The Mercury Capri is a rare beast these days, as this mildly disguised Mustang wasn’t a big seller when new. Finding one with the 5.0L V8 and a 5-speed isn’t exactly easy, so spotting one like this clean 1985 Mercury Capri here on eBay is a treat. However, this is far more than your typical Fox body with a few basic mods like an intake and exhaust; oh no, someone went much farther than that and built a car that includes a wide variety of expensive upgrades. While I normally prefer to find my sports and muscle cars in stock condition, there’s no denying this one was built the right way.
First of all, when’s the last time you saw HRE wheels on a Fox body? For those not in the know, HREs are ridiculously expensive, and not exactly something you order at your local tire store. They’re usually found on six-figure exotics, but the owner of this Capri decided they fit the quality of the build. And while it wouldn’t be how I’d spend my modification budget, it’s hard to deny that they don’t look awesome with a bang-on fitment. The paint and bodywork are said to be completely original, as it should be for a car with 26,920 miles on the clock, so hopefully any VIN tags and stickers on the body panels are all accounted for.
Truthfully, that takes some guts to take a low-mileage car like this and dump a bunch of cash into modifications of both the performance and aesthetic variety. The seller spared no money under the hood, either, opting to install an 8 stack intake on this 5.0L V8. In addition to the drop-dead gorgeous looks of the individual throttle bodies, this upgrade tends to improve power both down low and at the upper end of the rev range. If you incorporate a few other modifications that complement this investment, you’ve built yourself a very responsive 5.0L V8. Other upgrades listed include Koni shocks, Wilwood brakes, aluminum heads, and an MSD ignition.
The interior looks sharp in a biscuit / tan configuration, with the best sport seats Ford ever put into a Fox body. These also feature red piping which looks absolutely killer. The dash and gauges are beautiful with zero signs of fading or scratches, and the same goes for the steering wheel that looks like an aftermarket Momo but it also appears similar to the one that came stock in the Mustang SVO. The 5-speed is a must-have in a high-performance build like this, and based on the spec sheet and visible mods, this is a car I’d love to drive. Do you think the $29,997 asking price is a fair number considering the low miles and upgrades? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the tip.
Right on 🎯 Lavery.
Good write-up Jeff. I’m a “stock first” kind of guy, but I agree, this is a first-class modification job. High-quality parts, and lots of them, with a good-looking installation. The Capri largely retains its stock look, but is just enough different to catch one’s eye. The black and tan look is great. I don’t think it was done by a teenager using money from his grocery-bagging job. Great photography.
Overall an outstanding car, something not commonly seen in the world of Foxes.
It’s asking price means they put about $28,000 worth of upgrades to a car worth maybe $1500. Not saying it’s a pig, because it does have a V8 and a five-speed, but with their plain looks and budget underpinnings, these Mustangs/Capris were never worth much to begin with.
terry if you can find one in that condition for 1500 dollars i will take it
Go to http://www.bringatrailer.com. Peruse completed auction results.
terry if you can find one in that condition for 1500 dollars i will take it
Have Terrry send one my way, as well! This one is worth every penny! Beautiful build.
I bought an 1986 one brand new. The look of the front end and the rear end looked a whole lot better to me, than the Mustang’s did. It was a good car.
That 8 stack intake looks needlessly complex but whatever. My takes on a more or less showroom condition car that is turnnkey and can be driven in modern traffic is this: Head down to your local auto sales row and see what you can get with your 30k that could provide as much fun and eye candy as this.
Nice build!Wouldn’t you want air filters to keep stuff out?
Someone spent a lot of money on this car, addressing the engine, suspension and appearance. The modifications were both well thought out and executed, combining those two aspects of a build is harder than it looks. The seller didn’t write a particularly good description, they left a lot of details out, which would at a minimum make the car easier to sell. Modified Mustangs are more common, Capri’s get a lot of love online, much of which seems to disappear when it comes time for a wallet to be opened. The modifications, though dated, have aged well, it’s not the of build where someone will look at ind say, what were they thinking. Hopefully it will find a nice home, its asking price is pretty fair, yet is high enough that the future buyer will understand and appreciate it for what it is.
Steve R
Very well done Fox body.
Find one in this condition and add these or similar mods today, and you’re way over 30k. Beautiful Capri. We’ll execute mods and appearance. A little high for me, but if I was in the market, this one would likely come home to Daddy!
I regularly drove a 74 and a 79 that belonged to my girlfriend in high school and after. Although theses cars were 6 cylinders they were manual trans and a blast to drive, especially the imported 74.
Wow! This Fox Capri has unique mods indeed! Looks like a righteous ride. Always loved the bubble back hatch and the rear fenders. I had a Merc LN7 with that bubble back, which made the car stand out. Nice review, well done.
Wow! Really nice build of a very rare car (when was the last time you saw the Merc version of a Fox body?) 29k might be optimistic but I’m thinking this is not only a hoot to drive but also quite attractive. It may well become a collectible. I can say that I owned a ’74 Capri 2.8 stock with Pirelli CN36’s and it was a blast to hustle down the road.
Having had many Fox body Mustangs and only a,couple of Capris. I always thought that the later Mustangs (’87-92) should have this rear end/hatch treatment. So I my still someday build one. Come to find out some were built that way in the Mexican market. Nice car! What kind of air filter does it use?