Is an ascMcLaren an aftermarket car?

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri May 16, 2008 5:01 pm

People have called my cars a "tuner" car, or an "Aftermarket" car, even a "Boutique Car". I maintain that it was a joint effort between the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) ~ in this case; FORD MOTOR COMPANY and ASC, American Sun Roof {corporation's} Automotive Specialty Corporation, thereby making a joint effort between two automotive giants.

IF you ever get this kinda dismissing of our 2-Seat converts, not being "whole" or "worthy" of equal status to another brand's convertible, you might wanna print this and put it in your car's glove compartment, to prove the amount of input Ford had in doing this. In recent memory, I cannot recall GM, Chrysler nor Ford actually prepping a car expressly FOR another corporation to finish off. I do know that Ford does NOT do this for Saleen, that everyone so bows down to.

So, see below and print it.

How the 1988 Ford Mustangs were ordered BY Ford Division FOR ascMcLaren, for the conversion process:

LX 2-Door Sedan with V-8 302 Engine
Fleet Order Item = Tinted Glass-Windshield Only
Light Group
Stereo DELETE
Stereo Prep. Pkg. 58V Code = Radio Flexability Option - Two front Stereo Speakers installed at the factory, all required wiring included that would be required for rear speakers, Radio noise supression equipment, mounting brackets, and rear speaker wiring.
Tilt Steering Wheel
Power Windows
Delay Windshield Wipers
Power Steering
Air Conditioning
Power Lock Group
Speed Control
25% White Painted Car with Blue Interior, with Convertible Style Articulated Seats (cloth) and applied headrests...in Beige vinyl.
75% Black car with Cloth Articulated Seats from Convertible, with applied vinyl headrests.

Of the 75% Black cars, order 25 percent of each:
> Grey Interior
> Red Interior
> Tan Interior

Transmissions:- (This based upon HOW customers/dealers ordered their 1987s:-)

28% of each interior choice with 5-Speed Manual and 72% of each interior choice with Automatic Transmission.

ONE of the ascMcLaren options had been listed at $806.00 - that being "Special Order Paint Color" ~ however, only one (1) such car was made, the 1989 in British Racing Green and I have spoken to the owner and he says that ascMcLaren did NOT charge him any extra, but... perhaps because he was a Ford Dealer buying it for himself.

PAGE # 2

DO NOT INSTALL:

Headliner
Interior upper trim termination mouldings.
Coat Hooks
Rear 1/4 Panel Left/Right Sides
Dome Lamp, Brackets, wiring nor Courtesy Light Switch
Exterior Windshield Mouldings, EXCEPT install the lower one by Wipers
Interior/Exterior Window Mouldings
Delete Pin Stripes
Delete Nameplates
Delete 5.0 from Front Fenders.

DO INSTALL:

Front Fascia of GT
GT Exhausts
GT Rear View Interior Mirror with Integral Courtesy Lamp
135 AMP> Alternator
VINYL Headrests ! (Remember, cloth seats!)
H.D. Power Window Regulators
Convertible Cut Carpet, to be rolled, taped & placed in trunk
Do Not install Trunk Lid Lock. Place Tape over it's hole, to keep out water
Convertible Doors are employed
Side Cowl Reinforcements
Reinforced Floor Pan
Fog Lamps & their wiring.

86capri62 · Post by **86capri62** » Sat May 17, 2008 1:37 pm

I personnaly never considered the McLaren as an aftermarket car. Even long before I owned mine. Some peoples just don't know a lot about cars even if they are car persons. Most peoples think my Ferrari is a kit car and I use to own a Pantera and it was the same. Peoples don't even know that capri convertibles never existed except as McLaren. A lot of teaching to do when you own rare cars.

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:25 pm

Our cars are very significant for many reasons however it is common for rare cars to be specially ordered in some ways. What I feel is very significant is that the whole windshield is lowered 20 degrees! This was no easy task btw adding more structural support to the car making our cars much stiffer then regular Mustang convertibles. So structurally, cosmetically, and minor suspension changes were made during a time that no aftermarket tuners or what have you wanted to have to have these cars be recertified for emmissions or crash tests (hence no crazy mods). I think they did a fine job with our cars aside of marketing them and the price at the time. I bet they would have been around a little longer too if these were corrected and maybe 4 wheel disc brakes.

Nick

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:46 pm

The program had the ability to run thru the end of the 1993 model year, as the cars were unchanged.

Many reasons why it didn't !!

Peter Muscat & manufacturing management were at odds.
Sales to dealers (in other words... ORDERS went way south....
after initial demand / interest wained....
ascMcLaren dropped of of their promse to continue to advertise the car.
Muscat & the founder of ASC (I forgot his name ((help me)) - the man that took his own life....well those 2 came to punches.....

Basically it all just unwound....

There were definite plans for a 1991, 1992 AND 1993, BUT no real changes.
Color changes (somewhere I have the approved exterior paint color listing for the 1991s).... and new roof colors to compliment them. Any new Mustang options (like the CD changer for 1993) would probably been offered, as well.

I mean, look at 1990. ascMcLaren recieved 65 orders ! This down from 1,806 in 1988. That's a drop of 96.5 percent !

At the same drop, for 1991, the output woulda been 3 cars !!!

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:50 pm

PS- HERE IT IS !

http://www.ascmclaren.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=162

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:57 pm

1991 ascMcLaren

http://www.ascmclaren.org/phpBB/album_p ... pic_id=172

86capri62 · Post by **86capri62** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:28 pm

Here I think is the difference making our cars NOT a tuner car. The body tag.

http://www.ascmclaren.org/phpBB/album_p ... ic_id=1545

87ASCMcSteve · Post by **87ASCMcSteve** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:40 pm

Sandy,

Where would we find the body tag??

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Sat May 24, 2008 2:18 am

When I spoke to Peter he had told me that ASC wanted to cut corners to save money and make more profit. He was not happy with this as I imagine his name being on the car and all.

The Mustang in general was suffering in sales mostly to its own demise which not only hurt the ASC McLaren but the Saleen as well. The problem was the Mustang had no major significant changes since '87 since the Probe was scheduled to be the new front wheel drive Mustang. Prices were increasing for the Stang and it was built on the same fox platform since 1979. Another issue was the competition also stepped up to the plate. The Camaro and Firebirds kept increasing hp not to mention the Corvettes which our cars and Saleen's were closer in price too. The intro of the Probe, Eagle Talon, Eclipse, and Lazer had a little to do with it too imo. It would of been nice to see the ASC McLaren Mustang's stick around a little longer but maybe we are better off as it makes our cars rarer?

Nick

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:01 pm

87ASCMcSteve wrote:Sandy,

Where would we find the body tag??

On the Radiator Support Bar, ((I think))

88-254 · Post by **88-254** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 11:08 pm

Wow,
great infomation for someone like me who is just learning.

Sandy,

I was just wondering how many Mclarens of the less than three thousand produced, you know where they are or what happened to them? I just imagine you must have tracked quite a few.

And the shot of the proposed 91 was great.

Thanks,
Cindy

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:07 am

About 40 - 45 %

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:52 am

Sandy wrote:About 40 - 45 %

Sandy, of all the ASC McLarens produced, how many are in the registry?

Nick

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:05 pm

I have not kept up the registry for about a year. It got too overwhelming and too many repeats. I was putting on the same car, over & over & over as one young guy turned it over to another youg guy who then sold it for college money and the buyer went intio the Navy and had to sell and and and

But when I tappered off, i'd say I had about 300.

88-254 · Post by **88-254** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:42 pm

I can understand why you stopped. 300 is quite a few.

Thank you.