I was just comparing pictures between a 1972 Mercury Capri and a 1972 Ford Mustang, and it looks like a capri is a mercury branded Stang. Is this true?

I was looking this up because my mom used to have a capri, and I just got interested in it.

Thanks!

 

Same same, from 79 on. Capri used to be a different car when it first came out though.

 

I don't think the 72 capri and the 72 stang were the same car. I think the first capri was imported from Europe.

 

Exactly my point. The Capri was at first a Ford, not a Mercury. The first one I saw was a 71, and it was made in Germany. http://www.philseed.com/fordcapri1.html
That's why I said from 79 on they were the same, except for mostly the rear hatch and grille.

 

Thanks, guys.

I still think they look alike!!!

 

The grill hood and fenders and taillights are different, starting in 83 the capri's started that bubble hatch thing. The nice thing about Capri's is they all came with the 7.5" axle, even the 4 banger cars. I like the capri fenders better than the mustang, they appear to bulge out more, like a rally car or something.

 

The early-mid 80's Capri's were the same as the Mustang, just a Mercury. Either in the late 80's or early 90's they started importing them. That's when they were the little tiny front wheel drive things, like the Mazda Miata.

 

Ah, memories...my first car was a '72 Capri. That was a lot of fun to drive...peppy engine, sunroof, decent handling...but I can ASSURE you it was no Mustang! The least-powerful 'stang of the day would still have run circles around me...

...and, as others have said, eventually, Ford merged the names into that crappy little pile of the '80s...one of many dark points in a dismal era for The Blue Oval...

 

Good site. But it's referring to the UK Capri(Ford). The Capri here (US) has always been badged a Mercury.


As already stated; the first Capris (through mid 70's) were imports. They had various 4 and 6 cylinder motors with the 2600 being a direct relative of the current 4.0 V6. NO RELATION TO A MUSTANG!!

When the Fox Stang came out there was a Capri version till the late 80's (?)

In the early 90's an Australian convertible (yes, the size of a Miata but a POS front wheel drive) appeared and only lasted a few years.

 

Actually, both the Capri and Miata are rear drive. I know, I used to have to service them, not much fun. It takes a special oil filter cup to do the Miata, which I still have. I worked a dealer that sold both. The Capri's of the 90's were actually fairly fun to drive, if you like little cars that go fast. Some were even turbocharged.

 

I almost bought a Fox Capri, I think it was an '82. Guy said it had a 302 but I think it was a 255. That's good that the Miata is rear wheel drive, that makes them a little less importish.

 

Some advice I have from my friend Dee, is to look for a Mustang that's always had a 4-cylinder in it if you're planning a race car. The reason is because it won't have any measurable frame twist, and with sub-frame support and a cage installed it won't (hopefully) ever have any.

If you go a step further - bagging a Capri and doing the fender and grill swap works out much the same, and I kinda like that note above about the wider fenders; that means more tire width in states where you can't have much if any tire out past the body sides.

~Wolf

 

Quite a few years ago my brother had a 1963 Capri like the one at http://www.beachcitygas.com/capri4sale/capriphotos.htm .
It had a small block Ford, top loader 4 speed and narrowed 9" rear end.
It was a very cool car

 

My parents bought a brand new fox capri around 83 or 84(nope I wasn't quit born yet) I dont remeber the exact year but I dont think it had the bubble hatch, it was fully loaded, 302 , 5 speed, sunroof power windows, black exterior, black interior, it may of even been leather, it had the information center on it too, GLX wheel package(I've had a mind fart thats what it was called right?) I still remeber it like it was yesturday last time they had it I was no olderthen maybe 10 or so. It had been in a couple small accidents and my dad was having trouble finding parts, plus he wasnt driving it anymore so it sat around and the carb kept geting gummed up so eventually he sold it. I tried talking him into hanging on to it for a few more years so I could drive it but that didnt happen, one day I'll find one for my self, theres something almost sentimental about it.

 

Hey DOHC, My girlfriend had a 1974 Capri in 81. It didn't say Mercury anywhere on the car. Not in one spot. It did however, have Ford written in many places. Under the hood on tags, and underneath. I wondered why we didn't agree on what brand it was, so I found this..........

United States
From 1969 to 1977 the Capri was sold in North America through the Lincoln–Mercury organization. These cars carried no brand identification, only the "Capri" name. http://www.answers.com/topic/ford-capri