ascMcLaren Enthusiasts

[negusm]

From Sandy Block:

HOW THE 1987-1990 ascMcLarens rolled off the Ford assembly line !
{Bear with me on this one, it's a bit more complicated} !!
*
Cars began "life" as a "LX" 2-Door Sedan (Notchback) equipped with
the 5.0 Litre V-8 Engine Package with 5-Speed Manual Transmission,
unless Optional 4-Speed Automatic Transmission was ordered ($575.00).
*
The following were components of the D32 "ascMcLaren Build":-
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Remote Control Fuel Door Release
Tilt Steering Wheel (N.A. on the 1990 ~ due to air bag)
Tinted Glass
Electronic Am/Fm Stereo & Cassette Player
Premium Sound System
Power Trunk Lid Release
*
Special Mandatory Equipment for D32 Build:-
Convertible Doors (Frameless)
Cowl Side Panel Reinforcements
Convertible Floorpan - Reinforced
"GT" Front Fascia with Fog Lights
and Fog Light Wiring Assembly
Convertible Rear View Mirror with Built-In Reading Lamps
Heavy Duty Pwr. Window Regulators
GT Hatchback Cloth Uplevel Articulating Sport Seats
With Thunderbird Head Restraints in place of Mustang
Head Restraints
Convertible-Cut Style Carpet, Rolled & Tossed in Trunk
Custom Fabricated (by Libby-Owens) Door Glass
GT Full Exhaust System with Turned Down Tips
*
Deletions:-
Front Fascia Blue Ford Oval Emblem
Deck-Lid Blue Ford Emblem and "LX" Namplate
Deck-Lid Center Trunk Lock - Cover Hole with Duct Tape
Interior Headliner
Interior Dome Lamp & all related Wiring
Interior Coat Hooks
Rear Seat Area Quarter Panel Trim
Dome Lamp Bracket
Interior Back Window Garnish Mouldings
Interior Quarter Panel Trim Brackets & Supports
Interior Roof Side Mouldings
Back Seat
Windshield Garnish Moulding - Upper & Sides
Luggage Compartment Carpet (or Mat)
All Exterior Windshield Mouldings, Except Lower
Front Window Exterior Mouldings
Exterior Bodyside Paint Stripes
*
Colors:-
ALL 1987-1990 rolled off Dearborn Assembly in Raven Black,
EXCEPT cars ordered with a blue colored interior. For 1987,
1989 & 1990 these cars were painted in Oxford White. In 1988
these cars were painted in Pastel Smoke. (A huge fleet of
State, Local, Police and Government fleet all wanting Oxford
White, precluded painting cars that were going to be re-painted
anyhow, in Oxford White, so they used Pastel Smoke, a very pale
pastel grey, as like the name, the color of cigarette smoke, Non-
Metallic.

Mirrors: All exterior mirrors were packed into the trunk, mirror
glass not installed, so that the inside of the housing could be
painted by ascMcLaren.

Interior: The Articulated Seats on the GT did not come in BLUE.
Therefore the cars with blue interior received BEIGE CLOTH
Articulated Seating. Imagine for a moment a car ordered with
blue interior. The interior is blue, the seats are beige cloth
and the exterior is either light smoke grey or white (depending
upon the year car), AND the Ford Thunderbird headrests are BLUE !
Air Conditioning, Power Locks & Speed Control were listed as Factory
Options for 1987 & 1988. It however is believed that in the 11th
hour that only the Speed Control was an option. For 1989 & 1990 only
Automatic Transmission was a Factory Option.
ascMcLaren installed Options were (all years) the Whistler Spectrum-
II Superhetrodyne Remote Integral Radar Detector ($353.00) and for
1987 & 1988 only the Recaro Leather Power Heated Stereo Speakers in
Headrests Seating ($1,765.00) and for 1989 & 1990 The Remote Control
Keyless Entry System with Illuminated Entry Lighting ($238.00).
It should be noted the 1990s blue interior was different from 1987,
1988 & 1989's blue interior in color, and likewise 1990s grey
interior is a different color grey than 1987, 1988 & 1989s grey
inteior.

The Sun Visors changed almost every year. 1987 were plain, 1988 had
dual illuminated vanity mirrors, 1989 had a passenger only
illuminated vanity mirror and 1990s were curved and therefore had
just a passenger side non-illuminating mirror. This was the norm,
there were exceptions until quantities were used up.

1990 cars with Oxford White interiors used Opal Grey carpets, dash
pad, seat belts, sun visors, and vinyl interior trim on door panels
and rear tub area. All other interiors were all color-keyed. By the
way, workers used sharp razor blades to literally cut off the seat
covering (cloth) and remove the seats to be recovered in the
ascMcLaren leather, and have the non-adjustable headrests from the T-
Bird installed.

Cars with Regatta Blue Interior (87 88 & 89) or Crystal Blue Interior ('90) required additional work, as the engine bays had to be painted BLACK !

As you can see here, they took them all the way down to near nothing - Interior-wise! This one has had it's steering wheel installed, (Back from the company in Canada). Note that seat & shoulder belts are out. The carpeting has been installed as well as the wheel. It waits its console & seats......


So ends D32 Code on the '87-'90 ascMcLarens.

...and so begins a description of how Ford built the 87-90 Mustangs slated for asc conversion with the REGULAR codes...

Yesterday, I did the D32 Code and what that special build included.
Now the finale, how they were built on REGULAR codes. 1987-1990
ascMcLaren Convertibles.

1987:
"LX" Option Code 240-A:
"Special Value Climate Control Group"
Included:-
Air Conditioning / Am Fm Electronic Stereo, Cassette & Premium
Sound / Tinted Glass / Power Lock Group {Pwr. Door Locks, Trunk
Release and Fuel Door}. Deleted from this group were the Speed
Control & Tilt Wheel, which moved onto the OPTION list.
Listed Options, a' la carte:-
Automatic Transmission with 3.23:1 Axle Ratio
Speed Control
Tilt Wheel
and MANDATORY Power Windows.
Not Available on the D32, but normally in the 240-A Group was the
Graphic Equalizer.
Interiors were: Regatta Blue / Scarlet Red / Titanium Grey or Sand Beige

1988:
"LX" Option Code 240-A:
"Special Value Custom Equipment Group"
Air Conditioning / Am Fm Electronic Stereo, Cassette & Premium
Sound / Tinted Glass / Power Lock Group {see contents above} / Power
Windows / Dual Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors.
Deleted from this group were the Speed Control, Tilt Wheel and Dual
Electric Power Exterior Mirrors.
Listed Options, a' la carte:-
Speed Control
Tilt Wheel
Automatic Transmission with 3.23:1 Axle Ratio
Not Available was the Graphic Equalizer
Beginning 1/3rd of the way through production the Dual Electric Power
Exterior Mirrors became standard equipment on the ascMcLarens, at
appox. Car # 338.
Interiors: Regatta Blue / Scarlet Red / Titanium Grey or Sand Beige

1989:
"LX" Option Code 245-A:
"Special Value Custom Equipment Group"
Tilt Wheel / Am Fm Electronic Stereo, Cassette & Premium Sound /
Speed Control / Power Lock Group {see contents above} / Air
Conditioning / Dual Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors / Tilt Wheel and
Power Windows.
OTHER OPTION:
Automatic Transmission with 3.23:1 Axle Ratio
Interiors: Regatta Blue / Scarlet Red / Titanium Grey or Sand Beige

1990:
"LX" Option Code 245-A:
"Special Value Custom Equipment Group"
Power Lock Group {see contents above} / Speed Control / Am Fm
Electronic Stereo, Cassette & Premium Sound / Dual Electric Power
Exterior Mirrors / Air Conditioning /
The Dual Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors were dropped and a regular
mirror (Non illuminated) was affixed to the Passenger's Side Visor.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Automatic Transmission with 3.23:1 Axle Ratio
360-degree Front Bumper/Body/Rear Bumper Accent Tape Stripe
Ford Dropped the Graphic Equalizer from all 1990 Mustangs.
Interiors:
Crystal Blue / Scarlet Red / Opal Grey / Black or Oxford White.
The Crystal Blue, Opal Grey, Black and Oxford White were new for 1990.

The Sand Beige was discontinued for 1990.
_________________
1985 ascMcLaren Coupe - Midnight Blue
Under Restoration