IMPORTANT QUESTION

tfs2121 · Post by **tfs2121** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:44 am

i think sandys right. i once heard that cars from over seas had been (or still are) shiped with no a/c to avoid a tax on the R12 (134a). then they ship the a/c parts over. once the parts and the cars get to the dealer they are installed. no a/c code but original ford a/c in the car? thats my best guess

did that aussie car that was on ebay have a/c?

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:13 am

Sandy wrote:No, they didn't make 12 of those in converts, but rather 12 all together, hatchback, convertible & coupe. They bought their cars FROM ascMcLaren, as completed 'Verts and then did their own thing to them. I know Ron Cayce. BTW, the guru behind the scene.

I am very sure that they were either EXPORT and the "special" part was the deletion of certain Govt. req. emissions or emissions testing....-OR- cars that had their options ordered singlely to avoid A/C. If you D32/ed the car, you got A/C ~ so,if a buyer did NOT want A/C (fairly common in Wisconsin, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakotas, etc, etc). THEY at asc McLaren had to circumvent the A/C by not ordering D32 build and order all the options that were in D32, EXCEPT A/C, and do a "Ship Thru" to ascMcLaren at Autry Ave.
Pretty darn sure that is/was those 7 cars.
But....I am only talking Mustangs. I do know of a handful of Capri 'Verts withOUT A/C, but I only have VINS for the 1986 Capris, and they are all over the place, sequence-wise.

Sandy,

There are pictures of a regular Mustang GT convertible converted to the Piranha in Pete's album page 5 and 6. It is made from a regular Mustang convertable with SVO headlights and a plate that sports 1 of 8 (hence why I thought there were only 8 made). Can you give us a break down of the 12 Piranha's please? I've only seen a few of them. Where they all made the same year? Do you have the vin #'s? I think you may have done a breakdown once before and I will try searching around imt to find it.

The Piranha has to be one of the most confusing cars with lowest production numbers associated to the Mustang. For instance some have SVO headlights, some have 87-93 headlights, and some have what appears to be T-Birds headlights 89-95 if I remember correctly. The hood opens much like a Corvette's opening from the windshield's side versus headlights. I was aware of the ASC conversion and stock verts transformed into a Piranha but now you mention hatchback's and notch's too? I would so love to see pics of those if anyone has some. Thanks a bunch!

Nick

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:38 am

tfs2121 wrote:i think sandys right. i once heard that cars from over seas had been (or still are) shiped with no a/c to avoid a tax on the R12 (134a). then they ship the a/c parts over. once the parts and the cars get to the dealer they are installed. no a/c code but original ford a/c in the car? thats my best guess

did that aussie car that was on ebay have a/c?

From my experience when I was overseas I never saw an American car that didnt have an a/c unit nor did I ever hear of this but that doesn't mean it didn't ever happen.

The Aussie car did have an a/c unit in it btw.

Nick

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:48 pm

Yes, Aussie car had A/C ~ burt it coulda been added.... ??

I can't find my Piranha stuff.
I know (I recall) just 2 Coupes, and 7 hatchbacks, would leave 3 Verts.

Ron Cayce is the guy you wanna talk with. Yes, each was different. It could be done on an ascMcLaren, or on a reg. Mustang GT. The power opening hood was an option. They were ALOT ALOT ALOT of $$$$$ !!! with all the stuff on them. In the end, I think I recall he went broke with them.

Try to enter the name in google & locate him. It was NOT a Ford Factory endorsed program, as are Saleen, and as was ascMcLaren.

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:17 am

Sandy wrote:Yes, Aussie car had A/C ~ burt it coulda been added.... ??

I can't find my Piranha stuff.
I know (I recall) just 2 Coupes, and 7 hatchbacks, would leave 3 Verts.

Ron Cayce is the guy you wanna talk with. Yes, each was different. It could be done on an ascMcLaren, or on a reg. Mustang GT. The power opening hood was an option. They were ALOT ALOT ALOT of $$$$$ !!! with all the stuff on them. In the end, I think I recall he went broke with them.

Try to enter the name in google & locate him. It was NOT a Ford Factory endorsed program, as are Saleen, and as was ascMcLaren.

We have a seafoam(?) color vert with an ASC style vert think in Tom's photo's and the one from Pete's album which is also a vert but on a factory vert set up. Not bad for just starting hehe. Did a few goto the Mid East since they were so uber expensive?

Nick

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:41 am

Sandy wrote:Yes, Aussie car had A/C ~ burt it coulda been added.... ??

I can't find my Piranha stuff.
I know (I recall) just 2 Coupes, and 7 hatchbacks, would leave 3 Verts.

Ron Cayce is the guy you wanna talk with. Yes, each was different. It could be done on an ascMcLaren, or on a reg. Mustang GT. The power opening hood was an option. They were ALOT ALOT ALOT of $$$$$ !!! with all the stuff on them. In the end, I think I recall he went broke with them.

Try to enter the name in google & locate him. It was NOT a Ford Factory endorsed program, as are Saleen, and as was ascMcLaren.

Sandy, this has been bugging me so I did a search. CobraJeff had posted some nice pics awhile back and a discussion persued on the Piranha legacy. Key notes. There were only 8 produced, 4 of which went to the Mid East. One hatch, one sedan, and six verts. The sedan and a vert were trashed.

Here is the link:
http://www.ascmclaren.org/phpBB/viewtop ... ht=piranha

Pics:
http://www.ascmclaren.org/phpBB/album_cat.php?cat_id=3

Quote Sandy: The Pirahna began life as a 1989 McLaren. The conversion was done by that company, now long out of business. For a while I was friendly with the owner, and he sent to me a VHS video tape of the car and plant & such. I forget his name, other than I seem to recall a bitter divorce and him leaving for far away. In total, he told me that they made 8 of these. At least 4 went to the middle east..Saudi Araba. One remained a 2-Door sedan, 1 remained a hatchback, and 6 were the McLaren basis 2-seat roadster. I think he lost alot of $$$$ on the deal. It wasa $35,000 "Mustang" **IN** 1990, when an ascMcLaren could have been bought for $24,000.

Quote Lightning95sc: The sedan and 1 roadster ended up in a U.S. Customs auction here in Detroit. At the time they were siezed from one of our reputed "Pharmacutical Distribution Agents" here in the city. The really sad part is they were trashed by "someone other than the tow yard". Chuck

<<<snip>>>

Remember to check out the links for some additional remarks and pictures.

Nick

tfs2121 · Post by **tfs2121** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:03 am

i wish i could have talked to the owner of that car in my album. the car was all alone when i found it in that parkinglot during the first orchard lake cruse.

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:11 am

Ok, Sandy you posted a nice link to a pdf file. It was to an Extreme Pantera's article however it had a picture of another black Piranha! Imo this is not the same car as pictured in Pete's photo album which would make 3 Piranha's we've come across out of the total 8, not to bad.

My reasoning is the differences in the pictures. Compare fog lights, windshield decal, steering wheels (one blue other black), Petes pic passenger side front fender molding emblem, and wipers. That's all I could see atm. I know all these items could have changed over the years but these cars being ultra rare I would like to give the benefit of the doubt that they would leave the car as it originally came stock.

What do you think?

Extreme Pantera with the Piranha pic
http://www.panteracars.com/PantherSpots102003a.pdf

Pete's photo album:
http://www.ascmclaren.org/phpBB/album_p ... pic_id=601

Nick

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:20 am

I was all wrong~ I forget everything about these cars, and you were all correct. How did you find that post of mine??? You could find quarters in the sand, art the beach?!! Everything I wrote therein was correct. I just totally forgot all about those cars, as there were so so so few. I have a vedio tape Ron sent me of them, too.

You seem to really be into them. I am gonna delete my prior posing of these, made today, as it's all wrong. I believe that they were made on 1989 chassis...yes? !

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:45 am

Sandy wrote:I was all wrong~ I forget everything about these cars, and you were all correct. How did you find that post of mine??? You could find quarters in the sand, art the beach?!! Everything I wrote therein was correct. I just totally forgot all about those cars, as there were so so so few. I have a vedio tape Ron sent me of them, too.

You seem to really be into them. I am gonna delete my prior posing of these, made today, as it's all wrong. I believe that they were made on 1989 chassis...yes? !

Sandy,

There's an expression my Godfather used to use. It goes something to the effect, "the things I was just learning he already forgot." You are the Guru of Guru's when it comes to our ASC's as well as other areas. I can only imagine the wealth of information you have in your brain's memory bank.

May I make a suggestion please? "Edit" the posts rather then delete. Even if you have to delete and replace just some of the content. This way we retain all the other important information you've shared with us in these posts.

I used a search engine to find this information on the Piranha's. BTW I may also have the very same vhs tape on these cars and if so will discuss it with you further. Perhaps I can transfer it into a mpg so we can share it with others but wouldn't that be copyright protected? Have to look into that. Thanks.

Nick

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:08 pm

'Ya know those large paper brown business envelopes with that metal clasp closure? Well, I have over 15 of them, (perhaps 20) packed full of facts & figures & notes from ASC. My wife, I've given her Mike's address. Should I lose my current battle, she will pack them all up and ship them to Mike, so that things can continue, herein.

On another note, I understand what you are saying, but what I wrote was all so wrong, I didn't want it "out there" ~

If you do not have that video, and you want mine, I'll send it to you. I believe I know where it is. You seem to be much more into these Piranha cars than I am. If you don't have that video, let me know....I'll go lOOOOking!

Post by **negusm** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:00 pm

Sandy wrote:'Ya know those large paper brown business envelopes with that metal clasp closure? Well, I have over 15 of them, (perhaps 20) packed full of facts & figures & notes from ASC. My wife, I've given her Mike's address. Should I lose my current battle, she will pack them all up and ship them to Mike, so that things can continue, herein.

Mike? As in me? I'm very much honored. But in no way hope to EVER see them show up at my house! As in I hope you keep them a looong time!

-Mike

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:12 pm

MIKE as in YOU. Babe

Think the Boy Scout motto....be prepared....

I mean, ya know, my wife's a good person, well meaning and all......
but.....it's still "just-a-car" (#1 phrase for a woman), and I would not want all my 'STUFF' to go into her recycling bin.....

This coming Wednesday is MY Wednesday at the hospital

and I want to have a sit-down with my Dr. and pick his brain a little bit as to how I am doing and (this is a quess >>>) it seems that he only tells me the "good parts" ~ but crazy me thinks he's holding back something (??). Just a feeling, but he tosses on "Another year of Chemo" like you'd toss one more hot dog on a Bar-B-Que grille, with the flip of the wrist. Another Year ? ? Break that down, pleeezzze ! Ah, that would be 1,104 hours of Chemo !! (( 92 hours a month ))

He tells me that I am doing fantastic, my baaad numbers have been wiped clean, and all match what a Non-Cancer person would be....and then....and then flips on an additional YEAR ?!!? like it's an additional piece (1) of popcorn.

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:49 am

Sandy wrote:'Ya know those large paper brown business envelopes with that metal clasp closure? Well, I have over 15 of them, (perhaps 20) packed full of facts & figures & notes from ASC. My wife, I've given her Mike's address. Should I lose my current battle, she will pack them all up and ship them to Mike, so that things can continue, herein.

On another note, I understand what you are saying, but what I wrote was all so wrong, I didn't want it "out there" ~

If you do not have that video, and you want mine, I'll send it to you. I believe I know where it is. You seem to be much more into these Piranha cars than I am. If you don't have that video, let me know....I'll go lOOOOking!

Hi Sandy,

I have a special interest in Mustangs more in particular the fox Mustangs and even more specifically the ASC McLaren's because I always loved the clean looks, low production numbers, lowered windshield, two seater, convertible, additional twin storage bins in place of seats like most sports cars of the day, with a racing legend name added to it McLaren (to bad no added bite). Besides the fact that it was the car produced during my High School years I wish I had at the time. I've researched many out of the norm fox Mustang variations such as the SVO, Cobra's, Saleen, Predator, Dominator, Twister's, SAAC Mk I & II, ASC McLaren's, and Piranha's. Did I forget any? lol. Out of all these cars the ASC is more unique and different from the rest making it highly unlikely to be replicated. Besides my only gripe was it needing more performance, well by today's standards they all need more performance but none will have the sleak clean looks of an ASC McLaren.

Nick

ASCMCLRN · Post by **ASCMCLRN** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:07 am

negusm wrote:
Sandy wrote:'Ya know those large paper brown business envelopes with that metal clasp closure? Well, I have over 15 of them, (perhaps 20) packed full of facts & figures & notes from ASC. My wife, I've given her Mike's address. Should I lose my current battle, she will pack them all up and ship them to Mike, so that things can continue, herein.

Mike? As in me? I'm very much honored. But in no way hope to EVER see them show up at my house! As in I hope you keep them a looong time!

-Mike

Wow Mike that is a huge honor congratulations! If you should not accept this, change your mind later on, need an assistant, or perhaps someone to cover the Mustang side of the road I would love to consider such responsibilities with Sandy and your blessings.

Nick