Correct, Mercury never built a droptop Fox-body Capri. One may consider the ASC/McLaren as the exception to that statement, but this 1980 Mercury Capri two-seater convertible is no ASC/McLaren. Some backyard engineering job, then? A product of some overzealous enthusiast with a Sawzall and a welder? Not quite, according to the seller:
This one of a kind prototype started out as a new 1980 Mercury Capri. William Clay Ford Jr., now Chairman of the Board of Ford Motor Company, had this car titled to him (see car invoice). He contracted with Andy Hotton Associates (see invoice) to modify the car as follows: Install Roush 302 engine (see invoice), replace rear end with Mercedes-style rear end, make into a convertible, special paint, Star Wire wheels and more. According to an Andy Hotton associate, this car was used as the guide for the ASC McLaren prototypes made in 1984. Mr. Ford passed the car to a young lady who sold it to my niece in 1986. She drove it little, then put it in a garage. It has less than 18,000 miles on it.
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