ASC Conversion: 1989 Ford Mustang McLaren Convertible

The ASC McLaren Ford Mustang convertible is already a rarity these days, as it was produced in limited numbers when new. However, you can split a few key hairs to make it even more obscure if you look towards the 1989 model year. In that year, ASC McLaren introduced a new wheel design produced by a manufacturer more often associated with Japanese tuner cars, along with a few additional paint codes from the Ford color wheel. This 1989 ASC McLaren convertible has 55,000 original miles and is listed for sale in Campbell, MO.

First off, the wheels: the 1989 McLarens came with these blade-style wheels which was a design that made its way onto numerous vehicles. One of my Isuzu Troopers sported a similar look for a while with a set of American Racing “Sawblade” wheels, and you can find a factory design similar to this on almost every Honda product made between 1986 and 1992. This is also a calling card to let people know that your McLaren is one of the final year models, as the prior years sported a much more sedate design. The seller’s car looks like a proper Fox body Mustang with its white-letter radials, but I might delete those for a cleaner look.

The interior is in good shape overall, with seats that appear to have some cheap aftermarket covers on them and hide the original upholstery from view. The tan carpets are in driver-quality shape, which is to say they could do with a steam cleaning. The Mustang is equipped with an automatic transmission, which is hardly uncommon when it comes to a Fox body; it’s even harder to find three pedals in a limited-production model like this one. The good news is this example appears to remain in stock condition throughout; the bad news is, I’m worried the original Recaro seats may not longer be in this car, based purely on the relatively flat bolsters under that seat cover.

The other way this particular ASC car stands out is the paint code. If I have my facts right, 1989 saw a few colors enter the mix that weren’t offered in prior years, including Royal Gold and Summer Tan. I suspect this is the former, as the latter does tend to be much more gold in appearance. The seller says he is firm on his price of $14,500, as listed here on Facebook Marketplace. These cars have a small but loyal following, and it’s amazing to me that such an obscure piece of Fox body History continues to pop up for sale, often in respectable condition. Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find.