Vehicle Description
The 1985 Mercury Capri ASC McLaren was an experiment to see if
American muscle could be polished to compete with European
2-seaters like the Mercedes SL. Powered by the legendary Ford 5.0,
this is a nicely preserved example of one of the more interesting
footnotes in the Mustang/Capri's long, illustrious history and a
downright fun car to drive.
The Capri DNA is quite evident, but the extensive modifications to
the bodywork really do make it a unique car. The most notable
change was the complete removal of the back seat, along with a
special air dam that gives the Capri an altogether more aggressive
look. Thanks to a fresh paint job, this car looks absolutely
spectacular, with a deep two-stage urethane shine that makes this
car seem like it should cost far more than it does. And since it
was virtually hand-built by the guys up at ASC, the build quality
is quite impressive, particularly compared to many of its peers.
Out back, it does without a spoiler and with those big Capri
taillights, it's a lot more attractive than a comparable Mustang
ragtop. And you will note that the Mercury badges have been neatly
(and intentionally) removed; this is not merely a Capri. Given the
unusual look, the fact that few people have seen a stock Capri
(never mind one with a top that goes down), you should be prepared
for a lot of questions any time you show up in this striking black
2-seater.
The interior is perhaps the McLaren's most dramatic feature. First
of all, the back seat is gone, replaced by a Mercedes-style package
shelf that's actually pretty handy for running errands around town.
The Recaro buckets are upholstered in high-grade tan leatherette
and are every bit as comfortable as they look. The center console
almost looks like a factory Capri piece, but is just different
enough to make even experts do a double-take. The rest, of course,
is standard Capri fare, including the highly legible gauges and
well-designed switchgear. Standard features include power windows
and locks, A/C, and a fantastic AM/FM/CD stereo. Seeing as ASC
specializes in convertible conversions for the OEMs, it should be
no surprise that there's a snug-fitting black canvas top that stows
easily under the flush-fitting rear deck and offers a very
Mercedes-like rear window treatment that is surely no coincidence.
Better yet, trunk space is unaffected, so there's a surprising
amount of storage space.
Power comes from the Mustang GT's 5.0-liter V8, which made a robust
180 horsepower and 260 pounds of torque. It's legendary, so I'm
sure I don't need to get into the specifics, but it's remarkable to
see a completely stock and unmodified 5.0 that hasn't been heavily
modified and raced. Everything is pretty much the way the factory
intended, so it starts easily and runs beautifully and has a nice
burble from the throaty dual exhaust. A 5-speed manual transmission
makes for easy around-town driving and with the tall overdrive, the
freshly-installed 3.55 gears in a fresh 8.8-inch axle with limited
slip mean that it still loafs along on the highway. And yes, the
undercarriage is every bit as clean as you'd expect, with almost
$1000 just spent on a brake service and new front tires. Speaking
of tires, they're bigger than stock, with 245/40/17s up front and
275/40/17 in back on a set of custom 17-inch wheels.
One of only 460 Mclaren Capris built in 1985, this is surely one of
the very best. Hailing from long-term ownership and with receipts
and maintenance records, it's a car you can buy with confidence.
Call today!
