type cap.

HOODS – The standard hood for all non-Mach I cars was virtually flat.  Optional for all years was the non-functional hood with two NASA scoops mounted in the front.  All ram air hoods came with a plastic plenum mounted underneath, and indentations in the front of the hood for two twist type hood locks.  Non-ram air hoods still came with the holes to mount a ram-air plenum, since they both used the same framing.  Ram air was available on any motor 351-2V or bigger in ’71 through mid ’72, then only on 351-2V after that.

WHEELS – The base wheelcover for all three years was a steel unit with simulated rectangular cutouts towards the outside rim.  The Grande wheelcover also remained the same, but had a black spun center with simulated vents in the middle diameter of the cover.  The hubcap and trim ring combination and the sport wheelcover that made their debut on the ’70 model Mach I were continued until ’73 as optional on all models (hubcap/trim ring was standard on the Mach I).  The chrome Magnum 500s were available as an option on all cars with Competition Suspension in ’71-’72, and was replaced by a 5-slot aluminum rim in ’73, available on all models.

TAPE STRIPE – A tape stripe was available from ’71-’73 that began at the lower part of the front fender and ran along the bodyline.  This tape stripe was available on the ’71 Mach Is, Bosses, and Sports hardtops, any ’72 with the Exterior Décor Package or Mach and ’73 non-Machs with the Exterior Décor group.  The ’73 Mach I received a new stripe that began at the front side marker lamp and ran straight back.

INTERIOR – The interior of the ’71-’73 changed very little.  The plain 2-spoke steering wheel that was standard in ’71 was dropped in ’72 in favor of the deluxe 2-spoke steering wheel used in the ’71 Mach I Sports interior.  This wheel was available as leather wrapped unit in ’73 only.  A deluxe 3-spoke rim blow similar to the one used in ’69-’70 was still available.  The power window unit was changed in ’73 from a four in-line flush unit to a 2-2-1 setup that fit in a small protruding panel in the door.

ENGINES – 1971 was the year for the big horse motors, which after ’72 went by the CAFÉ wayside.  All three years saw the base engine a 250 cubic inch 6 cylinder, followed by a 302 in 2 barrel only, the 351 in 2 or 4 barrel, and in ’71 you could get a 351 HO (the Boss motor) or the 429-4V in CJ, SCJ, or Drag Pak configurations.

200 lucky Mustang performance enthusiasts own these very special limited edition Ponies.  Powered with 351 Windsor 5.8 liter engines, developing 280 hp, Ford meant for them to be sold to and owned by racing enthusiasts.  Hope was that they would carry the Ford oval to victory on tracks across the country.  Unfortunately, speculators who were certain that their limited status would make them highly collectible snared most of them. 

All these Cobra Rs were painted Crystal White and had Saddle Cloth interiors.  In addition to the 351 engine it was equipped with an air-to-oil engine oil cooler, a heavy-duty two-row aluminum radiator, a Tremec 5-speed manual transmission, and a 3.27:1 limited-slip rearend.  Suspension in front: Independent, modified heavy-duty adjustable Mac-Pherson strut type, 700/850 lb.in progressive-rate coil springs, 30mm anti-sway bar, strut tower brace.  Rear suspension: Rigid axle located by four trailing links, 200/600 lb/in progressive-rate coil springs, adjustable shocks, 27mm anti-sway bar.  Steering was via power-assisted rack and pinion, 14.7:1 and utilized a water-to-oil power steering cooler.  Front brakes are 13.0 vented discs and rears are 11.65 vented discs.  Five spoke aluminum 17X9 inch wheels are wrapped with BF Goodrich Comp T/A ZR P255/45R 17 tires.  In order to shed weight the following standard Cobra items were deleted: AM/FM cassette stereo radio, power windows, power locks, manual air conditioning, underhood light, sound insulation, fog lights.

In the 80s, Ford Motor Co., alarmed by the Japanese inroads into their business, decided that smaller, high-output engines would be the future.  To develop these engines and collateral technology, the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) team was formed.  The first product from this organization was the 1984 SVO Mustang. 

At the heart of the SVO was its engine.  Using the reliable cast iron 2.3L OHC engine, the SVO engineers tweaked it to an 8.0:1 compression powerplant that put out 175 horsepower at 4,400 rpm.  Compared to the ’83 5.0L HO, which put out the same HP at 4,000 rpm, the 4-cylinder lightweight was a winner.  The SVO engine did this by using special pistons, bearings, valves, camshaft, oil cooler, and tuned 4-tunnel intake manifold.  The turbocharger with intercooler boosted the engine charge up to 14 psi.  A Borg-Warner T-5 transmission was used to transfer the 210 ft./lbs. (at 3000 rpm) to the rear axle.  The chassis was also treated to special upgrades:  Koni shocks, tuned springs, bushings, and anti-sway bars, quad shocks in the rear, a Traction-Lok axle (or traction bars on early models), 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes, Lincoln Continental front suspension pieces, revised front end geometry, a quick 20.0:1 steering ratio, and 16x7 inch cast aluminum wheels with German Goodyear NCT tires (Gatorbacks were used later).

Inside the SVO a leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob, and emergency brake handle joined the standard cloth or optional lumbar-adjustable bucket seats.  A Hurst developed shift linkage, lever, and knob and a left side “dead pedal” handled the gears.  In the center of the dash was the fog lamp, Premium Sound System amp. and fuel recalibration switches.  Replacing the amp gauge was a turbo boost gauge, an 8,000-rpm tachometer, and a speedometer calibrated to 140 mph (for legal reasons, no numerals were printed after 85 mph).  The exterior featured a special offset hood scoop that directed air flow to the intercooler, a dual-plane rear wing, high/low beam headlights replaced the dual light setup on the standard Mustangs, rear wheel spats directed cooling airflow to the brakes, fog lamps were added to the lower front fascia, and “SVO” decals were affixed to the rear deck lid.

The SVOs also received the following normally optional equipment as standard: AM/FM stereo radio, Premium Sound System, interval windshield wipers, tilt steering, electric rear window defrost, the Light/Convenience group, complete tinted glass, and lower bodyside protection.  Air Conditioning also became standard in December 1983.

The 1985 SVOs had few significant changes until mid-year when the engine received a 30 hp increase.  A new camshaft, new intake manifold, new turbo, new fuel injectors, and a new dual exhaust system made this happen.  Only a few cosmetic changes were made to the 1986 SVO and this was the last year of this special Pony.  

Similar to when Ford announced in 1973 that there were to be no more convertibles…when the end of the SVO was announced in 1986, sales took off!  Most agree that the price of the SVO ($15,000 – 17,000 sticker) was its biggest drawback.  5.0L HO GTs could be purchased for much less.  The SVO was, from the outset, destined to be a limited-edition vehicle with a scheduled production of 10,000 units.  It was a niche vehicle, which showcased what Ford could do with a small displacement engine and performance mods.

Ford never really made an official 25^th Anniversary Edition Mustang.  However, they did make a Limited Edition 5.0 Liter LX Convertible with a special paint color “Clearcoat Anniversary Green”.  Other features on these special Ponies included the White leather interior, White convertible tops and the GT-style Polycast aluminum wheels.  They could be had with either a T5 manual or AOD four-speed automatic transmissions.  3800 units were scheduled, but some say as many as 5,000 units were actually produced, starting in January 1990. Sticker price on these eye-catching convertibles was $18,949.

There is a registry for these special edition Mustangs: The Mustang Limited Edition LX 5.0L Convertible Deep Emerald Green Registry c/o Barry Bower, 374 Hunter St., Benton Harbor, MI 49022, ph. 616-925-4743.