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Fox Body Rarity: 1986 Mercury Capri ASC McLaren

If the usual assortment of Fox Body models no longer gets your blood pumping, the obscure and limited production ASC McLaren conversions could be worth a look. This one is a Mercury Capri with the soft top, and it looks pretty clean despite reported mileage of 72,500. Featuring a sharp all-white paint job on the outside and navy blue leather on the inside, this McLaren conversion is said to remain in decent condition with a smooth-running 5.0L V8 under the hood and is one of just 264 made that year. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $4,500 and no reserve.

I’ve always felt like these cars have the classic ingredients to be a highly desired collector model, but values have never seemed to rise past the point of a decent Mustang. The looks seemed pretty slick to me, with a nicely hidden convertible top and a true two-seater design inside. The conversion of the back seat into a nicely carpeted storage compartment seemed well done to me, and a clever means of hiding the structural reinforcements that live underneath. The tinted taillights are a classic 80s style, and contrast nicely with the color-matched wheels.

The interior on this ASC is really a high point, in my eyes, because the deep blue leather seats, console, and carpet look awesome against the blinding white paint. Throw in some nicely-preserved fake wood and it almost looks downright luxurious. If nothing else, it raises the bar for interior standards in a Fox Body. The seller notes there’s a reason for this freshness, and it has to do with the seats being recovered five years ago. The top was also replaced, and the plastic windows are said to be in excellent shape.

And the best part is, for all this exotica and limited production numbers, you still have reliable 5.0 under the hood with limitless parts availability. For 1986, a series of improvements gave the ASC’s respectable numbers of 200 b.h.p. and 285 lb.-ft. of torque, all channeled through a four-speed overdrive automatic transmission. A manual was available, and to me, that option would put this example over the top as a potential performance bargain. The seller notes the A/C doesn’t cool at the moment and there’s an occasional surging idle, but otherwise, it’s ready to be enjoyed.

Comments

  1. Avatar Andrew Franks

    The surging might mean the injectors need to be cleaned.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    I always liked the front end treatment on the Capri, a better look in my mind than the Mustang’s. Nice car over all, very clean and seeming well kept. I’m OK with the auto trans as convertibles are for cruising not the stoplight drags. Not a huge fan of convertibles but this Capri would be a nice one to have.

    Like 3
  3. Avatar madbrit

    Strange that both bidders have retracted their bids……..

    Like 1
  4. Avatar Gary S.

    Always liked the fox body platform…just acquired a 96 mustang..not a fox body and i don’t care for the body style as much but it was a freebie..abandoned at a foreclosure house. So can’t beat a free ride..unlocked it,removed ignition switch,put jumper on it,fired it up and drove it on the trailer. 25 bucks and 36 days later had title in hand and now it is my commuter ride…

    Like 1
  5. Avatar chrlsful

    lookin 4 da fox right now !
    But… the LTD/Marquis waggy !
    Perfect size, just append the aol to my name

    Like 0

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