- The SAAC Mustang is a Fox-body Shelby that Ford never produced.
- The SAAC Mustang was a product of the Shelby American Automobile Club, not Carroll Shelby himself.
- Over 60 pieces were made. This prototype was a promotional car.
In the early 1990s, if you wanted a muscle car sprinkled with Shelby magic, you bought a front-wheel-drive Dodge Daytona. If you wanted a Shelby-infused Ford, sorry, but not unless you’re a member of the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC). In that case, one of these he can get is the Mk 1 SAAC Mustang GT. It was conceived as a Fox body equivalent to the original Shelby GT350.
Perhaps this is a bit of an over-the-top comparison, especially for SAAC members who can be very particular about the facts about Shelby. Still, this prototype Mustang is something very special, and it’s up for sale at Bring-A-Trailer. Both the car and the driver Part of Hearst Autos.
Since this Mustang is a prototype, it has “Shelby” written in several places. Production models were simply labeled SAAC to avoid calling Chrysler’s lawyers. The car was the brainchild of club executives Richard Kopech and Ken Eber, who thought SAAC could do something Ford couldn’t do at the time. They named a member named David Wagner. He was conveniently Ford’s Power Products Operations Group Manager.
Cars are available only to members, and the project officially had Carroll Shelby’s blessing. Some pretty extensive modifications were made, including her GT40 intake, which is made of aluminum, and her GT40 cylinder head, which has slightly increased compression. An underdrive pulley, ceramic-coated header, and her 2.5-inch exhaust reduce parasitic losses. In total, the V-8 engine produces 295 horsepower on the dyno, about 70 horsepower better than the stock 5-point engine.
All cars were manual only and the T5 gearbox received a clutch upgrade. Eibach lowering springs and Koni shocks tighten the handling. Disc brakes were added all around. A roll bar helped strengthen the chassis.
None of these tricks are revolutionary to someone who grew up modifying Fox-body Mustangs, but as a production car package, they were very well executed efforts. Additionally, their rarity and anointing by Shelby’s own approval made these cars highly collectible.
It was also eye-wateringly expensive at the time, at $39,995 before options. That’s over $90,000 in today’s money. SAAC ultimately produced only 62 vehicles. This prototype was a press and promotional vehicle, with 55,000 miles on the odometer, so we’re glad it’s not being treated like a museum piece. A significant portion of Shelby owners tend to drive their cars thoroughly, despite their high value.
This enthusiast-built car continued the Shelby-Ford relationship until it was rebuilt with the Ford GT and modern-day GT350. As one of his rarest models from the Fox-body Mustang era, it will be interesting to see what this model brings. Shelby Club membership is not required.
Auction ends on Sunday, December 3rd.
contributing editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He grew up obsessed with British cars, came of age during the golden age of Japanese sport compact performance, and started writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection of humans and machines, whether it’s racing. The career of Walter Cronkite and Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with Citroëns and his 2CV. He teaches his two young daughters how to shift his transmission manually and is grateful that they provided him with an excuse to buy Hot His Wheels permanently.