Vehicle Description
From exclusive Roush and Saleen offerings to a barrage of Shelbys,
SVTs and SVOs, the Mustang has always featured a substantial
portfolio of unique and unforgettable performers. But, even within
that colorful history, the legacy of America's favorite pony car is
punctuated by little known treasures. And when it comes to rare
riches, it doesn't get much more exciting than this 1,083-mile
Mustang ASC/McLaren survivor. Purchased by its one and only owner
because he thought his Buick Grand National was simply too common,
this Ford was bought with collectability in mind, and has been
treated as a long-term investment since new. Looking for a
treasured authentic that you can preserve and enjoy? This fully
documented Fox Body is one of the finest new age classics on the
planet!
HISTORY AND CONDITION
Introduced in 1979 as a replacement for the compact Mustang II, the
Fox Body Mustang was a welcome departure from the bloated and
toothless pony cars of the late-1970s. However, despite rebounding
sales, the marque didn't warrant enough attention for Ford to
invest in a convertible model. That posed a unique problem for one
Mercedes-driving Ford employee. See, the American automotive
industry is fiercely competitive, and, at one time, it was normal
for companies to ban competitors' vehicles from corporate parking
lots. That meant our Ford employee couldn't drive her beloved
Mercedes SL to work. Fortunately, that employee's husband was a
well-connected engineer, and he decided to remedy the problem by
creating a Ford version of the Mercedes SL roadster. After a
prototype was built, he showed the car to Ford division executives
seeking a limited production run. However, by that time, the brand
had already commissioned its own drop-top Mustang that was set to
debut the next model year. The idea seemed all but dead until some
mildly miffed Mercury execs, upset over the corporate neglect of
their popular Capri model, phoned for a meeting.
Mercury immediately took to the idea, and the engineer coordinated
with friends at American Specialty Cars (ASC) to cement his
creation's production. It's no coincidence that you're probably
familiar with ASC. Founded as the American Sunroof Company, ASC
had, until 2017, long been the industry's go-to source for
limited-production gems. Since the Capri was only available as a
3-door hatch, the conversion took quite a bit of engineering. In a
bid to create a true competitor to car's like the SL and Cadillac
Allante, ASC decided to contract McLaren for some choice suspension
tuning. And the end result was a topless, $21K variant of Mercury's
hottest sports car. As you might imagine, adding a convertible that
was as expensive as a Lincoln Mark VII did little to help the
Capri's spiraling sales. But, the good news was: by the time the
Capri took its first hiatus in 1986, Ford had become very
interested in the model's ASC conversions.
Offered as a factory-backed package applied to actual convertibles,
as opposed to the hatchback Capri, all ASC/McLaren Mustangs began
life as Black LXs that had been equipped with GT front-clips and
married to GT interiors. Before leaving the factory, ASC-bound cars
were fitted with reinforced doors, reinforced cowls, reinforced
windshield frames, and heavier side and front glass. And, upon
their arrival to ASC, the cars were subjected to a pretty
substantial conversion. For starters, the entire chassis received
additional boxed reinforcement. Under a new Cambria cloth roof, a
3-piece backlite was complemented with re-engineered A-pillars that
increased the rake of the car's windshield. And finally, quality
Sikkens paint highlighted new ground effects, a new spoiler, new
tail lamps, a new rear bumper and a new header panel.
The story of this pristine drop-top, 1 of only 68 1988 ASC/McLarens
produced in Sterling Silver and Gray, begins with a passionate
collector who specializes in long-term investments. While
purchasing a Buick Grand National to preserve and someday sell, the
collector expressed a bit of concern about the car's 'large'
10,000-unit production run. That's when his friend told him about
the ASC/McLaren Mustang. After a little searching, the collector,
located in Georgia, found a Tennessee dealership that was willing
to deal. And, after being trucked to Atlanta, this Mustang joined
his 9-car arsenal in climate-controlled storage. Recently, as
ASC/McLarens started gaining prominence, the collector changed his
routine of uncovering and idling the car to actually driving the
car. Warm receptions at parades and cruise-ins led to two
appearances at the Mustang Club of America Grand Nationals, where
the car was awarded Gold honors. And today, this 1-owner Ford is
offered as an incredible, 1,083-mile time capsule that's 100%
original with the exception of its battery, radiator and radiator
hoses.
POWER AND POWER MANAGMENT
The Mustang has long been the champion of budget performance, and
much of that has to do with the rock-solid engines Ford bolts
between the car's fenders. Pop the hood and you'll find a venerable
5.0 liter Windsor block that twists a stout 225 horsepower into an
even 300 lb./ft. of torque. While this mill made its first
appearance in the budget-minded Fairlane, it eventually became a
trusted ally on the highway, drag strip and road course. That bodes
well for the buyer of this exclusive ASC/McLaren, since all the
engine's mostly-original components can be easily repaired if
needed. 'Mostly-original' is the key phrase there as everything
except the car's battery, radiator and hoses, the latter of which
sprang a slight leak in 2015, is just as the factory left it. Like
all ASC/McLaren Mustang's, this Ford's clean engine bay still
sports an original coat of Ford Black paint. And, with just under
2K miles on the clock, the spry mill is ripe for decades of casual
cruising!
In addition to great aesthetics, this convertible features an
aggressive, 1.5-inch lower stance that was engineered by the pros
at McLaren. The hot five-oh funnels grunt to an original Borg
Warner T5 manual, which appropriates power to a Ford 8.8-inch axle
that's finished with mild, 2.73 gears. When the time comes to slow
down, a familiar combination of power-assisted discs and drums gets
the job done efficiently. Naturally, power rack-and-pinion steering
is present and accounted for. A factory exhaust system breathes
through original, "Ford" stamped mufflers. At the corners,
attractive ASC/McLaren alloys spin original 225/60VR15 Goodyear
Eagle VR60s. And everything on this pony's well-preserved
undercarriage appears largely weather-free.
COMFORT
It doesn't take much time inside the car to realize this is no
ordinary Mustang. The first major giveaway is the absence of a back
seat, which has been cleared to make room for a flush tonneau that
houses a fully recessed top. For the driver and front passenger,
multi-adjustable sport seats wear 2-tone ASC/McLaren covers. That
leather treatment extends to an ASC-tailored steering wheel, which
floats in front of a pliable, crack-free dash. At the sides of that
dash, stylish ASC/McLaren door panels frame requisite power door
locks and predictable power windows. Opposite those panels, a
custom ASC/McLaren console frames a leather-wrapped shifter. And
the tunes keep bumping thanks to a premium tape deck and big
Kenwood speakers.
VEHICLE SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND
ACCESSORIES
The car's original VIN stickers
The car's original Ford Door Tag
The car's original Ford Punch Card
The car's original Ford Owner Guide
Original factory accessory literature...for more information please
contact the seller.
