(first posted 8/4/2011) Lots of ink has been spilled in lament of the Mustang’s “lost decade” that stretched from circa 1970 to 1979, when a new Fox platform revived a nameplate that Ford had done its best to kill during the malaise era. The bloated, cartoonish ’73 had given way to a gussied up Pinto that couldn’t get out of its own way and rusted like a tin roof in Texas. Buyers were cruelly disappointed when they got their “Cobra” Mustang II home from the dealer and found that its de-tuned, de-smogged, no-NOX engine wasn’t much faster than the lo-po straight six of a few years earlier. Some buyers felt swindled and got out of the FoMoCo ponycar habit for good. Some went over to the dark side and just grabbed a Camaro from their friendly Chevy retailer. But the smart ones stayed in the family and found a revival of the original package that they hankered for right next door- At the “Sign Of The Cat”.
When Ford started to abandon the original concept and essence of the original Mustang in the latter part of the 60’s, sales started a slow, lazy decline that set off alarm bells in Ford HQ. The sales race with GM meant that any downsizing or de-emphasizing of performance could be fatal to what was then a still fairly new brand. There seemed to be a market for smaller, lighter, more practical cars that lived the sporting life, but would appeal to a more nuanced buyer than the rip snorting Cobra Jet Boss Mustang. Fortunately for Ford, that car already existed, was being built in Ford factories and was even conceived as the Euro-Mustang. It was called Capri.
The Ford Capri had been on the market in Europe for about a year when it got its marching orders for the states. The federal spec Capris would be built at the Ford plant in Cologne, (West) Germany, but would be sold on this side of the pond at Mercury dealers. This was a good idea as Ford showrooms were already pretty full with Pintos, Mavericks, Mustangs, Torinos and LTDs. But at this time (1970) there was as yet no sub compact for L-M dealers to sell. Wilkommen Capri.
It was a lot easier for car makers to tap their overseas operations for a gap-plugger in those days. Of course their captive imports would have to meet federal regulations for emissions, lighting, side marker lamps, seatbelts and the like, but the gap between there and here wasn’t nearly as wide as today. It was a fairly easy affair for the “Sexy European” to qualify for sale in the U.S. And Ford put the Capri on sale April 17, 1970 – exactly 6 years to the day that the original Mustang exploded on the scene.
The Capri had the same letters patent as the Mustang when conceived in the mid ’60s. It had to be sporty, adaptable, and appeal to a youth market deemed essential to success. The one variable that was applied to the Capri that didn’t affect the Mustang, however, was fuel economy. European policies that placed steep taxes on petrol meant that this new concept had to be salable in markets where gasoline was threatening the equivalent of $2 a gallon. (In D Marks, Francs and Guilders of course – There was no euro in those days). This stricture meant that the Capri would never see half a dozen V-8s on the options list and wasn’t programmed to add weight and bulk to keep up with the competition.
The running gear installed in the Capri was, like its American cousin, sourced from a humble family sedan that made the economics of the whole project compelling. The Cortina was in itself a very good car (which found its way to the U.S. in limited numbers in the late ’60s) and like the donor car for the Mustang (the Falcon), engines, transmissions and rear ends were plug and play. It was one of the rare moments in automobile history that the accountants, marketers and customers were all happy at the same time.
Initially, you could have a US-market Capri with any engine you wanted – as long as you wanted a 1600cc four cylinder made in Ford’s Kent County, U.K. Plant. The little 1.6 was tough and relatively durable, but was stretched mighty thin to be sold as “sporty”. It lasted through the first season before Ford wisely installed the 2.0L SOHC engine that gave the Capri performance that matched its looks. Not happy with better gitty- up, Ford added a 2.6 V-6 in ’72 for even more scoot. Obviously, this strategy was working. Every engine upgrade resulted in a sales bump and by the spring of 1974, the Capri was the second best selling import behind the Beetle, having pushed the Corolla aside (temporarily). The Mustang had sired a thoroughbred.
(Note: European market Capris were built with a wide range of engines. The continental model, built in Germany, had 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 L V4s available, as well as a number of sizes of the Cologne V6. UK market Capris came with 1.3 and 1.6L Kent fours, the 2 L Essex V4, and the 3 L Essex V6, all in numerous level of performance)
Even while throwing the sporting crowd ever meatier bones, one thing that was not lost in the Capri’s mandate was the “secretary’s car” setup that had been completely lost with the Mustang. Until its last days, the Capri retained a low dollar, entry level model with four cylinders and four speeds for the young driver that wanted an economical sporty car.
All of the styling cues that had made the Mustang a smash were present on the Capri. Long hood / short deck? Got it. Side strakes? Check. Body scallops? No extra charge. The Capri was a rare case of a copy being equal, but pleasingly different than the original.
One more engine upgrade (to 2.8 L) marked the end of the “Mark I” Capri years in 1975. By March of that year, young car watchers (like the author) were astonished that Mercury was advertising a 1976 model many months before the normal new model announcement was due. It was the “Mark II” that the cougar was growling about on the L-M sign in the ads.
In many ways it was a case of saving the best for last. The 2.8 V6 returned and the standard issue 4 pot got a bump to 2.3 Litres, which made it something of a bargain in the performance department. The styling was a pleasant update of the original, with more nuanced curves, expanded color options and a much more handy hatchback. Mercury had the world by the cat’s tail. Or so it seemed.
Almost as quickly as it rose, the Capri’s star fell due to the malarial fever/chills U.S economy in its latter years. The sinking value of the dollar sank in the late 70s made Capris (and other euro buggies) money losers when they were built for expensive marks and sold for cheap dollars. The price of a ’76 had now climbed above $4500 with a V6, an almost 50% increase over the previous three years.
There was nothing really wrong with the car itself, but the economics of the “captive imports” were becoming impossible and the Capri was sent packing back to the fatherland, where it was built until 1986. Over half a million were retailed in the U.S. during its run here, but finding a prime example these days is tough. Rust, the suspect in a lot of old car deaths, is common on this one. Add that to the usual reluctance of dealers to support a discontinued “captive” and the attrition rate is steep. Finding a clean Mark I takes patience, but the Mark II has better rustproofing (and aftermarket rustproofers like Ziebart were becoming more popular in these years), so that’s the one to have.
Hard times were ahead for buyers of small cars in those years. The cheap dollar meant that the subcompacts on the showroom floors of the Big Three would be American built for the foreseeable future, and that future looked grim. The Capri was supplanted in L-M’s subcompact slot by the Mercury Bobcat. This little pain machine had all of the limitations of the Pinto on which it was so obviously based, but the buyer paid about 15 percent more to boot. The ridiculous little “Mercurized” grille was just an added insult. I happily drove a Capri Mk 1 during my first year of college, but alas, it had been abused and became a money pit that I was powerless to fill. When I (reluctantly) disposed of the Capri, I fell for another Ford Werke product that is among my all time favorite cars–the 1978 Ford Fiesta. That’s a story for another CC.
While there are exceptions, it’s not just rust and dealer support that killed off these cars- They typically attracted an owner that loved the style of their rides (at least for the moment), but seemed hell bent on destroying the object of their lust. All the small sporty coupes in this segment have been chewed up by their owners, and in the used car market they encountered even greater abuse by similar owners with reduced resources.
Capris, Celicas, Scirroccos, Monzas, Probes, Geo Storms, and the Mitsububishi Eclipse have all been victim of this “Today’s Fashion” buyer. As soon as a new darling appeared in this product segment, the old queen was tossed aside, used up by owners who care much about looks but little about maintenance.
A damn shame- I’d love to find a nice clean 2.6 L 4 Speed model, but they’re either gone or locked into a long term relationship with a loving owner.
“They typically attracted an owner that loved the style of their rides (at least for the moment), but seemed hell bent on destroying the object of their lust.”
Bingo ! That’s the one that I got.
PVDave is spot-on. These were extremely popular cars in the day; the youth of where I grew up in Northern California ate these up. One of my sisters had one (a ’71 2.0L 4-speed) and so did quite a few of my friends (Mk 1’s and II’s). These things in California didn’t rust out, but they were driven into the ground and that’s way an extremely popular (and pretty good car) isn’t to be found today.
They did have their problems – common were the pop out rear windows which DID pop out (the adhesive on the aft end wouldn’t hold and then you had a swinging rear window – swinging, drooping down over the quarter panel).
A girl I was dating in 1977 had a Dad who was one of the ad execs for a big San Francisco agency that handled the Lincoln-Mercury account and L-M loaned her family Mercuries. She had a ’74 Capri Gen I with a 2.0L four and automatic and the second SLOWEST car I ever drove in my life (the first was a loaner ’82 Chevette Automatic). The California cars by ’74 pre-cat days were as smogged out as hang-on emission controls could be and small displacement/automatic trans. cars suffered the worst. A dog could run up and pee on the wheels of that Capri in motion – it was that slow.
I also had a 74 v6 with calone engine loved it sportyest car I had ever driven more power than ever needed for a car that size found dash layout great and the seat comfortable only thing it could have had was the 5 peed trans. the motor revead realy high on the freeways I rolled it end over end in a Ice storm I let off on the gas and it was like i had put on the e brake the rear wheels broke lose started doing loops
Yes, yes, yes. The Ford Cortina was one car I remember very well, seeing several of them around the St. Louis area when in high school in the late 60’s. I was in California in the service when the Capri came out, and the very first one I saw was on base, in that exact color in the first photo! I was impressed because it wasn’t Japanese – I had a bias against Japanese cars back then, but gained much respect for them just the same. I always wanted to drive one of the Capris and compare it to my 1964 Chevy above. Never got the chance. Saw lots of interesting cars running around, but that was all, unless I decided to park the car and hitch-hike to town just for the fun of riding in a different car for a change!
Euro-Fords have always attracted me. Our local Ford dealer had a big white-on-blue “Cortina” sign for some time, I think even after they stopped importing it.
We’ve been watching old Mark VII (Jack Webb) shows on Netflix, & sometimes a parked Cortina appears. In general, this is a good way to see CCs in near-mint condition. There is a brown ’67 Mustang with white vinyl roof which appears repeatedly; it probably belonged to someone on the production crew. Never would’ve noticed that on weekly broadcasts.
Get to your local Ford store these days. Plenty of Euro stuff now, like ALL the cars. Good thing, too. I had a Taurus rental on the weekend and it was WAAAAY better than my wife’s 2006 model.
Point taken, but unfortunately, “Rice Burners” attract me even more. I still have a lingering mistrust of Ford quality; it’s a crapshoot with domestic makes (being managed by disfunctional Americans), & while Japan has lost some of its luster since the ’80s, I still suspect they’re more consistent.
Bear in mind, rust is a non-issue where I live.
Zackman, it seemed that everyone from and in Missouri, ca. 1970 had a bias against Japanese cars. I was a kid who visited Grandfolks and relatives in Northeastern rural Missouri in those days and they were still fighting WW-II ca. 1942. All kinds of disparaging remarks were made against a “Toyerter” they saw while we were up in the ‘big city’ of Quincy, Illinois.
These cars scored at least conquest buyer. When I was growing up, the Bordner family lived next door. I cannot count the number of Pontiacs that went in and out of their driveway, including several GTOs, Firebirds and an OHC6 Tempest Sprint. Mr. Borner spent about 2 years in a 71 Firebird. I can’t recall, but it may have been a 6. But about 1973, a copper Capri replaced it. I cannot recall if it was the 4 or the V6, but I do remember that this was the first (and only) Ford product I ever saw in that driveway.
I always liked these. I thought that the original version was more attractive than the Mark II. The proportions were, like the original Mustang, nearly perfect.
I never drove one of these, but always wanted to. One of these would make a great collector car today – fun to drive and economical. Great piece on a car that is not very well remembered.
Nice write-up. The Ford Capri was a regular sight on the roads of Yorkshire in my childhood and my older brother hankered after one something awful (practicalities meant he disappointingly wound up with an Austin Allegro for his first car instead). I’ve always known they had a brief spell as a captive import Mercury, but not the details…
One minor amend though. My understanding is that Ford’s ‘Kent’ engine is so called because that’s where the chief engineer at Ford’s Dagenham plant lived. Dagenham itself is part of Greater London, not Kent.
“Ford’s ‘Kent’ engine is so called because that’s where the chief engineer at Ford’s Dagenham plant lived. Dagenham itself is part of Greater London, not Kent.’
Then you have cleared up 30 years of misinformation on my part. When I bought my Fiesta MK1 (used , from a Ford dealer) , the salesman told me that the Kent engine was named for the county in the U.K. that produced it. I had never had reason to question that,but apparently it was just sales chit chat.
Thank you !
You’re welcome Jeff! The salesman can be forgiven for getting mixed up – Kent’s relatively nearby to Dagenham after all.
Sadly the only thing they make there now is the (far less romantically named) Duratorq diesel engine… less chance for confusing salesmen though.
I test drove a Mondeo with Duratorque diesel in it, easy to see why Ford now uses Peugeot engines
The funny thing is, historically Dagenham was actually in the county of Essex before political reorganisation in the 1960s so calling the small mill a “Kent” is quite ironic.
Then the irony is piled on because the 3.0 litre V6 used in the UK Capri was dubbed “Essex” before it was replaced by the injected 2.8 “Cologne” in the Mk 2.
Which raises a question for me…where did they get the 2.6 litre V6 engine mentioned the article? Ford never had such a beast in UK. I’m guessing it was German, probably the above mentioned Cologne, but can anyone confirm?
Yes, the 2.6 was a German V6 version of the “cologne family” engines– it was just a longer stroke 2.3 V6 (this one was offered in UK later) , there was also a 2.0 V6 based on the smaller V4 engines …. 1.3 V4 -> has the same pistons as 2.0 V6 then next 1.5 and 1,7 V4 have same pistons (90,00 mm) as 2.3 and 2.6 V6 …. The first engine with fuel injection in Capri was in 1970 – Ford Capri RS2600 …. 150 HP vs 125 with a normal carb version in 2600 GT XLR …. The 2.8 was not offered in Europe in Ford Capri until 1981 (2.8 injection) 😀 And in US Capri was instaled from 1974 ! Also the SOHC 2.0 was installed faster in Federal Capri than in the Capri in Europe (from Mk2 model 4-5 years later)….
Ford had a 2.5L V6 they used in early MK4 Zephyrs it was discontinued in NZ due to reliability issues and chronic lack of power and replaced with the 3L Essex Capri/Zephyr/Zodiac motor. Other than the Cortina Savage I dont know the V6 migrated down to the Cortina range.
That Cologne V-6 had a very long life in US market Fords. The 2.9 version was in my Ranger and the 4.0, in pushrod and SOHC form was used in Ranger, Explorer and Mustang. I loved the 60 degree even-firing smoothness and narrowness for easier servicing than the more common 90 degree sixes.
A big reason the Kent 1.6 disappeared in the U.S. was that the Kent OHV wasn’t up to task to handle the increasing load bearing of tack-on U.S. emission control devices of the day (although it hung on in Pintos through model year ’73 by which time, it delivered a measly 54 NET horsepower and wasn’t even offered in California). My sister back in the 70’s had a metallic brown 1971 Capri 2.0L four speed which was a real sweet driving car.
I drove a V6 first-generation Capri that belonged to a friend of my wife. I remember not being that impressed with it, but part of the problem was that the clutch was about gone, and fully released in the first few centimeters of pedal travel with the pedal still a foot off the floor.
The Capris had a clutch release lever pivoted on the far side of the throw-out bearing from the connection for the cable used to actuate it – a second-class lever. As the clutch wore and as the manually-adjusted cable went unadjusted, the configuration left the release point to rise as the clutch friction plate wore down until eventually the clutch was held in a partially released state, accelerating the wear. Cortinas had a hydraulic clutch actuator with an adjustable push rod and used a first-class lever.
I remember this car (and the original Celica, which someone else mentioned) both being featured in Road & Track’s “Used Car Classic” series, has to be over 30 years ago by now (I subscribed well before I could even drive). But, as with many of those other UCC’s (the ancestor of CC’s?), they have indeed become exceedingly rare, for many of the same reasons that made them classics in the first place.
Ah. A nice gem of a car, the best of both Europe and America…American resources, European parameters…but it’s one more that got away from me. I knew of several owners, but didn’t know them well – one, a not-very-bright guy, was devoted to the car but beat the snot out of it. The other was a professional; he had to have the Flavor-Of-The-Month…but the Capri was quickly replaced with a Bobcat wagon, which got changed out even quicker for something from GM.
The lesson to be learned from this, is how quickly the market parameters can shift based on POLITICAL changes…the weakening dollar and what caused it; and how it made a good car that was a good buy, into a loser in a few short years.
We need learn this because we’re repeating those mistakes.
Another reason why it (Capri) and the Opel Kadett/Mantas bid Auf Wiedersehen to American shores in the mid/late ’70’s . . . .
Glad you mentioned the Opels. The Ascona A/1900 competed directly with the Cortina and the Manta took on the Capri. Both were available stateside until the mark got too strong and subsequent Opels came from Isuzu.
They were basically the same bodies as the European Kadett C, but we ended up missing out on a lot more good stuff like the second-gen Manta thanks to the mark rising in value from four to the dollar to less than two.
Strange, no mention of Mr. Basil Green…
Basil Green – The Perana Story – appetiser… from Chris Jay on Vimeo.
I have 3 Capris, a ’73 powered by a 302, a stock ’74 with the 2.0L,
and a stock ’76 with the 2.8L.
Oh, thanks for finally getting the Capri on, I think I’ll take the ’73 for
a celebratory run this evening…
I don’t know if a lot of Americans heard of Basil Green or the Peranas…
You’re right, not a lot of Americans have heard of Mr Green, but if you’re
a Capri fan, you more than likely have…
The Germans also did an engineering study using a 302 in the Capri II, it
didn’t pass muster for some reason…
Just as an asides, if you put aluminum heads on a 302/5.0L, they’re only
15 or so pounds heavier than the 2.6L/2.8L, move the battery to the trunk
and the balance of the car remains as it was stock…
Hi Keith,
You have been doing some research. I realize your post is over ten years old, yet your wisdom still rings true. The 2.6L in a 73 Capri weighs about 365-385 lbs (depending on different sources). A 1982-1986 Capri 5.0 V8 weighs about 460lbs. Swap aluminum heads and relocate the battery to the trunk of a Capri MKI and one can have a MK I w/ a SBF with the same weight over the front wheels as a 2.6 / 2.8 V6 at about 385 lbs. Add the plethora of R&D done on the SBF 5.0 and the power gains are restricted ONLY by budget (400 -1000 HP w/ a dart block and twin turbos).
My next project is to get my 73 MKI V6 (4-speed) w/ sunroof back on the road w/ a SBF 331 stroker / aluminum flywheel, 5 speed manual & narrowed 8.8 3-link rear end w/ 3.40 trac-lok. I bought my first Capri, a 1977 V6 4-speed MKII Ghia back in 1983 and have been hooked on these sporty cars ever since.
Regrettably, the only registered -road worthy Capri I currently drive is an 86 Mercury Capri 5.0 H.O.
I don’t believe the MkII was ever sold as a Mercury. I believe it was simply Capri MkII. I’ve always liked these cars but sadly most seemed to have been wiped out in the mid to late 80s when Ford dealers just didn’t stock parts for them. Many were scrapped due to some minor issue. Parts supply is better today thanks to the internet. A friend of mine had a couple of them in long term storage. He did sell one to an enthusiastic owner so hopefully it has returned to the street. I believe he still has this one however – I seem to recall it had a gearbox issue.
Yup, it was sold by L-M dealers, but it didn’t carry any Mercury identification, so far as I know.
Neither version was ever badged or advertised as a Mercury, although I remember them normally being referred to as the “Mercury Capri”. The second-gen car was sold in North America as the “Capri II”, not the Mark II.
http://store.valueweb.com/vintagepaperads/catalog/AR0906.jpg
You’re right, but do you know what a pre-facelift Capri is? Like the
Corvette guys, using C3/4/5, Mk I/II/III tells you what bodystyle it is,
not the actual name…
The MkI, MkII appellations weren’t used so much by advertisers, rather, by enthusiasts to distinguish the various versions of the car and make it easier to shop for parts, discuss repairs, etc. The original Capri is the MkI, the redesign the MkII. The MkII remained in production in Europe through 1986, with a slight revision to the nose compared to the US version.
As was said elsewhere, the surging deutsche mark forced Ford US to drop the European Capri in 1978 and replace it with a slightly restyled (and some think better-looking) Fox-body Mustang.
Fords are usually listed as MkI, MkII, etc. for redesigns on the same nameplate, like Escort.
Opels are given letters of the alphabet, like Vectra A, B, C, etc.
BMW’s and Mercedes are referred by their internal model designation like E46 or W201. Enthusiasts know which is which, everyone else can look them up.
Other makes and models are usually referred to as first generation, second, third, etc.
Only the Fox-body Capri was advertised as the Mercury Capri.
The Euro car was often advertised as “Capri, imported by Lincoln-Mercury.”
What I’d like to know is how the state DMV’s handled registrations. Was it a Ford? A Mercury? A Capri? An Edsel?
I remember from the day that they were advertised (Mk 1 and 2) simply as “Capri” . . . at “your Lincoln-Mercury dealer” . . . .
i recently saved this car from a storage facility in Calgary and yes the vehicle did have gearbox issues it was completely missing so i am on the look out for another one the engine is a V6 Colone and the gearbox should be a 4 speed manual
the plan is to completly restore the vehicle
MK4 Zephyr box will fit.
The U.S. market really got only a handful of the engines offered on European cars. British-built cars had the Kent in 1,298 cc or 1,599 cc iterations, either plain or slightly uprated GT spec, the German-built 2.0-liter V4, or the 3.0-liter Essex V6. German-built cars had the V4 in 1.3, 1.5, or 1.7-liter iterations, or the Cologne V6, initially in 2.3 or 2.6 L forms. Not all were necessarily available at the same time, but the lineup was lengthy, and Ford eventually rationalized it quite a bit. The larger fours, in uncatalyzed European form, gave respectable performance; the V6s were muscle cars by European standards, although they were expensive to run.
We never got the hottest iteration, which was Basil Green’s Perana V8. It wasn’t a factory option, but it was offered through some South African Ford dealers. It had the 302, with a four-barrel carburetor and solid lifters, which made it quite a fast car.
Ford also used a 302 in the Ford Sierra instead of turbo pimto4 creating the XR8 badge which Ford Aussie stole for their Falcon
We got huge numbers of these to go with the Cortinas which was a best seller in NZ, but the smaller engine options like 1300 Escort engined versions stayed in the UK I am surprised Ford didnt put the 1100 kent into Capris as a bargain basement option that was the Granny spec Escort back in the day These Capri rusted fairly quick but the V6 3 litre Zephyr powered examples went well on race tracks and the Perana is Known in NZ though home made V8 Capris were quite common and its an easy swap but best done to a 6 cylinder body shell. One very common swap in NZ was Zephyr V6 into Ford 4 banger engine bay the factory did it so most shadetree wrenchers can do it too
Even for 1960s UK performance levels the 1100 would have been useless in a Capri. In fact the 1300 didn’t really work, either from a fuel saving nor performance perspective. Very few were sold in UK whereas in the Escort the 1.3 was something of a minor status symbol as the bulk of them were sold as 1.1s as I recall.
Beautiful car and puts me in the mind of the Opels that were sold by Buick dealers around that time.
BTW the few Mustang IIs that have survived are quite a bargin now. Sometimes I get tempted to grab one and “unstrangle” the V8 from it’s smog equipment.
Nice piece, Jeff.
The Capri was about as revolutionary in Europe (and certain other overseas markets) as the Mustang had been in the US. Of course, that was Ford’s plan, to replicate the Mustang for Europe. And like the Mustang, the Capri’s success (in Europe) was bigger than Ford might have expected.
As ateupwithmotor pointed out, the huge range of engine choices alone was unheard of, as generally the bigger V6s were reserved for the top-line sedans. Again, it was the Mustang/American engine option formula transplanted abroad.
It might be fair to say that the Capri was perhaps the biggest American influence on the European car market in some time. And one that the Europeans had mixed feelings about. The blue-blood sporty brands (and their owners) tried hard to give the Capri (and Manta) the “mullet” image, but these cars changed the European market in very significant ways.
And, as i said in my article on it, the Capri was also significant as the first real joint project of the new Ford of Europe. Previously, Ford of England and Ford of Germany largely went their own ways — there was some occasional sharing, but not a lot, and FoE and FoG had separate management teams.
My best friend in high school had a MkI, and his mom had a MkII. Tom took the letters across the hood that spelled CAPRI and rearranged them to spell CRAPI.
We had some good times in the CRAPI back in the 70s.
Roger that. My dad drove a ’76 F-150 and one afternoon while I was bored I rearranged the letters to spell DORF . He was NOT amused.
Yup, they were often called that in England. Also, the Granada (Euro version, of course) was nicknamed the Grandad.
…Was the Kent engine a pushrod? I’ve never seen one, not even in a Pinto.
It seemed to me (scouring boneyards for my Pintos) that just about every Pinto sold had at least the 2.0; with the Lima 2.3 more popular as it came on line.
The Cologne 2.0 was pure quality. The Lima, not so much, at least in its first years. I had one of each in two Pintos at different times…the Lima, with 80,000, was worn and smoking; while the 2.0 was going strong at 120,000.
The 1.6 Kent engine was hyped as being “real quality” in an interview with a Ford VP, but it seems nobody noticed whether it was.
yep, it’s a pushrod/OHV type engine:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Kent_engine
The 1.6 engines were used extensively in Anglias, Cortinas and probably other models. Lotus built a twin-OHC cam version used in the Lotus Cortinas. Very rugged engine. Check out the Wikipedia article for a summary description. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Kent_engine
The Kent engine also formed the basis for the Formula Ford open-wheel racing class. Cheap, plentiful, and powerful for their size, they were a perfect fit for entry-level racing.
MM time: How hard would it be to swap the drivetrain from a totaled newer Miata into one of these beasts?
Why would you want to?? The 2.0L is capable of 200+hp with cam
and carbs, or, just buy a Cosworth head from a Cosworth Sierra, slap
it on, off you go…
Why were so many of these brown? Oh yeah, it was the 70’s. And the brown did hide the rust a little while longer. Very cute cars, but once the tinworm infestation started, it progressed very rapidly.
The Mk 1’s I remember seeing when new in the S.F. Bay Area were always brown or green. A few reds, but the majority? Brown and Green.
One of my childhood favorites. My 1979 trip to Germany I was treated to an “oldtimer” event held by the ADAC (German AAA) by my cousin, which featured a whole range of cars. My hands down favorite was the original Bugatti, followed closely by the safety orange Porsche 928 pace car that we got to ride in.
We paced a whole fleet of race-spec Capris, Mantas, and others. I had never seen a Capri dressed up like that with the huge flares, tires and spoilers. I very badly wanted to find a Capri II and replicate what I saw in the US. But I was 16 at the time, and was a ways off from being able to do so.
I eventually went on to own three Capris, but the Fox body ones made after 1979. I’d still like to have a Capri II with the 2.8 V6 someday…
I was assigned one of these as a body shop loaner once. It truly deserved the revised spelling. The V6 with MT was extremely difficult to drive. The throttle/pedal/cable was sticky and the clutch was grabby. It would go from 0 to 10 MPH in the blink of an eye. Lots of fun in traffic.
When I was 17 (in 1973) my buddy’s neighbor had a 73 Capri, bright yellow, V6/4 spd. He also had a Mini Cooper. Pretty exotic stuff for a rural Minnesota town. It was pretty fast I was told.
Later in college, my roommate had a 76 Capri II, also bright yellow, 4 cylinder/4 spd. Not as fast, as weight and emissions didn’t improve performance. But it felt better than my Mustang II (V6/auto) it handled well. Alas that poor car met it’s end in a freak downpour and flash flood on a St Paul street that ran under a rail road track.
“The Capri was replaced in L-M’s subcompact slot by the Mercury Bobcat”
Not true at all, the Bobcat was released in 1974 as a Pinto for L-M dealers to sell. How could the 1979 Fox Mustang based Capri be forgotten by the author?
I was going to post the same thing, the Bobcat and the Capri ran at the same time. The Fox based Capri Amerikaans replaced the German Capri.
My overriding memory of these cars (in the Euoropean market) is how truly awful the handling and roadholding was. Bouncy, underdamped rear suspension and flabby disconnected steering feedback made for far more ‘interesting’ driving characteristics than I was interested in pursuing.
Now if you could find an original 1978 Fiesta to write up..yowza! My uncle traded his VW for a new Fiesta back in ’78 when we were still living in Karlsruhe…until the day he died, he LOVED that little silver box and I desperately wanted it!
threeer,
I agree about the ’78 Fiesta. Unfortunately, I wrecked the one my family had while I was in high school and have missed that car ever since.
Jeff,
When are you planning to address your Fiesta cliff-hanger?
The Fiesta has another connection to this article, the 1.6 Kent engine. That engine was the only part of my ’80 Fiesta that I liked.
I had a 1971 2.0 MT in Silver. Invisible color in the rain/fog. My friend had a 1971 BMW 2002, the Capri was faster and handled better. .72 on a skidpad in those days was a great handling car. I was a kid, and I did crack her up(an ice patch in CT in May? Really?) but she had about 90K on her when it happened.
I have a 1971 Capri, 2.0 automatic,(Borg Warner 35)
The car is very clean,99% rust free.just drove it on a 1100 mile
Trip with’no’problems And it is FOR SALE!
I am asking $3000 cash. Will not ship, the car is located
In western north Carolina.
adam in western north carolina do you still have your 71 capri for sale
Hi! I’m interested on buying your capri, I’m from california. Is it still for sale?
I have a 1976 Capri II (original owner) 2.3L. Anyone interested?
Is your Capri still for sale???
Hi,
Is your 71 Capri is still for sale ?
Adam, I guess your Capri is already sold, of course, isn’t it? As it jus tlooks like my dream-Capri I have to ask though, mybe you know where it is now or somebody knows somebody who knows a car like this for sale – then please contact me. thanks – Ace
Hey, that red 73 looks familiar…Oh, wait a minute…it should, thats my car, and it’s sitting in the driveway!
I drove 76 Capri as my first car in 82. This was a fun little car. Imagine this, I only gave $150 for it. Needed a tranny, did the work myself for another $150. Drove that thing four years, wish I still ad it, WOW
I’m a new proud owner of a 77 Capri II. Fantastic shape with a tiny bit of rust in minuscule areas that a good paint job will take care of (A frames etc. are cherry). However the real gem on this car is the interior. It is immaculate, save for a few basic wear and tear things(missing Hud dimmer switch, climate control knobs, and some wear on the shifter knob) I’m wanting to fix all these little things so I can show it without going crazy, but I can’t seem to find any replacements. Anyone have a suggestions?
Any and all parts for the Euro Capri can be found on Norm Murdock’s site “Team Blitz” Just Google Team Blitz
Also, join the Caprilist at capri-list@yahoogroups.com Someone on the list will have any part you need.
Had a friend buy a new 71 or 72 Capri…. long lived…sold it to his father, who just happened to be a plumber….loaded that baby with plumber tools …that car was tough. I however bought a used 76 with a V6, what a disaster, what could break did…I nicknamed it the “toilet”….was it my imagination or did they all begin to rust, just ahead of doors, usually in a long vertical line…
Hi guys,
I’ve got an orange 76 Capri II that I’m parting with. V6 4-speed. It runs okay but I’m in California and it has smog issues. Body is fair but does have a bit of rust in the normal places(rear wheel wells) and a few dings where other people thought my car was a target. Had all brakes replaced about three years ago. Installed a new(rebuilt) tranny, clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing two years ago. Only about 1000 miles on it since then. Interior fair also. There is a problem with the headlights also. I think it’s the switch itself but haven’t verified it yet. Would love to see it go to a good home so drop me a line if you’re interested.
Nice article. The Capri Club North America http://www.capriclub.com and Team Blitz http://www.teamblitz.com are two resources we are able to offer to the Capri owner.
Hi Adam,
Is your Capri still available ? I know it’s been a few years since you posted.
I am guessing the answer will be “no.”
Well if anyone has a 70 to 73 Rust free ( or as close to rist free ) Capri
Please drop me a line.
Crossworth1
@
G
M
A
I
L
Dot com
I remember seeing these a lot when I was a boy. At the time I thought it was a Mustang. I thought at the time it was better looking than the Mustang II. It’s too bad the car was discontinued from the North American market. Was it reliable? Maybe, maybe not. But what car is? What car is truly “trouble-free”?
I bought a ’74 2.8 V6 manual brand new. Loved driving it, but it was an endless chain of electrical problems, which prompted me to ditch it after a year and a day.
20/20 hindsight? I wish I’d been older, wiser, patient and got it sorted out. It was a neat car, and I’d love to have it (in proper working order) now.
The Mark II never really appealed to me. The “more nuanced” look the author sees just seemed like bloat to me. Less crisp and defined.
I’m back in California after 36 years away. I’ve seen exactly one Capri in the 8 months I’ve been home. Even here, they’ve become very, very scarce.
“…when they got their “Cobra” Mustang II home from the dealer…”
Was anyone really this dumb? There were a lot of Mustang II buyers, and they really didn’t care about HP and drag racing, just styling and price. The Cobra II sold to similar buyers, who just wanted to ‘look cool’ and didn’t time acceleration.
Anyway, too bad the imported Capri faded away too fast. Once they were used cars, parts cost more since they were Euro, and then owners dumped them fast.
“The Capri was replaced in L-M’s subcompact slot by the Mercury Bobcat.”
Not true! Bobcat was brought out in 1974 and was sold alongside the Capris. Never was the Bobcat promoted as ‘sporty’ or ‘sexy’. L-M dealers wanted a Pinto.
Capris were sold up to the ’78 model year and then one year later the Fox based version came out. So, again, the Bobcat was never set as a ‘Capri replacement’
Please do better research instead of ‘guessing’ if one was not alive for some of these subjects. Old car magazines are readily available to look things up. Just see how site “Ate Up with Motor’ does it, they are 99.9% thorough with facts.
I’ve changed that to “supplanted by the Bobcat”. Thanks for pointing that out.
Unfortunately, we can’t all be like AUWM. We’re a daily blog,with several posts per day, and our Contributors are not professionals. But we try to catch any errors, along with feedback from readers like you.
the Capri slugged it out with the BMWs on the race track. There are some cool pictures in this link:
http://www.nogripracing.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1624317
I am attaching a teaser.
I remember the radio ads by local Lincoln-Mercury dealers really played up the “sexy European” tagline for this car. These were sharp for the time, although a Lincoln-Mercury dealership was one of the last places a buyer would expect to find such a car in the 1970s.
I grew up in a college town, and Capris were quite common there into the early 1980s, thanks to their popularity with college students.
Very popular in the UK though many had a hard life of thrashing,crashing and monstering.My brother had a 3 litre V6 auto which was very fast.
When I was a kid, a friend’s father had a newish Mk I. To my 7 year old eyes the coolest thing was the jointed map light on the passenger side A-pillar, to make it factory ready for the then popular TSD rallys.
I had a thing for the Capri II V6 Ghia. I passed on a used one once before buying the Scirocco. In ’76 these had a true dual exhaust with separate cats. That year sounded like a Porsche flat-6 from inside the car. The Ghia interior looked like a million bucks and had power steering and good A/C, unusual back then for an import.
I had to pass for the same reason so many new buyers did, too expensive. I’d pick one up now but they are impossible to find. Plus in Calif. you’d have to smog it every two years.
No, being over 25 years old, those Capris should be (by now) smog-test exempt in California. You could be out here in Hawaii, where cats are routinely tore off (for the most part). X-over pipes rule !!
Same here in Ohio. The cat was the first thing to get tossed on my Fairmont.
California changed that rule awhile ago, now it’s only cars built before 1976 that are exempt!
Nice looking cars. Interesting the best engine was the 2.0 as used in the Pinto. I wonder if the 4 speed transmission was also the same as the Pinto’s on the early cars. The V6 was fast for the times, but it seems the earlier 4 cylinder cars hold up better. I was T-boned by a 72 Capri in my 66 Beetle, The Capri’s front end really folded up badly. These cars really had a good looking body style, especially the earlier cars.
The 2.6 and 2.8 V-6’s (and especially in 1975 California through ’78) had the full dual exhaust (two cats later on) two resonators and dropped over the axle with inlet pipes leading into the single muffler with twin pea-shooter outlets. In the day in high school auto shop, we took one guy’s ’73 V-6 and simple acetylene torched the pipes directly off the back of the resonator outlets and shit-canned the muffler. Rougher, sportier sound – a little extra power. Did not find out how back seat passengers liked it as if the drone didn’t deafen ’em, the exhaust gasses put ’em to sleep . . .
If anyone hears of this generation of Capri existing around upstate South Carolina, please let me know. I’ve always loved these cars but have never seen one in person. I just want to touch one before they’re completely gone from my area.
If one keeps in mind that the job of the car company is to sell lots of cars, and then looks at the Mustang car sales by model year, one sees that Mustang sales began to fall off sharply in 1968 and beyond, after setting records in 1965 and 1966. But sales were revived by the introduction of the Mustang II for the 1974 model year. The Capri had already been out for a few years by then, and sold respectably since it’s own introduction. The revived sales justified the Mustang II, even if our own measures call it a failure in hindsight. The Capri occupied that odd place also populated by the German Opel sold in the US. Sold at upmarket dealers (Mercury and Buick), as what was called a “captive import”, they filled a niche like no other. Mercury and Buick lots were not natural places to go looking for sporty smaller imports, and the sales force was probably not attuned to the market either. The basic competence of each car kept them in the game. But I would argue that the Capri really sold in parallel to the Mustang, and to a bit of a different sort of customer. The Capri was an alternative to the Toyota or Datsun. The Mustang of the early 70s was an alternative to the Camaro or Barracuda. The Mustang II additionally competed against the Pinto and the Vega/Monza. As a potential Capri buyer in the mid 70s, I never considered the Mustang of any sort, but the Japanese cars, the Opel, and the VW Rabbit were possible alternatives.
This was pretty much true in the U.S., although it was obvious a somewhat different story in Europe and the U.K., where the Capri was presented and seen as an affordable substitute for the Mustang (which was rare, though not unknown overseas and wasn’t really designed for local markets).
They are more available than you might think, although the ones in the best shape are found on the West Coast or South where there is much less of a rust issue. You guys just missed one on Ebay for around $3,000!
These are cool little cars. Ive never actually seen one in the wild, but as a kid, I was well aware of their existence, as I had one of these:
http://hoslotcars.com/cgi-bin/page/item/a1935w/AFX_1935_1973_Ford_Capri_Funny_Car_White_/_Green_/_Blue_1742
I do miss that car. I learned to drive a stick in a 1972 Capri while my younger sister’s first car was a 1974 V-6 Capri in metallic brown. Just after that my best friend had a new Sirrocco. I have kept my eye peeled for those two, out here, and they are far tougher to find than the proverbial needle in a haystack.
Wow, this is a confusing page.
The article is dated July 17 2014 so I was a little surprised to find comments I, and others, had made years ago, presumably on a different article. How and why has this happened?
Also, the article mentions a 1.1 litre (sorry spell check, it is LITRE not liter as this is a UK car and we use English English thank you very much!) engine option. Not so. The Capri never used the 1.1 as far as I know. Hell, it was slow enough with a 1.3, the 1.1 would never have worked.
It’s a re-run. Which is why it’s titled “Classic Curbside Classic”. We do that sometimes, after a few years.
I added the European engine line-up note. I was wrong about the 1.1, and have removed it.
As to the spelling of that particular word, I live in the US and choose to use the American “liter”. In fact, this article is clearly almost exclusively about the Capri’s history as an import to the US. Which is why “liter” is used, among other reasons. It obviously means the same thing regardless of the spelling. At CC, we use either version, depending on the preference of the writer (this one is American). Sorry; just because an engine was built in the UK does not mean we have to use that spelling.
Paul,
I have no concern or issue with your re-running articles if you feel the need but when this one includes “By Jeff Nelson – July 17, 2014” in the header it clearly implies it is a new article. As such, I was startled to see my “handle” posted in the comments. Surely you can understand my confusion? I’m reading a July 2014 article and I see comments from me from 2011. Momentarily I was quite disoriented as I was trying to understand why such old remarks from me were being “moved” (as it seemed to be) to a current article. See what I’m saying?
Obviously, once the “it is a re-run” is understood then none of this matters at all.
I guess my “beef” is around using today’s date in the header for an old article. Seems dishonest to be frank.
As for the 1.1l engine detail, that’s fine.
Lastly, my quip about liter versus litre was not meant to be critical of the article or your site. It is just that as a Brit, albeit living in Canada, I choose to maintain my usage of “English English” and I am constantly battling various spell checkers using American English and my comment was just meant to be a light-hearted comment on that issue.
Being based in Canada makes that whole issue doubly complicated because, in theory, Canada uses British English but the pervasiveness of American media here means we end up with a mish-mash and it gets really confusing trying to be “correct”.
This is why I choose to stick to British English but of course I have no issue with your site using American English.
As a final remark on that, I am not a traditionalist that thinks British English is inherently purer or better than US English. Indeed, many of the “Americanisms” are sensible and logical but having grown up with one system I’ll stick with it.
Simon.
I’m from the USA, but I spell litre all the time. I just ignore spell check. I got to visit Canada a few years ago and was surprised to find some parts of the country spelling things a little differently. Being that I spell litre, centre, colour, etc. as oppose to liter, center, color, I was surprised to see how, say, British Columbia spell certain words the same as the USA.
Simon; there’s no way to change the date once it’s been republished. I used to sometimes add a short note at the beginning “originally published xx/xx/21xx” But then we switched to adding “Classic” at the beginning of the title. Nobody else seems to have a problem with that. I’m sorry it confused you. But now that we’re going on four years old, we’re re-publishing older material because most of our current readers weren’t around then. We’ve grown so much, and we’d like to expose them to these posts.
This is one of the limitations of WordPress, the content management system on which CC (and Ate Up With Motor, for that matter) runs. WP is intended as a blogging platform, so it defaults to showing posts in reverse chronological order by date. That means if you want to move an older post up to the top, you have to either change the date or add a plugin that allows you to customize the post order (which can have other problems, such as increasing the server load). WP can be set to display the last revision date, but it puts that date at the bottom of the post, not the top, and changes any time you make any edits at all, so it may not reflect when it was actually originally published.
(This is one of the only ways I thought the Joomla! CMS I used to use was superior — it included separate date fields for publication and revision and allowed you to reorder posts fairly easily as part of the core system.)
On the British versus Americanism usage and spelling issue, I would point out that the dilemma with Americans attempting to use British rules is that we often end up doing it wrong and/or seeming really affected, which can be just as obnoxious as our eccentric Noah Websterized spelling…
looking to buy a 1972 to a 1974 Capri, If anyone has one for sale please reply
Vince
Hi Vince,
If you will consider a 1971 Mk1 that spent its life in CA. I have one for sale.
Still retains its orig. blue plates.
No major accidents.Some dings/minor bumps & scratches. Front & rear bumpers have been pushed in slightly, presumably parking lot nudges. It is complete, runs, needs a restoration to be perfect. Some rust on rear wheel wells and battery tray. Flooring, trunk and the rest of the car are rust free.
The biggest +’s
The Capri is has not been tampered, modified, converted, all panels are original, the factory seam sealers are untouched, seats have been redone to orig spec, map light still works, electrical works, it does drive, orig 2.0 liter engine, 4 spd.
I may be reached at
Crossworth1
at
g
mail
Thanks for looking
I had a dark silver ’72 1.6 4 speed, then later a Light Silver ’77 V6 4 speed…. I’d die to have my ’77 back again… Best damn car I ever owned… and THEE one I miss most in my life… It kicked ass, handled great, etc…. Only reason I got rid of it was the headlights were stuck ON….. Now they’d just call it daytime running lights, lol…. thinking back, was probably just a switch, or relay… LOVED THAT CAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS… The handy dandy swing out Map Light was also very very useful loading bong hits at night in my late teens :0)…. INNOCENT.. I’m INNOCENT I TELL YOU !!!…. lol
Had a red 1971 with the 2000 engine and a 4 speed plus the interior package. Picked it up at the Ford plant in Cologne and drive it around Europe for 5 weeks. Shipped it back from England to NJ. Loved the car, but had issues like needed a universal joint and had to buy the whole driveshaft. Simple parts weren’t in stock at the local Mercury dealer. Kiss of death was when the rear ended burned up and cost me $350 to rebuild! Bought almost an identical new Capri in 1979, but that one was crap.
We had a 1971 Mk1 1.6L A/T. Slow, but ran great. Always liked the map light, but the windshield washer (floor bulb) was one of my favorite attributes. My brother had a 1973 2.6L V6 that developed a rod knock, but was able to install a single shell which cured the malady. Never had other problems with these cars, loved them both.
I purchased new in 1973, and still own a 1973 yellow Capri, 2600cc v-6, 4 speed manual. It has less than 39,000 miles on it. It has never seen winter, being stored in a garage that allows no sunlight in, so no paint fading. It was rustproofed when it had a few miles on it. Door trim panels removed so inside of doors was completely exposed, to apply material without drilling any holes, carpet was removed and rustproofing applied to floor. It is completely original, except of course maintenance items like tires, filters, etc. I drove it to the Capri Club’s ” Swarm ” 2 years, and both years won the award for best original vehicle. I have all original stickers, and sales papers. I have every sales booklet and probably 2 feet high of every article or books ever published on that era of Capri. Obviously I love it.
I remember these fondly, but admit I wasn’t paying attention as exchange rates drove their prices up after a few years. Can’t think of the last time I’ve seen one in a car show, much less on the street.
All I’ll add to the opening paragraph re the (little) Mustang II is that it did have the 302 option the Pinto didn’t, and I can testify to how quick it was, albeit with serious weight bias. Maybe its only other virtue was the the front end that’s been transplanted onto so many rods/customs.
Interesting how FoMoCo used the “Capri” nameplate through the years, later with the little Australian convertible, and back to the early-50s Lincoln (bonus points if you recognize this Hollywood luminary):
New Zealand as usual got the UK versions of Capri, but a mate of mine years ago got a German model it was LHD and had the 2.3 V6 as used in later Cortinas, nice car but it was geared to suit German road conditions autobahns etc and was much too tall gearing for our stupidly low fuel crisis inspired 50mph speed limit, he sold it eventually and flew away and came home with a Celica he was one of the pioneers of the ex JDM used car racket, that was a nice car and easier to onsell.
Looks like Academy Award-winning wardrobe designer Edith Head in George’s beautiful Lincoln Capri photo.
^^^You are correct, Norbert P. Interesting to see what a design/style person like her was driving around at the time. I guess early-1950s L.A. was getting pretty smoggy, but I still wouldn’t mind a time machine trip to see what it was a like (automotive- and other-wise). Congratulations, and thanks for playing!
This is car that started me liking cars. I was three in 1974 and my mom had a red one. It was used and actually kind of rough looking for a not-very-old car. I already had definite opinions about why I liked it’s looks. It just looked perfect. The rear quarter window really made an impression on me. I wondered why this car seemed to be so different from all the other cars. I would stare at it’s headlights and the styled wheels and I just knew it was special. I still have that feeling when I see a picture of one, and it set the tone for the rest of my life regarding my opinions about car styles. For better or worse, every car since has in some way been filtered through that lens.
My first new car was a 1972 Capri V6 4 speed, green over tan . There were none available for months. I was considering a red over black car some 2 plus hours from me when multiple truck loads arrived within days. That weekend I had mine. I believe I got a 10% discount.
After 12 or 13 months, prices had really gone up and someone had to have mine. I sod it for roughly what I had paid. Still one of my favorite cars.
My dad had a 1971 Capri that was pumpkin orange with a 4-speed and 2 liter engine. He bought it when he visited in Germany and then had it shipped to the States. Early on, I remember Capri owners used to flash their lights and wave at each other. The bumpers were strictly decorative, since you could probably fold it in half over your knee. But nobody cared about stuff like that. It was fun and cheap.
My first car was a 1978 2.0 V6 Capri when I was still living in Switzerland. Now 40 years later, I just purchased a 1971 Mk1 with a 2.0, 4-speed in good condition with very little rust. Have it shipped from Nevada to New Hampshire. Can’t wait for it to arrive in a few days.