Chris Romanoff’s Ford Mustangs
Chris Romanoff’s Mustang Story:
“My car collection, and my love for Ford Mustangs and my passion for them continues to grow. As I headed into retirement, I began to look back over the 60 years of Mustangs I’ve always wanted but could never afford and realized that it is now or never. So, with the love and support of my terrific wife, Nancy, I began to build a collection of Mustangs that I am immensely proud to own, and I wanted to share them with my extended Ford family.
1 - 2007 Ford Mustang Parnelli Jones Saleen
“The 2007 Parnelli Jones Mustang, in my opinion, is the best S197 Mustang that Saleen Automotive sold in that era. I was privileged enough to be at its unveiling at the New York International Auto show in April of 2006 where Steve Saleen and Parnelli Jones introduced this amazing machine to the world. I was, and still am, in awe. It was a memorable and inspirational event for me that changed my life forever. This model is a great-looking tribute to Parnelli’s 1970 Trans Am Boss 302 where he and George Follmer won it all. Together, Ford and Saleen created a beautiful S197 Mustang that is optimally balanced in power, handling, and style. Since that day I have fell in love with the Mustang all over again.
#2 – 1991 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 Hatchback
“I had just graduated from college and was starting my engineering career back in the late 80’s. My first purchase was a brand-new 1989 Mustang LX 5.0 in Bright Regatta Blue. Several years later my life changed when we I found out I was going to be a dad. We needed a ‘family car’ so with tears I sold my Mustang and purchased a Ford Explorer. My wife told me, ‘Someday, when we have more money, you’ll get another one.’ That ‘someday’ finally came with the purchase of a fully loaded 1991 LX 5.0 in Deep Emerald Green. This color is very rare and this car is an original survivor. It is configured the same as my 1989 LX was and so all is right in the world today. My wife and I feel like we are dating again when we drive it!
#3 – 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra
“With my family growing and us saving for college all I could do is watch with envy at Ford’s swan song of the Fox Body Mustang. The 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra was the pinnacle of the Fox Body Mustang and I yearned for a highly optioned model in the unique Teal paint color. Two years ago, my dream was realized when a friend decided to part with his fully loaded Teal Cobra. I was like a kid at Christmas! This one is a nicely refreshed example with only 65k miles on the clock. This Cobra is extremely fun to drive and is very comfortable for a Fox Body. It is hugely popular when I take it out for a drive -- I get so may compliments!
#4 – 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra “Terminator”
“I was in awe when this car came out back in 2003 because it was the first production Mustang with a supercharger. I read every article on how SVT’s John Colletti and his team were going to ‘terminate’ the competition! I best-remember the slogan, ‘the most power on a Fox-based platform, 390 HP!’ I was combing through Facebook Marketplace one evening when a newly added post came up for a pristine Redfire “Terminator” Cobra for sale close by. I called a friend to tell him about it and he said, ‘Let’s go check it out. It can’t hurt to look.’ When the owner took the cover off and I started it up I fell hard. I immediately made a deal. This one is in mint condition, has only 25k miles on it and was already ceramic coated. It has a few tasteful minor modifications and makes 500hp on the dyno. Included in the sale was the book, ‘Iron Fist, Lead Foot – John Coletti and the Terminator.’ This was an amazing read on the development of the Terminator back in the heat of the Mustang/Camaro/Firebird wars and how the Ford Special Vehicle Team overcame corporate pressures to deliver this iconic Mustang. Thank you, John Coletti and the SVT team, for this one!
#5 – 2009 Ford Mustang Saleen S302 Extreme
As years passed, I became a bigger fan of Steve Saleen and his Mustang modifications. I found an old sales ad for a 2009 Saleen S302 Extreme and after nearly three years of persistence I finally connected with the owner. Lucky for me his wife wanted a new kitchen, and he was selling this amazing ride to pay for it. In its prime this car was the ‘King of the Saleen Mustangs.’ It is a great example of what Saleen could do with a S197, 4.6L 3V V-8 Mustang. It has been modified to a stroked 302 with forged internals, ported heads, Saleen cams, and a Saleen twin-screw supercharger allowing it to produce 620hp and 600 ft-lb of torque. In addition, a Racecraft suspension, a Watts link, and massive front brakes makes this car a true all-around high-performance Mustang with unique Saleen styling. It is #02 of only five cars made in this year and is the only coupe in the U.S.
#6 – 2007 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 Speedster
“My wife had been very patient with all of my additions, letting me fulfill my Mustang dreams until we were at the annual Saleen Alabama cookout. A unique Saleen S281 Speedster painted in Saleen’s custom color, Beryllium Copper, pulled into the lot. She fell hard for this car in this beautiful color. When ordered new, this color option added $17,000 to the price! This car is only one of seven painted in Beryllium Copper in 2007 and with all the unique options is one-of-one with only 10,000 miles on the clock. The current owner said he was never going to sell it but promised we would be his first call if he ever decided to. Three years later that call came in, and he decided to sell it for funding an engagement ring. My wife was overjoyed and was now officially a Saleen Mustang owner.
#7 – 1990 Ford Mustang Saleen Hatchback
“The Fox Body Mustangs have grown in popularity and value over recent years and my passion continued to grow with these models as well. My Saleen Club friends own many of these models and my desire was to own a blue one. Most Saleen Mustangs from 87-93 were mostly finished in black, red, or white and not so many of them were blue. I didn’t think I would find a blue one but with the help of lots of friends we located one for sale in Delaware. It is Saleen 90-151 painted in beautiful Twilight Blue Metallic. Under the hood is the Saleen enhanced 5.0L with a Paxton SN2000 supercharger and a heavy duty 5-speed manual gearbox. In addition, the car has a Racecraft suspension, 3:73 gears, aluminum driveshaft, and disc brakes all around. This Mustang is a blast to drive, especially with the power adder.
#8 – 2015 Ford Mustang GT Convertible (with 50th Anniversary Package)
“Meeting Ford Performance’s John Clor at the Ford Nationals back in Carlisle in 2016 led me to selling my Infinity G37 ‘Appliance’ and buying a 2015 Mustang GT Fastback. Since then, we moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where the weather is more conducive to year-round driving so I made the decision to trade the fastback for the exact same car in a convertible. A 2015 Ruby Red GT Premium automatic with the 50th Anniversary Package. My wife and I love to take this car out for a drive with the top down in January when the moon is full.
#9 – 2022 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
“Finally, I saved the best for last!
“I recently retired from my job as Chief Engineer of the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter, and I wanted to order a new Mustang! It was early 2023 and my plan was to order a new Mustang Mach 1. It is a great tribute car and was the top Mustang model and could be had with the Tremec 6-speed manual transmission. So I went to my local Ford dealer to check it out. As we began going through the options the salesman asked me what type of transmission I wanted. I proudly replied ‘a manual -- of course!’ He smiled and asked, ‘Well, do you want to have fun? Or go fast?’ He then handed me the keys to two Mach 1’s -- a manual and an automatic. I tried the manual and, as he quoted, it was fun with its rev-matching and smooth-shifting features. But then I tried the automatic on the back roads of north Alabama. I was able to exercise all the modes that the 10-speed automatic had to offer, including drag strip mode and manual mode with the paddle shifters. All I can say is ‘WOW!’ I was instantly sold on the automatic and was prepared to order the Mach 1, which is a formidable beast.
“However, I’ve always considered owning the king of them all – the Shelby GT500 – which only comes with an automatic. The 2020-22 Shelby GT500 is the pinnacle of Ford’s Mustang line, boasting the most power available in a production Mustang. In addition, the amazing technology incorporated into the engine, the 7-speed DCT transmission, MagneRide suspension, and driving modes along with its unique, aggressive styling makes this truly a one-of-a-kind vehicle. As I had done all my life, I figured this car was out of reach financially and that someday I might look for a used one. However, I decided, with my family’s support, to buy a brand-new 2022 Eruption Green GT500 as a retirement present for myself. I couldn’t be happier with that decision, especially after attending Ford Performance’s Track Attack program at Charlotte Motor Speedway where I learned its true capabilities. So far, I’ve driven the car at Barber Motorsports Park and the Tail of the Dragon, and its performance is astounding.
“I want to give a sincere ‘thank you’ to Ford. I believe I have found the FASTEST HORSE and the best Mustang ever built in my 2022 Shelby GT500. I cannot imagine that Ford could top this, but I may be wrong … Dark Horse! GTD!
“Ford, KEEP IT UP and thank you for a lifetime of great memories!”
https://performance.ford.com/enthusiasts/fan-spotlight/2024/9/romanoff-mustangs.html
