Feb 28, 2022  •  For Sale  •  12 Comments

Last 5-Speed Built? 1984 ASC McLaren Capri

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The ASC McLaren Capri is a familiar face around here. It’s beginning to remind me of the Blazer K5 Chalet, where it was made in limited numbers but there’s seemingly always one for sale. The ASC is obviously not a car you see every day, but it has become abundantly clear that a lot of folks squirreled them away for a rainy day, clearly hoping for a decent pay-off when the time came to dust off that low-mileage specimen in the garage. The tricky thing is, given how many owners kept their ASCs under wraps, values haven’t exactly taken off. That’s good news for buyers, as you can still find cars like this 1984 model here on craigslist with just 41,000 miles for a reasonable $15,500.

The seller says that this example of the chop-top Capri has been sitting in storage for two years. That’s rarely a good thing for a vintage car, but fortunately for us, the 5.0L powerplant is generally quite robust. The listing details confirm it does still run, but who knows what else might need fine-tuning before it hits the road once more. The paintwork still looks presentable with decent gloss, but that’s an un-scientific opinion given we’re looking at the car with a cover still half thrown over it. The camel-colored soft top is a nice contrast with the red bodywork, but we can’t see inside to determine what shape the Recaro interior is in.

The ASC McLaren Capri was a bit of an odd duck when it was introduced, even if it was intended to address a major gap in the lineup where a convertible model should otherwise be slotted. Ford didn’t really give the ASC version a chance to succeed, as the Fox-body Mustang convertible was launched soon afterward, and from what I recall, at a slightly better price point. The ASC McLaren was still a slick package, however, especially with those mesh wheels and Recaro seats. It definitely stood out from the crowd, as those details and the tonneau cover that made the convertible top disappear combined to make it a looker. And certainly, standard 5.0L V8 power didn’t hurt, either.

The seller cites production numbers of only 50 convertibles made with a 5-speed. The total production was quite low, totaling 2,678 over seven years of production. Interestingly, the seller notes this is number 49 of the 50 manual transmission convertibles, and that the 50th production model was destroyed in an accident. So, one could assume this is the final 5-speed ASC convertible made. I’m not sure how much value this adds in situations like these, but for the seasoned ASC McLaren convertible collector, it could be worth pursuing for that reason alone. Hopefully, the cosmetics are as good as they appear to be, and any mechanical issuing stemming from sitting for two years are minimal at best. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Roger for the find.

Comments

  1. Stan StanMember
    Feb 28, 2022 at 6:25pm

    These were good looking cars. Looks like an 1985 motor ?

    Like 1
    • Tiberius1701
      Mar 1, 2022 at 9:46am

      ’84 and ’85 carbureted models looked identical under the hood.

      Like 3
  2. Claudio
    Mar 1, 2022 at 10:35am

    A 2 door , 2 seater topless capri
    Wow
    A rare machine in great condition
    A collector car for 15 k souds good to me
    Easy to drive
    Easy to maintain

    I personally dont go fot the beige interior
    But thats MY opinion

    Yolo

    Like 0
  3. Gary
    Mar 1, 2022 at 10:37am

    Gee, would it hurt to pull it outside and get some good pictures?

    Like 5
  4. Frank
    Mar 1, 2022 at 11:03am

    Link to another one, same year but the grill is matching red whereas this one has a black grill. Hmmm… what to think? Repaired bodywork or they made every one a little bit different?

    https://classiccars.com/listings/view/969877/1984-mercury-capri-for-sale-in-dearborn-michigan-48120

    Like 0
  5. Howie Mueler
    Mar 1, 2022 at 11:36am

    Yes nice car but crappy photos!!

    Like 2
  6. Steve Clinton
    Mar 1, 2022 at 2:17pm

    I just don’t understand why a seller wouldn’t display his car better…including removing the trash from the hood.

    Like 1
  7. Araknid78
    Mar 2, 2022 at 11:01am

    Located in Bandera, TX

    Like 0
  8. BigAl
    Mar 8, 2022 at 5:29pm

    Repaint!

    Like 0
  9. Chall0
    Aug 29, 2023 at 1:29am

    I have one of these cars to sell for my mom. Her’s is 46 of 50. It has been in storage for over 15 yrs. It is pretty dirty and needs a clean make over. Had it looked at and it will not start due to dead battery. When my cousin brought a battery over it started up. She was wanting $10,000 for it OBO if anyone is interested. Thanks.

    Like 0
    • Claudio
      Aug 29, 2023 at 6:25am

      Well , it’s a great opportunity for you to post it with pictures and all !
      Not crappy pictures and no description, an ad from an involved seller
      Why don’t you post it on barnfinds auction ?

      Like 1
  10. Edward Attard
    Nov 27, 2023 at 5:58am

    i just bought a 84 convertible 5 speed how do i find out what build it is of the 50 cars built

    Like 1

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