This 1986 Mercury Capri is the less-frequently seen sibling to the Ford Mustang of the same era, and is made rarer still for being equipped with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine that was shared between the two models. While the 5.0L Capri does pop up from time to time, I can’t recall the last time we spotted a Capri with the 2.3L mill under the hood. Well, slight clarification: it’s not under the hood, as the engine needs a rebuild, and the seller has two of them to throw into the package. Find the Capri project here on craigslist for $1,500 in Snohomish, Washington.

The Capri made a valiant effort to stand out from its Mustang sibling, but it’s not hard to see the family resemblance here despite the unique rear hatch, taillights, and front fascia. Like most vehicles split between the two companies, the Mercury was intended to be the more prestigious or upmarket sibling. I don’t know how many car shoppers in 1986 were put off by the Mustang but felt right at home in the Capri, but it couldn’t have been too many considering how infrequently they pop up today. This example, like most cars from Washington State, shows little in the way of rust or other damage other than some sun fading.

The seller doesn’t detail the condition of the engines, other than noting they need rebuilding. Two are included in the sale but no mention is made as to whether one of them was numbers matching to the Capri. While we do see a fair amount of parts strewn about, the garage looks clean and fairly well organized; hopefully, that means critical parts haven’t gone missing. I’m curious if the seller had one bad engine and picked up another on the basis that it was a “good” unit, only to find it had issues of its own. This would lead to a fire sale like the one we’re seeing here, especially given more useful drivetrain spares are included.

The seller lists a T5 transmission, 3.71 positraction rear end, and a Mustang GT K-member from a 1994 model as some of the spares that he’s throwing into the purchase price. Other photos show various engine parts, likely removed from the drivetrain as part of the disassembly process. The turbo engines are certainly decent performers, but I wonder how many potential buyers would go through the trouble of rebuilding them versus dropping a 5.0L in, given how easily those can be found at your local salvage yard. This Capri is a rare bird, but not necessarily rare enough to sweat the details of bringing the original engine back to snuff if it’s too far gone. How would you restore this Capri?