While the early Capri coupes are arguably prettier, with their smaller chrome bumpers, it seems like Ford made a genuine effort to disguise the required modifications to its 1974-77 Capris. So the later cars have body colored bumpers, a design feature that wasn’t adapted by many other cars until well into the 1980s. Combined with a greater prevalence of the more powerful 2.8-liter Cologne V6 – okay, maybe not after the EPA was finished with it – these cars are not all bad, unless you’re in a state that does not have a rolling emissions exemption. Early or late, though, all Capris are pretty rare, and finding a solid one for a nice price is fairly unusual. So it’s a pleasure to find this 1977 Ford Capri for sale for $2500 $1900 in Vancouver, WA.
Though not one of the fun 1970s safety colors, it’s also not brown, and this car seems to have the Ghia wheels. The paint looks like it could be glossy, and all the trim and body panels look straight and intact. You can also see the outline of a sunroof in this shot. If you really have a thing about the size of these bumpers, perhaps a European-bumper conversion is possible, but don’t forget how handy these things are when parking in an urban area.
Said to have a new windshield, good paint, and to be free of filler, this sounds like it would be a great first-time classic, or maybe a regular driver for those of you with other, more temperamental old cars. Mark II cars had a hatch instead of a trunk lid, so should be more practical for all those things you do with a sports coupe, like hauling lumber or windsurfing equipment – the rear seat even folds down. It’s curious that Ford positioned the fuel filler cover right across the beltline.
While the engine is not immaculate, it looks pretty good for a driver-condition car. By 1977, things were a bit of a mess with all the emissions hoses trying to string the old carburetor out for one more year, so if this is an occasional driver and you’re in a no-test state, you might want to take a weekend to simplify things. Although if it’s reliable and the power is reasonable, there’s no reason to mess with what works.
The front seats seem to have been reupholstered at some point, in a non-matching but tasteful tweed fabric. While the carpets need vacuuming, the overall impression is that of a cared-for car that has seen regular but careful use. With 171,000 indicated miles, it’s surprising that nothing major has fallen off in any car with 1970s plastics. If you’re looking to do an extended test-drive (via purchase) of one of these fun-but-simple European Mustangs, this looks like a great candidate to try before selling along to the next enthusiast.
Rusty But Trusty 
February 13, 2016 at 8:24 am |
Price is down to $1900