Listing snapshot
| Spotted | July 2023 |
| Asking price | $11,500 |
| Mileage | 61,000 |
| Location | Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey |
| Listed on | Craigslist, private seller |
| Drivetrain | 2.3-liter turbocharged, intercooled four-cylinder, five-speed manual |
| Status | Ad expired. This page is our archive of the listing. |
We spotted this 1986 Ford Mustang SVO in July 2023, listed by its owner in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, for $11,500 with 61,000 miles. The ad has since expired. We keep the record because SVOs are rare and real asking prices for them are hard to find.
What this car was
A white hatchback in the final year of the SVO. It has the details that set the SVO apart from a regular Fox-body Mustang: the offset hood scoop that feeds the intercooler, the flush headlights, the single-bar grille and the twin-wing rear spoiler. Under the hood is the turbocharged, intercooled 2.3-liter four.
The seller described the car as in good running condition and listed recent work and features:
- New battery
- New fuel injectors
- New electric fuel pump in the tank
- Power windows and locks
- Headliner in great condition
- No cracks or chips in the glass
Inside is grey leather. The driver seat shows wear and creasing on the outer bolster, which is common on these cars, and the rest of the cabin looks complete.
Was $11,500 a fair ask?
It looked fair to slightly low. The SVO was built in small numbers, and a final-year car with 61,000 miles, a fuel system refresh and a manual is what most buyers look for. The worn driver seat and the unknown history of the turbo were the main things a buyer would weigh. Clean, low-mile SVOs had been climbing in value, so this was a sensible entry point.
A little SVO history
Ford’s Special Vehicle Operations team built the Mustang SVO from 1984 to 1986, and 9,844 were made in total. It used a turbocharged, intercooled 2.3-liter four instead of a V8, with four-wheel disc brakes and a five-speed manual. The flush headlights arrived partway through 1985, and the later cars made 205 horsepower.
More cars from the archive
- Every Ford Mustang SVO we’ve spotted, with asking prices
- 1989 Ford Taurus SHO, another Ford
- 1990 Ford Taurus SHO, another Ford
- 1989 Ford Taurus GL, another Ford
- 1980 Ford F100, another Ford
