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Saleen Mustang Dan Gurney Signature Edition

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Previously, we told you about one of our cars that has a special place in our garage and in our hearts. It’s a 2007 Saleen Mustang Parnelli Jones Signature Edition. I highly recommend that you read that article before you continue with this one. This PJ Saleen, which remains in our collection, is one of our favorite cars to take out on a cruise. It has now been joined by a 2008 Dan Gurney Signature Edition. 500 of the Parnelli signature editions were built. Many fewer Gurney cars were produced. Unofficial numbers state 45 blue cars, 19 white, and 4 red cars were built with a total build of only 68! When asked about what he wanted in the car, he stated he wanted his car to be faster than Parnelli’s, so it got far more horsepower with a supercharged 465 HP!

With the help and guidance of Dan Gurney (If you don’t know who Dan Gurney is, you should check out his Bio.) Dan himself was deeply involved with suspension and engine modifications. For his guidance, he received production car #1. All Dan Gurney Saleens receive a production run number proudly located on the driver’s side front bumper.

The Dan Gurney Signature Edition Mustang had numerous styling and performance upgrades. A partial list includes:

Supercharged 465 HP engine
5 speed manual transmission
3.73.1 Max Grip rearend
Short throw shifter
Special Race Craft Suspension
Generation II Watts’s Link rear suspension
19” Perelli Corsa tires
Gurney Edition 19” Spoke Alloy Wheels
Gurney Edition custom Leather Sport Seats
Saleen Custom front grill and Air Dam
Rear “Duck Bill” spoiler
And, much more!

Dan Gurney was a very special man and a highly skilled driver. He won numerous times on NASCAR road courses with the Wood Brothers #121. He drove many different kinds of race cars and won in them all. He was also an engineer and motorsport executive who competed in Formula One as well as most other forms of auto racing. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of motor sports. As just a superficial greatly abbreviated overview of his accomplishments, Gurney won four Formula One Grand Prix races across 11 seasons; He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1967 with Ford (with AJ Foyt as his codriver); he won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1959 with Ferrari; he twice finished second in the Indy 500; he won in Indy cars of his own design; he won in IMSA; he created ARR (All American Racing); at one time he was in partnership with Carroll Shelby; and so much more.

Dan Gurney in his Indy Car

The Dan Gurney Mustang shown here is # 48 (A race number often used by and associated with Dan Gurney.) This car was purchased new by Michael Oatis Chandler, who raced Indy cars. He raced at Indy several times. Chandler was a young and upcoming IndyCar driver when, in 1984, he had a horrific accident during practice for the 500. The accident nearly took his life, but did end his promising racing career. When he heard about the Saleen Dan Gurney Signature Edition, he knew he had to have one, and #48 was his selection.

He retained the car for almost 4 years in Oregon. The second owner, in Arizona, held the car for just over 13 years, while the third owner, also in Arizona, owned it for only 2 months. Current mileage on the car is less than 1,300 miles.