1988 ASC McLaren 5.0 Mustang Coupe Convertible

     This is a 1988 ASC McLaren #1437 Ford Mustang 2 seater coupe convertible. Total 2678 made over an 8 year span. This is 1 of 11 with this color combo. There is a low 75. 00 original miles on the car! The car is Atlantic Blue with Sand Beige leather interior. and a Sand Beige canvas top. The car has a 5. 0 V8 engine with an automatic overdrive transmission. The exterior paint is original and in very good shape. No accidents or rust anywhere! There is a crack on the lower driver's side skirt. The top is also in excellent condition. The interior is all leather and in nice condition. Driver's seat has a tear. I am offering the car with the original ASC McLaren wheels unless specified wanting the 17" black Cobra R wheels. They are in great shape. The motor runs strong with plenty of power adders. A BBK cold air intake. BBK ceramic coated headers. Ford Racing ignition wires. and Flowmaster catback exhaust and tail pipes. All fluids were replaced with synthetics. a full tune up. new water pump. new alternator. and new distributor module. Small oil leak at oil light switch. The suspension is lowered with McLaren springs and Koni Racing fully adjustable struts. shocks. and quad shocks. The brakes have been upgraded with Power Slot vented rotors and Hawk Racing brake pads. The rear 8. 8 has been rebuilt with lower 3:73 Richman gears and new clutch packs for the locker posy traction. A aluminum Ford Racing drive shaft was also added to free up horse power. There is a new Alpine Blue tooth CD stereo with Alpine amp. and 4 Alpine speakers. This car is an un-restored vehicle and all the upgrades were respectfully done to preserve the factory options as McLaren originated it. It is a very nice example of a 1988 McLaren. It gets plenty of attention and compliments everywhere it goes. Of course it is not in perfect show condition although it would not take much to get it back to show quality. It is surprisingly powerful. drives smooth. and tight. Below is a history Of the ASC McLaren Mustangs.

ASC McLaren Options As They Left the Factory;

5. 0 engine 225HP. four speed automatic overdrive transmission. span > upgraded shocks and lowered springs. Lestek130 AMP alternator. A/C. cruise control. fog lights. power windows. power lumbar seats. power door locks. power mirrors. power trunk. power fuel lid release. convertible top release. heavy duty power window motors.

ASC interior modifications included Recaro's witch were recovered in leather. center console was reconfigured as were the leather seats pleats. GT leather interior door panels. reconfigured arm rests. 140mph speedometer. GT convertible rear view mirror with twin courtesy lamps. carpet fitted to the trunk area and the area that had been the back seat. Mercedes-Benz style elevated platform with twin covered bins for storage.

The body was mounted to a heavy duty frame as used on GT convertible. heavy duty inner rocker panels. heavy duty reinforced floor pan. mock Mercedes Benz cloth convertible roof top that stows in seconds beneath a Mercedes-like metal tonneau T-top (frameless) doors. delete trunk lock. fleet tinted windshield. smoked taillight covers. GT fog lamps. GT front bumper fascia. side ground effects. the rear duck tail spoiler. front air dam. delete LX Body side pin-stripe.

All new-to-Mustang exterior paints (from "Sikkens"). It made the car more striking. with very expensive paint.

ASC McLaren History;

     Ford's successful Mustang muscle car sales embarked on creating one of the best Fox-bodied conversions ever built. the ASC McLaren. The car was the brain-child of engineer Peter Muscat. He came up with the idea when his wife. a Ford employee. was not allowed park her Mercedes SL in the parking lot. In '82. he converted a '80 coupe into a 2 seat convertible. complete with a canvas top that folded underneath a hard cover. hiding it completely out sight. After the car was complete. he showed the car to Ford. Because Ford was planning a topless Mustang for the 1983 model year. it was suggested that he talk to the people at Linclon-Mercury. Since the Capri sales had been sliding and was being left out when the Mustang went topless. Mercury was sold on the idea after a version based on the Capri was made.

     Muscat contracted American Sunroof Company to build the cars based on his original design. ASC is a subcontractor to many of the world's auto manufacturers. The manufacturers frequently call upon ASC to create either one-offs or low volume convertibles for lines of cars the major companies don't want to bear the expense of creating on their own. McLaren is well known in the racing arena for their expertise in engine and chassis building. Back in 1981. McLaren teamed with Ford to make an ultra low production (11) Mustang to showcase the then new body style. In 1983. ASC brought McLaren onboard to help create the unique automobile. providing spings. shocks. struts. and wheels. Since Capri was only available as a 3 door hatchback and not in a coupe like the Mustang from which its own convertible is derived from. major modifications to the body were required.

     Muscat and ASC designed the convertible to be a 2 seater with a manual top that complete folds under a hard cover like the Mercedes SL line of the day. It was a very distinct difference compared to the Mustang droptop. The first year of production. 1984. netted sales of 50 convertible and 10 hatchbacks. The cars were promoted in the individual dealerships with posters. signs and special brochures. However. the cars met with sales resistance. mainly due to the $21. 00 price tag (in'84 dollars). The then new Lincoln Mark VII was roughly the same price and it shared the showroom with the decked out Capri.

     1988 saw the ASC McLaren sales more than double. selling over 1000 cars for the first time. Leather seats. wheel and shift knob. ASC only center console. premium sound system. 1" lowering sport springs. and 15x7 McLaren wheels with Gatorbacks were now all standard. With the optional ground effects package. the ASC McLaren's sleek design was a marked contrast from the looks of the Mustang GT. Total 1988 production was 1015 cars. the peak of ASC McLaren Mustang sales. Final total for all seven years of production was 2678. This low production amount is the main reason that the ASC McLaren is so rare and well sought out today.

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