Newbie with a question

Racea1car · Post by **Racea1car** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:49 pm

Hello, my name is Tim from Apple Valley California.

I'll start by saying that I really enjoy your website. Lots of information.

Here is my first question.

My wife and I are looking for a Mclaren convertible mustang to add to our stable. We first saw one at an auto auction in Palm Springs a few years ago, and while the one we saw was pretty used up (repainted yellow, top bad, interior had different materials on each seat, etc) we have been looking off and on for one since. I have been in contact with the owner of a car that I am sure you guys know about, but I have used your search and don't see any threads about the car. So I thought I'd come out and ask your opinions.

It is a '90 White/White/White for sale by Paradise Motors in Florida. The owner hasn't really been very foreth coming with a lot of information on the car. Vin 132878

A CarFax shows the car has atleast 150K miles. It also talks about a reported left side collision Police report with a damage value of less than $500.00. The owner said it was the left front fender, that was repaired very good.

What do you guys know about this car? The price seems really good. I know there are a lot of miles, but if the owner's description and photos are true, the mileage is the main issue. But the old addage "Too good to be true" keeps ringing in our ears.

We are looking for a car that is rarer than the average Mustang, but we do drive and enjoy our cars. We're not looking to invest in a rare model, but own and enjoy the vehicle, clean her up and bring her to a good home.

Any information or opinions are appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Post by **negusm** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:04 pm

Is this the car (scroll all the way to the bottom):
http://www.ascmclaren.com/carsforsale.htm

Hank can be tedious at times to work with. The car you mention is pretty cool. All white. It looks to be all there.

Is it Hank Huisman selling the car or a different owner?

What questions did you ask and were not satisfied with the answers or did not get answered?

Another way would be to send him an email with all your questions, maybe he will take time and answer them one by one vs asking over the phone.

-Mike

Racea1car · Post by **Racea1car** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:27 pm

Thank you Mike.

Yes, this is the car.

I have been e-mailing and talked to a Henry.

Basically, I see that the car was listed a year and a half ago. I was told this is because the car sold, but the buyer never came up with the money, so he never took the listing down. This seems OK.

Henry said that the car has 59K miles, but would not verify it. CarFax shows a smog test at 94K, than a mileage alert due to Odometer only having 5 digits. So I'm assuming 159K miles.

While all e-mails have been returned within a day, the phone conversations are very short, not much information. He says 3 owners, which matches CarFax. He says the interior is very nice, and there are no signs of any rust. He does not have any documentation or service records for the car. He thinks he has the repair bill for the left front fender damage, but will have to look for it.

I guess right now the biggest thing is I'm having trouble with are the photos of the interior. I can't imagine that a car with 150K+ miles has that nice of an interior. I have been waiting for a few days for current pictures of the interior and have not received anything since I last talked/e-mailed him.

The other thing that doesn't seem right is the asking price as opposed to the other cars on his site. But it sounds like he personally owns this one, maybe the others are consignments?

Thanks again Mike.

Tim

Post by **negusm** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:33 pm

Some he owns some are consignments.

The White/White/White version is very rare (3 made) and desirable and he has put a premium price on it.

Sandy Block is the guy who needs to chime in here. If he pdoesn't post soon, contact him:

Call ONLY in the evening, 8PM~9PM E.S.T. We are in New Jersey. You'd do better to call us on the telephone, @ 1-973-748-7770 or 1-973-429-2880 if the first number is busy!

-Mike

rlyons13 · Post by **rlyons13** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:56 pm

Yes, I know Hank's "Snowball" car well. I may very well be the guy he is referring to. The car looks much better in pictures then it is in person. Add 100K of miles to the odometer. The floors are covered in surface rust. The door jams are rusty, especially around the seams. The door bottom seams are rusty. The driver's side repair is obvious. The car doesn't have cats. And there is probably a lot more wrong that I don't remember. In my mind, it is a project car. Make your bid accordingly.

Now, Hank has two 88 McLarens for sale "unadvertised". Both have less than 5K miles. One is a Blue w/ tan car with gold rims and auto. He's looking for $18K for that. It's beautiful, and I would have bought it if I wanted a museum car. The other is red with a 5-speed. He wants $20K for that one. Beware, somehow it got a BIG scratch on the air dam. I assume Hank has repaired it by now. Also very beautiful, but for some reason it didn't grab me like the blue one.

I personally like Hank. He was very hospitable when I went down to visit him. But do not commit to buy any car unless you have it checked out beforehand.

I waited, and got a 17K mile 88 McLaren w/ 5-speed in late November, for about the same as Hank was trying to get me to take Snowball for. Needs detailing. There are some cars on eBay right now that look pretty good. DO your research. Bid on a car even if you don't hit the reserve. The car I got was via eBay. I just wanted to be the high bidder, even though I knew I was nowhere near the reserve. The guy wanted to sell to get money for a real estate deal, so he offered me the car at my bid! HooYah! I hear that happens quite a bit.

Post by **negusm** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:09 pm

Racea1car, check the classifieds here...there is a Paris BLue Museum piece for sale and there is an 86 ascMcLaren vert on ebay that is nice except for some quarter damage which is questionable whether it is small or large.

-Mike

Racea1car · Post by **Racea1car** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:15 pm

Thanks Mike and Robert. I really appreciate it.

This is exactly the information I was looking for. I'm glad I registered and came on here. I've gotten more info on this car in 1 hour than I have in 2 weeks.

Does sound like this car has more issues than we're looking to deal with.

I'm sure I'll be posting frequently now on other cars that we find.

Thanks again

Tim

Post by **negusm** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:40 pm

http://www.ascmclarencoupe.com/phpBB/vi ... .php?t=886

Tim, Sandy wants you to look at this.

Racea1car · Post by **Racea1car** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:37 am

Very cool guys.

I actually received some current pictures from Henry on the snowball today. Still can't believe how nice the seats look with that many miles on the car.

The pictures do show rust on the bottom of the door jams.

Robert, in your opinion, how bad was the rust? Is is getting into the metal, or mainly the begining of bigger problems? And what caused the inside to rust? Bad seals or top?

If I'm going to spend as much money in the long run to make it nice, and still have a high mileage car when I'm done, I'm much better off buying one that is already nice.

I think that the snowball is just stunning in looks, plus being 1 of 3 in the lowest production numbers just still has our attention I guess.

Another question, it seems that the majority of these cars are on the East coast. Why is this, or am I just wrong?

Thanks guys

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:43 am

States with the most:
Florida
South Carolina
New Jersey
Mass
New York
Pa.
Illinois
California
Michigan
Wisconsin
Virginia
West Virginia
Oregon
Minnisota

States with the least:
Texas
New Hamoshire
Vermont
Maine
Rhode Island
Utah
Nevada

dahberg · Post by **dahberg** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:49 am

Racea1car wrote:Another question, it seems that the majority of these cars are on the East coast. Why is this, or am I just wrong?

Thanks guys

East coast have trailer queens and massive restore projects.

West coast is too busy driving to advertize and communicate...

Just kidding...

Good luck and welcome to the group. Hope you get one soon and we meet up in the near future!

Bakersfield and Apple Valley are not to far apart...

Post by **negusm** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:16 am

ascMcLaren couldn't ship anything past the Rockies (or the Mississippi I forget). That is why all the eastern cars.

-Mike

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:49 am

Not to give false impression...but THAT was true only of the Capris of 1984-1986. Beginnning with the 1987s they did in fact have full shipping across America.
BTW, it was the Mississippi !! WEST thereof was a NO GO

Post by **negusm** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 3:04 am

Sandy wrote:Not to give false impression...but THAT was true only of the Capris of 1984-1986. Beginnning with the 1987s they did in fact have full shipping across America.
BTW, it was the Mississippi !! WEST thereof was a NO GO

Oh, sorry forgot it was only the Capris.

-Mike

rlyons13 · Post by **rlyons13** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:28 pm

Tim,

I remember the rust getting to the point where it would take some pretty aggressive means to get rid of it. As more things come back to me, I remember the door hinges starting to go south. The interior white just doesn't match well to the exterior white, and the hard cover shell white. I'm an MCA judge since 1986, and I have a Solo I 93 SVT Cobra. I don't back down from too many challenges. But this is a car I wouldn't go for...for the money Hank wants for it. Case in point. I bought my step-daughter a 93 4 cylinder convertible and did a quick refresh on it. Spent about $3.5K total. I wouldn't have paid that much to buy the car. But that's just my opinion, for what it's worth. I would buy the two 5K McLaren's Hank has in a heartbeat IF I wanted a museum piece. I also bought the 86 white Capri roadster he had, if he was willing to come down about a grand.