Special Order Factory Colors - 1984-93

[Saleen Forums Admin]

From 1984 through 1993 a Ford dealer or a customer could order at extra cost a non-standard Saleen exterior color.

With the popularity of 5-liter Mustangs during 1985-90, Ford dealers were given yearly allotments regarding the amount of 5-liter Mustangs they could order for a given model year.

Saleen Autosport had a bailment agreement to supply 5-liter Mustangs for conversion. This "pool" of new Mustangs would be ordered in the chosen Saleen exterior colors for a given model year and outfitted with the desired Ford optional equipment Saleen wanted in their conversion cars.

When a Ford dealer ordered a Saleen Mustang using one of these pool cars from Saleen's stable, this order did not count against a dealers allotment of 5-liter Mustangs. So, if a Ford dealer was allowed to order ten (10) 5-liter Mustangs for model year 1987, and if the dealer ordered four (4) Saleen Mustang conversions from Saleen pool of vehicles, those four cars did not count against their allotment of ten (10) 5-liter cars. By selling Saleen Mustangs, a dealer would actually increase their allotment of 5-liter Mustangs from Ford Motor Company for the following model year. So, if a dealer ordered and sold their ten (10) 5-liter cars and took on four (4) Saleen Mustangs from the pool... that counted as fourteen (14) sales of 5-liter cars.

Non-standard exterior colors and vehicles with Ford options or deletes not typically found within a Saleen Mustang conversion came via special order drop-shipments or vehicles found in dealer-stock. These Saleen Mustang orders would come from a dealerships allotment of 5-liter Mustangs from Ford Motor Company. So, if a Ford dealer had ten (10) allotments of 5-liter Mustangs and wanted three (3) yellow Saleen Mustangs... those three (3) would typically come from their allotment of ten (10) 5-liter cars for the year. This would apply for factory sunroof cars, power accessory delete cars and/or the 2-door coupe conversions.

[Saleen565]

Great to know. I own 1989 #0565 and I was told it is 1 of 2 painted in Medium Shadow Blue but I would like to verify that. I purchased the car new in 1989 from John Bleakly Ford in Ga. I also "owned" 90-0024 for two weeks until I realized the seller was attempting to sell me a car that was stolen. Too bad that deal didn't go through because it was 1 of 8 notch-backs produced in 1990. I also owned a 1996 S281 in green but I can't remember the production number.

[Dave]

89-0565 was a Medium Metallic Shadow Blue hatchback. Believed to be one of two 1989 model year Saleen Mustangs painted in this exterior hue. The other one for the year is believed to have been a coupe.

90-0024 was a black and gold coupe. One of very few black paint 1988-91 coupes to feature the gold exterior trim.

It is believed that Ciener-Woods Ford received a Deep Forrest Green 1996 S281 coupe. It was the lone SN95 S281 coupe painted this exterior color. 96-0397 was the ID number.

[Saleen565]

Hi Dave - Thank you for the reply and the picture. What a great pic! There are two medium shadow blue cars in the picture you just posted. The car in the distance appears to be a 1988 car with 1989 wheels. I do not believe any 1989 cars came with the thicker lower striping but I could be wrong. There is a very good chance that the car right behind the black car is mine but I cannot see the wheels in order to be certain. I had the wheels painted to match the car within the first six months of owning it. I sold the car after owning it for 14 months to Bob and Theresa Vickery. She was editor of Mustang Times and they were big into going to car shows so I assume this would have been one of the shows they took the car to. I bought the car back from them 9 years later and I still own it today. I am going to try to attach a pic I took just a few days ago. My car still has the original paint except I did have the front spoiler re-sprayed. I do want to say that my car is without a doubt Medium Shadow Blue. Your information is correct about the black notch-back I "owned" for two weeks and may very well be correct about the green car; I really don't know. I bought the green S281 from a dealer south of Atlanta Ga. (not John Bleakly) and was told the owner was in the military and being shipped overseas but I don't remember why that dealer had the car.

[Saleen565]

I checked the Saleen Book by Brad Bowling and 96-0397 is listed as an automatic car so I know that could not have been the car I owned.

Brad Stevenson

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Saleen565

I checked the Saleen Book by Brad Bowling and 96-0397 is listed as an automatic car so I know that could not have been the car I owned.

Brad Stevenson

The other green 1996 was 96-0066. This S281 was Pacific Green.

Each of the green 1996 S281s are 1-of-1 with their shades of green for the model year.

[00CobraR]

Painting the wheels really enhances the look- great choice and beautiful, beautiful ride!

[epriebe]

I stumbled upon this thread totally by accident and saw the comments about the medium shadow blue Foxes. I saw the photo of the foxes at the carshow and stopped dead in my tracks. The medium shadow blue in the back may very well be ours. Ours is 88-608, with those exact wheels. The stripes were changed somewhere down the line and we are working to correct that. I have included a photo from the original owner along with a present day photo of how it looks now.

[Dave]

This list may have errors:


The "standard" exterior colors for 1988 Saleen Mustang production were:

• Black (1C)
• Oxford White (9L)
• Scarlet Red (2D)
• Dark Grey Metallic (1D)

This makes any of the blue paint 1988 Saleen Mustangs a special request or an ordered car.

1988 Saleen Mustang Production (Blue cars):

• 88-0010 - Hatchback - 5-speed - Medium Metallic Shadow Blue (3R) - Smoke interior (G)
• 88-0015 - Hatchback - Automatic - Deep Shadow Blue Metallic (7N) - Regatta Blue interior (B)
• 88-0165 - Hatchback - 5-speed - Medium Metallic Shadow Blue (3R) - Smoke interior (G)
• 88-0192 - Hatchback - 5-speed - Medium Metallic Shadow Blue (3R) - Smoke interior (G)
• 88-0216 - Hatchback - 5-speed - Bright Regatta Blue (7H) - Smoke interior (G)
• 88-0270 - Convertible - 5-speed - Deep Shadow Blue Metallic (7N) - Blue / White interior
• 88-0543 - Hatchback - Automatic - Medium Metallic Shadow Blue (3R) - Smoke interior (G)
• 88-0608 - Hatchback - 5-speed - Medium Metallic Shadow Blue (3R) - Smoke interior (G)
• 88-0693 - Hatchback - 5-speed - Medium Metallic Shadow Blue (3R) - Smoke interior (G)
• 88-0706 - Convertible - 5-speed - Bright Regatta Blue (7H) - Smoke interior (G)

88-0216 - Was totaled and may not exist.
88-0543 - Was exported out of the USA.

Note: One of the late production, blue paint hatchbacks became a owner created SA10 tribute / replica.

[Saleen Forums Admin]

88-0706 - Bright Regatta Blue

[Saleen565]

I remember the window sticker showed a $500 premium for the Medium Shadow Blue paint.