This 1973 Ford Capri has been extensively refreshed, with seemingly every aspect of the car being touched in some way over the last few years. The seller claims he restored it as a 50th birthday gift to himself, but sentimentality alone is not enough to keep it in his garage. At the moment, the reserve remains unmet which isn’t a surprise considering the current bid is just $12,000. That might buy an average Capri, but this is one of the few I can recall having been well and truly restored. The work includes fresh paint and a rebuilt engine, and you can find it here on eBay located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The eBay listing reads like an instruction manual for assembling a Ford Capri, as the seller recounts the many aspects of the car that were removed, repaired, and replaced or reinstalled. The floorpans were replaced; the rear subframe had rust removed and repaired; the body was stripped and painted; door and trunk seals replaced; carpets replaced; new door panel trim; audio system upgraded; new headliner; door panels, hood pad, rear parcel shelf, shifter boot, all repaired and/or replaced; and the list goes on. The listing is a bit hard to follow, but it seems like the seller was trying to remember everything he did.
The restoration efforts also included under the hood, as the seller claims the work included a full engine rebuild with only 236 miles added since it was fired back up. Of course, the full rebuild included everything else you should do while you’re in there, like a fresh timing belt and rebuild carburetor. It seems all other major mechanical systems were at least touched, including a new steering box, fresh wheels / tires, new oil pump and pan gasket – even a new regulator for the alternator. It strikes me as the type of project you’re not likely to see your money back on, given the market for Capris at the moment.
The paintwork is indeed beautiful, and the bumpers were re-chromed as well. This is a ton of work, and while I love the Capri, this is a fairly narrow market of potential buyers. I’m not sure why, other than the car wasn’t sold in huge numbers when new and a lot of enthusiasts – even Ford and Mercury fans – don’t know much about this European Ford. The reserve may remain unmet, but hopefully the seller understands this was a passion project and not a car you can flip for profit after taking on a restoration like this.
That’s a nice Capri! Too bad it doesn’t have a V6.
I had a ’73 with a 2 litre,V6 gauges,& a sunroof.It had 99,000
miles on it,& the body was near perfect.The only thing it
needed was a valve job.I paid $500 for it,then put a Quickor
suspension kit on it,& a set of Bilstein shocks.It was a great
road car,but not a great autocrosser.
It was kind of funny – when we bought our first house,
the sellers also had a “White Cat” Capri MKII.
I bought a ’76 Capri one time for $50.00. The car wouldn’t run.
I noticed the cam inside the distributor was not turning with the shaft, so I stuck a toothpick in there and it ran great.
I sold it that way.
the 2 litre is a 4 cylinder.The 2600 is the v6.I owned one of the first ones made.
I had a 74 V6, same color but of course big bumpers. Beautiful car, wish I never got rid of it.
I had an orange 74. I loved that car but I traded it for a new 1979 Capri.
I remember that car.
370, I remember that car.
Brian, do you recall the mysterious wiper solution activator switch on that car?
I had a 74-V6 also. Tough car. I was the middle car in a three car chain reaction accident. Car in front of me was a 77 Olds Delta 88 Pace Car replica. $4000 damage to the Olds, $400 damage to the Capri.
Had the same thing, same color even..rusty but fun
I do remember that mystery switch but still don’t know where it was. ]
The windshield washer/”intermittent” wiper switch was on the floor in the left, upper corner. Similar to where the upper/lower beam switches were on the older domestic cars.
Lost the car in an accident on US 1 in Concordville, PA. Broke my heart. Gave the salvage to a friend who had had a ’74 to swap out his 4-banger for my V-6.
Had the same Capri new in 1973 except mine had the beige color interior.They were a fun driving car.Question is why all the work and use a cheap steering wheel cover???
I’d be a little more concerned about the subframe and floor pan “repairs”. That indicates it had serious rust issues. Nice paint job and undercoating can hide some stuff. But it sure looks great! I love that these are starting to appreciate in value.
These were never this clean and shiny, even when new.
Especially the chrome.
Sweet Capri. Don’t see nice ones very often.
Actually these did sell in good numbers when new, it was the second best selling import at the time, after the Beetle.
Yep, I remember the TV ad depicting a Capri passing a line of imports on a mountain road. A VW bug was leading the pack, and the Capri was gaining on it at the end of the ad, which ended with a “beep beep” from the Capri and the Cougar growl that Mercury had adopted as its signature.
Where is the 1/4 mile stats????
My 1971 2.0 ran 16.7s at an NHRA Southern Ohio strip near Hamilton. It had minor distributor and carb mods and headers. This was 1972.
The 1/4 mile took so long that the time still wasn’t available when the article was published.
They were pretty cars but down on power. I showed a lot of Capri drivers what Sunbeam Alpine tail lights looked like! Fun times . Hehehehehehe
I would be worried about any work done to the engine because of the universal radiator hose that they used instead of finding the correct one this usually means they cut corners other places you can see
Not every car should be restored.
Short rear swaybar & on top of the differential yet!
Could a later manual v6 pinto beat this? Probably with the converter removed.
Not a fan of those ferrari-jcw door mirrors.
Needs proper color wiper frames & less skinny 4 tread groove tires instead of 3.
My ’76 Capri that I bought from my sister remains my all time favorite of all the cars I’ve had. 4 spd manual, 2.8L V6 with a hair trigger throttle. Nobody could drive her smoothly without bucking but me and sister!
Interesting—I had the same car with the same issue. Bought it new so it wasn’t some previous owner. Not a big deal, but took some getting used to. Wonderful car!
I had a 74 2.0 ohc. It was my first car. I had painted it brown. Porsche Carrera whale tail, front spoiler craiger sat wheels. Cut the roof and put a sunroof in it. The 2.0 was taken out, totally redo the head. Glass beaded, cut the head, big cam, offenhauser dual plane manifold, Holley four barrel, custom built ceramic clutch. It was like the original tuner. Ran a high 14 at the strip and would spank the new Corvettes and mustang’s back in the 80s. Of course they were slow as crap back then but not many built up 4 bangers in the day . Lost a race to a black turbo cosworth Vega racing him on the Gratiot service drive. They were a bunch of racers from Plumbroke Shell in Sterling Heights Mi and he had a bad ass vega. The amount I slipped was the amount I lost by. Great days and memories. That car ended being stolen out of my house at night while I was home. My friend said he saw it heading north on 1-75 heading toward northern michigan. I would love to own that car again. It wasnt that fast, it wasn’t that pretty but I built it and it always fun and so many good memories. If this sounds familiar or if you have seen something similiar for sale would love an opportunity to buy it back even though I believe it was probably parted out and the motor used for a rail as the 2.0s were pretty popular for that purpose. Nice trip down memory road. Wish I could post a picture as it was a cool ass sled!
Wow, nice Crapi [sic] Don’t get your undies in a bundle, I liked my Capri. I had a ’73, V6, 4 speed, was 2 years old, initially, I liked the car, but several shortcomings soon surfaced. It started using coolant, I didn’t like the gear ratios, ( right out of the Pinto) no rear seat room, too small a trunk opening, and that C post gas filler, always had gas running down the side from nozzles that didn’t click and was awful in the snow. The Capri was a good car, in that, the Asian cars didn’t hit the scene yet, and aside from an Opel, Pinto or Vega, there wasn’t much choice. The Capri was the best of the bunch. Dealer woes, like the Opel at Buick dealers, Mercury dealers wanted nothing to do with them, and it needed an update. The Capri ll addressed all the issues, 5 speed, hatchback, but it was too late. Asian cars offered much more for less, and had a good dealer network. I’m amazed someone actually restored one.
I had two Capri II’s, a ’76 and a ’77, both 2.8s, none ever had a 5 speed, at least in the US. I think ’77 was last year for the II. They continued in Europe for some time after. Maybe those had 5 speeds, but not to my knowledge in North America.
Solid fast cruisers. Much of the switch gear was interchangeable with the Mustang II, which was cheaper.
They were advertised as “The first sexy European under $3600.00”.
2600.00 not 3600.00
There were plenty of Asian cars out in 1973 ,and by the next year a lot more would be sold in the U.S. The Capri was a really beautiful car but no where near as reliable as the Asian cars, or easy to work on like the Pinto . The reason you dont see any around anymore (at least on the East coast) is the same reason you see few Vegas and most import cars of the same era – Rust, and lots of it.
I bought a new 1972 V6 4 speed green over tan. It was a nice car. However prices were really going up and when it was 11 months old , someone just had to have it. Bye Bye.
What an amazing restoration! My first real car, a Daytona Yellow, 1973 Capri V6, A/C, Sunroof, Auto-reverse(!) Craig Cassette deck I bought as a repo with 1,500 miles on it from the dealer in time for my High School Prom. These were the days before “Limo-proms”. Everyone came out to the parking lot to see it (the music was lacking) and frankly it changed my status. Lots of beach runs that summer and many memories…
I paid $3,500 + t&l. (To give you a comparison, a restored Porsche Speedster was available for $4,500 a better investment!) Payments were $150 a month, so with the expense of college, I ate a lot of Top Raman to make ends meet.
Of the 90 or so vehicles I have owned, that car has so many memories attached to it. Rust and abusive 2nd and third owners killed them. While there is an enthusiast group, it’s not large. Still looking for one. That’s a car that will always have a place in my heart and my garage. Your first love is always special! GLWA.
My dad had a red 73 v6 4spd and I had a brown 74 v6 4spd. We both absolutely loved those cars and wish we could get them back to this day. Living in N.W. PA, we had plenty of snow to deal with and with a good set of tires and maybe a bit of weight in the rear, we went everywhere we needed to go. I do not remember either of us being stuck but thats not saying it didn’t happen. I also don’t remember either of us having any major mechanical issues outside of normal maintenance. These cars would take a curve and straighten it right out! Sure miss them
Shared a brown (just like this one) with my mom when I got my license.1974 Capri with the big bumpers.
This car would be a lot more desirable if it was a V6. That engine transformed them. I bought a forest green one new June 1972. Over 23 years of ownership, it evolved from my daily driver to an autocross car to a track car. Still my favorite car I’ve ever owned. 73 featured a big interior upgrade but were also heavier due to encroaching safety standards. Weak points were poor quality interior plastics and wiring.
Bought a dark green ’73 Capri 2000 4 spd new in high school with money I saved from paper routes and washing cars since I was 10! Paid $3200 out the door. Loved that car but friends got the V6, what a difference! Sold it 3 years later for $2800, it was pristine but I had to have a V6. Got a white ’76 Ghia V6 4 spd. Loved that car. Drove better than my friends 2002 tii. The only issue is that it went through alot of water pumps. Kept it for 10 years, wish I still had it! Never see them anymore. If I only had the garage space….🤓
In the extensive restoration this one would have taken, would it have hurt the value on it to have at least put a 2.3L turbo in it? They are readily available in wrecked T-birds and Mustangs of the 80’s.
two years ago i saw a all real unrestored one in this color for just 2500. yes very nice but not as shiny. and in was in Minnesota. 12000 i think is to much for this car. 8000 may be to much
If you think 12k is too much; what about this? https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-mercury-capri-6/
If you watch the “driving” video of the attached auction start it after :58 when he finally turns off the radio so you can hear that beautiful, throaty engine.
all that work, and he’s selling it !?!
Looks like every person who EVER owned a Capri is on Barn Finds :)
Gotta take the heat off of HoA!
Spent a summer in ‘76 driving one thru the backroads of Helsingborg Sweden…. punchy lil beast
Hi Mw, what heat? Not sure it was said, but it was all about timing. Ford/ L-M sold an astonishing 513,500 cars in N.America ( 1.9 million worldwide) from 1970-1978, so it was a very popular car,,,for a spell.
Ford may have sold 513,500 cars in those 8 years, but the Capri was not a huge seller.in the U.S. in those years FOMOCO had the Pinto/Bobcat ,Maverick/Comet, Mustang II , and the Granada/Monarch which were all good selling small cars, and mid sized cars like the Torino/Montego/ Cougar/Elite which also sold very well as did the full size Fords, despite the gas crunch . The Capri was kind of an oddball ,a beautiful car, but not really pushed by Mercury and seemed to suffer the same way as Opel did with Buick.
Bone–No American car company has ever known, or wanted to know, how to market a foreign car in the US. Look at GM and Opel, Ford and Capri, Chrysler and Rootes Group, Ford and Volvo, etc, etc. GM didn’t make a profit from Opel in 20 years. PSA bought it and made it profitable in 2 years. Of course, GM didn’t make much profit in the US either.
Loved them, had a 74 V6 in Sarah Beige. 75 4 cyl & 77 V6. 74 by far the nicest.
Glad to see that these have a strong following. I came close to buying one (V6) back around 1982. It ran & drove great (no mufflers), I just couldn’t part with $200 for a car with 200k miles at the time. For the life of me I could never understand how the company that created a fun car like the Capri was also responsible for the Mustang II (in the same years). This car was responsible for turning my tastes from American, toward European cars. Either Car & Driver or Road & Track listed the Capri as one of the top used cars. I believe that they were very specific regarding the engine & transmissions that were desired.
I had a silver 74 with black interior, great little car, lacked a little power but it was a looker.
My sweet Lucia got one at graduation a year old in 1975. Got it about 1980 when she had finally burned up the clutch and added a few dents. Put a clutch in it and ran the dog out of that V6 which never failed to start before finally trading it off. Remember it being pretty put together than the British cars.
1973 V-6 Capri which I took to Germany from the states while in the US Army was the same color as the one shown. I took it to the local German Ford dealer for service they asked me if I wanted a “motor inspection” for the car. When I returned the back seat held a box of parts that the service manager described as “Federal parts” that were unnecessary! I drove all over Europe in that car putting 100K on it . I left it with a friend to sell when I rotated home.
Whenever a Capri shows up here, which isn’t often, I’m always amazed at the number of people who chime in saying they had one. And most had overall good experiences with them.
I can still hear the radio and engine of my brother’s yellow ‘74 Capri start and stop as it burned in the right northbound lane of Shepherd Dr. in Houston. We scooped up gravel and dirt and tried to retard the fire and then just stepped back and said goodbye. He loved that car.
Had a 71 with a balanced & blueprinted 2.0L with headers & dual point ignition. Lowered and sitting on bbs wheels wrapped in Pirreli 50’s. Car was fast but never left home without a toolbox.
I don’t recall the year, but my dad had a blue over black Capri in the early ’70s (his concession to Minnesota weather was getting rid of his ’67 MGB).
I learned to drive stick in that Capri, and I loved the heck out of it. Destroyed in a crash (I was NOT at the wheel) and replaced with a Mitsubishi, IIRC.
In the mid 70s when I was in the Navy I had a Mustang II Mach one. My roomie in SAR training in Pensacola was a Coasty who had a 73 Capri. I remember driving it and being blown away by the fit, finish and quality compared with my car.
Congrats to the owner/restorer for doing what looks to be a fine restoration. The car looks great. A tip of the hat to you!
Ford may have sold 513,500 cars in those 8 years, but the Capri was not a huge seller.in the U.S. in those years FOMOCO had the Pinto/Bobcat ,Maverick/Comet, Mustang II , and the Granada/Monarch which were all good selling small cars, and mid sized cars like the Torino/Montego/ Cougar/Elite which also sold very well as did the full size Fords, despite the gas crunch . The Capri was kind of an oddball ,a beautiful car, but not really pushed by Mercury and seemed to suffer the same way as Opel did with Buick.
My first car was a 72 V6. I bought it two years old. Learned to drive a stick with it. Always loved the car, although the rear windows popped out because the glue was bad, had to put air shocks on the rear because the suspension dropped. I rebuilt the carb on my parents dining room table, they weren’t happy. Lol. This car gave me a taste for European cars that I still have to this day. I did love the wiper pedal, used to freak out my buddies with that. My car was brown with black interior. I had that car for 6 years, it was falling apart when I sold it. Great memories.
In 1973, I bought a new ’73 Mercury Capri (THE Sexy European!) with the 2600 V6 and “Decor Group.” My youngest son and I rebuilt it in 1999 for his high school car. It was not a “belly button car.” We are in the process of rebuilding it again just for fun. It is the same copper color as this one but has black rocker panels. I wish ours looked this nice. If our Capri could talk, it could tell about two generations of experiences, including too many miles at top speed (114 mph)!
Bought a forest green 73 with the 2600 v6 i loved the little map lights for recreational uses,The car was fun to drive, although had to change the timing gear as it was made of nylon and broke in many pieces and the factory replacement was a steel gear. I guess thats how they made some money on you besides the rear side window i lost due to the glue where the latch met the glass wore,so as a kid i just cut panelling in the shape of the windows and put pennies in the trim to hold em in place. The next year they put the latch thru the glass and resolved that issue, But i loved that car and i never got stuck in snow either here in Pennsylvania as it drove well. It was a beautiful design and im looking for that 73 capri again some 40 years later!
This is a beautiful restoration that I’ll bet goes for way over $20k, may not even be what he invested! Wish I had the garage space!! Had a dark green ’73 4 cyl that I bought new and sold for a ’76 Ghia 6 cyl. Loved both cars but tje V6 outperformed my friends’ 2002’s!! Hope it goes to someone who loves it!!🤞🤞
I had 2 Capris a72 2000 and a73 V6 .I wrecked the 72 that I bought new .The 73 I bought used In 1976 and drove it till 1989 . New pistons @ 200000 miles drove it almost 300000 miles. I knew every nut and bolt on that one. I miss my capri!
Had a 73 with 4 cyl scraped it at an intersection…bought a 73 with the V6,,,800 bucks about 35 yrs ago and still have it,,,, also have the SEXY EUROPEAN poster