ICMC - October's Featured Car

It was apparent by 1984 that Ford Motor Company, with their Mustang and Capri lines, had revived the American musclecar from certain demise. The GM offerings, Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, moved onward with overpriced and under-powered challengers and Chrysler’s pony cars had long since departed. Foreign automobile manufacturers had jumped into the fray with what would be called "pocket rockets."

These small, front wheel drive mini performance cars were giving the aged pony cars a run for their money. The big 3 car magazines noted that the VW’s Rabbit GTI posted a quicker 0-60 time than the Z28 in ’83. The Mustang and Capri, with their potent 5.0 V8 engines, solid bodies, excellent handling (for the time), and low price, were moving out of the showroom and on to the streets as fast as Ford could build them. It was natural for custom aftermarket builders and tuners to jump on the bandwagon.

1984 marked the first year of the now well-known, Saleen Mustang. Its success is now legendary in the Mustang’s history. But another company also saw Ford’s successful musclecar sales and embarked on creating one of the best Fox-bodied conversions ever built - the ASC/McLaren.

The car was the brainchild of engineer Peter Muscat. He came up with the idea when his wife, a Ford employee, was not allowed to park her Mercedes SL in the Ford corporate 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 Lincoln-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 (ASC) to build the cars based on his original design. ASC is a subcontractor to many of the worlds 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 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 total) Mustang to showcase the then new body style. In 1983, ASC brought McLaren onboard to help create the unique automobile, providing springs, shocks, struts, and wheels. Since Capri was only available as a 3-door hatchback and not in a coupe like the Mustang from which it’s 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 completely folded under a hard cover like the Mercedes SL line of the day. It was a very distinct difference compared to the Mustang droptop. Unfortunately, most of the modifications were limited to cosmetics rather than performance, despite the McLaren name on the side.

The first year of production, 1984, netted sales of 50 convertible and 10 hatchbacks. This was despite the fact that Mercury never wanted to be officially involved and wouldn’t honor warranty repairs on any of the modifications made by ASC. 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 $21,000 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.

1985 saw an increase in sales to 407 (150 hatchbacks, 257 convertibles) units for the Capri. ASC took a greater step forward as it began to offer a supersport suspension kit containing stiffer springs that lowered that car and re-valved struts. The interior was treated with real Recaro seats, leather wrapped steering wheel, and a 140-mph speedometer. A new front airdam, side body ground effects, and a rear valance filled out the exterior changes. Ford, by specifying a special DSO code for all ASC destined cars (D32), shipped these cars from the factory with the Motorsport B303 camshaft and Thunderbird Turbo Coupe tie-rod ends. This was to insure a factory warranty covered these parts.

The next year was a turning point for ASC. It was the first year for the SEFI engine that replaced the drivability problems of the carburetor and CFI. It was also the last year of the Capri, which also meant it would be that last year of the ASC/McLaren built on the Capri. The 1986 models were essentially unchanged from the previous year.

Bowing to dealer pressure to reduce the price of the cars, ASC offered a ‘stripped down’ version called the Eurocoupe. Based on the hatchback, the car was devoid of the accent stripes, high-end stereo, radar detector, and a few other niceties. Sales for the Capri year rose to 407 cars - 245 convertibles, 115 hatchbacks, and 47 Eurocoupes. Although the 3-door model captured more than a third of the sales, this was the last year it was offered.

The best years were about to begin. With the Capri now discontinued by Mercury due to slow sales (dropping from 110k in 1979, to a meager 20k in 1986), Ford invited Muscat and ASC to modify the popular Mustang. This time ASC had full backing from Ford, which included full factory warranty, advertising, and an actual rebate program to help fuel sales in an otherwise slow sales year.

Since the Capri and the Mustang were essentially the same car, almost all of the parts from the previous design carried over. Although the price of the car had risen into the $25,000 range, ASC and Ford managed to sell 479 of the new convertibles. So not to compete with the GT’s, hatchbacks were not offered. Although total sales were down from the previous year, almost 2½ times the amount of convertibles sold than in ’86.

1988 saw the ASC/McLaren’s 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.

Unfortunately in 1989, a disagreement between Peter Muscat and ASC over licensing and royalties caused a shortage of cars. After a record-breaking year, only 247 cars were produced in ’89 and nearly non-existent 65 cars in 1990. There were plans for a 1991 model but an agreement between Muscat and ASC could not be reached. ASC quietly discontinued the car near the end of the ’90 model year.

The story may have been different if McLaren had put more than just the name on the car and had a hand in reengineering the engine and drivetrain. Final total for all seven years of production was 2678. This low production amount is the main reason that the ASC/McLaren is nearly unknown, being over shadowed by the rubber-burning Saleens.

Watch for Dan & Jan Klopp’s beautiful ASC/McLaren to appear in an upcoming newsletter (if I can talk them into writing the story, look for it next month).

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