Word of the Day: ASC/McLaren

David S.
By David S. Wallens
Jan 20, 2020 | Mustang, Word of the Day

How to win Radwood: Show up in an ASC/McLaren Capri or Mustang, the realized dream of Ford engineer Peter Muscat. The year was 1982, and he wished for a new Mustang convertible–something not offered at the time. (As the story goes, this was predicated by the fact that his wife, also a Ford employee, wasn’t allowed to park her Mercedes-Benz SL in the employee lot.)

Muscat turned a 1980 Mustang coupe into his own creation, a two-seat convertible, and showed it to Ford brass. Since they had their own Mustang convertible in the works, he was directed towards the Lincoln-Mercury folks down the hall. Maybe they could use the help?

They said yes, and American Sunroof Company–the firm behind many a dealer-optional vinyl top as well as the Regal GNX–got the job order. In addition to removing the hatchback’s top, they also tilted back the windshield, giving the car a speedster look. McLaren helped with suspension tuning.

The first Capris to get the ASC/McLaren rolled out to the public in 1984–both cut cars as well as hatchbacks that remained intact. The recipe also included some ’80s-appropriate ground effects, tape stripes, cool mags and those suspension upgrades.

When Mercury dropped the Capri, ASC started converting Mustangs. Things came to end in 1990.

Two ASC/McLaren Mustangs crossed the block at Mecum’s recent Kissimmee sale. Last time we checked, one was still available at $10,000 while the other was going for $12,000.

 

 

 

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Comments
ultraclyde
ultraclyde PowerDork
1/20/20 9:01 a.m.

There's a white convertible ASC/McLaren in my neighborhood. Not in great shape, but I saw it being driven regularly until the last couple years. Neat sidebar in weird nonfactory sportscars.

jimbob_racing
jimbob_racing Dork
1/20/20 9:16 a.m.

I've been looking for a nice hatch version for a while. They dont come up for sale often. 

pinchvalve
pinchvalve GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/20/20 9:17 a.m.

 

 

 

Of the three front ends available for 1984, I preferred the Capri.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/20/20 9:21 a.m.

In reply to pinchvalve :

Plus you (kinda) got box flares with the Capri.

Pete Gossett
Pete Gossett GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/20/20 9:32 a.m.

I have a friend with a red ASC Mustang vert he inherited from his father. It's very clean & I believe stock(though it might have some bolt-ons). He kinda wants a Capri too, but he's a foxbody drag racer, so that's where most of his $$$ goes!

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/20/20 11:45 a.m.

A girl in my high school had one. Pretty sure it was a black Mustang, meaning that at the time it was new. 

Patrick
Patrick GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/20/20 3:11 p.m.

I'd prefer to take my asc/mclaren fix in the form of a Turbo Grand Prix.  I should have kept this one

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/21/20 11:52 a.m.

In reply to Patrick :

Yes.

fatallightning
fatallightning Reader
1/21/20 3:30 p.m.

Funnily enough , I was just looking at an asc capri vert on fb. If it was stick, I'd have been a bit more proactive.

RacingComputers
RacingComputers GRM+ Memberand Reader
1/21/20 4:03 p.m.

We are partial to the SVO

 

Had a Comp Delete car we built for SCCA ITA

 

lost it in a divorce

 

YRMV

 

 

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