Saleen Club of America

Featured Car of the Month

Charlie Smith's '00 S281

# 00-0224 ~ February 2005

This month we feature Charlie Smith's Saleen S281. You may recall seeing Charlie's Saleen at some of the events from Indiana all the way to Maryland for the inaugural Turkey Trot Cruise. The story of 00-0224 is told below by the owner himself. Enjoy!

-The Saleen Club of America

My Saleen wasn't once owned by any movie start, country music singer or
anyone else, we bought it off the showroom floor a dealer in Indianapolis
In. But way before that, I knew there were Saleens, and I had seen pictures,
but didn't actually see one in person until 1995 in Louisville Ky at a show.
I knew then for sure that they were a "different" breed.

In 2000 I was going to retire and one day I was sitting in my office and my
wife walked in and said, "let's go get that car you have always wanted".
Wow!. What else is there to say.

I know what I wanted and the local dealer for some reason thought he had the
only outlet there was to Saleen and didn't want to make a deal so I checked
around. We found one, made the deal over the telephone and did you ever
think to yourself, this is just too go to be true? That's the way I felt.
The car was 2 1/2 hrs away, but my son lived very nearby. So I asked him to
go look at it to see if it was real, been wrecked or what.

It was as advertised and we headed off to buy it. When we got there is was
POURING down rain, my salesman was off sick, but the deal was made, except,
right before signing the papers. I said, you know, I have never driven a
Saleen, so I think I want to drive it first. Yes out the showroom doors -
into the rain. We returned to the dealer, signed the papers, and we were
off, except, the tonneau cover. They said it wouldn't fit so we had to have
a "support" vehicle bring it home.

Sometimes my Crystal White Speedster is called the "Storm trooper", but, the
license plate says the most about the car, SEE YA. It earned that name after
the dyno results - 340 RWHP AND 400 RWT. The car didn't have a supercharger
from Saleen, but you gota have one. We purchased a supercharger from Saleen,
took a couple of weekends, drank way too much beer, fired it up - a haven't
looked back since.

That's my story, 49,000 miles later, it's still a GREAT car and it's as
exciting to drive today as it was 5 years ago!

-Charlie Smith

Ford Options
All Speed Traction Control
Manual AC
Mustang Power Group
Compact Disc Player
AM/FM Cassette
Mach 460
Power Windows, doors, deck lid
Remote Keyless entry
Convenience Group
Leather Bucket Seats

Saleen Options
Lightweight Hood
3:55:1 Differential Gear
Tire/Wheel upgrade
Rears - P Zero's 295X35X18 on 10" rims
Fronts 265X35X18 on 9" rims
Saleen Floor mats
Speedster Package, Tonneau & light bar

Options added since purchase
Number 00-224
Saleen Supercharger
Saleen gauge pod
Saleen Wind guard
White door panel inserts
MAC Cold Air Pipe
Pro 5.0 Shifter with Hurst knob
ATS Sequential taillights
NITTO 555 Extreme tires, 265X35X18 frt and 285X18X35 rear
Polished Intercooler Tank
Saleen Caster Camber Plates
13" Cross-drilled & slotted rotors and PBR calipers
Powder Coated wheels
Chrome radiator tubes
White Bullitt gas door
White 03 Cobra swing out mirrors


 

 Please click any of the pictures below for the full size image.