I have never owned a Capri, or a Ford Capri or a Mercury Capri but I know three individuals who have. One was a ’71 and the other two were identical ’77’s bought by two different friends, at about the same time, but they didn’t know each other. The name Capri has surfaced on other products including a Mustang-based Mercury in the early ’80s and an Australian two-seater version in the ’90s but I am referencing the ’70s Ford of Europe product. And I had actually forgotten about the Capri until I spied this ’74 example, located in Phoenix, Arizona and available here on craigslist for $5,800. Thanks to Art for this tip!
Briefly, the Capri was produced by Ford of Europe and went into production in 1969. It was designed to be a European “pony-car” based on Ford Cortina underpinnings. In ’70, the Capri was distributed to Australia and North America where Lincoln-Mercury dealers handled sales and service. While the Capri continued in its basic existing architecture until ’86, ’77 was the end of the road for it in the U.S.
This Capri’s listing is thin, the pictures have to do the talking. All in all, it’s quite straight and the laconic listing does claim that it is all original with zero rust. There is a crease in the right-side quarter, not too serious, but I imagine trying to blend 46-year-old paint would be a trick. There is also a missing piece of trim on the passenger-side quarter, again, pretty minor. Speaking of paint, the popular Onyx Green finish seems pretty strong still, with slight signs of fading which is pretty remarkable if this Capri has spent a lot of its life in the Phoenix area. The rear valance has something funky occurring but it appears topical and not invasive. Even the massive bumper covers aren’t warped or drooping in places as they have a tendency on some cars of this era to do. Speaking of bumpers, this Capri’s bumper profile, new for ’74 thanks to U.S. bumper regulations, is a bit awkward; only the Ford Maverick comes to mind as being more overt.
The interior of this Capri is in surprisingly good condition. There is no mileage listed for this car but the odometer reads 2,819 so it has been around at least once putting it at 102K. That said, the interior belies the car’s age and mileage. The passenger seat reveals a separated seam but I can’t find any other defects. While the carpet shows to be a bit faded, the dash presents no concern.
There were two engines available in ’74 for the Capri, a 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder or a 2.8 liter, V6 which is what this example harbors. It’s good for 106 net HP but there is no word from the seller on how it runs. A four-speed manual transmission handles the gear changes. There is what looks like an A/C compressor under the hood but it’s beltless so I take that to mean, yes it has A/C, no it doesn’t work – no reference to that in the listing. The seller does advise that this car requires brake work and a carburetor rebuild. No word on what symptoms it is experiencing.
As I mentioned at the outset, I had pretty much forgotten about this Ford of Europe product until this listing popped up. Regarding my three friends who are former owners, the first with the ’71 moved to Key West in the mid-’70s and by ’78, the last time that I saw the car, it was more rust than car. The other two guys, who had identical ’77 models but didn’t know each other, sold them both about the same time (really strange!) Why? They both found them to be OK cars but boring. In the case of one, he wanted what he considered to be a real pony-car and I don’t recall the other’s exact reasoning. The Capri did well in sales, 513,000 were sold in the U.S. by the end of its nine-year run so this European inspired pony-car found demand in a pretty crowded U.S. market. I guess the question now is there still a buyer out there who wants to experience what 513,000 others did back in the ’70s?
I had one in 1978 and really liked it. Couldn’t keep a radiator in it even after many repairs
the germans raced them at LeMans with quad valve twin cam heads…good for 175mph
Wife (then girlfriend) had a 1971, 4 cylinder automatic, brown with brown interior and black vinyl roof. Not real exciting with the automatic but not a bad car. I always liked the sporty styling. I really wanted a 1973 (before the front and rear big bumpers) V6 4-speed but it wasn’t to be.
These don’t seem to turn up often, I assume most have rusted away by now. This one looks pretty good. I’ve heard they have a solid following in Europe, can anyone comment?
Yes they do have a solid following in Europe with clubs all over the place but mostly the GB and Germany, this model had 3 generations, the top dogs were a 2.8 fuel injected motor and a 3.0 carbed. Ofcourse if you know fords their engines are named by the regions they were build and its the same in Europe where Cologne engine is better than kent or something like that
(I grew up and lived in europe for the first 19 years of my life. Writing this from memory so dont quote me on this, i wanna say the 2.8l fuel.injected motor was good for 160hp.
I would think a similar driving experience to a datsun 280z only with a V6 not an I6 (different torque curve)
I have owned a ’77 280 Z since ’78. A friend in high school’s family had a Capri and I promise you the 2 are very different driving experiences.
Yes Bob, they are indeed popular in Europe and some of the Euro Capri clubs are more than 30 years old. For those of us growing up in Europe in the 70s/80s a Capri would be the closest thing to a pony car one could dream of. I remember having a massive commercial poster over my bed with the Zakspeed Capri spitting flames. There was also a V8 version available for the South African market.
This one would probably sell better back in Europe, good unmolested examples have become rare as they were horrible rusters
Another similar RWD sports car with cult following (at least in Germany) wouldbe the Opel Manta, espiecially Manta B (75
-88)
I have a neighbor who has a ’72.He bought it new,
and it needs some work,but is in decent shape.He’s decided
to sell it.I’m tempted,but don’t need another project.
There’s a place in Ohio that sells parts for these –
Team Blitz.
Does he have it listed for sale anywhere?
Tell your neighbor to post it here.
A neighbor had a yellow ’74 with the 2.8 liter Cologne V-6. They also made a cheaper 2000 version with the Pinto’s 4-banger. I remember it being very cool looking. I also remember watching him as he and a friend disabled the seatbelt interlock.
The article’s right, there were a ton of these around back in the day. They disappeared quickly though. I’ve heard that a lot of the problem was due to replacement parts. Ford did a lousy job keeping parts stocked for its imported vehicles and, due to the DM/Dollar exchange rate in the late 1970s and early 1980s, parts for these became ridiculously expensive. So many were junked before their time.
2.0 liter coulda been:
pinto
essex v4
Cologne v6
There were also a lot smaller engines offered like the
kent 1.3
taunus 1.3 liter V4
Crossflow 1.3 I4
Pinto 1.6
Biggest was a 3.0 Essex and 5.0 winsdor (Ford in South Africa)
They were called a Pirana in south Africa
A few of them ended in Aus Tough cars
You are correct, sir. I was referring to the 1974 edition. I believe the 2000 would have had the Pinto’s four in the US
I had a 1973 4cyl 4sp.At least it had chrome bumpers though the front was pushed out a few inches for safety reasons…but these 74 bumpers are hideous.We used to call them porno bumpers.Look like Checker Cab bumpers.Nice Capri seller.
This really brings back a lot of memories for me. I am now 50 yrs of age, but I bought a used ‘76 Capri in 1987. LOVED that car. 2.8L V6 with a four speed. Bright Yellow/Sunflower yellow with Hurricane rims and white letters. Car was raised two inches too. Man that car would move out. Lots of burnouts. I always remember that the headlight switches were different, they were push in(on), and push in again(off). ‘76 and ‘77 were a little bigger, and longer I think. My HS girlfriend told me that she was allergic to the seat covers, but maybe that’s just because I couldn’t close the deal😩 Who knows? Thanks for bringing back great memories!
Whooa. Then they opened the hood.
Shoudda kept it closed.
3 grand ?
These were very popular for a short spell. The thing these had going for them, was, in the 70’s, Asian cars hadn’t really caught on yet, and these were right down the block at your local L-M dealer. Problem was, they were lousy cars, and like Opel, the dealers would rather not have dealt with them. I had a ’73, pretty much like this, V6, 4 speed. I liked the car, the reason I bought it, like a mini Mustang, but it really was a POS. It had the Pinto 4 speed, big hole between 1st and 2nd, sorely needed a 5 speed, funky handling, no room in back seat, small trunk opening, needed a hatchback, crummy heater, that gas filler in the c post, always a mess and only 2 years old, and going through coolant. The Capri ll addressed all those issues, but by then, there were much better choices, and they faded out. Very few kept a rusty Capri.
I disagree with you – these were not lousy cars,the were great cars.I had a ’73 2000,with a factory sunroof,& V6 gauges.It was a great street car,but not so good on an autocross course,or a hillclimb.
I bought mine from the original owner,& only sold it because
I bought a new Fiesta to go SCCA Showroom Stock racing.
Well maybe not lousy , but here in Connecticut they sure didn’t last very long .Like most imports , they were extremely prone to early rust outs here , and I’m sure many were still running when they had to be retired to the junkyards . I always liked these cars looks though ; I nearly bought a used V6 one in 1977 , but a neighbor of mine beat me to it !
Just so you know The Capri was based on the European MK 1 Escort, not the Cortina.
https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2016/07/12/fords-capri
From Hagerty author Jim Koscs – 9th paragraph, no reference to the Escort.
Cortina MK2, also shared a bunch of parts with Ford Taunus ( not taurus)
I think you mean the Cortina MKIII.
I had a ’72,& it shared a lot with the Taunus.
Actually based on the MK2 Cortina. The MK1 Escort was also similar to the MK2 Cortina but smaller.
MK3 Cortina was a completely new design.
We sold a few. Good cars. A starter for these, cost more than a Lincoln or a Big Mercury!
I had a 73 V-6 4 speed that I bought in 1978. My first car. Loved it, but I beat the crap out of it. I thought it was a great car. Competed with Celicas but the V-6 made it stand out. Almost impossible to find a good one today.
I was able to buy a new Capri 74 V-6 4 speed way back when. It was very responsive and well made (not cheap), and with no issues. Two years later, one day I impulsively even traded it along with my CB-750 Honda for a rather used, orange 71 Vette convertible 4 speed, 350/270HP which I also owned for a short time. Looking back, I wish I had kept my Capri and my Honda. And yes I know how much that damn Vette would be worth today.
I had a 73 back in the 80s that was essentially given to me. It had the 2.3L I-4 with a 4-speed. It was a snappy little car. Handled great (especially in snow), was very comfortable, and got incredible gas mileage. I’d buyt another if one if the right car came my way.
I had a 1974 with the V6 and four-speed. Mine had a Weber carb, headers and duel exhaust. I really, really want another one. I had a blast in that car. The headers and duels made that V6 growl. Going over 100 MPH on thise little tires was a harrowing experience. Fortunately, I was young and impervious to death.
Another Capri, a German MK1 Fiesta, and a few hot hatches from the 1980’s would be my dream fleet.
I had two, a forest green ’73 2.0L and then a
’76 Silver V6 Ghia hatchback. The 2.0L was underpowered for mountain driving but the V6 Ghia was one of the best cars I’ve ever owned. They did eat water pumps however!! Wish I had garage space for this. They have become pretty rare, especially in this condition. Lucky is the guy that gets this!!
I had a doggy 71, 2l./auto, a ’73 2600 4-gear new, and a low-mile ’74 2800 4-spd a few years later. The ’74 was the strongest but the ’73 Bullitt green/tan decor group interior was my favorite. The ’74 bumpers prob 55# each, come off with six bolts each… just sayin’.
Man, I’d love to have this. A few family members had them back in the day. These looked great in any factory color but this green was always one of my favorites. Neat car.
Neighbor had one growing up. Tubbed and a 6-71 Roots blown 351. 2 speeds: fast and uncontrollable.
My father bought one of these in 1975, it was a 1976 Capri II, had V-6, auto, A/C, PS, etc. beautiful bronze color with matching bronze interior. It handle quite good and rode pretty smooth as well. The only complaint I had was,under the hood was a mess of hoses, etc. All in all my father loved the and he kept till he passed on in 2001. I still have stored in my extra shop, it still run beautifully and have 250Kmiles on it. I have managed to keep it running till today. When Dad bought it, I had insisted the V-6 be the Cologne engine, Ford at that time had 2 V-6 available, one is the German V-6 and the other Fork UK V-6 (3.0L) which has issues. I guess the same lament is the Germans can’t make cars like these any more!
In my opinion, the V6 Capri was one of the best affordable small sports cars of that era (in the US). Nice shifting transmission, and rather durable. I almost bought one for $300 that had 320k miles on it. Holy cow, that many miles was unheard of back then!
This car is making the rounds on the web! Saw this on Bangshift, now here. I know the person who has the car and took him a long time to find a decent Capri worth owning. It goes to show not many good Capris for sale out there.
My buddy’s brother had one of these that he had painted black before he took delivery. No Earl Scheib job…Done to a very high standard. That thing was sharp. We were 14 and his brother was 17. Their Dad had the largest pediatrics practice in the OC.
Our family had 4 of these, all sticks. The best was the ’73 V6 with slightly over sized Michelin radials. Much like a mini-Mustang with lighter controls and bettter brakes. My Mom liked it better than her commuter 4cyl Capri and made Dad switch. Well made but no rust protection which killed it fast in upstate NY. The only problems were a light rear end with an almost empty tank and the front end was subject to a lot of vibration if the tires weren’t carefully balanced. That balance issue drove Dad nuts on a southern trip so he stopped in a tire shop in Randalmen, SC where they balanced tires, wheels and rotors up to 100. Steering was smooth as glass after that. Seems the shop did a fair amount of stock car work. Very light weight helped the performance.
had a 74 capri. these things were pretty darn fast. also had a 73 mazda RX3 wagon with a wankel engine. those darn wankels were able to tach 6000 rpm… talk about a jr. race car…
Had a 74 v6 4 speed, then 75 4cyl 4 sp and final was 77 v6 4 speed. Favorite by far was the 74. Handling was tight and it felt comfortable cruising at 90 mph +, much tighter and more refined than Mustang II and Early Fox bodies.
I had 74 V6 4speed. Lowered it with springs and shocks, lightened flywheel, milled heads, gasket matched, ported, British Leyland rally grind cam, 3 angle valve job, headers, rejetted carb, headers, all metal timing gears conversion. A host of other changes. Lighter rims, Pirelli CN36 radials, front spoiler, dual exhaust.
Rubber in second gear, 0-60 mph in 7 seconds, blew away a LOT of Camaro, Firebird, Mustangs in drag races, and lots of sports cars in corners.
Approx 180 hp in a car weighing 2300 lbs will do that. Roughly 13 lbs per hp. My brother wanted to trade me his 76 Corvette ..
A kid in my high school had one that he built the hell out of and ran aviation fuel. One of the fastest cars in the school. Often beat the Camaros and big block cars.
I’m amazed at the number of people here who had one (or several). Most seem to have had good experiences.
I still have two! And maybe a third, if this guy would get back in touch, LOL!
The right front fender paint doesn’t match. Also no controls for a/c.
If memory serves, a/c was a dealer installed option until the mkII. There are some controls under the clock on the console that are not stock and could be for the a/c.
My first girl friend had a 74 V6. Nice car and the back seat is bigger than you think!
The one to have is the 2600 RS!
For a short time around 1980 I had a ’73 with a V6 and a manual. It was quick and I surprised a few guys in my area who weren’t familiar with them.
I had a 1971 Capri with the 2000 cc inline-four 4 speed. It was metallic root beer brown with a white interior. It was a very nice little car with the 2000 cc motor had enough power to weight on that car for up in the mountains. It could run rings around Pintos and often did. My Problem was the rust issues in particular up around the windshield cowl just off the pillars and back fender arches. Pennsylvania was not too kind on cars back then with the cinders and salt on the roads from November on into the spring.
Fake European Junk ?
Cant you say anything good about ANY car that is posted on this site ?
Guy says it is still for sale but then won’t respond to further emails. Strange.
I had the same experience. Once I mentioned I wasn’t local he stopped replying. One thing I noticed is that the backs of the front seats doesn’t match the bottoms and it’s supposed to be all original.
He sent a pic of the underside and it looks great except the rear main seal is leaking and I think the tail shaft seal might be too. Not that that’s a deal killer.
He just answered it is not for sale. Perhaps he found a local buyer. Creepy. Very Creepy. One word emails when he did bother to answer. Too bad as it looks like a nice car…
Oh well.
Unless a Capri person bought it; I bet it ends up on BAT within 6 months.
Car was sold it’s staying in the states, was shipped to the east coast . The list of buyers was long over 150 emails from different people. Sold to the 3rd person 1st deal didn’t work out- 2nd want to V8 swap wouldn’t sell to him 3rd purchased it. Everyone else was to late.
Sonny the seats matched perfectly.