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Number: 3911
From: "Sandy Block"
Date: Tue Nov 4, 2003  12:14 am
Subject: Re: Please Read / History of PRE-McLarens

Body:
Re: Please Read / History of PRE-McLarens

Oh, absolutely. The ascMcLarens are definately copies of it. As a
matter of fact, I have been wondering (but will never know) but I
would not be surprised if Peter Muscat was the force behind the
Bivouac. The simularties between the two are totally undeniable!
The fact both are two seaters, both have the 3-window roof of the
same style, and the "idea" of some sort of luggage or storage
compartment behind the front seats, the style cut of the Tonneau
cover as well. I don't think we'll ever know WHO the person was
behind the Bivouac.
I assume that you've tried to call the Telephone # (I didn't). I am
still trying to locate the person, and have NOT run out of ideas of
how to find them.

Point 2. Yes, it is my opinion that the final design of the
ascMcLaren's interior is neater, cleaner and looks closer to
something that would reach final production. The stowing of the roof
is similiar, but the McLaren's design is not comprimised with the
rows of silver snaps to secure the roof, when up, and the storage
area in the rear can hold two types of baggage. The flat surface is
good for like buffel bags, gym bags or even a large suit case or two,
when stacked. The twin compartments that are covered are good for
smaller items. Yet, when empty of objects the look is clean &
stylish. It's not unusual for an original design of anything to be
improved upon later on. The original deserves the credit for forming
the fundamentials of the design and I surely do not desire to take
that away from the Biouvac! IMO, the ascMcLaren took what the
Biouvac created, and improved upon it. If this will print (work) (I
doubt I can do it correctly) but if so, maybe this will show you why
the McLaren took a good idea, and made it better:-
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/ascmclaren-
_mustang-1/89109_11.html


--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "fourspeed38852"
<fourspeed38852@y...> wrote:
> So.....I guess this is your opinion? "Overall it looks more "Back-
> yard made" than does the
> ascMcLarens, that look more professionally designed"?? I still
think
> the ASC/McLaren are just "copies" and "look-alikes" of the Bivouac
> (the original 2 seater Mustang)......'course, that's just my
> opinion! :) :)
>
>
>
>
>
>

--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "Sandy Block" <cigarsandy@c...>
> wrote:
> > All of the sales brochures from all 1980-1983 aftermarket
convertor
> > Mustang Convertibles have arrived, and I've made a study of
each.
> > Herewith the findings:-
> >
> > Each were substantially different, allthough upon a glance they
all
> > looked very, very similiar.
> >
> > Bivouac (Bivouac - P.O. Box 279 - Vandalia, Michigan 49095 (616)-
> 476-
> > 9794). There car was the only 2-seater of the bunch. It sported
> the
> > 3-window rear top design, but the small triangular small wrap
> around
> > windows were considerably larger than what was used on the
> > ascMcLaren. The cars were 1981 & 1982s, from what I can tell. The
> > working of the roof was similiar, but different! There was a
> fairly
> > large "chest-type" of a storage container behind the front
buckets
> > that had chrome chest-type clamp closures on top of it, near the
> hard
> > fiberglass tonneau cover, that was very, very similiar to our
> > ascMcLarens. The convertible top appears NOT to have the power
> pull-
> > down, but rather to snap on snaps on the tonneau cover to hold it
> > down. (Seems easily broken into, since thesnaps were on the
> > exterior)!! Overall it looks more "Back-yard made" than does the
> > ascMcLarens, that look more professionally designed.
> >
> > automobili intermeccanica C`abrio (a.i.c.) - 18475 Bandilier
> Circle,
> > Fountain Valley, California 92708 (704)-556-1011
> > Factories also in: Sacramento, Calif. / Hillsdale, Michigan /
> > Toronto, Canada and Monterey, Mexico.
> > The C`abrio is easily mistaken for the Bivouac. However there
are
> > many differences. The C`brio leaves the rear seat intact, therby
> > making it a 4-passenger car. The convertible roof has the large
> rear
> > center window of the Bivouac, BUT the C`abrio lacks the two
corner
> > small triangular wrap around windows. The "C" pillar of the
> > convertible roof is solid vinyl, very traditional. Like the
> Bivouac,
> > the "C" pillar area features chrome snaps to snap the convertible
> top
> > down onto. This car was made between 1980 & 1982. A handfull of
> 1983
> > may have also been made. Total Production was around 1,200
units.
> >
> > "The Pony Convertible" by A.H.A. (Andrew A. Hotton
> > AHA Manufacturing / 5309 Manigate Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L4W
> 1G6
> > Canada (416) 625-6860.
> > Sad to say, compared to the high quality, factory looking stretch
> > sedans and limousines and Continential convertibles that were
tour-
> de
> > force impeccably made by AHA, this here Pony Convertible was a
mess!
> > It sported AHA made vent windows, but they did NOT open.
> The "boot"
> > was 10 miles long in looks and bore maybe 30 snaps. The
> convertible
> > roof (when in the "UP" posistion, also snapped onto the 30
snaps!)
> > In an attemp to cut down on the blind spot created by a
> gigantic "C"
> > pillar area, AHA actually placed in that area a clear plastic
> window
> > in the shape of an upside-down pyramid. The rear window was
large
> > plastic. Being kind, the total effect of the car was "unusual and
> not
> > balanced in appearance". 1980-1983. Unknown # made.
> >
> > In a prior note, I mentioned the "Swift Edition by Tomaso" as
well
> as
> > an "American Pullman" Edition. Since that time, I have learned
> > exactly what this was. Neither company had anything to do with
the
> > making of these cars. They were mearly middle-men or thinly
> > disguised vendors masquerading as manufacturers. They, (probably
> > along with many others that I have not found) were merely
fronting
> > for a company called "Classic Coachworks, Inc." of Orlando
> > Florida. "C.C." was the actual manufacturer of this product that
> went
> > by whatever name the vendor decided to call it. Tomaso of
America
> > (11125 Arcade / {POB # 5692} of Little Rock, Ark 72216 (501) 227-
> 0284
> > was one of the dealers down south. The President at the time was
a
> > Russell E. Swift as well his brother Tom Swift. Therefore they
> > called theirs the "Swift~Edition". Another vendor was a
limousine
> > convertor in New York City, named American Pullman. A.M. was
known
> > for their Cadillac Limousines. They too were a vendor for the
C.C.
> > product. All orders filtered thru Sun State Ford (Owner: Bill
> > Krebs). Sun State Ford was at 3535 West Colonial Drive, Orlando,
> > Fla. They were the closest Ford dealer to C.C. and Sun State
> charged
> > C.C. $65.00 over invoice for each Mustang. The ordered cars from
> > dealers/customers from all around the country all went thru Sun
> State
> > Ford, and were delivered there for C.C. to pick-up.
> > American Pullman was located at 1700 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn,
> > N.Y. 11233 (212)-485-1090.
> > This C.C. example took a little from each of the above. The
> > convertible roof from the C`abrio; the rear window design from
the
> > Bivouac and the inclusion of the rear seat, from the C.C. as well
> as
> > the C`abrio. They too were made from 1980-1982. No available #s
on
> > total production.
> >
> > Convertible tops on all of them were available in black, dark
blue,
> > dark brown and light tan. Body paints were anything Ford offered
> in
> > any particular year. Likewise any options available were good to
> > go. Examples came with the 4-Cyl, the Turbo-4, the six & the V-
8,
> > any transmissions and many different seats, from cloth to velour
to
> > leather to Recaros. All cars began as a 2-Door Sedan. Rear
> > Defrosters and Vinyl Roofs and T-Top or Sun Roofs were the only
> items
> > that were taboo to order.
> >
> > When Ford unveiled the 1983 "Factory made" {Yes, I know it was
made
> > by Cars & Concepts of Brighton, Michigan) but it was touted as
> > Factory Made by Ford....it pretty much overshadowed all of the
> > herewith aforementioned products and ran them out of business,
> > literally overnight. No longer did a product have to take 90
days
> to
> > arrive, it could be delivered from Ford in 30 days, and be 100%
> > warranteed by FORD. This spelled doomsday for all of the above
> > companies Mustang Convertible Projects.
> >
> > S A N D Y