Pick of the Day: 1987 ASC/McLaren Mustang roadster

As the story goes, Peter Muscat had crafted clay models in the Ford design department but left to found Muscat Brothers, a specialist body shop. 

Muscat’s wife also worked for Ford, and when she was not allowed to park her Mercedes SL roadster in a company parking lot reserved for Ford products, Muscat converted a 1980 Mustang coupe into a 2-seat convertible with a hard tonneau cover over the retracted canvas top.

Muscat launched Jubbu Design & Engineering (and later Muscat Design) and also took his coupe-turned-roadster concept to ASC, aka American Sunroof Company, a supplier of roof systems to Detroit automakers. 

ASC in turn recruited McLaren’s Detroit-based engine and chassis shop, into the program, and between 1984 and 1990 a few more than 1,800 Fox-bodied ASC/McLaren Ford Mustang GTs were produced. A shorter run of Mercury Capris also was done.

The Pick of the Day is one of them, a 1987 ASC/McLaren Ford Mustang GT, being advertised on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Highland Park, Illinois.

“The cornerstone American muscle car, the Ford Mustang, and then letting ASC/McLaren work their magic, results in this very capable, limited edition, two-seat roadster presented here,” the seller reports in the advertisement.

“Muscle cars from the ’80s have seen a rise in popularity over the past few years. Check out this sweet, low mileage, red on gray example, then drop the top and enjoy the ride.”

The seller notes that the car wears Sikkens F1 red paint and rides on Motorsport Wheel Company rims produced in Italy.

The car carries Ford’s fuel-injected, 5.0-liter high-output V8 engine connected to a Borg Warner T-5 manual transmission and a 3.73 Ford Motorsport rear. The engine has an Edelbrock Performer II intake manifold and other Edelbrock upgrades, Crane valve train and Bassani exhaust.

It also has new struts, brakes and tires, the seller says.

The interior features Recaro LXF Specialist leather seats and MOMO steering wheel. Instead of back seats, the car has two covered storage areas, as well as a place for the folded convertible top and even a trunk.

The car is offered for $17,900. To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.