Comedian and talk show host Jay Leno recently unveiled a pair of Ford Special Service Package (SSP) Mustangs, also known as Project 11-99, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) vehicle program.
The pair of vehicles — a matching 1982 and a current generation Ford SSP Mustang — were showcased during the 2021 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas on Nov. 2.
Leno said the Project 11-99 vehicles “honor the hard-working men and women of the California Highway Patrol, along with all law enforcement professionals across the country, who protect and serve.” He also said the pair of matching vehicles showcase “the incredible advancements in law enforcement vehicles over the past 40 years.”
In the early 1980s, the CHP partnered with Ford Motor Company to develop the Mustang SSP because patrol vehicles of that era could not keep up with modern high-performance sports cars. The two parties worked together to develop and test a car that could be purchased by the CHP.
The result was a package based on a GL model Ford Mustang, costing $6,868 each.
One of the 406 ordered by the CHP for the 1982 model year, the Project 11-99 car on display was assigned to the Hanford CHP office and retired from service in 1985.
Vehicle specialist Eric Gaona fully restored the 1982 Ford Mustang using all original CHP equipment to return the car to as-delivered condition, equipped with period correct headlight flashers, lighting, and Motorola radio equipment.
The second vehicle on display is a one-off 40th anniversary SSP Mustang based on the current Ford Mustang GT. The vehicle's paint scheme was penned by the Ford Design to celebrate the first series of CHP Mustangs. The car also features a 5L Coyote V-8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission, a reworked interior with base seats and trim, and a certified police speedometer.
This build was done by Galpin Auto Sports, with assistance from Gaona. The license plate on the vehicle carries the number 11-99 as a nod to the CHP 11-99 Foundation, which serves the officers and supports the CHP community. 11-99 is the radio code for “officer needs assistance.”
