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Saleen mustang
History
The company was founded in 1983 originally as Saleen Autosport by Steve Saleen, a former Formula Atlantic race car driver. In 1984, Saleen Autosport became Saleen Performance, Incorporated. Saleen built 3 cars that year as the first production run - a white hatchback, a copper glow hatchback, and a black hatchback. The company basically originated around reworking an existing Ford Mustang as higher performance models. Each year up thru the eighties, Saleen was able to produce a new record volume of cars. In late 1990, Saleen contracted with Car & Concepts in St. Louis to produce the Saleen Mustang. As the recession of the early 90's hit, so did it a take a toll on production. Cars & Concepts continue production through the 1991 model year when they closed their facility due to their own financial woes. Production was returned in-house to Saleen Performance, Incorporated in 1992. By then, the production of cars had been reduced to 12 for the 1992 model year. Steve Saleen teamed up with comedian Tim Allen in 1993 who helped to promote the Saleen Mustang and received new financial backing through Hidden Creek Industries. Beginning in 1995, Saleen-Allen Racing facilitated the start of preparations for the deveopment of a ground-up vehicle project by implementing a 7.0L V8 engine in their track-cars which eventually gave rise to the powerplant utilized in the Saleen S7. In 1997, Saleen competes at the 24 Hours of le Mans, ending a 30-year Mustang hiatus from the event. With a new financial backing and all-new body body style in '94, production numbers began growing again.
