negusm Site Admin
Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 5188 Location: Charlotte, NC
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Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 2:03 am Post subject: ascMcLaren Colors |
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The following is pieced together from several of Sandy Block's postings.
EXTERIOR CONVERTIBLE COLORS (25 total)
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Muscat Red - (Not muscRat) 1984/1985/1986 - Ditzler Mix # 72060
ASC White - 1984/1985/1986 - Ditzler Mix # UNKNOWN
Jet Black - ALL YEARS, 1984 THRU 1990 - Ditzler Mix # 9000/9300
Jubba Blue - 1984 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # UNKNOWN
Alpine Green Metallic - 1987 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 3957
Keweenau White - 1987 THRU 1990 - Ditzler Mix # 5061
ascMclaren Red - 1986 THRU 1990 - Ditzler Mix # 72060
Atlantic Blue Metallic - 1986/1987/1988 - Ditzler Mix # 3946
Sterling Silver Metallic - 1986 THRU 1990 - Ditzler Mix # 33885
Paris Blue Metallic - 1986 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 15967
Hot Yellow - 1987 & 1988 - Ditzler Mix # 83667
Medium Regatta Blue Metallic - 1987 & 1988 - Ditzler Mix # 6352
Azura Blue Pearlescent - 1988/1989/1990 - Ditzler Mix # 16205
Black~Cherry Pearl - 1988 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 3673
Gunmetal Grey Metallic - 1987 & 1988 - Ditzler Mix # 3667
Regal Red~Fox Metallic - 1987 & 1988 - Ditzler Mix # 72956
Red Snapper - 1987 & 1988 - Ditzler Mix # UNKNOWN
Royal Gold Metallic - 1989 & 1990 - Ditzler Mix # 26085
Candy Red Metallic - 1989 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 72886
Paris Blue Metallic - 1989 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 16353
(Different Color than the 1986 Paris Blue)
British Racing Green Metallic - 1989 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 45102
Summer's Tan - 1989 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 3956
Sea Foam Aquamarine - 1990 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 47092
Dino Yellow - 1990 ONLY - Ditzler Mix # 4736
Coral Red Pearlescent - 1990 ONLY - SIKKENS Mix # 348B6
(On some ascMcLaren Paperwork, this color was referred to
as "COTTON~CANDY PINK PEARL")
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PRODUCTION FIGURES
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1984: 50 Roadsters
35 Muscat Red
10 ASC White
4 Jet Black
1 Jubbu Blue
1985: 257 Convertibles
100 Muscat Red
95 ASC White
62 Jet Black
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EXTERIOR COLOR ANECDOTES
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There was one car, 1989 I beleive, made in two-tone of a black roof, scarlet
interior, ascMclaren Red hood, trunk and upper body sides, and the remainder
of the sides in jet black.
There was one car made for MGM Movie Studios in Hollywood, a 1986 Capri
version, in Sterling Silver Metallic with Sand Beige Interior & Sand Beige
Roof, Normally a TABOO combination.
There were never any orders received, and thusly none ever built for 1990 in
Royal Gold Metallic, likewise the same for Summer's Tan in 1989, (making
SUMMER’S TAN the only color ever offered of which not even one was ever made) !!
Several colors saw only 1 made, including:
Coral Red Pearlescent
British Racing Green Metallic
Regal Red~Fox Metallic.
New colors destined for 1991, which of course never happened, were:
Bimini Blue Metallic replacing Azura Blue Pearlescent
Weinsburg Silver Pearl replacing Sterling Silver Metallic
Cinnamon Brown Pearlescent replacing Royal Gold Metallic
Muscat red was named for peter muscat, the car's designer.
Jubbu blue was named for the metal formation and prototype company that metal
pounded the first prototype together, Jubbu Industries in Michigan.
All cars used SIKKENS brand paint process, the most expensive in the industry.
No cars prior to 1988 were clearcoated. Clearcoating began in 1988 with
ascMclaren cars only. Total clearcoating began with job 1 of 1989.
There was a shortage of ascMclaren Red at the end of 1987 and the beginning of
1988 and a delay in its delivery, therefore the first dozen cars made in red
were done in a very, very, very similar color, called RED SNAPPER. You'd have
to repaint a panel of one, in the other's paint to visually 'see' the
difference between Red Snapper & ascMclaren Red.
Black Cherry Pearl is actually from Cadillac (1985-87) where it was
called "Black Cherry - Code 99). A man walks into Northtown Lincoln-
Mercury in 1988 to see this here new McLaren. He wants one, BUT BUT
BUT he'd like it in the same color as his 1986 Cadillac. He supplies
Northtown L-M (Kansas City, Mo) with the paint code (GM85:79) and
they telephone ascMcLaren with the request. ascMcLaren say, "No
Problem" and procedes to make the car (with tan top & tan interior).
When the car arrives at Northtown, the guy is away on vacation, and
Northtown has to keep it for like 2 weeks until he comes home.
During the 2 weeks (or so) they could have sold it like 5 times!!
Everyone looking at McLarens, migrates to THAT car and wants IT! At
first, Northtown shruges it off. The buyer returns, and picks up his
McLaren. For more than 2 weeks folks are STILL coming in and asking
for THAT car. Finally, Northtown orders up a dozen of them, ALL 5-
speeds!!! Not one Automatic. In the 3 combinations I listed above.
ascMcLaren seeing this, say, "Ummm, lets add that color" and they do.
13 more like cars are ordered from other dealers around the country,
most with automatic, and again in the 3 color combos above.
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CONVERTIBLE INTERIOR COLORS
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Dark Regatta Blue - 1984/1985/1986
Desert Tan - 1984
Sand Beige - 1985 thru & including 1989
Charcoal - 1986
Light & Medium Grey - 1987 thru & including 1989
Light & Medium Titanium Grey - 1990
Scarlet - 1987 thru 1990
Medium & Dark Regatta Blue - 1987 thru 1989
Crystal Blue & Dark Regatta Blue - 1990
Oxford White - 1990 (Plus 2 "Show Cars in 1988)
Ebony - 1990
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INTERIOR ANECDOTES
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Interiors for 1991 were to lose Scarlet and Titanium Grey as choices.
1991 interiors were to be:
Oxford White
Ebony Black
Duo Tone of Crystal Blue and Dark Regatta Blue.
Recaro seats were standard in 1984 & 1985 & the 1st half of 1986. Recaro
Seats became optional during the 2nd half of 1986, and in 1987 & 1988.
Recaro Seats were discontinued after car #838 (dash plaque #1,317) in 1988,
or at 83-percent of the way thru 1988 production. Recaro Seating was NOT
available during the last 17.5% of 1988 production, nor in 1989 or 1990.
Oxford White was NOT available in 1988. ascMcLaren made up 2 show cars,
one for the Los Angeles Auto Show, the other for the New York Auto Show,
both with Oxford White leather. Later, they were sold. Oxford White did
not actually become a selection until 1990.
When ascMcLaren ordered units from FoMoCo they only things that they had to
stipulate in the super-fast order was transmission type & interior color.
The options it got built with was in the D32 code, and nothing else mattered.
Blue interiored cars were made in Oxford White (Smoke in 1988) and any other
interior colored car was made in Raven Black. It was all pre-programmed into
the system. ascMcLaren only entered interior color & transmission - all the
rest was automatic ! (They also had to enter quantity, for each example).
However allthough both Capri coupe & roadster had Charcoal interior, in name,
they were very different. The coupe was 2 tone of a light grey & a medium
grey. The ascMcLaren roadster had a custom interior (recaros, remember) as
well a custom console and shelf behind the seats. The "Charcoal" used in
them was very, very dark. Best described as a Midnight Charcoal Grey ~ one
step away from black. It was used only one year, 1986 2-Seat Roadster, all
with Recaros. You coud not get Charcoal after mid-year in 1986 UNLESS you
opted for the $1,765.00 extra cost Recaros. Otherwise, your choice was the
Sand Beige or Light & Medium Grey. If you did not get the recaros, you got
the base model, plain bucket seats, without the under-the-knee extendable
support & without the power inflator built into the back rest. ascMcLaren
re-covered them in leather - with the ascMcLaren embrioardery on the back
rest. It was about that time (half way thru 1986) that the SC 3.8L came out.
That was the 3.8L V-6 with automatic transmission, AND NO I DON'T HAVE any
figures on how many of them were made!! I have found 2 (TWO) in 16 years of
lOOOOking for them! One with the Medium & Dark Regatta Blue Interior & the
other a really rare bird! Charcoal Recaros in the V-6 car!
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CONVERTIBLE TOP COLORS (6 total)
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Black - All Years
Atlantic Blue - All Years
Tan - All Years EXCEPT 1990
Claret~Wine - 1988, 1989 & 1990
Oxford White - 1990 Only
Chocolate Brown - 1989 Only
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TOP ANECDOTES
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Propossed roof colors for 1991 were:
Oxford White, Black or Atlantic Blue. The Claret~Wine was getting killed off.
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COUPES
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Coupes, unlike the Roadsters were NOT re-painted by asc. They are
wearing the paint that they left FoMoCo with.
1984: 25 Coupes
25 - Midnight Navy Blue Metallic
1985: 150 Coupes
90 - Midnight Navy Blue Metallic
60 - Oxford White
1986: 115 Coupes
Midnight Navy Blue Metallic
Raven black
Oxford White
Platinum Silver Metallic
Smoke Charcoal Grey Metallic
1985 Grand Prix IV
27 Oxford White
03 Platinum Silver Metallic
1986 47 EuroCoupes:
14 - Oxford White
22 - Raven Black
11 - Smoke Charcoal Grey Metallic
Midnight Navy Blue Metallic and Platinum Silver Metallic were NOT
available on EuroCoupes.
ascMcLaren called all three BLUES "Midnight Navy Blue Metallic". However,
in reality, they were 3 different colors, because they had to use whatever
dark blue Ford put on the Mustang/Capri fox bodied cars for whatever year.
The 1st 90 1985 coupes were "Dark BLue Metallic". The last 60 1985s were white with the orange striping.
Here are the DuPont Ditzler Mix Codes:
5C > Dark Cadet Blue Metallic of 1984:- 3588
3L > Dark Blue Metallic of 1985:- 3171
7B > Shadow Blue Metallic of 1986:- 3865
9L > "Oxford White" - 3620
1C > "Raven Black" - 9000
1D > "Smoke Metallic" (Med/Dk. Grey) - 3842
1E > "Silver Metallic" - 3621
ascMcLaren felt the strong need to re-name a few of these paints.
All 3 model-years ascMcLaren referred to the BLUE as "Midnight Blue"
and the Smoke Metallic was called Charcoal Grey Metallic and the
Silver was called Platinum Silver Metallic.
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY NO OTHER COLOR ascMcLAREN COUPES WERE EVER MADE!
It should also be noted that the Shadow Blue Metallic and the Silver
Metallic were NOT available on the EuroCoupes!! EuroCoupes were ONLY
available in the white, the black or the Smoke Grey.
In order to get 5.0 Capris with the Midnight Blue, they had to be
special ordered. Coupes were RS (5.0s) with a SPECIAL DELETE OPTION,
called "Sports Delete Package" ~~ It resulted in a window sticker
credit of $317.00 MSRLP & 269.45 invoice. It was ON ALL ascMcLaren
COUPES ! Mandatory, part of the build !!
All of these were included in the D32 build code in addition to the
dark blue (of the year) for cars ordered in dk blue. This was more
of an override than an option, allowing the dk. blue in combo with a
RS code, to sneak it by the computers.
Interior
All coupes were cloth - no leather, unless the owner did it themselves. _________________ 1985 ascMcLaren Coupe - Midnight Blue
Under Restoration |
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