FWIW, as AHA was "spawned from" DST and DST did do some work on '79 Pace Cars; I wonder if that could have led to DST having something to do with this particular car/conversion?
FWIW, as AHA was "spawned from" DST and DST did do some work on '79 Pace Cars; I wonder if that could have led to DST having something to do with this particular car/conversion?
'85 GT
This tag was on the rear end. does it verify the 3.08 ratio?
Axle Tag
WGX-BX
9E01 = built May 1, 1979
3 08 = 3.08:1 ratio, non-locking differential
75 = 7.5" ring gear
V279A
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FEP Registries: Black Magic & Crimson Cat / Cobra / Dominator / G.T.350 / LTD LX/Police & Marquis LTS / M81 / Pace Car / Predator / Saleen / Turbo GT & Turbo RS / Twister II
Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags
Yup. Here is some history on AHA: http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/a/aha/aha.htm
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FEP Registries: Black Magic & Crimson Cat / Cobra / Dominator / G.T.350 / LTD LX/Police & Marquis LTS / M81 / Pace Car / Predator / Saleen / Turbo GT & Turbo RS / Twister II
Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags
It's alive. Just fired her up.
I was wondering about that the other day. When looking at the body lines between the different styles I mentioned to my wife that it looks like they had to replace the quarters and trunk lid for the convertible conversion.
But if the buck tag is not the original does that mean they scraped a brand new pace car to get the door/stickers and removed the dash for the vin?
A friend of mine came over to look at the car, his Dad bought one of the 79 pace car editions when it came out. His brother now has it. He also said why would they do a convertible conversion on a pace car edition.
Buck tag matches door tag and matches vin plate on cowl panel, which has rosette rivets in place.
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Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags
Shocking that somebody would take a brand new $10,000 car and make it into a convertible !
Why Not use a Pace Car?
More unique, create a bigger buzz for your conversion business and make a better looking convertible conversion due to the color and graphics when completed!
I have a friend who got into converting NEW 1981-1982 Corvettes into convertibles back in 1980. He converted a number of 1982 "Collector Edition" series Corvettes into convertibles. These particular "Collector Edition" Corvette convertible conversions sold better than any of stock/standard Corvettes he converted.
The 81-82 Corvette was one convertible conversion that was particularly easy to complete and made a better looking Corvette when finished!
Here is a pic on a 1982 "Collector Edition" Corvette converted into a convertible and a stock 1982 "Collector Edition" T-Top Corvette.
Below the 82 "Collector Edition" convertible is a picture and link to a a company that currently remakes new or late model Corvettes into C1 appearing Corvettes. These conversions are the best I have ever seen. First class work using aerospace technology!
http://www.crcoachworks.com/
Last edited by vintageracer; 01-02-2017 at 10:53 AM.
Mike
Remember, "Drive Fast, Turn Heads, Break Hearts!"
1995 Ford Powerstroke F350 "Centurion" STRETCHED Crew Cab Dually
I like "Cut & Coach Built" vehicles!
www.musclecardeals.com
Mike, in all fairness, the C3 was designed to be a convertible. The '79 Mustang, especially a hatchback, never was.
We need to find out more about this ragtop Pace! Its definitely intriguing...
Hey Bryan. I'm located in Barrington, NH. About 30 minutes north of Portsmouth. We are practically neighbors- LOL.
I'm going to ask my boss if he can find the name of the lawyer he bought the car from. He did say it was in Clairmont, NH. Maybe I can track down the original owner.
Last edited by vintageracer; 01-02-2017 at 01:59 PM.
Mike
Remember, "Drive Fast, Turn Heads, Break Hearts!"
1995 Ford Powerstroke F350 "Centurion" STRETCHED Crew Cab Dually
I like "Cut & Coach Built" vehicles!
www.musclecardeals.com
As the retired production body shop owner, I can tell you that the rivets on the dash tag are not the issue and are easy enough to swap out without exterior notice, any qualified body man knows how to do it with ease. I will state that there are tell tale signs based on the pictures posted that this car started life as a coupe, and not a 3dr hatchback body. The OP appears to be following what he was told by the person he bought it from, who in turn may have also been fed the same story, but that does not make it based in actual facts. Download the pictures and enhance them in photoshop (IE: lighten them to see more details) and you'll see for yourself.
Bill S.
I am curious to which 'tell tale signs' you are referring.
I have over a half-dozen other coach convertible conversions in the database and the rest were indeed built off of coupe bodies. However, hatchback bodies could be and were converted into convertible bodies after they were originally produced as hatchback bodies by FoMoCo. ascMcLaren did just that with Capri hatchbacks from 1984 through 1986.
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FEP Registries: Black Magic & Crimson Cat / Cobra / Dominator / G.T.350 / LTD LX/Police & Marquis LTS / M81 / Pace Car / Predator / Saleen / Turbo GT & Turbo RS / Twister II
Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags
I have no documentation for this car. Even if I find the original owner it would just be hearsay.
One thing my boss mentioned was when he got the car the reason he took it to his friend who owned a bodyshop shop was the panel fitment. He said the gap between the doors and the quarters ran from zero to almost a half inch. That would tell me that the original quarters were replaced with quarters from a coupe during the convertible conversion.
Have you ever seen the conversion for the ASC Capri convertible?
Pictures downloaded from what you posted and enhanced in photoshop show quite a bit. If you have the time, I'd like to see a better picture of the engine compartment, door jambs, and the inner trunk (left and right) substructure. Also, where in the northeast are you located?
Bill S
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FEP Registries: Black Magic & Crimson Cat / Cobra / Dominator / G.T.350 / LTD LX/Police & Marquis LTS / M81 / Pace Car / Predator / Saleen / Turbo GT & Turbo RS / Twister II
Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags
ASC conversion.
Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles
1983 Mustang G.T. No-option stripper- I like strippers.
5.0, GT40P heads, Comp Cams XE270HR-12 on 1.6 rockers, TFI spring kit, Weiand 174 blower, Holley 750 mechanical secondarys, Mishimoto radiator, Edelbrock street performer mechanical pump, BBK shortys, T-5 conversion, 8.8 rear, 3.73 gears, carbon fiber clutches, SS Machine lowers, Maximum Motorsport XL subframes, "B" springs.
Dang, yes we are. One of my Mopar buddies lives in Raymond. Darryl D. He owns a 67 Charger, his wife has a 62 Signet vert.
Bill- I'm in Barrington, NH. About 90 minutes north of Boston. I'll try to take some pics this weekend. After I got it running I stuck it in one of my garage bays to get it out of my shop while I am working on another project. Could you PM me your email addy? I'll email you the pics-Thanks
The orange hemi car? There is also a Superbee, and my neighbor has a blue 70 Satellite sport. Many mopar guys around me.
1983 Mustang G.T. No-option stripper- I like strippers.
5.0, GT40P heads, Comp Cams XE270HR-12 on 1.6 rockers, TFI spring kit, Weiand 174 blower, Holley 750 mechanical secondarys, Mishimoto radiator, Edelbrock street performer mechanical pump, BBK shortys, T-5 conversion, 8.8 rear, 3.73 gears, carbon fiber clutches, SS Machine lowers, Maximum Motorsport XL subframes, "B" springs.
I have
Back in 1986
Shame you could not get the Capri conversion shots, however, it used a similar jig that was designed in March 1983 and updated in April 1986 for the 1987 Mustang lineup
Sent you a PM, no rush, but the more you can show me, the better chance I have of identifying the car for what it is
Ok. I sent Bill a bunch of pics. I'll post a few of the trunk here. There was a dressup kit in the trunk to hide their handy work when converting the Mustang.
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