Fox Body cars, one of Ford’s platforms developed in 1978 and used until 1993, are gaining in popularity. They are plentiful and worthy vehicles for modification. With a few simple parts, they can make drag racing a new favorite past time. Or you can have a simple, affordable car and coffee cruiser. Either way, if you want to stand out from the normal Fox Body Mustang crowd, purchase this 1979 Mercury Capri. Details can be found on here on craigslist.
Located just outside of Hagerstown Maryland, the seller is asking for $3,200 for this primed Capri. The listing doesn’t show any pictures of the interior, but the exterior looks to be complete and ready for a paint color of your choice. The seller claims the car has 155,000 miles on its 8 cylinder engine and 3 speed, with overdrive, manual transmission.
It looks like rattle can primer, the panel alignment between the doors and front fenders isn’t very good. It also has the TRX wheels, so tires will be nearly impossible and expensive to get. The interior and engine compartment are complete mysteries. Someone would be better off waiting for something nicer to come along. Besides, the late-90’s and early-2000’s LX’s, especially the notchbacks are what will drive the market in the future.
Steve R
There’s no such thing as a “late 90’s or early 2000’s LX”, as they’ve been out of production since 1993…and I’ll bet you the hatchbacks will retain more value than the notchback sedans.
You are right, make that late-80’s, early-90’s LX.
Around here, the notchback is significantly more expensive. The GT’s are almost non-existent, you see more of those converted to drift cars than you do on the street.
Steve R
In the mid Atlantic the notchbacks hold far more value. Most are getting made into track cars though. And the metric trx wheels are now made in a 16” diameter.
Our mid – 80’s mustang convertible was stolen in the early 90’s and found with a set of these wheels. Police felt that it was probably stolen for the replacement wheels and tires because the tires on these were so expensive. They cut the top to get in in three places and tore the stock radio out as well, leaving a giant mess. Car was never right again electrically.
Love the car hate the painted trim. So figure on replacing all of that. And “3 speed with overdrive manual transmission?” Um, no….
Never understood that ‘3 speed plus overdrive’ – does that mean it’s a 4-speed? Pretty sure they didn’t have an electric overdrive like my ’82 Volvo 240 Turbo did….
It was a Tremec built 4 speed with a direct 3rd and OD 4th. Kind of a modernized aluminum top loader with a top rail shifter. They were around in the late 70s and early 80s.
I prefer the mid ’80s Capri with the bubble-style hatch glass; also have to agree with @Scott R, on the notch back comments.
To each their own but in my opinion that bubble hatch totally ruined the lines of a good looking car, there are some changes car makers do to cars over the years that you get used to and grow to like but the bubble hatch was never one of those changes that grew on me.
I bought a new 82 Mercury Capri Black Magic. I loved driving the car when it was running. However, it was a complete lemon; it spent 50% of the time in the shop. I finally dumped it in 85.
My first car was very nearly a nice, used 4-speed, 5.0L ‘83 Crimson Cat, but my Dad wouldn’t provide the financing for a 17 year old with a brand new drivers licence…
I loved these cars then and I love these cars now but my dad would not let me get one back in the 70s because he hated small cars he was scared you would get killed in a small car!
Unless it was a ‘79 Capri, the model from the 70’s was a completely different vehicle. The Mustang/Capri from 1979-onwards wasn’t a boat, but it was definitely not a small vehicle.