85 Capri

[intel]

Hey all, I'm planning on putting my Capri up for sale on Ebay after this weekend. So I figured I would list it with the local crowd first before it officially goes up for sale, just in case anyone was interested locally.

Here is the copy & paste for the auction I put together last night. Can you tell I had a few drinks?

LOL

I got a little carried away and wrote a book.

[intel]

Oops, forgot to paste...

FOR SALE: 1985 Mercury Capri RS/GS $5900

GENERAL HISTORY:

Built on Ford’s Fox platform, the Mercury Capri was a re-bodied Mustang like the Cougar of the 1960's. The designers at Mercury wanted more aggressive styling for their pony car. With it’s flared fenders and quarter panels, vented hood, stout front fascia and raked air dam, the Capri had more of a performance look to it. Ford wind tunnel tests revealed the Capri fastback glass hatch had 19% less coefficient drag than its Mustang sibling. Team ROUSH chose the Capri over the Mustang sponsored by Motorcraft to dominate on the racetrack by winning back-to-back Trans-Am Championships in 1984 and 1985.

In the U.S. production models from 1979 to 1984, the performance equipped Capri’s were designated RS and other models GS. In 1985 Mercury stopped placing RS badging on the RS models and started applying GS emblems to the remaining RS models. Confusing! The following year Mercury stopped using the name all together and canceled production of the Capri. (Canada used the RS name to the end)

VEHICLE HISTORY:

This 1985 Capri is an RS equipped car (CRS Buck Tag) with a late build date of June 1985. It originally came from the factory with a chrome GS emblem on the rear hatch. It’s a factory 5.0 5-speed equipped car. This was the last year for the carbureted 302 with no computer. It came from the factory without A/C. (I have the build sheet) While Ford was busy pumping out approximately 150,000 Mustang's a year at that time with 50,000 being V8 cars, there were only 3283 of these 5.0 5-speed Capri’s built. (maybe just a few hundred with no A/C and a sunroof) I would estimate that only a small handful of 1985 5.0 5-speed Capri's exist today.

The original female owner purchased the car in Northeastern Ohio and it remained with her for 20 years in stock/original condition as a secondary vehicle with limited usage. During the last few years of ownership, she was no longer driving the car and hated to see it sit around. So she sold the car locally to its second owner with 50,000 miles in 2005. The second owner put the car back on the road, but shortly afterward the original 5.0 engine spun a main bearing. That’s when the modifications began. The car currently has 55,000 miles and I'm the third owner. The mileage is verifiable through its ownership and corresponding CarFax.

When the original 5.0 engine spun a main bearing at 50,000 miles the car received a transplant and some other upgrades:

ENGINE:

2001 Mercury Mountaineer 302 V8 block with 50,000 miles (yes same miles as car)
Motorsport F-303 Roller Camshaft
GT-40 P Ported Heads
Motorsport Roller Lifters & Pushrods
Trick Flow Spring Kit
Motorsport 1.6 Roller Rockers
Cloyes Double Roller Timing Set
Weiand Stealth Intake Manifold
Holley 600 Carburetor
BBK Long-Tube Exhaust Headers
BBK Intermediate X Exhaust Pipe
Flowmaster Delta-Flow Mufflers
Flowmaster Tailpipes

TRANSMISSION & AXLE:

World Class T-5 Transmission
Fidanza Aluminum Flywheel
King Cobra Clutch
Hurst Competition Plus Shifter
1991 8.8-Inch Traction-Lok Rear Axle
Motorsport 3.73 Gears
Bearings, Seals, Etc

SUSPENSION, WHEELS & TIRES:

4-Lug to 5-Lug Conversion
SN95 Front Spindles
Ranger Rear Axles
PBR Cobra Dual-Piston Brake Calipers
PBR Brake Hoses
13-Inch Cross-Drilled Brake Rotors
Rear Wheel Cylinders, Shoes, Hardware, Etc
Finned Brake Drums
1989 Fox Springs, Struts and Shocks with 26,000 miles
Stabilizer Bar Bushings
Front 17x8 Bullitt Rims with 245-45-17 KDWS Tires
Rear 17x9 Bullitt Rims with 275-40-17 KDWS Tires

Some of those items were added just recently, but overall it was all done within the last 5 years and 5,000 miles.

EXTERIOR:

The car still wears its original Bright Red/Jalapeña Red single-stage enamel paint, which has an orange glow to it in the sunlight. The paint is still shiny and looks great for a 25-year-old car, but it is showing its age. From 10-feet away it looks beautiful, but under close inspection there are nicks, chips, dings and imperfections. I would rate the paint a 6.5 out of 10. All of the gray trim was repainted (due to fade) in the correct satin gray color and looks excellent.

The color-coded fender "pit-stripe" design is not there by choice but out of necessity. The fender was damaged when the original owner backed into it with her tractor. With the car still having it's original paint I didn't want to replace the fender with new red paint work, because old bright red paint is the most difficult color to match. I didn't want the fender a different shade of red because I think that looks terrible and it would look like it was in a collision. So the pit-stripe was a band-aid solution on the repaired fender. This way the fender retains it's original red paint on both sides of the stripe and all the red paint on the car is original. So there is no question the car was not in a collision. Since the car is modified and not stock, it really didn't matter and I felt it was the lesser of two evils.

The hood scoop is an early 1980’s factory Capri scoop. It is functional and allows engine compartment heat to escape through the vents. Custom turn-signal indicators were mounted in the rear of the scoop for that late 1960’s Mustang/Torino retro touch. They are incandescent for era-correct brightness and waterproof.

The rear spoiler is an extremely rare ASC McLaren fiberglass replacement. The originals were made of rubber and warped terribly. Fitment is good but not perfect. Even the originals did not fit perfectly. These spoilers were very limited production (maybe less than 20?) and nearly impossible to find.

The decals on the rear hatch were custom made using the factory Canadian font. From Ford the Mustang GT received a decal on the rear hatch and the Capri’s received chrome emblems on the rear hatch. But in Canada the Capri’s received a decal on the rear hatch similar to the Mustang GT. Since I preferred decals over emblems, I created a “capri RS” reproduction of the factory Canadian decal and added a custom “GS” on the end. (because this 1985 RS equipped car came with a GS emblem from the factory) I also created the “mercury” from scratch using the factory Canadian font to match the other side of the hatch.

The original 5.0 fender emblems were replaced with 302 emblems and are approximately the same size. The 302 emblems are generic emblems designed after some Ford muscle car era hood scoop emblems. I didn’t like the 5.0 emblems on the Capri because everyone associates the 5.0 badge with the Mustang. Since the Capri has a completely redesigned exterior and is it’s own car, I wanted it to have its own engine emblem.

INTERIOR:

The interior is mostly original and in very good condition. The headliner was recently replaced. A factory reproduction radio-delete kit was added. The dash pad had some cracks and was repaired and re-dyed. The aftermarket dash pads being sold for these cars are not very good quality and the fitment is poor. Until a good aftermarket replacement becomes available, you are better off repairing the original. It also has a functional full-size spare and comes with the original sunroof storage bag and cargo cover.

ISSUES:

As with many old cars it’s not without some issues. The rear main seal leaves a few drips after you park it. There are a few tiny cracks in the fiberglass hood scoop. There is a ding/impression where you close the hood, but might come out with painless-dent removal. There is also one on the front of the drivers fender, forward of the stripe. There is touch-up paint on the drivers door where it looks like something ate through the paint at one time. The hatch has some rust starting under the lip. There are a few small blisters where the roof meets the sail panel, common spot where roof is attached. The worst part on the car is the drivers door bottom, where the inner skin was rusting and patched up, so I assume the drain holes were plugged. I would estimate in about 5 to 7 years the drivers door will have to be repaired or replaced. (the passenger door is excellent along with all other panels) I photographed these issues and are included in the photo album.

MISCELLANEOUS:

The undercarriage is rust-free and rock-solid, nothing is torn or twisted. The outer sunroof seal is new and the original inner sunroof seal is excellent. The outer dew wipes are new and the inner dew wipes are excellent. The door seals are excellent and the hatch seal is good. The hatch shocks, hatch bumpers, wiper blades and belt are new along with components, filters, fluids, bulbs and what seems like an endless list of items.

The car runs, shifts and drives excellent. There are no driveability issues. It rides tight and is not a rattle trap. The doors open and close beautifully. Everything works on the car exactly as it should. Bright lights, fast power windows, all warning indicators, properly working gauges and so on. Everything is hooked up correctly under the hood (by 1965 standards) with no loose ends. I drive it almost every weekend, attend car cruises often and I receive plenty of "wow" compliments.

This is not a restored show car, its a 25-year-old weekend driver. If you want a mint Capri it's going to cost you $9k to $12k. If you want a rough Capri you can find some out there for under $4k. The $5900 opening bid with no reserve is the lowest amount I'm willing to accept for this car considering the rarity, availability, history, mileage and total package. I have owned and enjoyed this car for over a year and unfortunately it doesn't fit into our future plans. I'm sad to see it go, but its time for somebody else to enjoy it. Please read the Terms of Sale and please contact me if you have any questions. Thanks.

Photos: http://www.pbase.com/btd

Video: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG5c4UlQ1qQ"]YouTube- 1985 Mercury Capri RS / GS - Exhaust Sound Clip ( Ford Mustang 5.0 )[/nomedia]

[PaxtonShelby]

I've seen this car - the day Brian brought it home last year, and after he brought it up to the excellent current condition you see in the photos. The car was very nice and solid to begin with, but Brian really did a great job bringing the car's cosmetics back to life. Whoever buys this car will have a blast with it - and won't see other cars just like it every time he/she pulls up to a red light. So if you're looking for a nice clean foxbody, you owe it to yourself to take a look at this Capri. You won't be disappointed. If you look at some of the photos of the other cars Brian has owned / resurrected in the past, you'll see how he has a knack for thinking outside the box and getting things just right.

Good luck with the sale, Brian!

[intel]

Thanks Ron, appreciate the words.

While you can buy a cleaner Mustang than this for the same amount of money, decent Capri's are becoming extremely difficult to find, now that they have hit the quarter century mark.

It's a neat car and worth preserving.

[biminiLX]

Also saw it at Wexford, a VERY nice Capri and worth the money.
Good luck Brian.
-J

[intel]

Thanks!

[Donstang86]

I have some block on your pictures. I can't pull them up. Can you post them on the site?

[intel]

That must be a pop-up blocker on your end.

Just type the internet address into your browser manually and hit enter.

www.pbase.com/btd

If that doesn't work, give me your email address and I'll email them to you.

(there are over 70 photos)

[speedracer]

God I love this car... my favorites.

[Flyin Monkey]

If it wasn't for that fender stripe, I don't think I could resist not buying this car.

[PaxtonShelby]

Most people I've talked to like the stripe. And Brian's post describes the reasoning for it. Pretty clever solution he came up with if you ask me. If you think you like the car you owe it to yourself to check it out in person.

[intel]

It's just like anything else, it comes down to personal taste. The stripe is there for a reason, to cover up a repair. While I'm not a huge fan of the stripe myself, I do like it and it's better than having primer on the fender or a different shade of red. I went through 5 different stripe design ideas in photoshop before choosing that stripe. In fact, I didn't even choose it, I had a poll with 25 of my friends and they picked it. Was definitely the best one out of the group.

Whoever ends up buying this car will be somebody who specifically wants a Capri because they are rare and different. A general Mustang enthusiast will not buy this car, because they can find a nicer 79-99 Mustang for the same amount of money.

I hope whoever buys this car maintains it's current status or improves on it. If I was keeping the car, in about 5 to 7 years I would replace the fender, door, and respray the entire car 1975 Corvette Flame Red (Orange Flame) Code 70 in single stage, which is the most beautiful orange I have ever seen.

[intel]

Car sold for $5500...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=200511363591

It's being shipped to its new owner in North Carolina.

My plan is to put that money towards purchasing a Javelin this winter, so hopefully that's what you'll see me driving at the car cruises next summer.

Thanks to everyone for their help over the past year and best of luck with your winter projects.

[biminiLX]

Seems like someone got a good deal to me, good luck on the AMC search.
-J

[somethingclever]

Seems like someone got a good deal to me, good luck on the AMC search.
-J

x2!!!!!!!! I really liked that ride....and the stripe too.

[PaxtonShelby]

Congrats Brian - I'll miss that Capri!

[intel]

Thanks, so will I.