After 15 years of production and a few face lifts, it is easy to say that the Fox body Mustang built quite a chapter into Ford’s history book. This unique and interesting Mclaren converted Mustang Roadster is a rare low mileage specimen that has aged beautifully. This beautiful Fox can be yours for the buy it now price of $8,995. Find it here on ebay out of Gilbert, Arizona.
When is the last time you saw a bone stock 302 V8? Appearing completely stock and unmolested, this Mustang still enjoys a cool R12 charge from the air conditioning system. The only thing to really nitpick about this Fox are the brackets that hold the radiator, and the radiator cowl itself. I would paint the radiator brackets and call it a day. All of this cleanliness and originality comes from this car being driven only 73,100 miles in its entire life. One feature that I am not exactly in love with is the optional automatic transmission, but it doesn’t detract much from this cool classic.
With a typical Fox body appearance, the interior does have a few features that are Mclaren specific. The seats and door panels are covered in a perforated leather, with two tones of grey. Also the Door panels are equipped with ASC Mclaren badges. Since this is a roadster, there is no back seat, and instead you have a flat cargo like area that would easily fit your favorite golf bag and clubs. This interior shows nicely but there are a few condition concerns. The driver seat is worn, and has a split in the leather. The ash tray area has something going on that looks like delaminating and cracking. Also the passenger side door panel looks to have possibly met with a cigarette ash that caused a small area of melt near the power window controls. Beyond these issues, and the slightly aged leather seats, the interior in this Mclaren is nice.
Absolutely shiny, just as you would wish for, the exterior of this Fox is clean! With only 1,806 of these roadsters having been produced, its safe to say this is a rare Fox. With all of the Mclaren goodies present, and in good condition, there are only a few very small things to point out. The only paint concerns come from a small chip on the lower portion of the front bumper and on the passenger rear wheel arch, which thankfully no rust has developed. Beyond the simple paint chips there is damage to the windshield pillar trim. It appears to have been cracked or broken at some point where it was then “gooped” up to maintain it. Beyond these fixable issues lies a clean and original Fox. How many of you have seen one of these Fox roadsters before?
With all due respect for Fox body Mustangs, which I like, this is not a ‘roadster’. It’s a 2-seat convertible. I get that roadster is a marketing term, but using it for a 4-seater with rear-seat delete is just marketing. And strictly speaking, roadsters don’t have roll-up windows.
I was just in Gilbert, AZ last week and if I had known this car was for sale I would have gone to see it. Roadster or not, it looks good. Too bad about the auto transmission though. Maybe the 9 grand asking is a bit high.
Never been a Fox body guy, but wow…this is really gorgeous
Really nice, and I’m not crazy about Fox bodies. Cigarettes will always mess a car up, though.
Beautiful car. If I had it, the chinese headlights would have to go.
Are those stock rims? Not a mustang guy but I like this one. 👍
I thought all the old ASC Mclarens were based on the Capri (same story but still…). I had a friend (son of Ford Dealer) who had 2 hatchbacks and his wife had a convertible. The suspension was amazing and the upgrades were tasteful and handsome. Then he moved up to Saleens; also very fun!
McLaren switched over to the mustang when Ford dropped the Capri. I own a.89( Royal Gold metallic #95 out of 247 for 89) only 22 built in this color.
They also did Capris here’s my 85
Not all ASC Mclarens are even Fomoco products, I had an 89 Pontiac Grand Prix Turbo ASC Mclaren a couple years ago
I took the heat extractors off of a hood in an ASC-modded Turbo Grand Prix. Looks good on a Regal GS…
I had a friend who had two of these. First one was a blue one and it had a built-in radar detector installed by McLaren. It was t-boned. Second one was a maroon color. McLaren removed all of the Ford badging off the car, so some people couldn’t figure what it was. It did have a custom front bumper, not sure about the rear. There was a Capri version made as well.
The front bumper was stock GT with a McLaren insert where the blue oval normally was. The rear was a lower skirt with McLaren affixed to it. Mine is a 5 speed manual. It’s a blast to drive and a conversation piece.
I had an 87 5 speed, we did some work for ASC in the 80’s. I don’t think McLaren had much to do with these cars other then lend them the name. In the early 80’s ASC would take cars and convert them trying to land a production deal with the car manufacturer, these are the results. They also did the Porsche 944 & 968 cab. And the Nissan 240sx cab.
Auto is very dull, it absolutely needs a 5 speed!
You are correct. McLaren (engine company) didn’t. Asc actually cut the tops off of the coupe mustangs in a plant in Livonia MI. They pulled the windshield back a few degrees and added the manual Mercedes style soft top. The cars came from ford specially prepared (D32 option code on build/order sheet) with the necessary factory parts installed or deleted. Asc finished the cars and shipped them to waiting dealerships.
If I recall correctly they were in a bidding war with car and concepts for the new 83 mustang convert. We did all the hard interior trim for ASC in the 80’s & early 90’s. and the mustangs were hatchbacks.
Forgot the dodge Dakota ragtops also converted by ASC
87 and up McLarens were 2 door coupes with the tops cut off.
This is my McLaren..#95
Beautiful car, wish I still had mine. Two issues I had were driving with the top up it had rattles (drives me nuts) and the screw drive on the top would not work when hot (black car) bottle water helped.
Same rims I had on mine, originals are difficult to keep clean.
Yes.. I’ve owned this since 04 and yes.. Rattles like crazy..Lol. I have 101,000 miles on her. Purchased in 04 with 88,000 miles. I get a lot of attention at the Woodard Dream Cruise. Mostly stock except for the 5 lug conversion.
do not get McLaren that converted or sold these cars with the racing McLaren that build race cars. Not the same company
http://www.ascmclaren.org/WhatIsAnAscMcLaren.html here is more information on these special cars if anyone wants it.
We’ll agree to disagree the time I spent in the plant all I saw were hatchbacks. I think these motors were warmed over, I know mine would smoke my buddies 87 GT!
No you are correct.. The 84-86 McLaren’s were based off the hatchback Capri. The 87-90 were based off the coupe mustangs when Ford dropped the Capri. All the info is available at http://www.ascmclaren.org.
Nice car but the slush box kills it…
I suspect clean, low-mileage Fox body GT’s and variants like this McLaren will become collectible classics fetching big dollars in the next few years, and we’ll be scratching our heads. “5.0 Mustang?! These were a dime a dozen!”
But they have all the earmarks: fun to drive, cheap to fix, and you can build them for show or go.