Story and photos by MCSD Newsletter Editor Kevin Foley

It was a contest car that no one won. It was labeled the twenty fifth anniversary model that was offered in the 26th year of production. And it was called the Seven-Up Mustang because of it’s dark green paint that was offered only on this model and resembled the color of the soft drink’s bottle.

Yes this car was originally intended as a Seven-Up promotion. Thirty were to be made available for the 1990 NCAA basketball finals for contestants who sank a half court shot. For whatever reason, that contest never happened.
Many thought this was the twenty fifth anniversary car even though it could be debated that 1989 should have been the year Ford offered an anniversary model. Ford officially never offered a twenty fifth anniversary model.
The color was unique to the car. The window sticker called the color “Deep Emerald Green.” The sales collateral said the color was “Deep Emerald Jewel Green.” The touch up paint I purchased when the car was new labeled it as “Deep Jewel Green.” I’ll stick with calling it Seven-Up Green.

Ultimately, Ford built the odd number of 4,103 dark green 5.0 LX convertibles and labeled the cars as “limited editions” in the sales collateral.

Two thirds of the cars were automatic transmissions. The other third were five speed manuals. Of the 4,103 built, 261 were exported with most of those destined for Canada. These Mustangs featured cosmetic changes only. The interiors were all white verses the white and grey interiors offered on the other Mustangs. The side moldings and mirrors were color coordinated to the body color and turbine wheels were used from the GT.
The indestructible 5.0 produced 225 horse power with a 3.27 final drive gear ratio for the manual transmission models.

Regarding the fox bodied series of Mustangs, fox referring to the shared platform with the Ford Fairmont, Mercury cousins and other assorted cars Ford produced off this vulnerable chassis. The fox bodies were produced from 1979 to 1993. The longest run of any of the generations.

Even though the Mustang II may be considered to most as the un-Mustang of all, it has many styling cues that very much identified it as a Mustang, albeit based loosely on the Pinto platform. Ford sold over a million of them between 1974 to 1978. And like it or not, by down sizing the Mustang through the oil crisis helped keep the Mustang name alive until the next generation appeared.

The fox bodied Mustangs that replaced the Mustang II had a European influence which could be credited to Jack Telnack. He was Ford of Europe’s VP of design before moving to head up the design studios in Dearborn.
The third generation Mustang adopted the Ford blue oval on the grill like all other Ford cars and trucks during this era. The fox bodied cars carried none of the styling cues previous and future generations incorporated. I’ve heard some Mustang fans claim this generation as their least favorite probably due to the fact that they didn’t look like a Mustang.

All said, the third gen Mustang did reestablish Mustang as a muscle car in the eighties. Remember the ad, “This Mustang chases Porsches for a living?” This referencing law enforcement’s preference for the Special Service Package Mustangs.

Although the horse power ratings of the 5.0 don’t come close to the 460 horse power available in the‘19 Mustang GT, they were quick in their day and the modifications available make them quick by today’s standards.

I purchased my fox bodied Mustang on April 14, 1990 from Al Maroone Ford in Williamsville, NY. As I walked the lot after hours one weekend looking for a Taurus wagon, the limited edition Mustang grabbed my attention and ultimately my wallet. It’s unique dark green paint contrasted well by the white convertible top set it a part from other Mustangs.

Conveniently, my travels took me by Al Maroone Ford the next Saturday to check up on the car I saw in the back of the lot the weekend before. It had been dealer prepped and was on the showroom floor.

Car buying traffic was heavy that Saturday but once waited on, it didn’t take long to put the deal together. My salesman disappeared for the umpteenth time and another salesman approached me on behalf of his customer. He offered me $250 to walk away from the deal. I turned him down.

A few minutes later he returned with a $500 offer. When would I make money on a car I didn’t even own? To this day never. I rejected his second offer.

All this brings me to the car. Mine is 1,470 of the 4,103 built and is one of the 1,360 with a manual transmission.
Over the years I’ve replaced many batteries, a battery cable, tires, fan and recored the radiator. I was fortunate to buy reproduced Good Year Gatorback tires similar to those that were original equipment.

Back in the day I wanted to remove and replace the luggage rack/trunk lid with a lid sans the luggage rack. I also wanted to replace the GT wheels with the five spoke pony wheels offered on the ‘91 to ‘93 models.

Life somehow got in the way and those things never happened. What I ended up with is a time capsule with everything the way it was when it left the factory. Fox body aficionados are often using this car as a point of reference at the various car shows I’ve attended over the years.

With 24,000 miles on the odometer, it hasn’t seen a lot of use but it has seen some beautiful country. From the Adirondacks of NY State to the Rockies of Utah and California Route 1. It’s been in countless parades back in NY and here in San Diego, car shows and was in Ford’s Mustang garage at the 50th birthday party in Las Vegas. It’s hauled kids to little league, scout camp and ice cream parlors. It even managed to make an appearance in the January, 2015 Japanese men’s lifestyle magazine “Daytona.”

The Mustang has become a member of the family with a lot of fun and memories for a car I stumbled upon walking through a car lot. A definite upgrade to the Taurus wagon.