Mom had a 79 RS. Cruising around listening to Super Tramp Breakfast is America. Drove it from Minnesota to California with no AC in July. Great memories!
My first new car was a 1st gen Capri in 1971. The 2 liter engine was not yet available. My car had a 1600cc Cortina engine, rated at 54hp. I was glad it was from Germany, not England, but apparently the engines were fully assembled in England and sent to Germany. When the alternator went out just after the warranty expired, I noted the dreaded Lucas badge on it.
My first car back in the early 90's was the Euro model 1976 Capri ll I got from an auction for $500. It was metallic green, so I painted it black, blacked out the windows and swapped out the beige interior for a red and black one out of the 78 wrecked donor car I bought. Even installed a tiny chrome steering wheel (we all had them as teens). It had the 2.8 litre V6, was sadly an auto, and a dual exhaust that sounded awesome. Wish I never sold it, although the 72 Datsun 510 I bought after was pretty sweet too. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!
I had a '79 Capri, silver RS, red interior. Just had the 4 cal automatic. Had it for 11 yrs before selling it. Even took that thing on vacation to South Dakota and Wyoming in 1981. My wife and I, and three young kids, the youngest only a year old. Carried a tent, blankets, sleeping bags and a playpen for the baby. Car performed just fine. Not a single bit of trouble.
Back in the day I had a 1976 Capri II with the V6 and four speed manual. I loved it. Totally reliable and fun to drive. White with tan seats though I put a Recaro seat in it. Wish I still had it.
I love Capris! Last summer, I remember occasionally seeing a red Mercury Capri (Australian one) convertible around town a few times. I also remember seeing a grey foxbody one as well. I would love to see a European one sometime, but those are non-existent where I live :(
The Australian Ford Capri, those cars are now also rare to see on the roads around Sydney as well, they didn’t exactly sell well at all as it was essentially a convertible version of the locally made Ford Laser (essentially a Mazda 323)
The ABC did a real hatchet job on the Capri in Australia. Of course it was nowhere near as bad as they made out, but it would be very un-ABC to actually support Australian manufacturers!
So ironic that is was based on the 323 - you know, just like the MX-5, which was basically the same car but much better in pretty much every single aspect. The Australian Capri really was odd to say the least, and it's no surprise that it didn't succeed while the MX-5 became such a phenomenon.
I have had over 30 Capris in my life (all the German kind) and still have my first, a 1977 Ghia V6. They are awesome cars, so much fun and were a performance bargain back then.
I remember the original Capri . Back in the 80s in Puerto Rico i had a neighbor who installed parts of others cars in his Capri because he can’t find the original parts.
The first new car I bought after getting out of the Army in November 1971 was a 1st Gen Red Capri...Since I was stationed in Germany I saw a lot of them and really liked it's looks; got it at a Lincoln Mercury dealership. Drove the crap out of it, but never left me beside the road for the 4 years I had it...
If Mercury was around today, a new Capri based on the current Mustang would be very interesting indeed. Imagine a Mercury Capri RS with the 5.0 liter Coyote V8(460hp). I can and it would be worth it to drive.
@@CJColvin I know. However, I grew up with the Mercury Cougar being an upscale Thunderbird or a bunch of sedans and wagons based on the Fox-body platform.
Thank you for this, in about 1980 my two female cousins both had Capri's a 1974 & 1979 at the same time. The cars were nothing alike. Years, later I bought a used 1981 Mercury Capri 4 speed in 1986.
Had a '91, stick, normally aspirated 1.6 after college I bought with 50k miles. White, added the hard top. Still have 1 stock rear speaker if you know someone who needs it. Fun car! Would love to find a mint one.
The Capri Fox body is way nicer than the Mustang. I have a 80 Capri with a 5.8 Cleveland 1971 R-code (Boss 351) (from a demolished 71 Mustang). Great Cars.
You always do such a awesome job with these videos! Absolutely LOVE this channel. If you ever get bored 😄 I would Absolutely LOVE to see you do a spinoff of these with a "My old truck" series. There is a lot of stories to be told with pickup trucks in the USA 🇺🇸 and your format is perfect for them!
11:00 When I worked at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer in the early 2000s, I remember hearing stories about The "Crapi" from a couple of people who had been working there for a number of years, when 90s Capri was being sold new.
I had no idea that there have been so many Capri's built and for so long. I was born in 1981 so I remember the design of the 80s versions. This is why I love watching these awesome videos on your channel,lots of information and nostalgia. Thank you.
My brother owned the first generation Capri with a 6 cylinder and manual transmission. It was a fun car for the time. I owned an Opel Gt if you are looking for suggestions.
i keep forgetting you upload at 12 every saturday for my time, i always get slammed on friday nights and don’t find out until like 4pm, first time i got slammed and watched within the first 20 minutes, i look forward to watching you every weekend
As an Aussie, the Capri that was sold here as a Ford then sent to the US as a Mercury caused much head scratching. It was hugely more expensive to buy here than it was in the U.S., even after the left hand drive conversion and the cost of exporting them there. The original British Capri was assembled here in four and six cylinder versions up until the early seventies. Those cars are still held in high regard and have a strong following with dedicated clubs. Not sure that the Mazda based Ford/Mercury enjoy the same though.
I drove the first and last generation of the Capri. When my sister married in 1980 she had the choice between a twenty-five year old television or her yellow 1974 Capri to take with her to Georgia. She chose the television. That should tell you what condition the Capri was in. It had all kinds of problems including a chronic steering bushing issue and all kinds of electrical issues. The steering bushings kept disintegrating. My brother solved the problem by wrapping a heavy duty extension cord around the steering column instead of using a bushing! I had to drive this car in single digit temperatures so I could get me girlfriend a last minute Christmas gift. The HVAC system died so I had no heat or defrosters. In order to keep the windshield from completely fogging up I had to drive with the windows down! It was so cold that the latching mechanism on the doors froze and would not keep the doors shut. Extension cord to the rescue again! I tied the doors together with the extension cord to keep the drivers door from flying open. After hours of trying to diagnose why the battery would not charge, we just decided to ride around with an extra battery. We had to swap the battery out on that car so many times our friends knew the routine. The car would stop at a stop light and we would have the battery swapped out before the light turned green! Despite all of these problems I really liked this car. It was my first car. Anything would do. I took a girl to the junior prom in this car. She kept getting upset with me when I kept turning the headlights off (To conserve the battery). I didn't have the courage to tell her that the car could stop any time (I did have the spare battery in the trunk). My brother worked for Ford after college and had the choice of anything in their inventory to drive. One weekend he brought home one of the last generation Capris. I was not impressed. The car did not steer or handle well. For a car that small that did not make sense to me. I had driven a Fiero which I liked. I also drove an MR2 that was impressive. My buddy Anthony and I drove his first generation Miata on a road trip and I really liked that car too. The last generation Capri felt like a bunch parts nailed together. I knew the relationship between the Capri and the Miata and I could not understand why the driving experience was so different even after taking into account the front wheel drive layout. Good review as usual!
In fall of 1978 I went to my friendly Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealer with the idea to get a Mustang Fastback with the Turbo. But then I looked at the Capri and for a few dollars more, I could get a lot more car. So I ordered the Capri Turbo. Waited eight weeks for it to come in. Got the call from the dealer to come and get it. When I got there, it was not turbocharged! Dealer claimed that there was a hold on the turbos, so I refused the car. The V-8 was not yet available, so I reordered it with the 2.8 V-6 with four speed. That was an excellent car and greatly enjoyed my 1979 Capri.
When I was in high school (late 90's) I had a 76 Mustang II, it had the 2.3 4 cylinder and was the slowest car I've ever drove! I had a damn good time in it though!
I was a child of the 90s and a neighbors daughter had a red convertible Capri and I was always so perplexed by it. As an adult I would love to get my hands on the fox body capri !! ❤️ Great video as always!
I owned a '76 and '78 Capri back in the mid-80's, both manuals with a 4 and V6 respectively. They were fun cars to own at the time. I have also owned '85 ascMclaren 5.0 SC from the mid-2000 through 2016. That was also a fun car. The modifications by ASC to convert the hatchback to a convertible were extensive and was done quite well, though the car was the definition of cowl shake. How about a episode on the ascMclaren Capri and Mustang conversions. That is a great story on its own.
I recently Found and Bought a 'Barn Find' Ford Capri SC 1992 XR2 Dohc Turbo version with only 67.000 kms on the Clock. It was needing a New Battery, Exhaust including Cat. & tyres. (Plus a Million spiders mainly Red Backs that needed to Die..!) So 80.000 kms on the Clock today, I just Love it..! Nippy, sticks to the Road and Parts still available With 5 speed manual, Turbo and the Price of $1500. It was a No Brainer. Sure I have spent money on her. But I was Expecting too. New Aluminium Radiator, Brakes and Rotors all round, Exhaust and Cat, New Timing Belt ect, its Reliable and just a Joy to Drive in Adelaide. Also Finding my Own 'Capri Guru' with a Hoard of Spares has Helped a Lot..! Now I have my own Hoard of Spares for Future Problems. This Old Girl is a Keeper. And being an Ex Mini Driver the Front wheel Drive Doesn't bother me at all. Named the 'Dud from Downunder.!' Well drive one & Think again. As Petrol as it is, Soaring..! ( thanks Russia.) It's economical ability is just Fine By Me. (As long as I go Easy on the Turbo..!) Good Video thanx for your Efforts. Cheers All Kim in Downunder..!! 😎 or 🤣
One of my first cars was a 1977 Capri II Ghia, 2.8L, 4spd manual. It was silver with black interior. Even though the paint was faded on the hood and top, it got a lot compliments. The 2.8L had a motorcraft 2700VV (variable venturi) carburetor, which gave great throttle response. The car was fun to drive. It just had a great, solid road feel compared to other cars I'd driven. Had a bit of torque, and the aggressive, burbly exhaust note was even kinda exhilarating, and not at all obnoxious. I ended up swapping out the V6 for an 5.0 HO (302) V8 from an '87 Mustang, along with a T5 5-spd manual. All this required significant modification and fabrication. Had I not been married to a woman who was jealous of any time and attention not given to her, I would have finished the project. I never did get the brakes re-plumbed, but let me tell you, driving that beast with just a handbrake was a thrill!
My mother had a bright red on red 84 RS with Sunroof and rear louvers, boy did that 5.0 Haul @ss. My aunt had a base model at the same time, both were manuals and it also was pretty peppy. I always loved the little car diagram with lights that would illuminate at the center base of the dash. Sad that most automakers have gone away from making small fun cars with sticks these days!
Probably the rarest version of the European Capri was the South African "Perana" model with a 302 Windsor V8. Around 500 were built by Basil Green for Ford.
I had a neighbor friend who had a Capri, and loved it. But after a few years things starting breaking. Both seat backs broke where you could not lean back in them. LOL. I owed quite a few 80's cars but my best was a 1986 Volvo 242 turbo. Good show.
Early 1991 Mercury Capris were "affectionately" called Crapis due to their reliability and build quality. The worst feature? A crankshaft that was too weak, in metallurgy & length, to handle the power of the XR2. (Yes, the XR2 was available from the start in 1991. I was one of the fortunates.) The shaft would break or strip at the connection point of the bolt & pulley. And no, it could not be interchanged with a crankshaft of a later Capri. A fun little car with AMAZING load of options. The options made it possible to have a completely different car throughout the year, at any point in the year. I collected all of the options expect to rare CD player. The holy grail? The 1994 XR2, one of 322 or so brought into the USA. Of those, the gem, the cobalt blue XR2. Problems and all, I miss my XR2.
I read in a book about Ford Australia that both of the teams working on Capri and Miata, enjoyed checking out each others work. Even shared design and engineering ideas apparently
I knew a lady that owned a McLaren convertible. She said she saw one years ago at a car show, and wanted one . Some 20 +/- years later, she got one . I believe her kids found it for her (?). This was in Naples Florida around 1994(?). My shop detailed it.. i transported [ drove ] it to/from the shop. I remember it had a short-throw 6 speed manual transmission. 📻🙂
I have never been a Ford fan but the 80s capris were great. They were so much nicer looking than the stangs. I liked seeing the headlight covers on that McLaren.
I’m from Louisville, and in the industrial part of town they have a used engine warehouse. About three hundred engines; all of them in running condition. You can get anything from a small four cylinder, to a big V8. Most engines cost around five hundred dollars. So it would be cool if a company sold engines and adaptor kits at the same time. You would put the make and model of your car into the search engine, and it would tell you which engine/adapter combos were available. You could put put a VW engine into your Corvette.
Have a Medium Blue Mercury Capri myself, 1979, bought from first owner, had a 4.2 V8 factory, but somewhere along it’s life, it’s been replaced by a 289 from an older Ford. Currently it’s awaiting restoration
I have liked all three types of Capri since I was a child. I'm now 65. I bought a 1990 XR2 in 2010. While sold as a '91, it was made in April, 1990 and sold in June. So, like the first Mustangs, it was a 1990 1/2. Anyway, just a correction or two. The Turbo was available from the beginning, not from 1992 as stated. The Mazda 323 and Australian Ford Lazer (also based upon the 323) were both used to create the last Capris. The Capri and Miata used the same type of Mazda engine. I loved mine. When I found it, it had 84,000 miles after twenty years (4,100 average per year) and it was my daily driver except in the snow. My wife said to me one day, "I'd feel much better if you drove something from THIS century." Thus, the search began. After test driving a number of different types of car, I found a super-rare 2005 Volvo V50 (wagon) with a turbocharged five cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. It does everything far better than the XR2 did. So, eventually, after six years of fun, I sold the Capri to a collector. The V50 is my favorite car of all the ones I've owned. I had two Audis and a Porsche in the past, so that is saying a lot.
As a kid in the 90s I did see a second Gen all black Capri. It was rotting in a garage at an abandoned house near my neighborhood. Early 00s still abandon, that house caught fire and and only the rear of the car survived. I know this because the house was on the route where I went to high school. The final Gen Capri, a little old lady owned on two streets over. I remember it being red but paint fade. Last time I did see it, it was in a yard with overgrowth back in the early 00s.
Quite informative. I remember all the Capris. I knew people who owned the European and American version. I think the editing was great and the information was indeed interesting. Thank you.
Can we get an episode on the OLDS AURORA. I have had 2 one of the best GM ever made. This is coming from GM Tech but to be honest I don’t like anything GM makes nowadays. I am 33 but far prefer the older generations. My last Aurora was a 96 and I had it from 109K miles to 335K miles and my second is a 97 currently sitting in my drive with 118k. Despite the many pitfalls of the northstar family in my humble opinion the 4.0 L47 DOHC 32V Northstar V8 with its connections to Indy racing is one of the finest engines ever produced. Extremely smooth and quiet and still packs a punch. Both of mine regularly see 30MPG on 93 octane. Please and thank you I love the channel.
I actually had a 1980 and the 1984 Mercury Capri. the 198080 was a 5.0 and was okay until I had a milkshake for motor oil in 1994.. I also had a 1984 Mercury Capri with the 2.3 non-turbo & it was so slow I could barely make it up a hill when the air conditioner was on but that was in much better shape and better looking even with the bubble hatch.
Great video as always! It would be cool to see a video about 90's Nissans some time. I had a 95' Maxima and a 97' Altima, and drove them until the wheels were ready to fall off. I kept patching them and got over 300k out of both of them. They both had some power. My Maxima could take off with that 3.0 V6 and had some of the most comfortable seats I had on any car. I loved that car, even though it wasn't the version with a 5-speed manual which would be so much more fun. The Altima with its 4-cyl 2.4 was a tough little car as well.
Surprising seeing my picture of my silver 79 Capri RS Turbo in the thumbnail and video while scrolling UA-cam. Hoovies Garage did a UA-cam video on it.
It was possible to have a Euro spec Capri with a 1.3 litre engine (around 58 bhp) up to 1983. I actually wanted one as a newer driver for insurance purposes but they were a rare sight by the mid 1990s
I had an 83 bubbleback with the TRoof that I bought used in 87 with the 2.3. Since it had no gutters on it whenever it rained and you opened the door, water would drip onto the seat or or onto your head. It was also a pain in the ass to take the panels out and put them in the bags. Mine had these hubcaps With vanes and I replaced those wheels with a used set of TRX ones. Little did I know that there was a reason why people were selling those TRX wheels cheap as those 390 mm tires were expensive. I had it about a year and a 1/2 then replaced it with an 86 Honda Prelude.
I had an '80 RS with the 200 inline 6 and 4 speed....two-tone blue/black outside, blue interior. Pros; the 200 ran like a watch, and aside from the time the clutch pressure plate exploded like a clay duck, the car never broke down. It also looked great, and handled pretty well too. Cons; terribly slow, the synchros were burned out of first and second (before I got it), and Ford used a stupid all-nylon clutch adjustment rod/nut that liked to strip out. I had to use a hose clamp on mine as a temporary repair until I got a new one
Thanks for the great info and yeah as a kid growing up in the 90s. I was so confused seeing the fox body Capri and then a few years later seeing the totally different looking convertible one!
my mother told me her sister bought a 76 mercury Capri a full year before she could drive and she couldn't drive stick. so my grandmother drove it around and cause my mom's family was poor she was embarrassed in the family car and hated being dropped off in a beater. the capri was one of the few nice cars she had growing up.
Love the original Capri from Ford of Germany, the later capri was pretty ugly. My buddy owned Australian convertible Capri, kind of a weird car, it finally blew up and he got rid of it
My friend had a 1991 Mercury Capri XR2 Turbo with a 1.9L 4-cylinder and a 5-speed and that car was so much fun to drive! It drove like a little go-kart on rails! I would love to have one today but parts for these cars are impossible to find.
The big lobster at Kingston, you can't get any more Australian than that. The Ford Lazer/mazda 323 was the Australian 5 door or 3 door turbo from the same era, it had three body shapes.
I really like the Euro-Capri. Cool enough on its own, there was a race version in Europe that Jackie Stewart and other top touring and sports car aces raced in the early 70s that was very cool!
Nice review, giving the US perspective. And great editing!
Fun seeing you out here in the wild.
Oh I hope he does a pontiac aztec vid too! I loved yours
You guys should team up and make a video together
@@Henry_Jones Yeah, that would be good to watch.
@@JeffKing310 I get everywhere Jeff!
Mom had a 79 RS. Cruising around listening to Super Tramp Breakfast is America. Drove it from Minnesota to California with no AC in July. Great memories!
“in”
My first new car was a 1st gen Capri in 1971. The 2 liter engine was not yet available. My car had a 1600cc Cortina engine, rated at 54hp. I was glad it was from Germany, not England, but apparently the engines were fully assembled in England and sent to Germany. When the alternator went out just after the warranty expired, I noted the dreaded Lucas badge on it.
The 1972 Capri (European version) was the first car I ever owned. Gold exterior with black interior. Fun car …
My first car back in the early 90's was the Euro model 1976 Capri ll I got from an auction for $500. It was metallic green, so I painted it black, blacked out the windows and swapped out the beige interior for a red and black one out of the 78 wrecked donor car I bought. Even installed a tiny chrome steering wheel (we all had them as teens). It had the 2.8 litre V6, was sadly an auto, and a dual exhaust that sounded awesome. Wish I never sold it, although the 72 Datsun 510 I bought after was pretty sweet too. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!
I had a '79 Capri, silver RS, red interior. Just had the 4 cal automatic. Had it for 11 yrs before selling it. Even took that thing on vacation to South Dakota and Wyoming in 1981. My wife and I, and three young kids, the youngest only a year old. Carried a tent, blankets, sleeping bags and a playpen for the baby. Car performed just fine. Not a single bit of trouble.
The silver 79 Capri RS Turbo in this video is mine.
Back in the day I had a 1976 Capri II with the V6 and four speed manual. I loved it. Totally reliable and fun to drive. White with tan seats though I put a Recaro seat in it. Wish I still had it.
In the early to mid '90s I had '77 V6/4spd, silver with black interior. I loved mine too.
I also had one and enjoyed it. It was quite fast
I love Capris! Last summer, I remember occasionally seeing a red Mercury Capri (Australian one) convertible around town a few times. I also remember seeing a grey foxbody one as well. I would love to see a European one sometime, but those are non-existent where I live :(
Man, the Capri could've really helped prop-up the Cougar, helped give Ford some needed oompf.
The Australian Ford Capri, those cars are now also rare to see on the roads around Sydney as well, they didn’t exactly sell well at all as it was essentially a convertible version of the locally made Ford Laser (essentially a Mazda 323)
i worked in the auto industry in Australia in the 1990s and the car was known as the "Crapi"
The ABC did a real hatchet job on the Capri in Australia. Of course it was nowhere near as bad as they made out, but it would be very un-ABC to actually support Australian manufacturers!
@Uncle Joe it was a fwd Mazda 323 drivetrain.
@@alanjm1234 ABC is the CNN of Australia.
So ironic that is was based on the 323 - you know, just like the MX-5, which was basically the same car but much better in pretty much every single aspect. The Australian Capri really was odd to say the least, and it's no surprise that it didn't succeed while the MX-5 became such a phenomenon.
I have had over 30 Capris in my life (all the German kind) and still have my first, a 1977 Ghia V6. They are awesome cars, so much fun and were a performance bargain back then.
Dad bought me a ‘74 for my first car. Still have it in our garage. Needs a lot of TLC. Looking for sources for parts etc. can you help me out ?
@@NortonVision Best place for parts in the US is Team Blitz
So apparently, Mercury's real manufacturing expertise was grills, taillights and badges.
I remember the original Capri . Back in the 80s in Puerto Rico i had a neighbor who installed parts of others cars in his Capri because he can’t find the original parts.
There was also Ford Consul Capri - an UK model from early 60's.
I was just about to say that as well.
I couldn’t remember as a child the brand new car my mom had in the 70’s. It was the Ford Mustang 2. Thank YOU! Love this channel!
There was a clubsprint version of the Capri in 93-94 in Australia, they looked pretty sporty compared to a normal one.
We had a turbo option here.
The first new car I bought after getting out of the Army in November 1971 was a 1st Gen Red Capri...Since I was stationed in Germany I saw a lot of them and really liked it's looks; got it at a Lincoln Mercury dealership. Drove the crap out of it, but never left me beside the road for the 4 years I had it...
I owned one of the imported Capri's for a shot time with the 2.3 engine. Thanks Pat.
I had both a Mustang II and a Capri II as a teen and loved them both
My sisters first car was a Red 91 Capri! I still remember those fun house mirrors in the visor lol
If Mercury was around today, a new Capri based on the current Mustang would be very interesting indeed. Imagine a Mercury Capri RS with the 5.0 liter Coyote V8(460hp). I can and it would be worth it to drive.
Or the new Mercury based Mustang would be called the Cougar and be powered by a 500 HP 5.0L Coyote V8 in it.
@@CJColvin Interesting idea. But when I think of Mercury Cougar, I think of an upscale Ford Thunderbird, which should exist now.
@johnnymason3265 True but the original Cougar from the 60s was based off the Mustang.
@@CJColvin I know. However, I grew up with the Mercury Cougar being an upscale Thunderbird or a bunch of sedans and wagons based on the Fox-body platform.
@@johnnymason2460 True
My first car was a 1984 Capri. The bubble back treatment actually helped the cargo capacity quite a bit compared to the Mustang.
The fox body capri is legendary
Thank you for this, in about 1980 my two female cousins both had Capri's a 1974 & 1979 at the same time. The cars were nothing alike. Years, later I bought a used 1981 Mercury Capri 4 speed in 1986.
You continue to impress me with your accuracy and outstanding editing! A+!
🐰
The first gen Capri looks so good, especially when it's driving backwards lol 0:41
I collect the 91-94 Capris I'm very happy to see this video but they offered the XR2 turbo for the 91 years as well!
Had a '91, stick, normally aspirated 1.6 after college I bought with 50k miles. White, added the hard top. Still have 1 stock rear speaker if you know someone who needs it. Fun car! Would love to find a mint one.
@@user-po4jj9cx9l I'm in the Indianapolis area if you're ever looking for one!
Loved the Capri..70's and 80's fox body.. even a little bit the 90's
This makes me want a CRX and del Sol episode! Well done as usual!
The Capri Fox body is way nicer than the Mustang. I have a 80 Capri with a 5.8 Cleveland 1971 R-code (Boss 351) (from a demolished 71 Mustang). Great Cars.
Thank you! My new favorite channel to tune into on Saturday’s! ♥️
You always do such a awesome job with these videos! Absolutely LOVE this channel. If you ever get bored 😄 I would Absolutely LOVE to see you do a spinoff of these with a "My old truck" series. There is a lot of stories to be told with pickup trucks in the USA 🇺🇸 and your format is perfect for them!
11:00 When I worked at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer in the early 2000s, I remember hearing stories about The "Crapi" from a couple of people who had been working there for a number of years, when 90s Capri was being sold new.
Just got myself an Australian capri a nice little nugget to get around
I fondly remembered the Fox Body & Australian Capris. Really cool cars.
I did not even know the convertible 3rd generation Mazda-based Capri was as thing! Thank you for the fun little snippet through car history.
I had no idea that there have been so many Capri's built and for so long. I was born in 1981 so I remember the design of the 80s versions. This is why I love watching these awesome videos on your channel,lots of information and nostalgia. Thank you.
And there was yet another rare even in the UK Capri from 1961 that he missed :
ua-cam.com/video/L1pLgFy0pCA/v-deo.html
The Ford Capri was a stunning looking car. I always thought it would be a cool car to have as a kid. Very rare to see them now.
I owned a 1976 Capri ll during my college years. Most beautiful car I have ever owned, but not too reliable. I wish I had never sold it.
My brother owned the first generation Capri with a 6 cylinder and manual transmission. It was a fun car for the time. I owned an Opel Gt if you are looking for suggestions.
i keep forgetting you upload at 12 every saturday for my time, i always get slammed on friday nights and don’t find out until like 4pm, first time i got slammed and watched within the first 20 minutes, i look forward to watching you every weekend
As an Aussie, the Capri that was sold here as a Ford then sent to the US as a Mercury caused much head scratching. It was hugely more expensive to buy here than it was in the U.S., even after the left hand drive conversion and the cost of exporting them there. The original British Capri was assembled here in four and six cylinder versions up until the early seventies. Those cars are still held in high regard and have a strong following with dedicated clubs. Not sure that the Mazda based Ford/Mercury enjoy the same though.
I drove the first and last generation of the Capri.
When my sister married in 1980 she had the choice between a twenty-five year old television or her yellow 1974 Capri to take with her to Georgia. She chose the television. That should tell you what condition the Capri was in. It had all kinds of problems including a chronic steering bushing issue and all kinds of electrical issues. The steering bushings kept disintegrating. My brother solved the problem by wrapping a heavy duty extension cord around the steering column instead of using a bushing! I had to drive this car in single digit temperatures so I could get me girlfriend a last minute Christmas gift. The HVAC system died so I had no heat or defrosters. In order to keep the windshield from completely fogging up I had to drive with the windows down! It was so cold that the latching mechanism on the doors froze and would not keep the doors shut. Extension cord to the rescue again! I tied the doors together with the extension cord to keep the drivers door from flying open.
After hours of trying to diagnose why the battery would not charge, we just decided to ride around with an extra battery. We had to swap the battery out on that car so many times our friends knew the routine. The car would stop at a stop light and we would have the battery swapped out before the light turned green!
Despite all of these problems I really liked this car. It was my first car. Anything would do. I took a girl to the junior prom in this car. She kept getting upset with me when I kept turning the headlights off (To conserve the battery). I didn't have the courage to tell her that the car could stop any time (I did have the spare battery in the trunk).
My brother worked for Ford after college and had the choice of anything in their inventory to drive. One weekend he brought home one of the last generation Capris. I was not impressed. The car did not steer or handle well. For a car that small that did not make sense to me. I had driven a Fiero which I liked. I also drove an MR2 that was impressive. My buddy Anthony and I drove his first generation Miata on a road trip and I really liked that car too. The last generation Capri felt like a bunch parts nailed together. I knew the relationship between the Capri and the Miata and I could not understand why the driving experience was so different even after taking into account the front wheel drive layout.
Good review as usual!
In fall of 1978 I went to my friendly Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealer with the idea to get a Mustang Fastback with the Turbo. But then I looked at the Capri and for a few dollars more, I could get a lot more car. So I ordered the Capri Turbo. Waited eight weeks for it to come in. Got the call from the dealer to come and get it. When I got there, it was not turbocharged! Dealer claimed that there was a hold on the turbos, so I refused the car. The V-8 was not yet available, so I reordered it with the 2.8 V-6 with four speed. That was an excellent car and greatly enjoyed my 1979 Capri.
My mom had a Australian Capri. It was a lot of fun when I was a teenager.
My best friend had an early 70s, black Capri. It was really cool.
This was my first car! 1981 Capri RS with the 4.2 V8. Loved that car.
When I was in high school (late 90's) I had a 76 Mustang II, it had the 2.3 4 cylinder and was the slowest car I've ever drove! I had a damn good time in it though!
I loved my 1976 Capri....hand crank sunroof...leather buckets...and everyone thought l had a V-8 but 2.8 V-6...it lit em up instantly.
Very nice. The mk3 European Capri is the nicest one in my opinion.
I've been waiting for this episode since the first THANK YOU my first car was an 82 with ttops
This is so cool! I had a '73 with the Cologne 6 and I loved that car!
I was a child of the 90s and a neighbors daughter had a red convertible Capri and I was always so perplexed by it. As an adult I would love to get my hands on the fox body capri !! ❤️ Great video as always!
I owned a '76 and '78 Capri back in the mid-80's, both manuals with a 4 and V6 respectively. They were fun cars to own at the time. I have also owned '85 ascMclaren 5.0 SC from the mid-2000 through 2016. That was also a fun car. The modifications by ASC to convert the hatchback to a convertible were extensive and was done quite well, though the car was the definition of cowl shake. How about a episode on the ascMclaren Capri and Mustang conversions. That is a great story on its own.
I recently Found and Bought a 'Barn Find' Ford Capri SC 1992 XR2 Dohc Turbo version with only 67.000 kms on the Clock. It was needing a New Battery, Exhaust including Cat. & tyres.
(Plus a Million spiders mainly Red Backs that needed to Die..!)
So 80.000 kms on the Clock today, I just Love it..!
Nippy, sticks to the Road and Parts still available
With 5 speed manual, Turbo and the Price of $1500. It was a No Brainer.
Sure I have spent money on her. But I was Expecting too.
New Aluminium Radiator, Brakes and Rotors all round, Exhaust and Cat, New Timing Belt ect, its Reliable and just a Joy to
Drive in Adelaide.
Also Finding my Own 'Capri Guru' with a Hoard of Spares has Helped a Lot..!
Now I have my own Hoard of Spares for Future Problems.
This Old Girl is a Keeper. And being an Ex Mini Driver the Front wheel Drive Doesn't bother me at all.
Named the 'Dud from Downunder.!' Well drive one & Think again. As Petrol as it is, Soaring..!
( thanks Russia.) It's economical ability is just Fine By Me.
(As long as I go Easy on the Turbo..!)
Good Video thanx for your Efforts.
Cheers All Kim in Downunder..!! 😎 or 🤣
A Ford Capri episode would be cool
Thank you for this clarification. I will now know it is always important to ask Capri owners if they have an American, Australian or European one.
One of my first cars was a 1977 Capri II Ghia, 2.8L, 4spd manual. It was silver with black interior. Even though the paint was faded on the hood and top, it got a lot compliments. The 2.8L had a motorcraft 2700VV (variable venturi) carburetor, which gave great throttle response. The car was fun to drive. It just had a great, solid road feel compared to other cars I'd driven. Had a bit of torque, and the aggressive, burbly exhaust note was even kinda exhilarating, and not at all obnoxious. I ended up swapping out the V6 for an 5.0 HO (302) V8 from an '87 Mustang, along with a T5 5-spd manual. All this required significant modification and fabrication. Had I not been married to a woman who was jealous of any time and attention not given to her, I would have finished the project. I never did get the brakes re-plumbed, but let me tell you, driving that beast with just a handbrake was a thrill!
My mother had a bright red on red 84 RS with Sunroof and rear louvers, boy did that 5.0 Haul @ss. My aunt had a base model at the same time, both were manuals and it also was pretty peppy. I always loved the little car diagram with lights that would illuminate at the center base of the dash. Sad that most automakers have gone away from making small fun cars with sticks these days!
I owned a second hand first gen (Euro) white Capri RS with the 2.8L v6. I loved it.
Probably the rarest version of the European Capri was the South African "Perana" model with a 302 Windsor V8. Around 500 were built by Basil Green for Ford.
I loved the 80s Capri models.....fun to drive. Love this video.🥰
I had a neighbor friend who had a Capri, and loved it. But after a few years things starting breaking. Both seat backs broke where you could not lean back in them. LOL. I owed quite a few 80's cars but my best was a 1986 Volvo 242 turbo. Good show.
I’ve always like the Fox Capri front end better than the Mustang. Would love to see it on a notch back.
Early 1991 Mercury Capris were "affectionately" called Crapis due to their reliability and build quality.
The worst feature? A crankshaft that was too weak, in metallurgy & length, to handle the power of the XR2. (Yes, the XR2 was available from the start in 1991. I was one of the fortunates.) The shaft would break or strip at the connection point of the bolt & pulley. And no, it could not be interchanged with a crankshaft of a later Capri.
A fun little car with AMAZING load of options. The options made it possible to have a completely different car throughout the year, at any point in the year.
I collected all of the options expect to rare CD player.
The holy grail? The 1994 XR2, one of 322 or so brought into the USA. Of those, the gem, the cobalt blue XR2.
Problems and all, I miss my XR2.
I read in a book about Ford Australia that both of the teams working on Capri and Miata, enjoyed checking out each others work. Even shared design and engineering ideas apparently
Loved my '85 Capri 4 speed. Lots of fun and pretty dependable.
I would still like to find an Australian Capri in the U.S.
Now all I need is a place with a garage to keep it in.
I knew a lady that owned a McLaren convertible.
She said she saw one years ago at a car show, and wanted one . Some 20 +/- years later, she got one . I believe her kids found it for her (?). This was in Naples Florida around 1994(?).
My shop detailed it.. i transported [ drove ] it to/from the shop. I remember it had a short-throw 6 speed manual transmission.
📻🙂
9:09 I had one of the 1st-gen Mercury Tracers - and LOVED IT!
Mitsubishi Diamante episode would be nice
We had a 72 Capri v6 4 SD in the family. It was a blast to drive. That thing saw a ton of abuse and held up well
I have never been a Ford fan but the 80s capris were great. They were so much nicer looking than the stangs. I liked seeing the headlight covers on that McLaren.
I’m from Louisville, and in the industrial part of town they have a used engine warehouse. About three hundred engines; all of them in running condition. You can get anything from a small four cylinder, to a big V8. Most engines cost around five hundred dollars.
So it would be cool if a company sold engines and adaptor kits at the same time. You would put the make and model of your car into the search engine, and it would tell you which engine/adapter combos were available. You could put put a VW engine into your Corvette.
"Hunter" was great, Fred Dryer rocked. So did "The Equalizer". I miss Ford 80's muscle.
Have a Medium Blue Mercury Capri myself, 1979, bought from first owner, had a 4.2 V8 factory, but somewhere along it’s life, it’s been replaced by a 289 from an older Ford. Currently it’s awaiting restoration
I have liked all three types of Capri since I was a child. I'm now 65. I bought a 1990 XR2 in 2010. While sold as a '91, it was made in April, 1990 and sold in June. So, like the first Mustangs, it was a 1990 1/2. Anyway, just a correction or two. The Turbo was available from the beginning, not from 1992 as stated. The Mazda 323 and Australian Ford Lazer (also based upon the 323) were both used to create the last Capris. The Capri and Miata used the same type of Mazda engine. I loved mine. When I found it, it had 84,000 miles after twenty years (4,100 average per year) and it was my daily driver except in the snow. My wife said to me one day, "I'd feel much better if you drove something from THIS century." Thus, the search began. After test driving a number of different types of car, I found a super-rare 2005 Volvo V50 (wagon) with a turbocharged five cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. It does everything far better than the XR2 did. So, eventually, after six years of fun, I sold the Capri to a collector. The V50 is my favorite car of all the ones I've owned. I had two Audis and a Porsche in the past, so that is saying a lot.
Loved the look for the early Capri .
Hey man good episode.
Back in 1990 I was twenty and drove a 1976 mercury capri fastback with the 2.8 V6 and 4 speed manual. Man I miss that car.😞
As a kid in the 90s I did see a second Gen all black Capri. It was rotting in a garage at an abandoned house near my neighborhood. Early 00s still abandon, that house caught fire and and only the rear of the car survived. I know this because the house was on the route where I went to high school. The final Gen Capri, a little old lady owned on two streets over. I remember it being red but paint fade. Last time I did see it, it was in a yard with overgrowth back in the early 00s.
Quite informative. I remember all the Capris. I knew people who owned the European and American version. I think the editing was great and the information was indeed interesting. Thank you.
The only criticism I have of your videos are that they aren’t longer. Really look enjoy your content
Can we get an episode on the OLDS AURORA. I have had 2 one of the best GM ever made. This is coming from GM Tech but to be honest I don’t like anything GM makes nowadays. I am 33 but far prefer the older generations. My last Aurora was a 96 and I had it from 109K miles to 335K miles and my second is a 97 currently sitting in my drive with 118k. Despite the many pitfalls of the northstar family in my humble opinion the 4.0 L47 DOHC 32V Northstar V8 with its connections to Indy racing is one of the finest engines ever produced. Extremely smooth and quiet and still packs a punch. Both of mine regularly see 30MPG on 93 octane. Please and thank you I love the channel.
I actually had a 1980 and the 1984 Mercury Capri. the 198080 was a 5.0 and was okay until I had a milkshake for motor oil in 1994.. I also had a 1984 Mercury Capri with the 2.3 non-turbo & it was so slow I could barely make it up a hill when the air conditioner was on but that was in much better shape and better looking even with the bubble hatch.
Great video as always! It would be cool to see a video about 90's Nissans some time. I had a 95' Maxima and a 97' Altima, and drove them until the wheels were ready to fall off. I kept patching them and got over 300k out of both of them. They both had some power. My Maxima could take off with that 3.0 V6 and had some of the most comfortable seats I had on any car. I loved that car, even though it wasn't the version with a 5-speed manual which would be so much more fun. The Altima with its 4-cyl 2.4 was a tough little car as well.
Surprising seeing my picture of my silver 79 Capri RS Turbo in the thumbnail and video while scrolling UA-cam. Hoovies Garage did a UA-cam video on it.
I can still remember seeing 2 Australian Capri convertibles when I was a kid in the early to mid 90s
It was possible to have a Euro spec Capri with a 1.3 litre engine (around 58 bhp) up to 1983. I actually wanted one as a newer driver for insurance purposes but they were a rare sight by the mid 1990s
They were gutless though. They struggled up hills and couldn't overtake anything
I had an 83 bubbleback with the TRoof that I bought used in 87 with the 2.3. Since it had no gutters on it whenever it rained and you opened the door, water would drip onto the seat or or onto your head. It was also a pain in the ass to take the panels out and put them in the bags.
Mine had these hubcaps With vanes and I replaced those wheels with a used set of TRX ones.
Little did I know that there was a reason why people were selling those TRX wheels cheap as those 390 mm tires were expensive.
I had it about a year and a 1/2 then replaced it with an 86 Honda Prelude.
I had an '80 RS with the 200 inline 6 and 4 speed....two-tone blue/black outside, blue interior. Pros; the 200 ran like a watch, and aside from the time the clutch pressure plate exploded like a clay duck, the car never broke down. It also looked great, and handled pretty well too. Cons; terribly slow, the synchros were burned out of first and second (before I got it), and Ford used a stupid all-nylon clutch adjustment rod/nut that liked to strip out. I had to use a hose clamp on mine as a temporary repair until I got a new one
Thanks for the great info and yeah as a kid growing up in the 90s. I was so confused seeing the fox body Capri and then a few years later seeing the totally different looking convertible one!
my mother told me her sister bought a 76 mercury Capri a full year before she could drive and she couldn't drive stick. so my grandmother drove it around and cause my mom's family was poor she was embarrassed in the family car and hated being dropped off in a beater. the capri was one of the few nice cars she had growing up.
I bought a 74 Capri I went through a very good car. Then gave it to one of my daughters. I have had a 91 Capri for over twenty years.
Please do an episode on the Toyota Celica!
He's got one on that.
Love the original Capri from Ford of Germany, the later capri was pretty ugly. My buddy owned Australian convertible Capri, kind of a weird car, it finally blew up and he got rid of it
Another great video.
Greetings from the Netherlands
I remember the 80s and 90s models. I knew people who had these and loved them.
My friend had a 1991 Mercury Capri XR2 Turbo with a 1.9L 4-cylinder and a 5-speed and that car was so much fun to drive! It drove like a little go-kart on rails! I would love to have one today but parts for these cars are impossible to find.
From all specs, it is faster and handles better than the Miata of that time period.
The big lobster at Kingston, you can't get any more Australian than that. The Ford Lazer/mazda 323 was the Australian 5 door or 3 door turbo from the same era, it had three body shapes.
A Mercury Comet episode would be a good pairing to this one.
I really like the Euro-Capri. Cool enough on its own, there was a race version in Europe that Jackie Stewart and other top touring and sports car aces raced in the early 70s that was very cool!