SOLD!! Saleen only built 500 of these special editions, and half were sold before production began in late 2006. This Saleen is number 388 out of 500. The styling is a dead ringer for one of the best-looking Mustangs of all time: Parnelli's '70 Trans-Am championship-winning Boss 302. The Saleen has approximately 5000 miles on the odometer since new.
It began when Parnelli came to Steve asking for a nice late-model Mustang. Parnelli wanted a fun car to drive. After racing with Saleen in the '80s, and with Saleen's headquarters close to Parnelli's Southern California stomping grounds, Steve's company was a logical place to go. Recognizing an opportunity when it came knocking, Steve answered with the 500-example run of the limited edition we see here. The car is wholly a Saleen production-it was designed, engineered, and produced in-house at Saleen, but Parnelli instigated the idea, gave the prototype a good thrashing during development, approved the car, and has taken a pair for his own use.
Saleen begins with a new Mustang GT, removes and disassembles its Three-Valve engine, and then rebuilds it using a forged-steel stroker crankshaft and connecting rods, as well as forged pistons. The cylinder heads are ported and fitted with more rpm-oriented camshafts, better valve springs, retainers, and such. Supporting pieces are underdrive pulleys, a more boisterous 211/42-inch stainless steel exhaust system, 24-lb/hr injectors, a 98mm mass airflow meter, and a more functional version of the late Mach 1 Shaker hoodscoop.
Inside, the orange and black seats dominate the initial impression, but the details pop out. The steering wheel is stock, but the center button is now a Saleen PJ medallion. It doesn't take long to see the PJ logo scribed on the weighty aluminum shift knob; the shifter it's mounted on is a short-throw unit. Peering into the instrument wells show that the instruments are recalibrated into PJ specials.
| 5.0 Tech Specs | |
| ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN | SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS |
| Block | Front Suspension |
| Stock aluminum | K-member |
| Displacement | Stock |
| 302ci | A-arms |
| Bore | Stock |
| Stroke | Caster/Camber |
| Cylinder Heads | Stock |
| Stock, ported | Struts |
| Crankshaft | Saleen gas-filled |
| Saleen forged-steel | Springs |
| Camshafts | Saleen specific rate |
| Saleen | Wheels |
| Intake Manifold | Saleen Minilite-inspired aluminum; |
| Stock | 19x9-in |
| Throttle Body | Tires |
| Stock | Pirelli PZero Rossas; 275/35-19 |
| Power Adder | Brakes |
| None | 14-in slotted and vented discs, |
| Exhaust | four-piston caliper |
| Saleen, 2.5-in stainless steel | Rear Suspension |
| Fuel System | Springs |
| Stock, 24-lb/hr injectors | Saleen specific rate |
| Transmission | Shocks |
| Stock five-speed manual | Saleen gas-filled |
| Rearend | Control Arms |
| 8.8-in, 3.73 gears | Stock |
| Wheels | |
| ELECTRONICS | Saleen Minilite-inspired aluminum; |
| Engine Management | 19x10-in |
| {{{Ford}}}, with Saleen Powerflash | Tires |
| tuning | Pirelli PZero Rossas; 285/40-19 |
| Ignition | Brakes |
| Stock | 11.8-inch vented disc, single-piston |
| Instrumentation | caliper |
| Saleen-Parnelli faced six-pack; | Chassis Stiffening |
| {{{200}}} mph speedo, 7,000 rpm tach | None |
| (6,500 rpm redline); two-gauge | |
| dashpod (oil pressure and | |
| temperature) |