Molly wanted a pink car that would stand out from all the rest of the Mustangs out there. Since mom, Liz, had her own color, Molly figured it would only be right to come up with one, too. The iridescent hot-pink color fits right in with the rest of the Saleen paint lineup.
As you can see, Molly is a big fan of the color pink. Since her mom already had a paint color named for her (Lizstick, which is a vibrant red), Molly wanted her own shade. The result is what you see here. "It's my favorite shade of pink," Molly says. "I wanted the car to be magenta or hot pink, but with some iridescence to it as well."
How did dear old Dad take to the color? "At first, he thought it was pretty dramatic, but he liked it," Molly says. "He wasn't too sure how so much pink would look on the car, though. I had the paint crew come up with a few samples, and my dad and I picked out the color that the paint guys aptly dubbed 'Molly Pop.' After that, the car moved into production."
In addition to choosing the color of her one-off Mustang (which bears the number 001), Molly also chose the Scenic Roof option offered by Saleen. "I went with it for a couple of reasons," she says. "I love convertibles, but I don't like having my hair blown around. With the color pink I chose, it would be a bit overboard on a hardtop. The Scenic Roof is the best of both worlds, and it's nice because it lets the light in like a convertible without having to deal with the wind. Plus, it looks really cool when it rains."
Molly had the engineers go over the Mustang's Three-Valve mod motor inside and out. The result is a supercharged powerplant tipping the horsepower scales at 500. Sitting on top of the 4.6L engine is a (you guessed it) Saleen twin-screw supercharger. The blower comes complete with a two-stage water-to-air intercooler for maximum efficiency and power.
With the color and body style settled upon, the car was fitted into the S7 production line to be finished-but don't think for one second that Molly wasn't an integral part of the car's build. "During the buildup process, I was constantly checking on the progress of the car with the engineers. As far as the performance upgrades went, though, I let them know it was in their hands."
The engine mods started with the stock Three-Valve powerplant, which had its innards replaced with Saleen-specific components. A forged-steel crank has forged-steel connecting rods swinging from it, while a set of forged-aluminum pistons are slung up and down the eight-cylinder walls. The rest of the powerplant, such as the camshafts and heads, were left stock, though the induction and exhaust portions of this modern-day teenage movie were enhanced with some crafty film editing. Topping the mod mill is a Stage VI integrated twin-screw supercharger that came complete with a two-stage water-to-air intercooler. A Saleen high-flow inlet tube and airbox, a 98mm MAF, and the company's stainless 2.5-inch variable exhaust system allow the modular powerplant to thump out a thundering 500 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. There's no wimpy automatic for Molly here, either. Backing the blown mod mill is a Saleen-worked, five-speed stick complete with one of the company's short-throw shifters. The rearend is fortified with a set of 3.73 gears and Saleen's MaxGrip differential.
While Molly's ride sports a full complement of S281 bodywork, it does have the carbon-fiber front splitter and rear diffuser normally found on the S281-E.
The underpinnings of the S197 can trace its roots back to the Saleen Mustangs of lore. The front suspension showcases the Saleen Racecraft system, which consists of MacPherson struts with lower control arms, linear-rate coilover springs, and a 1.38-inch tubular antiroll bar. The rear of the car features a Watt's linkage-style suspension system. The live-axle rear is located by three links plus the Watt's system, and is also aided by a pair of linear-rate springs and a smaller 0.79-inch tubular antiroll bar. The final credit goes to the braking system, which is made up of Saleen four-piston calipers and front-specific 14-inch slotted and vented rotors.