Called the “sexy European” in Mercury’s sales literature, the German-built Capri was badged a Ford elsewhere. Like Chevy’s Caprice, the Ford / Mercury Capri’s name suggests a carefree lifestyle as may be found on Capri, Island of Pleasure, since Roman times. This 1976 Mercury Capri II in Miami, Florida shows 46,000 miles on the clock, and appears to be the same car that Barnfinds’ Scotty G featured in March, when it resided in California wearing a nice shine to its bright yellow paint. The current listing here on eBay asks $14,000 via Buy It Now or you might get lucky with Make Offer.
The tidy interior seems to have worn well, and helps support the low-mileage claim. I have a soft spot for these sporty imports as a 1973 Capri was my first car, purchased for $600. Mine came with Corvette-style side-pipes, a look you’ll (thankfully) not see often! First imported to America in 1970, the Capri featured various four and six cylinder engine sizes. With the long hood, short deck, and 2+2 seating, it offered a flashy yet fuel-efficient alternative to American pony cars, and shone as Mercury’s counterpoint to the Mustang II. The Capri brought European flair and autobahn-tested engineering to the table. Most times I kept my driving within 10 MPH of the posted speed limit, but on several occasions I’d follow someone who dropped the hammer on a long stretch, and my ratty rusty Capri would rise to the occasion, the 2.6L Cologne V6 pulling hard in the upper revs to reel in those who thought they’d dust me off with their 180 HP V8s.
This 1976 model year marked the facelift known as Capri “II,” including a change from a proper trunk to the hatchback you see here. Like most cars, power dropped off as emissions restrictions ramped up. The Capri II carried on through model year 1978. For 1979 Mercury jettisoned the import and slapped the Capri name on a Fox-based version of the Mustang, boasting attractive flared fenders and quarter panels.
The Ford Pinto-based “Lima” 2.3L OHC I4 made 88 HP for 1976 according to CapriClub. Well, enough about that. The car’s repaint evidently included the engine compartment, or else it has been very well maintained. The four-speed manual transmission is the only way to go in a Capri, but you’re unlikely to see this one drifting on dry pavement.
There’s nothing special about this back seat except it triggers [sigh] pleasant memories. Purists will lament the butchery of the door and rear side panels to hold department store speakers, but this would have been a typical weekend project in the ’70s or ’80s. Back then this would have been just another 10+ year-old car, and suggestions that it might carry a five-digit asking price would have brought questions like “What have you been smoking?” My stereo upgrade consisted of plywood boxes holding Sparkomatic 6×9 speakers resting on the package shelf, poised to decapitate driver and passengers in a crash, so which is better? With a $1500 markup since four months ago, this listing certainly tests the waters on what a normal four-cylinder Capri II might bring. Plus, who can resist a listing that includes three lines of car description and seven lines admonishing dead-beat buyers? Personally I’d have to hold out for an earlier, steel-bumpered V6 for old time’s sake. Will you toss in an offer on this sexy European pony car?
Good job Todd. I started the comments the last time, I’ll just copy paste my previous comments:
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What a nice Capri II. Basic 4 cylinder 4 speed model. Would make a fun run-around-town car, and a worthy entrant at any car show. They were fairly popular in their day, and not commonly seen today. My (now) wife had a 1971, and even though it was a 4 cylinder automatic, I remember it was kind of fun to drive. I’d love to have this example.
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I’ll let others comment on the quality and tone of the current ad, and the “flip.”
The Mark III 3.0S was a much better car but at this point the uniqueness of any Euro Capri is attractive.
Drop an Mustang SVO 2.3 into this thing to liven it up and retain the weight balance…
Does it have an interference engine?
No
I worked on the suspension design of the Mk 1 a hundred years ago. I always thought the Mk 1 was much prettier than the Mk 2.
Sparkomatic, now there’s a brand name I had long ago forgotten.
Drop a 2JZ in this thing with a big turbo it will sound good and go fast.
Drop a 2JZ in it it will be a lot of work. It will sound good and go fast.
I had, and loved my 73 2600 V6 Capri. I still love the Capri styling for all years of those that came to the U.S. So many cool and unique cars out there and so little space (I currently have two hobby cars). Kind of a minor point on the photos of this one but what’s with the exterior mirrors pointing in such odd directions? Regardless of that obscure observation this looks like a very nice car and someone will be lucky to get it and enjoy it. Hopefully someone who will appreciate it and share it with others at coffee and cars or local cruise-ins.
ah the memories, these cars were abundant in my little WV city, i had several friends with various models…..then my buddy who had a chrome bumper model with fresh orange paint and minilites and a 4cyl, told me about a fresh painted copper ? 73 V6 4speed tucked away in a garage, and so i became a capri owner, i had that car a long time, thru my local college times, it blew headgasket, but i was adept enough to repair it myself, good times, good times
This is the same car posted here recently and was in California.He kept relisting it (eBay) with the price going up and down. Last offering price was $10,500. Best offer was accepted. He had it as low as $8500. Now with 9 added miles it’s in FL for $14,000 or best offer?! Something’s wrong with this car or the seller’s estimation of it’s value.
A flipper bought this car in June on Ebay. It was listed for $10500 or BO and a Best Offer was accepted. Shipped it to FL from CA and is now trying to make a profit.
That or he realized that a 2.3 liter Pinto-Lima doesn’t keep up with modern traffic. What should be done with it? It’s too nice to modify, not show-ready, and certainly not one of the versions of the Capri that people wax lyrically over. I don’t see the value, but he must have spent something learning that a base model from the time when regulators were crushing engineers in the battle to render automobiles inert doesn’t hold lasting appeal.
73 Capri V-6 4 Spd. manual was my first car.Bought new for $3,300.Nice to see a survivor but like the previous generation style a lot better even with the useless back seat.
That stereo unit looks like someone tried to put a square peg in a round hole. Couldn’t look a whole lot worse if they’d taped it to the top of the dash with duct tape.
My favorite feature on a past 1976 Capri II V6 4-speed was the multi-purpose turn signal/head light/horn stalk. One could give a high-beam flash or a quick chirp of the horn easily.
Of course, this was less convenient with an emergency need for a horn blast, but I still liked it. But people are crazier now, they get defensive and offended more easily with a horn beep, or even a quick flash of lights. I don’t do these very often if ever any more but still like the feature of both being on one stalk.
If I find a diamond white 77 2.8 like the one I I bought new off the showroom floor, I might make some nostalgia space in the garage. Great memories up until the drunk driver hit me.
Good looking little cars,I used to see regularly back in the day,now rare and priced too high for my taste, but I’m sure someone will take it home.
The guy selling it doesn’t seem to know you can do a search on the internet/Ebay to see what the car previously sold for.
I guess there is an extra $4,000.00 charge for the sarcasm.
Still have a soft spot for the Ford Capri, I had a 1.6ltr Cabaret limited edition as my first car in bright red, with the RS 7x13J rims (from the 2.8i Special) & still wish I’d had storage to keep it as nowadays they’re starting to get into the silly money bracket! Ho-hum the cars we all bought when they were “just an old car” that r worth a fortune nowadays, isn’t hindsight wonderful!! 😭
you are so right, when i think back about the cars that i had in my younger days…..
my first car was a 71 Celica, now a wanted car, i had a 78 mk1 Scirocco, and the 73 V6 4speed Capri, a 1980 Fiat x/19, it is no wonder my later cars were/are manual trans while my friends all gripe that they are not automatics…330ci BMW, and now a mk1 TT Quattro and a mk4 VW GTI
I had a 2.0L ’71 Capri that we raced in the IMSA Radial Challenge series, and later bought a new white Capri II “S” (JPS Capri in Europe).
The II was a far better, more developed, more comfortable and with the hatch, more useful car. While I missed the unique styling of the original, the II had handsome, clean styling. It was one of the most dependable cars I ever owned, and with the 2.8 V6, was a big improvement over the Scirocco it replaced in my driveway. If I could find a nice V6 “S” today, (black or white) I’d buy it.
Nothing too special about this one, except it seems to have avoided the expensive rust-through issues that affected most of them.