Update – Emilio sent us additional photos of his Capri, which you can find in the gallery below!
While it is going to need some work, but reader Emilio S’s Mercury Capri seems like a great find! These captive imports were based on Ford’s European Capri, which is closely related to the Cortina and is powered by the great little 1.6 liter Kent Crossflow engine. This example was purchased in California and driven all the way up to Toronto, Canada (where it’s currently located) back in March, so it should make for a decent driver as is. It comes with some of the needed parts to make it a nice driver, so if you are interested in giving this survivor a new home, be sure to message Emilio via the form below!
Asking Price: $6,500 US
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Mileage: 51,900
Title Status: Clean
VIN: GAECKT78072
Seller’s Description: Original California body with very little rust. Hagerty insured only 42 examples in 2013 so very rare in North America and most are not original.
Body Condition: Paint is original but very faded with grey primer showing through on the hood.
Mechanical Condition: The car was purchased and driven from California to Toronto at the end of March. Rear brake shoes and shocks replaced en route. Car needs starter motor, blower motor, fan belt, door lock cylinders, headlight. I have purchased but not installed. I will include the extra parts as part of the sale.
The Kent inline four is a bulletproof little engine, so if it’s really only covered 51k miles, this car should have lots of life left in it! You don’t find these cars all that frequently, so if you’ve been looking for a survivor grade example, this one would definitely be worth a closer look! Our thanks to Emilio for listing it with us and if you have a survivor that needs a good home, please consider listing it here on Barn Finds!
*Buyer is responsible for shipping
List your classified here on Barn Finds!
I don’t know why, but I have always liked these Capris. Maybe because I had a favorite Matchbox version in almost the same color (the one with the hood that opens and is frequently broken off.)
If this is the original German enamel paint, it should be cleaned and rubbed with a clay bar and buffed to a high shine, including the hood, and that gray primer will feather in with a really cool aged look. It’s a much nicer effect than re-spraying the car with lesser-quality modern paint.
I’d expect to pay half the asking price in the condition it’s currently in.
I, too, have always like these. A friend in college had one (’72?) with a Cologne V6—ran strong, but there was a BIG drop off from 1st to 2nd gear (manual trans) which hurt performance, never understood that. Didn’t all Kent engined variants have (4-spd) manual transmissions? In any event, for half the ask and confirmed rust-free, this would be a fun project. Kent engine performance parts are ubiquitous in the Cortina world. I’d actually rather have this engine than the optional Cologne OHC 2-liter four.
I have to say that it is frustrating that the writers at BF always complain about car ads that don’t give enough information and lack quality photos of key areas (I.e. engine, etc.). Does this car have a four speed or auto? If BF is going list cars in their classified ad pages, follow your own comments and make them a quality ad or skip it please.
I had one of these, same year in yellow. These cars are lightweight and fun to drive with the four speed. Sold it with 140k miles still running strong. For unknown reasons they had a two piece driveshaft which was problematical until I replaced it with a single driveshaft. Ah yes the electricals were terrible. Switches just fell apart. Still good memories though.
Looks like a standard from the brake handle picture but agree should be listed !
I like these too!
Out of the 513,500 Capri’s ( and Capri ll’s) that were sold, only 43 remain? Pretty good reason why they are rare. Asian cars just coming on the scene, kicked their butt. My ’73 Capri was an ok car, but just too much agin it. Capri ll a much better car, but by then too late. 43 ( or maybe less by now) that’s a lot of junked Capri’s.
@HowardA. I think he means that the production of Capri’s world wide totalled over 513,000 and Hagerty, USA, only insured 43 in 2013. There are currently 108 registered for use on UK roads and 341 registered but not roadworthy as yet. This was in the first quarter of 2017 but by the fourth quarter there were 421 !
That’s not what he said. The number he referenced is how many early Capri’s are insured by Hagerty, not how many have survived.
I think this car was featured in barn finds when it was listed last spring. If I recall it was on eBay and located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Steve R
Looks like a standard from the brake handle but agree should be listed !
I like these too!
L 1 is 1600 engine code 5 is four speed and V is heavy duty axle 3.89
Built in Cologne Germany
I decoded the vin and hopefully didn’t miss a code but it’s on Capri North American web for those wanting to dig further
It’s Wonderbar !
Great car.Rebuild motor with Cortina GT cam and 2bbl weber plus a/m header and get 95+HP.Cortina GT gearbox would also make it a really fun car.
If I remember this car correctly from E-bay when it was in Ca and the Kijiji ad you need to ask about the rear wheel wells.
My Capri tranny blew a synchro.
I swapped trannies with a junk yard one.
While there, I put in a new clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing and got the flywheel resurfaced.
The work required jacks or a lift but I had neither.
I drove it up my mother’s side yard where the grass rose above the driveway by about two feet.
Suprisingly everything worked aftrward.
My first new car was a 1972 Capri V6 4 speed. Metallic green with a tan interior. I don’t think many were sold in the states in 1971. I lived in Columbus, Ohio and neither dealer had any. I was about to buy one 2 1/2 haours away when truckloads arrived. Prices for 1973’s were much higher because of inflation, and maybe exchange rate. Sold mine in one year because someone just had to have it. I got almost what i paid.
Capris, Scirrocos, and Celicas were all driven hard and put away wet. The younger drivers that bought them seldom had garages, and their second owners probably did unspeakable things to them.
WOW that is a proud price , for a very dodgy car
I still have the 1973 2600 V6 4 Speed, Black Vinyl over Yellow, Capri that I purchased in Aug 1972 while in college. It has 90k miles and is all original, excepting the reupholstered seats. Nice little car.
These are very popular in Europe where the production run far surpassed the export to the US. The registration are increasing as restorers seek them out of sheds. I miss my 77 2.8 that I bought new. Totalled by a drunk driver long ago.
x-flow? give it 2 webers’n headers, fun car (or 1 side draft per cyl)
(was it called a poor man’s ‘stang?)
Second listing for this car on BF and now with a $1k price increase.
I had a 73 with V6 and standard. Bought it used in 1981 when I was 18 and drove that sucker hard for 3 years. It leaked oil from every gasket but I was on oil check duty all the time. It did 27 mpg no matter how I drove it, and most highway driving was at 70+ mph. It handled well, even on our back roads which were dirt. I really liked that car, and regretted selling it.
There were several like it in Southern Manitoba where I lived at the time.
It’s not a 71, the date code KT just before the VIN number says built in April 1970, so even better :) I am looking for a V6 1972, just before the ugly bumpers switch, anyone?