The european ford capri

[McColm]

Hi,
If you're in your 40's you and can remember the Sweeney and the professionals burning their tyres on the tarmac in their fords. (I don't think any of the British Leyland cars on loan did this.)
Ford came up with the European version of the mustang. At first the Capri was a two door with a boot. If you wanted the convertible you had to go to Crayfords.
A missed opportunity.

The mark II had rectangle head lights and a hatchback. Ford did put a V8 in their rally cars and added 4X4, but the road cars had a V4 or V6 engines.

The mark III was a sleeker car harking back to the original, once again the hatchback had no convertible. Later add-ons had turbo or diesel engines fitted, aircon and spring suspension. Tickford did their own version.

Whiffing could lead to a saloon version although an estate version may need a donor estate with the bonnet and front wings chopped off, the front end could be fitted. Or a half track added. Camper van, pick up or beach buggy. The emergency services such as the police had their own.
There are a few kits in the larger scales still available.

[thedarkmaster]

Oxford dicast's do the Capris from the Professionals in 1/76 scale they even have the correct number plates

[kitnut617]

Just a correction and having spent the first 25 years of my life in the UK and the last 31 here in Canada, I can tell you that the European Ford Capri is nothing like a North American Ford Mustang which was, under the Mercury badge, called a Capri.

Having said that, I can remember the German student that brought her Capri when she was staying at my Mom's house (at that time Bournemouth's main trade was teaching English at a number of colleges and the students were boarded out at peoples homes), the girl's name was Ute Glemser (Glemsa maybe ?) and she raced cars in Formula VW, Formula Ford and these Capries in another class.  Her brother was the German champion in one of the classes too (their Dad was the owner of the Coca-Cola franchise in Germany).  This car of Ute's had a V-6 with a six-speed gearbox and while driving around town could only get into second when we got onto a dual-carriage road.

[McColm]

Yes the name Capri was applied to the mercury (which was the badged mustang) from 1979-1991 in the states although the European Capri was sold through Lincon-Mercury dealerships- the ford logo was dropped and the name Capri added to the hood.
The Australians  based their Capri on the Mazda 323.
The European models marks I, II, and III were also sold.

The South Africains based their conversions on the European mark I's.

[RotorheadTX]

As photos are worth thousands of words, this is what I remember the Capri looking like.

I'm a 43y/o Yank, raised in Texas, so let's all make sure we're speaking of the same car.
IMHO, best whif modification would be a shooting brake like the old Volvo p1800es.   

[Mossie]

There are two Capri kits I know about the old Airfix Mk I kit in 1/32 & Tamiya's 1/24 Zakspeed Capri which was a DTM car based on the Mk III, both like rocking horse poo.  I've always fancied turning the Tamyia Zakspeed kit into a Mad Max MFP style Interceptor with lights on a roof bar, yellow, red white & blue paint job.

[NARSES2]

I've very fond memories of a girl who had a 3 litre Capri 

[McColm]

As photos are worth thousands of words, this is what I remember the Capri looking like.

I'm a 43y/o Yank, raised in Texas, so let's all make sure we're speaking of the same car.
That's the one
IMHO, best whif modification would be a shooting brake like the old Volvo p1800es.   

[kitnut617]

Can anyone remember a TV show the Beeb put on called 'Autorally' or something like that.  I used to watch that avidly back in the 70's and when Ford introduced the 4Wheel drive Capris which promptly kicked everyone's keester in the series.  So much so the next year they got a 30 second start delay but still went on to win the races.

Didn't Airfix make a 1/32 scale kit of the Capri,  I'n sure I converted one to run on the Scalextric track we had.

[Nick]

Looking at various pictures it is apparent to me that the European Ford Capri and the US Mercury Capri were the same between 1970 and 1979.
From 1979 the US Capri was a rebadged Ford Mustang. I really don't get the point of auto badge-engineering where rival firms sell the same car under different badges with mildly different trims.

Wikipedia states that Capri's were imported to the US from Germany with certain modifications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Capri
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Capri

[Mossie]

Didn't Airfix make a 1/32 scale kit of the Capri,  I'n sure I converted one to run on the Scalextric track we had.

Yeah they did, although you'll have trouble finding one that's not going for silly money.  Airfix recentely released a few of it's old 1/32 cars both under it's own lable & a Hayne's one.  Maybe they'll come around to the Capri, although a quick search seems to suggest it the mould was converted into the 'Krackle Kat' custom version.  I think they did the same with some of their other other 1/32 kits & several of the moulds are supposed to be worn out, sold on or missing.

[kitnut617]

Never seen a European Capri over here, I've seen loads of these though

http://members.tip.net.au/~jcarroll/capri/pix/misc/1979MercuryCapri.jpg

[kitnut617]

Looking at various pictures it is apparent to me that the European Ford Capri and the US Mercury Capri were the same between 1970 and 1979.
From 1979 the US Capri was a rebadged Ford Mustang. I really don't get the point of auto badge-engineering where rival firms sell the same car under different badges with mildly different trims.

Interesting, because I got here in 1980, I'm sure I should have seen some of them running around.

Ford = bottom of the line
Mercury = in the middle
Cadilac = top of the line

Not really 'rival' companies Nick, all are under the Ford roof, just aimed at different clientele

[RotorheadTX]

Ford = bottom of the line
Mercury = in the middle
Cadilac = top of the line

Actually, it's Ford - Mercury - Lincoln. Cadillac is a GM product.

[kitnut617]

Ford = bottom of the line
Mercury = in the middle
Cadilac = top of the line

Actually, it's Ford - Mercury - Lincoln. Cadillac is a GM product.

D'oh!!      (erm, you can tell I'm not into cars ---  )