Vehicle Description
For a little over 44 years Ford and its roster of octane-loving
associates have created some of the most desirable performance cars
the world has ever seen. Wrapping serious speed and storied
pedigree in aggressive styling that's inspired by everything from
drag cars to Bonneville champions, their value as cultural idols
and collector icons becomes obvious as soon as they roll off the
assembly line. And, as you all know, RK Motors Charlotte
specializes in the cool, iconic and collectible. With that in mind,
we're excited to offer this awesome final-year ASC/McLaren Mustang!
One of only 65 ASC/McLaren roadsters built for the 1990 model year,
and the ONLY example dressed in blue-on-blue aesthetics, this
exclusive pony has logged just 3,249 miles in the hands of just two
owners. And if you're looking for a genuinely enjoyable muscle car
that doubles as a very solid investment, it's your chance to grab a
whole lot of fun for not a lot of money!
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 highest known VIN of all ASC/McLaren Mustangs produced, this
pristine survivor is believed to be the final ASC/McLaren roadster
to roll off the assembly line. The car is 1 of only 65 roadsters
produced for the 1990 model year, and, as you might expect,
received wholly unique Royal Blue and Azura Blue Pearlescent over
Crystal Blue and Shadow Blue aesthetics. Astute viewers will note
the absence of wear on virtually all the car's components, since
it's spent an entire lifetime being pampered by two fastidious
owners in climate-controlled storage. And today, this silver-tinged
Ford is offered as an incredible, 3,249-mile time capsule that's
100% original all the way down to its wiper blades and Goodyear
Gatorback tires.
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 220 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 almost
everything 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 over 3K 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 AOD
4-speed, which appropriates power to a Ford 8.8-inch axle that's
finished with a posi-traction differential and aggressive, 3.27
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. Multi-adjustable sport seats wear
2-tone ASC/McLaren covers. In front of the driver, an
airbag-equipped steering wheel leads a pliable, crack-free dash. At
the edges of that dash, stylish ASC/McLaren side panels frame
requisite power door locks and predictable power windows. Opposite
those panels, a custom ASC/McLaren console frames a simple shifter.
The tunes keep bumping thanks to a premium tape deck and big
Kenwood speakers. Optional ASC Whistle Spectrum radar detection
keeps the good times rolling. And optional Remote Keyless Entry is
a cool feature on a 28-year-old car.
VEHICLE SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND
ACCESSORIES
Original Punch Cards
A copy of the car's Certificate of Origin
An original Ford Owner's Guide
Original Ford accessory literature
The car's original Ford Window Sticker
An original ASC/McLaren Owner's Guide Supplement
The car's original ASC/McLaren Window Sticker
An ASC/McLaren Direct Sales Sheet
Th...for more information please contact the seller.
