OutFoxed - 1986 ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC

In the last forty years, Ford's pony cars have been many things to a great many people: mild-mannered secretary's car, rent-a-racer, highly tuned track star, economy hatchback and everyman's muscle machine. But one engineer's vision of a limited-production, two-seat, bespoked European-style Ford roadster was brought to life by a collaboration between two major automotive specialty firms, and the third-generation Mercury Capri reached beyond its humble roots to gun for the European high rollers. Equally at home profiling on Rodeo Drive or dragging on Woodward Avenue, the 1986 ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC became Mercury's poshest-ever pony car.

When Ford of Europe debuted their Capri coupe in 1969, the diminutive GT had been designed to capture the American Mustang's flavor and universal appeal for a European audience. It came to America a year later with a different brief-to bring an inexpensive, sporty imported car to Lincoln/Mercury dealers-and was initially a very hot seller. Although the revised Capri II, sold here from late-1975 through 1978, still used four-cylinder and V-6 power, and gained interior room and carrying capacity via its taller and wider three-door hatchback body, its sales dwindled. So when Ford replaced the Capri II in the American market for 1979, they based the new Capri hatchback coupe on the equally new Fox-platform Mustang.

Power-latched hard tonneau is released by a dash-mounted switch and manually raised.

"In the early 1980s, we had a relationship with McLaren engine development branch of Bruce McLaren Motor Racing, and we decided to do a Capri coupe in the McLaren colors of blue and orange," says Mark Trostle, president of creative services for American Specialty Cars (formerly American Sunroof Company), and a 32-year company veteran. "We created an add-on front air dam with driving lamps, a rocker panel appliqué and an add-on rear fascia. We also created body-side graphics and custom lace-design wheels. That project started the whole ASC/McLaren series on the Fox-platform Mustangs and Capris."

The roadster on these pages emerged from the mind of an independent engineer who wanted to combine European style with mass-produced practicality. "Peter Muscat came up with the concept of the convertible, a two-seater with a sporty look," Mark recalls. "He built a couple of convertibles on his own, independently, at the same time we were doing the small-volume coupe. Peter knew ASC founder Heinz Prechter and proposed it to him, and Heinz loved the idea-it was a good continuation of the ASC/McLaren name. ASC took over the concept and developed it for series production. The blue Capri coupe with orange graphics was where the ASC/McLaren image started, and the 5.0 SC was the marrying of Peter Muscat's convertible idea with that image."

Owner Skipp Phelps

Apart from the famed 1965-1970 Shelby derivatives, ASC/McLaren cars were the only Mustang/Capris to be specially prepared for aftermarket conversion by Ford; according to ASC/McLaren registrar Sandy Block, stock coupes received a body buck tag on their radiator support bar stamped "D32 ASC MCLAREN." After the coupes were trucked to ASC's factory and decapitated, Mark recalled their conversion process: "We had a hydraulic fixture that bent the A-pillars back about 21/2 inches, and we'd then weld in reinforcements-this lowered the height of the roof to give it a faster appearance." Capris also received special reinforcement bracing in the rear seat area, under the windshield and along the transmission tunnel, adding torsional strength.

The 5.0 SC retained the coupe's distinctive blocky four-headlamp nose treatment and the IMSA GT-inspired flared fenders. The convertible offered two hidden storage compartments in the carpeted area where the coupe's rear seat would be, and unlike the production Mustang convertible, the modified car's top folded completely into the body, resting under a flush hard tonneau with a power release, like the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 380 SL. ASC's shops completely repainted the modified cars, and also installed unique upgraded interior trim. In 1986, ASC offered a $1,395 Sports Appearance Package, which consisted of the lower ground effects from the coupe as well as the Hella Fog Lamps.

McLaren's original plan had been to upgrade both the 1984 convertible's engine and suspension as they later did on Buick's Grand National-based GNX. When they determined that Lincoln-Mercury dealers were more interested in an image car, they decided the stock 5.0-liter V-8 was already a good performer, and only modified the suspension. The independent front, which added upgraded MacPherson struts and coil springs to the lower A-arms and anti-roll bar and was matched with a live-axle rear with four-bar links, altered-rate coil springs and the anti-tramp "Quad-Shock" system. "McLaren gave them unique springs that lowered the vehicle 11/4 inches, and the Carrera 50/50 shocks used different valving they had developed for the coupe to give them a different feel on the road," Mark says. "They rode on B.F.Goodrich tires, which were new at the time, and handled very well."

The 5.0 SC used the Capri RS/Mustang GT's 302-cu.in. high-output V-8. In 1984, the Holley-carbureted, 8.3-compression 5.0 made 175hp at 4,000 rpm and 245-lbs.ft. of torque. A hotter camshaft and roller tappets allowed the 1985 SC's engine to make 210hp at 4,400 rpm and 270-lbs.ft. of torque; and with a 9.2:1 compression ratio, sequential fuel injection, a tuned intake and tubular exhaust headers with dual outlets, this engine made 200hp at 4,000 rpm and 285-lbs.ft. of torque at 3,000 rpm in 1986. It could be mated to the Borg-Warner T-5 five-speed manual or a four-speed overdrive Ford AOD automatic transmission. The standard power-assisted 10.1-inch front disc/9-inch rear drum brakes were also retained.

The ASC/McLaren SC's brief as a custom two-seat roadster with overt luxury touches came across in the 1984-1985 features list; standard accessories included power windows, a leather-wrapped tilt wheel, leather-covered Recaro sport seats with power lumbar support, heating elements and headrest speakers, a leather gearshift knob, polished hardwood dash appliqués, a custom center console and interior trim, a premium cassette stereo, cross-spoked aluminum wheels, a Haartz cambria cloth top and air horns. For 1986, the SC's special Recaro seats became optional, as was a Whistler Spectrum II integral radar detector and a 140-mph speedometer. The cost to convert a 1986 Capri RS into an ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC? A not-insubstantial $12,059 before options, and before you paid the $10,223 for the car in the first place.

While ASC/McLaren coupes were offered alongside the 5.0 SC each year, they were never volume sellers: 50 convertibles and 25 coupes appeared in 1984; 257 convertibles, 150 coupes and 30 special-edition "Grand Prix IV" coupes were made in 1985; and 245 convertibles, 115 coupes and 47 stripper "EuroCoupes" hit the road in 1986. An even rarer decontented ASC/McLaren 3.8 SC convertible that used the Capri's 120hp, 3.8-liter V-6 and automatic transmission was also listed for sale in 1986, but Sandy reported that a former ASC/McLaren employee recalled that a mere eight to ten of the 3.8 SCs were built. The Capri-based ASC/McLarens met their demise after the 1986 model year, when falling sales led Ford to drop the Capri line in favor of the more popular Mustang; ASC/McLaren SCs based on the revamped 1987 Mustang GT were built through the project's termination in 1990.

Our feature car is a 1986 5.0 SC owned by Columbia, New Jersey, native Skipp Phelps, and it is one of 12 built that year in the color combination of ASC White with a tan top and interior. Former Hemmings associate editor and photographer James Dietzler gave a report after spending some time behind the wheel. "Given that this ASC/McLaren Capri is a derivative of Ford's Fox-chassis Mustang, I wasn't expecting too much from this ride. Yet, from the moment I dropped the automatic's lever back into D and goosed it, I forgot all about my preconceived notions about creaky panels, plastic-laden interiors and the like, as found in ordinary Mustangs. The stock Capri 5.0-liter V-8's unobtrusive 'buuhhh-waaaah' exhaust note and ample power quickly took my mind off its sibling's shortcomings. Though the AOD transmission does sap power, this converted Capri was more than ready and willing to spin the tires, with only a half-planted right foot. It's a 'soft-shifter,' but it does cruise at reasonable rpm levels, and when called for, a hard kick of the gas is rewarded with plenty of snap as it shifts down. It will hold low gear as long as you keep your foot in it and the revs climb towards the redline.

"Though it didn't display alarming amounts of body roll, I never felt quite comfortable with judging just when and where it would lose its adhesion, nor was I about to find out just how such a happenstance would occur. A fair bit of steering effort is required, and it transmits enough road feel back to the driver as to not totally isolate him from what's going on beneath the wheels. Turn-in was nice and responsive, but the 5.0 SC has a slight dead spot when the steering wheel is on-center. And its braking, though over-boosted as I expected, had a good, progressive effort in relation to pedal travel and strong stopping abilities.

"The seating, just one of many decadent touches provided by ASC/McLaren, was adjustable in so many ways that I couldn't quite figure out just what to do with it! There's a seat bottom extension, which is a really nice feature for taller drivers. Ergonomically speaking, it isn't any different from other Fox-chassis Capris or Mustangs from the same time period, but this car's interior was obviously vastly superior in terms of quality, materials and fit and finish. The authentic pecan wood dash inserts provide a warm glow to the interior, and they aren't just a veneer-no, these inserts are almost a half-inch thick, and they carry over to the passenger dash. Even the door panels, which are trimmed in matching leather, are unique to this ASC.

"To be honest, I expected the worst in this car as far as structural rigidity was concerned. I've driven purpose-built sports car convertibles, and have watched windshields flex to the point of nearly popping out of their frames while the steering wheel jumped in my hands over bumps. Not so here. Apparently, the engineers at ASC/McLaren knew just where to put the extra bracing in this cut-down Fox platform. And top-down motoring caused the driver and passenger little buffeting and no extra noise, perhaps due to the nicely integrated tonneau cover; with the roadster's cloth top up, the wind noise was nearly the same as when it was down because it does without an inner liner."

When it was new, the ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC wasn't aimed at the typically young Mustang audience; rather, it was a specialty domestic offering for those who were dedicated to American products but sought the refinement of the best European convertibles. Today's car enthusiast who wants something more distinctive than a Corvette roadster, Cadillac Allante or Chrysler TC by Maserati can pick up a 5.0 SC for prices roughly akin to that of a Mustang SVO. It may not have European cachet or muscle car speed, but the ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC combines rarity, smooth looks and all-American Blue Oval performance at a bargain price.

Owner's Profile - Skipp Phelps

Not only does Skipp Phelps own the white 1986 ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC on these pages, but he also owns a black one. "My wife wouldn't leave this car alone, so out of self defense, I had to get another one," he laughs. The custom Capris are the most modern cars in Skipp's prolific collection, which includes 20 other vehicles. What drew him, to the 5.0 SC? "It's tremendous fun to drive, with great power. The suspension is so firm and positive that no matter how fast you want to go, you just point the car and it's there. It's also so pretty-when Mustang people see it, they give it a second and third look." And how stiff is this converted coupe? "It's extremely rigid," he replies. "Only if you hit a bump extremely hard will the whole car dance." Skipp gets great enjoyment in each of the 5,000 miles a year he puts on the car. "It's fun to take it out and embarrass the kids in their little plastic rice rockets. This car has an 85-mph speedometer that it will bury in short order, and the muffled straight exhausts give a nice rumble. If you want it to, that V-8 will break traction in the first two gears," he smiles. "Although it has a radar detector, you have to be judicious in it...at least it's not arrest-me red!"

Pros/Cons

Pros:

Understated good looks

5.0-liter V-8 performance and inexpensive parts

Incredibly rare

Cons:

Mustang lineage curbs snob appeal

Two seats limit sharing the fun

Rarity means locating nice examples can be difficult

Club Scene:

ASC/McLaren International Registry

www.webspawner.com/users/ascmclarenregistry/

Online registry features historical information and literature

International Mercury Owners Association

6445 W. Grand Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60707-3410

773-622-6445

Dues: $35/year, Membership: 1,400

www.mercuryclub.com

SPECIFICATIONS

Year: 1986

Make: ASC/McLaren

Model: 5.0 SC

Redline: 5,800 rpm (Yellow line, 4,800 rpm)

PRICE

Base price: $22,282

($10,223 Mercury Capri RS 5.0, plus $12,059 ASC/McLaren conversion)

Options on car profiled:

Automatic transmission, $622

Whistler Spectrum II remote radar detector, $238

Recaro seating, $1,795

ENGINE

Type: OHV V-8, cast-iron block and heads

Displacement: 302 cubic inches

Bore x Stroke: 4.00 x 3.00 inches

Compression Ratio: 9.2:1

Horsepower @ rpm: 200 @ 4,400

Torque @ rpm: 285-lbs.ft @ 3,000

Valvetrain: Hydraulic valve lifters, roller cam and tappets

Main bearings: 5

Fuel system: Sequential multi-port electronic fuel injection

Lubrication system: Pressure

Electrical system: 12-volt

Exhaust system: Dual

TRANSMISSION

Type: Three-speed automatic with overdrive

Ratios 1st: 2.40:1

2nd: 1.47:1

3rd: 1.00:1

4th: 0.67:1

Reverse: 2.0:1

DIFFERENTIAL

Type: Hypoid 8.8-inch, Traction-Lok limited-slip

Ratio: 3.27:1

STEERING

Type: Rack and pinion, power assist

Ratio: 15.97:1

Turns, lock-to-lock: 3.1

Turning circle: 37.4 feet

BRAKES

Type: Hydraulic, front disc/rear drum with power assist

Front: 10.1-inch rotors

Rear: 9-inch drums

Swept area: 276.5 square inches

CHASSIS & BODY

Construction: Steel unibody

Body style: Two-door, two-passenger convertible

Layout: Front engine, rear-wheel drive

SUSPENSION

Front: Independent, modified MacPherson struts, lower A-arms, coil springs

Rear: Live axle, four-bar links, coil springs, Quad-Shocks with two horizontal and two vertical tube shocks, anti-tramp bars

WHEELS & TIRES

Wheels: MSW cast-aluminum

Front: 15 x 7 inches

Rear: 15 x 7 inches

Tires: B.F.Goodrich Comp T/A radials

Front: 215/60 VR 15

Rear: 215/60 VR 15

WEIGHTS & MEASURES

Wheelbase: 100.5 inches

Overall length: 179.3 inches

Overall width: 69.1 inches

Overall height: 50.9 inches

Front track: 56.6 inches

Rear track: 57.0 inches

Curb weight: 3,190 (coupe)

CAPACITIES

Crankcase: 5 quarts

Cooling system: 14.2 quarts

Fuel tank: 15.4 gallons

Transmission: 22 pints including torque converter

Rear axle: 4.75 pints

CALCULATED DATA

Bhp per c.i.d.: .66

Weight per bhp: 15.95 pounds

Weight per c.i.d.: 10.56 pounds

PERFORMANCE

(1986 Mustang GT Convertible with automatic transmission, Motor Trend magazine, October 1986)

0-60 mph: 7.36 seconds

1/4-mile ET: 15.69 @ 88.9 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph: 146 feet

Lateral acceleration: 0.81G