By the late 1980s the Mustang had filled out nicely, ditching the mostly dreadful engines and oversized bumpers of the ’71-’73 big-body cars and surviving the ’74-’78 Mustang II era. The Fox-body cars fully embraced their boxy elegance and had a long production run from 1979-1993. Since its inception, the Mustang has always been a portal to European styling and sportiness for Americans, but the 1980s had seen the pony car shed much of its Old World flavor. That’s where the McLaren Mustang entered the picture in 1987.

The brainchild of Detroit customizer Peter Muscat, who approached the American Sunroof Company (ASC) about imparting some European flavor on the Fox-body Mustang. The result was the stylish and collectible ASC/McLaren Mustang GT Convertibles, one of which has shown up on eBay with a Buy It Now price of just $7,999. That’s a bargain for those of you beginning a car collection.

ASC brought McLaren into the Mustang project (and McLaren had already partnered with Ford earlier in the 80s on the M81 Mustang) working with Ford to upgrade the pony cars in unique and identifiable ways. Most of the effort went into the aesthetics department, including chopping off the roof and slanting the windshield back an additional 20 degrees. ASC then added its own folding soft top and reinforced rocker panels to replace the structural rigidity that they removed with the convertible conversion. They also added taillamp covers, side skirts, unique side windows, and a rear spoiler. ASC also removed the stock badging and replaced it with McLaren badges.

The inside recieved the most attention with the addition of thickly padded leather seats, as well as the removal of the rear seat, allowing its conversion into a storage area. The door panels and armrests were also overhaul in an appeal to European luxury, though the stock instrument cluster remained a reminder of the Mustang’s American roots.

The pricing is almost suspiciously low, especially with just 42,000 miles on the odometer. Then again, it’s far from mint condition, with evidence of wear, tear, and event some dents plain to see. Yet although it may not carry the same cache as a Saleen or Cobra Mustang, these McLaren Fox-body vehicles are few and far between with just over 1,800 ever built. It’d be the perfect start to a fresh Mustang collection.