One Owner, Low Miles: 1974 Mercury Capri
Ford’s Capri has a convoluted history. A captive import, the car was built in Germany and exported to the US as an alternative to the Mustang. Its long hood and short deck screamed “pony car”. Unbadged by division, Capri sales were assigned to Lincoln-Mercury. The small, agile car, mounted on the Ford Cortina chassis, confused the older clientele at Mercury, who arrived to purchase a much larger Cougar. Meanwhile, Ford managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by equipping the Capri with an anemic 1600 cc four-cylinder Kent engine, offering an automatic as standard. The dichotomy of sporty looks and handling presented to a clientele that couldn’t care less; absent badging; and sub-par horsepower didn’t inspire customers until Ford came to its corporate senses and upgraded the motor. Here on eBay is one of the best of this breed, a 1974 Mercury Capri, bid to $11,100 and located in Euclid, Ohio. This car has been in storage, so the seller warns that it’s best not to drive it home without a bit of TLC.
The motor is the 2.8 liter V6, top of the line for the production Capri, with 105 hp (the 3000GT and RS models are far more powerful, but you’re going to Europe for those). The jump to 2.8 liters in 1974 from 2.6 in 1973 helped offset the weight of 5 mph bumpers. Torque improved and the suspension was stiffened, giving the 1974 Capri a competence beyond its horsepower rating. Meanwhile, by the time this car rolled off the line, Ford was racing the Capri in the Tour de France, LeMans, and other championships – and winning. Here’s Emerson Fittipaldi, obviously familiar with a Capri. Our subject car has only one owner and 62,000 miles; the seller has rebuilt the carburetor, changed fluids, replaced points and plugs, and tuned it. It runs great, but it doesn’t stop great. A new owner should attend to the brakes.
The cabin is “99% perfect” with original fabrics and finishes. The radio, AC, lights, heat, and wipers work as they should. The seller notes that the tinted glass helped preserve the interior against the California sun. The rear seats and trunk are near perfect.
The underside is typical of a stored car that hasn’t seen much road exercise. Still, it’s dry and should clean up well. The car does need a paint job. Sun exposure has peeled the paint on its top surfaces, and erased it completely in some areas, allowing surface rust to form. These undersung collectibles are still very reasonably priced. Rarity makes it difficult to find comparables, but prior sales suggest that an average car should bring about $12k. Earlier small-bumper cars may be slightly more valuable. Where do you think the price will settle on this one?
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Comments
Thank you Michelle. Good to see a Capri of this generation which has survived. It sounds like it has been largely sorted out mechanically, but still needs a paint job. From previous examples on Barn Finds it seems many had good experiences with them (me included), maybe no surprise that the car is bringing solid bids. I’d be glad to own it.
One detail: I thought all the 1.6 engines had manual transmissions (or was this just for the Pinto)?
My ’71 1.6L was a manual, and a nice one at that until the gearshift broke off (while driving in downtown Baltimore!) I have honestly never seen an automatic Capri until the Capri II came along.
lol, my 73’s shifter broke off as I was leaving work one evening……next day a visit to one of the junk yards in the neighboring town [ country area, and full of them in the woods] to walk thru the cars till I found a Capri, and crawled under it and unbolted the shifter and unhooked the linkage rods.
Picked up a nicer leather rimmed steering wheel from that car too.
Eeep,,, must you constantly remind me? It’s okay, I’ve made peace with just about every vehicle I owned, good or bad. I had a ’73 this color, V6, 4 speed, the up side was, I liked the concept of the car, and that’s about it. Downsides were many. I originally bought it, was about 2 years old, as the MGB was getting tired, as a possible replacement. It quickly became apparent why a 2 year old car was for sale, it was a poor car all the way around. The V6 was a POS, the 4 speed was right out of a Pinto, with funky ratios,( sorely needed a 5 speed) no back seat leg room, small trunk opening,( needed a hatchback) and when the motor started using coolant, it was adios, and kept the MG until it broke in half. The Capri ll resolved many of the issues, but by then, the Asian cars were far superior, had a better dealer network, and didn’t break. Amazing to see one here at all.
Oh, another brilliant idea was the gas filler on the C post. Before auto shutoffs, gas down the side of the car was a regular thing, and not that crappy gas of today, the stuff that would take the paint off.
Oh the memories of youthful indiscretions! My roommate’s girlfriend had one of these, very similar except in light blue in and out. But had a manual trans V4, and AC. She was a wild one! With a boyfriend who, like I lived cars. At the time they were going to University of Rhode Island and luv off campus in some beautiful beach house they leased. That had a garage we used to work on our cars. From the very first time we brought my Corvair Corsa and her Capris to a local sports car club autocross his girlfriend was hooked! She had us install KONI shocks and stiffer springs, true dual exhaust with a European Market dual carb intake manifold with headers. That really woke that little V up! To the point it could almost run with my 190 hp 4 carb Corsa! That was a winning beast on the autocross tracks. But we all had lots of fun.
The Capris sold in the US and Canada offered an L4 and a V6, but never a V4.
Sorry typo
As a kid, I always thought these were cool when they were everywhere in the late 70s. They were disposable, though, so they disappeared pretty quickly. You still saw lots of ‘70s Celicas and Z cars in the mid-80s, but not these for some reason.
I bought a new 1971 Capri and the 2 nd Day I had it I didn’t start. And that was the beginning. It had many electrical problems. Sadly I traded it in a year later on a Montego.
Before October 1976, the Ford Capri was also built in the UK at the Halewood (Liverpool) factory.
My 1974 V6, four speed Capri was my favorite car I’ve ever owned. It’s was loud (headers, duel exhaust), raw, and unsophisticated and wonderful. It roared, slid around corners, and floated over 100MPH, what a hoot! I’d have this car in a minute if I could but the garages are full and the toy fund is empty.
Agreed MarveH, I had a ’74 also.2.8,4 speed,a/c. Had the local speed shop do their magic,repainted in bright orange,flared the rear wheel openings,and performance tires. The car was a hoot to drive,always reliable. Wish I still had it. If it wasn’t for that Italian disease,”fundsalow”, I would definitely be bidding.
I had one of these, (74, V-6, 4 speed) brand new. Loved it, wished I had hung onto it. Well made, fun to drive. No issues.
Bought a ’72 when was in Germany in Army. Great price for a new car on GI pay. Had 4cyl 2000 cc w/5 speed. Would cruise all day at 90 mph on the Autobahn. Brought it back and used to put Vega’s in taillights. They were shocked when that little 4 banger could squeak the tires in 2nd. At the time was single so had money to blow, decided it should have a 289 in it. Called everywhere but no one made motor mounts, so a welder friend and I proceeded to make our own. Needless to say it turned heads. Trouble was there were no cross flow radiators available so front end got chopped up pretty bad. Got orders for Europe again so sold it for $400. Always wished would just have found a V6 2.3 or 2.6. Would have been keeping.
Wes, so you bought a Ford Capri, not a Mercury Capri like the one in the article?
They were Mercury Capri’s in USA ONLY. Everywhere else they were badged as Fords. Including South Africa which had a 5-litre version!
I would rather have a Capri over a Pinto or Vega, $11,350 now and reserve still not met.
My girlfriend and I had a MK1 in orange, 1.6L, auto. It was a rust-bucket, but we loved it. It led me onto two MK11’s, one 1.6, manual, the other a 2.0HC manual. I loved those cars as they could be drifted round corners in the wet just on the throttle. I always hankered after the Brooklands 280 version, but could never afford it. Lovely cars.
I remember driving them with the V6 manual, nothing special for sure. For some reason I still like them. It would be nice to see it with one of today’s little screamers or build up that V6 then put in a 5 speed. The coolest thing about them was interior spot light.
My girlfriend in the early 70s had the V6 version, automatic, sunroof, loved them both. As they say, wish I’d kept both…Great fun and quick. Bought my own after we broke up. Didn’t care for it at all, took it back. Always wondered if it lacked something in the right hand seat?
.this car is SO SO cheap ! If it were in Europe or the UK price would be at least double….esp in MK1 guise…esp with this bigger engine. Some early 3 litres here in the UK fetching over 50k..albeit a bit better than this but what a basis to start with !
Prepping a 2.8 4-speed for a customer at the L-M shop… Took it for the mandatory pass between 2 driveways down the way.. and trashed the trans hammering 2nd.
My boss was like a father… and saved my job.
“Warranty Repair”….
These were a blast to drive, especially mine, which had a V-6. Wheel arches usually rusted in the first year or two, that’s the first place I would look if I were evaluating it.
2.8 V-6 was the Cologne engine, Borsch electronics a real PITA to source parts for. This car in #1 condition is about $13,900 + 10% for the A/C so could top out around $15,300. However, don’t know what dealer in Ohio thinks it is worth. He has about 6-7 other cars on e-buy.
64 Bonneville, it is at $13,600 now and reserve has been met.
At the current bid,this should be a finished car.Whoever
buys this will probably put as much into it as they paid for it.
Here’s one That I helped my Neighbor sell – for $2000.
Loved my 74 Capri! Unfortunately, totaled in an accident in about 1982. So fun to drive.
I had one of these gems shortly after I got married. It had the V6, four speed.. and the reddish orange paint. I loved the car and its performance (80 mph in third gear), except for the fiber timing gears that fragged during a hard downshift.
I worked at a Ford dealership in the late 1970s. Timing gear failures on the V6s were fairly common.
I had a pair of these back in the early 80s. The first was the 1.6 Kent engine. Its performance left me unimpressed.
The second was just like this one. I found a Dobi catalog in the trunk when I bought it, and that is where my spending money went for the next year. Suspension upgrades, cam, headers, 4 bbl intake, and a Holley 390 cab. I also replaced the fiber timing gear with a steel gear. That had the added benefit of making it whine like a supercharger. The car was a pretty solid performer after all that. I took it Mason Dixon Dragway and it ran high 14s in the quarter mile. Unfortunately, the weak link in the driveline was the two part driveshaft. The CV joint broke during a hard shift, damaged the transmission and rear end. I sold it to someone with the means to fix it.
Sold $13,600.
ah the memories….these were plentiful in my small town when I was about 20 years old.
My best friend had a 2.0 liter, painted orange, minilites, it looked great.
Called me one day, saying a guy at a local import car shop[small side street garage] had one with fresh paint sitting in his garage for sale.
73 4speed 2.6 with headers, with the copper paint, man I had a lot of good memories in that car
I was very interested in this Capri. It was on E-Bay for quite a while with a reserve price was $19K. Way more than what I wanted to pay for a vehicle that needed brakes a new paint job and whatever else it needed to get it back on the road. I would have to inspect it before buying it. Good luck to the new owner. Maybe we’ll see it at the Capri Car Club of America this year!
Worked at Firestone for a few years back a little over 40 years ago and a mechanic had I think was 72 that was an orangish color.The drivers floor was so rotted out that the seat was nearly dragging on the ground and he could barely see over the steering wheel.complete rot bucket He used to call it the Roach.
Hi do you still have this car I’ve been searching for one like this it reminds me of my teenage years when I owned one