Sandy
Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 6205 Location: Northern New Jersey GSP Exit 148
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2004 8:55 pm Post subject: The Story of the "Silver~Anniversary Edition" |
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In December 1989 ascMcLaren announced via a letter to its top selling dealers news regarding a Silver~Anniversary Edition 1990 ascMcLaren. The purpose of the letter was to make them aware of the forthcoming special model and also to seek a response - or test the waters - to get some feedback and possibly some orders.
ascMcLaren had ordered a dozen (12) "mules" and set them aside. The finished product was to be painted in the regular "Sterling Silver Metallic" {Sikkens: FA88:SS} (which is really 1983 Ford Escort's Code 1Q "Silver Clearcoat Metallic") with Ford's normal "Scarlet" {Red} interior. To this, ascMcLaren was planning on adding an "Aresma Silver" cloth weave roof, and special 25th Anniversary Edition front fender emblems, in the location where the "5.0" would have gone on a regular Mustang. The price of the package was set at $353.00, MSRLP. ascMcLaren, in fact actually did receive one (1) order from a dealer (unknown) ~ but that dealer wanted the "Crystal Blue & Dark Regatta Blue" Duo Tone interior. So... the car orders under D32 ascMcLaren were submitted to Ford. 11 with "Scarlet" Interior and 1 with "Crystal Blue" and "Dark Regatta Blue" interior(s).
The twelve cars arrived at ascMcLaren in January and were set aside from the other "mules". To "mark" them as special, as soon as they arrived their dash plaques were installed. They used different Dash Plaque numbers, beginning with # 1900 and going up through 1911.
At some point, shortly after the cars were all on ascMcLaren's property, Ford Motor Company caught wind of this, and took it that the 25th Anniversary Edition was in fact ascMcLaren's way of celebrating FORD Mustang's 25th Anniversary. Ford got angry that another company was speaking FOR Ford Motor Company, and putting out a car to comemmorate the Mustang's anniversary. Legal letters were then on their way to ascMcLaren, NOT to make this car!
ascMcLaren not wanting to bite the hand that feeds them, terminated the idea of marketing this edition, allthough they stated to Ford Motor Company that they were celebrating American Sun Roof's 25th year in business !!
Blame for ending the intended production of this edition was put upon the stated 'fact' that the "Aresma Silver" cambria cloth top failed fade tests and in UV RAYS that the color would prematurely fade.
(This author knows that this was an excuse, as the color was picked up by Mercedes Benz and has been used on its CLK 4-Passenger series convertibles since 2001 and is still being offered in 2008. Mercedes Benz calls it "ASH". ) Check their web site !! http://www.MBUSA.com and proceed to CLK (4-Passenger Convertible).
** ARESMA - a German brand of cloth top material that was fairly popular prior to the mid-1980’s and remains in production, usually a cloth weave in a silver to a light grey hue.
A link to a photo of the actual fabric chip:
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http://www.gahh.com/sample/SampleColors/138.jpg
Regardless, THAT was the given excuse!!
So, in the end, each of the set aside cars were eventually made as regular ascMcLaren 2-Seat Roadsters of 1990. Of the 12, only two (2) were actually made in "Sterling Silver Metallic". The other Ten (10) units were painted either ascMcLaren Red or Jet Black or Keweenau White, with the Scarlet interior. Some got white roofs, some black and some Claret~Wine roofs. All 12 were automatic transmission cars. Of the 2 units that were actually made in the "Sterling Silver Metallic", one had the Scarlet Interior with a black roof (mine) # 1904, and one got the Claret-Wine Roof with the Scarlet interior (Mr. J.R. Castle of Florida), # 1907.
There was also a notice letter of cancellation to the dealers telling them that the project had been terminated, that arrived in late February of 1990.
My car is Dash Plaque # 1904, indicating that it was to be the 5th of the 12 mules originally set aside to be made.
Herewith are the Dash Plaques and the VINS of the intended 12 "Silver~Anniversary Editions":-
VIN . Dash Plaque >> How it was eventually made:--
132854 > > 1906 > > White, Scarlet Int. Blk Top
132855 > > 1908 > > White, Scarlet Int. Claret~Wine Top
132856 > > 1907 > > Silver, Scarlet Int. Claret~Wine Top
132859 > > 1900 > > Red, Scarlet Int. Black Top
132862 > > 1909 > > White, Scarlet Int. White Top
132863 > > 1902 > > White, Scarlet Int. White Top
132864 > > 1910 > > Black, Scarlet Int. Black Top
132865 > > 1903 > > White Scarlet Int. Claret~Wine Top
132866 > > 1911 > > Black, Scarlet Int. Black Top
132868 > > 1904 > > Silver, Scarlet Int. Black Top*
132870 > > 1901 > > Black, Scarlet Int. Black Top
132910 > > 1905 > > White, Crystal & Dk. Regatta Blue Int. Atlantic Blue Top
* = Sandy's Car, 1 of 2 left "Sterling Silver Metallic"
The States that these units were ORIGINALLY sent to were:
Florida, Texas, New Hampshire, Minnisota, Mass., and Pa.
The Aresma Silver cloth weave roof was a 97% exact match to the Sterling Silver paint used.
The option was $353.00 MSRLP and $300.00 Dealer Invoice.
NONE were made with the Aresma Silver top. Mine has a Black Top and the Florida Car has the Claret-Wine Top.
(which is a terrible contrast to the Scarlet Red interior, that it has.)
One is bright vibrant red (interior) & the other is the color of WINE (the roof). In my eyes, the wine and the fire red clash.
Additional Info, added 6/23/'09 follows:-
When all 53 (the actual real number of 1990 ascMcLarens were ordered from nationwide dealers) were built & shipped, McLaren was STILL awaiting the Aresma Silver Cloth Weave roofs to arrive! They were very late! So, the 53 regular examples had been shipped to waiting dealers & there was considerable room in the building, so, they brought in 2 of the bucks waiting outdoors to be made into 25th Anniversary Editions. These two were converted, but still...no tops arrived. So, they were stored inside the building, being done, but topless! It was THEN that they got the lawyer's letter not to built an Anniversary model, as only Ford Motor Company can issue a comemmortive edition to celebrate an anniversary of one of their cars. SOooo, asc/MClaren scrapped the idea and the Aresma Silver tops STILL were nowhere in sight! So, they put a black cloth top on one(MINE) and a "claret-wine" top on the other and sent them one to New Hampshire & the other to Florida.
About a month later a small box arrived at ascMcLaren headquarters. An employee opened the box. Inside were 30 25th Anniversary plaques that were to go onto the front fenders, where the " 5.0 " normally went.
The employee was told to toss them all into the dumpster. He did.
well...
all but two. Those 2 reside on my car.!!
_________________ Sandy passed away in 2012. He will be forever missed.
1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
1990 Silver Pearl Anny Edition
1986 Coupe Full Pkg #109 of 114.
http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/sandys_mclarens/ |
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