The Wee Capri From Down Under
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- Опубликовано: 29 ноя 2022
- Nearly a half-ton lighter than previous Capris, this 1989 Capri may not have had a V8 or even a V6 engine, but at just 2,385 pounds it was the lightest Capri of them all. But was it a worthy opponent for the Mazda Miata and Toyota MR2? Mercury thought so and so did 66,382 buyers worldwide. So why is it in the junkyard?
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This may be the first ever "jump cut" on the Steve Magnante channel, thanks to the pop up headlight interruption. I have about 500 of these per video, for reference.
Something tells me you handle it in a much nicer fashion tho
Wow, you slammed the door on that guy pretty hard.
Was thinking the same thing.
Between that rudeness to an obvious fan, and the stupid stuffed dog…..
You lost some respect today. Wake up, you're not a big shot, you're just a guy who knows cars
He should've edited that out, but maybe he wants everyone to know he's just a cranky jackass. It certainly changed my mind about him.
He probably doesn’t even read the comments people leave.
Rudely Interupted? You’re in a wrecking yard, settle down Beavis.
That was rude. Truly changed how I feel about this channel.
Yes, how hard is it to stop and reshoot? It’s a junkyard, not a closed film set. Enjoyed this channel, but that was a very sour note.
Imagine running into another human at a junk yard that is publisized heavily. Such an inconvenience. Could have been a little nicer
I was a Ford mechanic in Australia when these came out in 1989. Fairly reliable because of the Mazda under pinnings but the constant complaints from customers that the soft tops leaked water in when it rained killed it. The media made a big deal out of it so much that even the hairdressers wouldn't buy them, so there goes your target market! We had a 1.8 turbo engine here, which was fast, but the torque steer was insane!
"Hairdressers" .. 😁
I see what you did there. 👍
The round tail lights on the Australian version was better looking.
@@captlazer5509 yep
Clubsprint Turbo the best, only 200 made.
@justdaveify mate your getting confused, the Capri's had the 1.6 engines same as the KC/KE Laser. The Mazda BP 1.8 engines never came out in the Capri, they were in the KF/KH Laser
Hay Steve, give my thanks to the camera man, he's really doing a good job too.
Owner of 3 xr2 Capris ran great put 350000 miles with minimal trouble. Got 31mpg would go 132 mph stock and were a blast.
The guy was probably going to start pulling parts off the car and Steve wasn't having it
You need a sign (or shirt) that says "Go away I'm Filming". Like button energized.
You meet the nicest people in the junkyard, unless you are making a video.
Pass thru for skis or a small coffin! Steve, you crack me up!!
Really love your videos because you make me laugh and I learn interesting things about cars that normally I couldn't care less about and overlook. Thank you for all your hard work on research and production of these first class videos.
Hello xfactor automotive, Thanks for watching and writing. I always say: "cars don't talk so we have to give them a voice". I try to be respectful with any car I profile - except maybe French cars, there is RE-NO-WAY I'll ever own another Renault - but it is fun to riff a little bit occasionally to keep it from getting too dry. Anyhoo, THANKS for writing. -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante 😊
Mental note, don’t interrupt Steve when he’s spittin facts. 🤣
Thank you! I was just saying to my husband I hope it does a Capri! It happened a week later!
We had 1991 manual & 1994 automatic. The 94 went through some teenagers driving & lots of parts since it had its demons. That backseat was perfect for the dogs! Ahhh…thanks for great memories!
Steve is such an incredibly awkward guy.
Everyone's favorite nerd
I love that about the guy. He’s one of a kind and it wouldn’t be there same if he was any different
Unique is a better descriptive. I dig his delivery style. 👍
For sure, who else would tell a fellow enthusiast to get lost
Its just the effects of his superbrain
Drove my 91 XR2 across the country 3 times.... loved driving that car into the ground. Speedy too.
Steve, I don’t think we could’ve chose a better teacher than you, you a walking librarian full of knowledge! Thank you for sharing with us… what did it cost Ford to ship them here?
Steve is a junk yard sensation...the guy probably wanted a autograph
yeah I guess I know not to approach if I go there again lol
It’s not like he owns that junkyard. He’s making money off somebody else’s business. Snapping at people like that when it’s not even your property is ridiculous. If I need a part off of something I shouldn’t have to wait for an entitled “influencer” to finish filming.
Ya a little harsh I thought
@@Iamthestig42069 no he doesn't... he should brought the guy in the video and given him a handshake..and showed him the way of the junkyard encyclopedia ninja..in a nutshell been alot nicer
@@Fleetwoodjohn no doubt you want to build your channel be nice when you meet your fans ...now everyone will walk the other way when they see Steve
My first car when I 16 was a 72 Capri, a year later I bought a 73 with the 2.6 V6. Fun cars, hard to find now.
Thanks Steve for another really cool wake up story
Your very informative and you help reminisce my childhood and teen hood thankyou Steve
Funny thing about those Capri, I am 6foot 4 tall and they were very comfortable to drive
Great video - My 1992 Mercury Capri is still going strong after 31 years and 45K miles. Enjoyed seeing the car being talked about many years of being out of production.
Steve, love the channel and keep up the good work. I do have to correct you, being a former owner of a 1972 Ford Capri 2.6 V6, that the North American market Capris from 1970 to 1977 were built in Cologne, Germany, not the UK.
I think you are correct!
I like your channel it's nice and clean and to the point ,I remember you going to pick a part in Sun Valley for junkyard engine build ,a long time ago I think in 03.
Love the videos Steve just keep them coming!
Apostrophe abuse!
Steve I have been wanting to ask you How is your 61 Police car coming out, When are you going to do a update video , on that car, Cant wait, Steve I know I talk A lot its just who I am, But Steve I don't lie, I have had all those vehicles , And my friends that are still alive would Verify , They all needed work some were better than others, But at that time in our country, Those cars came cheap. And I,m not much older than you and you Know what I,m talking about. Great Video.s
You gifted us McDonald’s so we gifted you the capri . Love from Australia
I love your dog, he’s very well behaved.
I'm so surprised you haven't been interrupted before now people come and go in junkyard all the time hopefully they got to talk with you after words and pick your brain
Right? Steve's a celebrity! Guy was probably starstruck 😄
Celebrity? I've always seen my self more as a Cavalier (mid-'80's Chevrolet joke there...but you knew that). Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
Thank you Steve Get well soon
Awesome episode
Growing up in rural Indiana, I remember seeing two of these on a regular basis. A light blue one, and a green XR2. I stopped seeing the blue one shortly after high school, and the green one vanished during a time I left and returned. The green XR2 had a 5spd, I think the blue one was an automatic. Thanks for the trip down memory lane man.
That body looks pretty clean
Very informative.
My sister had a 1970 Capri. Metallic blue with black vinyl roof. White interior. A great car. Beautiful.
Had a '91 5 speed turbo for one summer. Had some issues but was a very fun car to drive. Girlfriend loved it.
Good morning Steve great vid. I liked the fox platform Capri's and the original. Capri's
I know a fellow that had the harmonic balancer come off one of these. It sheared off on his way across the country from whitbey island to Detroit. Sadly that car didn't get repaired but seeing this one brought back some memories...
Capris in November not a good idea! I see you wearing a t shirt! It was too cold when I picked up the silent Malibu last week at this very wrecking yard! Thanks for videoing the chevelle and and all these cars!
Steve My second car, Was that mustard yellow capri, Mine was a 71 6 cylinder, Steve that little car was fast, When I shifted to second gear, It would slide side ways, The wheels would come off the Ground slightly,I was swapping even for a 71 440 charger, Going Home from work one night there was a rock on my side of the road, on a turn, I ran over it wiping out my oil filter, Not knowing it I had a rod knock by the time I got home. Sad story.
Hi Steve another great vid. I don't think I've ever seen one of these unless I mistaken it for a Mazda. The EXP (Escort) I have worked on them. I believe it's a couple of them around here that show up to the local car shows. That Mercury is too small for me. I see that Lockjaw like myself would probably be more comfortable in the trunk. LoL. Namaste 🙏🏼
Like many a sporty cars the rear seats were there to help keep the insurance premium slightly lower.
Ford Australia wanted it as a two seater, but Ford USA insisted it had four seats. As the US was the main export market, it was redesigned.
Reminder to me of that Ford EXP little car With the eyebrow head lights, i also remember those metric tire sizes would mess people up who bought them at the wrecking yard,thumbs up on the
We call those things Crap-ees. It was really a hairdresser's car... Now the early cars with a v-6 were and are still a cool ride
Hey steve im watching this video from Melbourne Australia
I remember well this model Capri, working for Lincoln-Mercury at the time. Ford did a top replacement program to solve the leakage issue. I also wanted to point out the 1.6 engine used in this model and the Tracer LTS was sportier than the 1.9 engine at that time. Also available was a removeable hardtop which, in my opinion, was a useful accessory if you lived farther north than Georgia.
The Tracer LTS used the Mazda 1.8L engine just like the Escort GT.
@@mexicanspec exactly right! I am getting old.
protege engine bolts on to stock trans
A friend of mine had one of these back in high school- of course, they were only about 10 years old at that time. I can't recall the last time I actually saw one. I can't say I was ever a big fan of these- I preferred the 1979-86 Capris similar to the foxbody Mustang. I had another friend in high school who had a 1979 Capri, and I was actually considering buying it from him, but I found a better deal on a 1981 Mustang another friend was selling around the same time and ended up buying it instead. A few years later, I had another friend who had a 1986 Capri, which was another nice car. I always kind of favored the foxbody Capris over the foxbody Mustangs of the same model- when I was younger, EVERYONE had a foxbody Mustang it seemed, and while the Capris looked very similar and could easily be mistaken for a Mustang, I did appreciate their unique styling features that set them apart and made them a little more unique. Sadly, it's been years since I've seen one of those Capris either.
As far as the 2+2 "4 seater" cars go, I remember ATTEMPTING to get in the back seat of my friend's Porsche 944. I'd ridden in the back of Mustangs, Camaros, etc., so I didn't really even think about getting in the back seat of a small car as a problem, but I learned that day! LOL The same is true of my Jaguar XKR. Those seats are there for insurance reasons and for a few bags of groceries, and not much else. Of course, I've seen 4 people riding in (on?) a Miata once- with the top down of course-, so I guess where there's a will (and a death wish), there's a way...
Those old UK import Capri's are really cool looking and fun to drive.
There was a time when you could easily see a few but they dried up pretty quick.
They were great motors, very popular here in England. Over the years I had a 69 3.0L GXL, 70 1.6 GL, 72 2.0L and a 79 3.0L Ghia. All would be £20,000 plus now, the 69 GXL prob £40,000. I used to pick em up for £1000 ish. 😫
@@Saftbloke I was just discussing that subject with the missis today. How we used to buy sell and trade cars for $100-$500 without a second thought that today are being sold from $1000 up into six figures. It's crazy
Front and back license plate had a 2023 sticker on it.
Can’t believe that was recently on the road.
We have two, weekend fun cars. Maintained properly, they are both going strong at 30+ years and 200,000+ kms.
I'm a 🥝, so it gets the ✔️Ford from me. As a former next door neighbour to an expatriate Aston Martin Dyno tuner who's team became Tickford, the only thing British is the design, not even the badge is English. The Aussie FASPAK FordAsia Pacific Mazda parts car had some Real problems. ..were does the water and rust fall in a Right hand drive designed Left hand drive car with an air bag. Over the ECM! Tickford's David Flint did the upgrades in Australia. The "not invented here" lack of US revenue to the Lincoln Mercury dealer wing, and lack of full Worker training program roll out because of Australians absenteeism was an identified problem in 1987 when the SA30 program car was signed off by Dearborn. Suddenly, the Air Bag legislation hit, where the percentage of cars with air bags was mandated, and the SA30 had to be, as an import, targeted to be re-engineered in haste. It was, but it caused other issues...rust where the Body Control Module and Engine ECM had to sit. Interestingly, the gearbox on both the Mercury LN7 was from the same source. Bob Lutz famously gaffed..."all we want from Toyo Kogyo , is there Mazda 5 speed gearboxes". From 1982 to 2001, 75% of Ford Australia's production was Mazda sourced, and then the Asian Japanese verses Korea and China cost tracing forced Ford to look to Thailand to make SUVs instead of passenger two wheel drives. In the US, the car was in the shadow to the also Mazda supplied Miata. Like when hostilities broke out when Henry Ford was at the helm in 1938, both sides of the equation were being supplied by one company. So Ford followed the dollar, and Bob Hall said the insanely expensive to make Mazda's were okay as Sports cars, not as increasingly costly economy cars. The Festiva, the little Aspire based car, was therefore Korean made. And the formerly Taiwan build engines, became made elsewhere. That's just economics. The great thing...Ford worldwide was better for the experience. 🇦🇺❤️lives here 🥝✔️
This reply needs some serious fact checking? For example the Festiva was built like 20 years before the Aspire so idk how it could be based on a car designed 20 yrs later. Also Henry Ford in 1938 had nothing to do with Mazda, like where's that idea even come from?
@@bluecollarred6912Have a great day. And Fact check all you like 👍. Bet you don't know Dyno operator Fred's last name either. Imagine my surprise that he engine dynoed the then new Aston Martins V8 Vantage engines before retirement. My neighbours! The 1986 Ford Festiva was eventually made in Korea, and was the Mazda 121 ( second version, small car, not the same named 929 based car). For the 1994 model year and till 1997, Ford slapped Aspire badges on it. Not in 1938, but earlier ( 30-32) Ford, who from 09 to 1928 had been building up business in Russia/ USSR, allowed the Model A to be built in the state owned owned GAZ production plants, but in 1938 Hitler's Cologne Ford production plant, and Ford's English Dagnham plant as well. Just as the UK was ready to declare war after the Czech invasion. Being a pacifist worked pretty good for HF1. Fact Czech....all you like. Ford becoming a super power, ment supplying both sides of the battle. It always does. The German Grand Cross of the Supreme Order of the German Eagle, and 3 years later, 33rd Degrees and yet still a champion 🏆 of the common people.
@@deanstevenson6527 Henry Ford wasn't a pacifist, he was an avid Nazi supporter. That and his plot against Roosevelt with other industrialists is why he had to step down from chairing his own co.
@@bluecollarred6912 I couldn't possibly comment. It's good to hear from you to clarify that. Have a great day BCR. 😁
Cool Lil, cars !
Mr. B ! Morning Steve & guys ! May it RIP !
Wow, I can't tell you how much these resemble my Buick Reatta from the front. In fact when I first saw the video thumbnail, I thought COOL, a video on a Reatta! Finally. Alas, not to be. A bit crestfallen, but I'll make it through the day. 🥴
Hey Steve really enjoy your show how about an update on your 62
That little convertible came out at the wrong time! That’s exactly the reason they failed here in the states, people wanted the more desirable Miata! Rear wheel drive and handle way better than a front wheel drive! Plus way better looking. Great video Steve.👌😎👍
Early capris were really cool, I like the deer mascot better lol
Had one of those for the wife in the early 90's. The best part was the top can be thrown back (or up) in a few seconds. A child seat will fit in that back seat area but it ain't easy. It was traded for a Pathfinder when child number two was on the way.
Special guest today at the yard?! Bye!
I love the little cars of the 80's and 90's. This could be hopped up pretty nicely with junkyard parts. 2.0L out of a later 2000's Focus would rice this car up nicely without losing that OEM "get parts anywhere" thing.
Loving the junkyard crawl but how about an update video on your Project REMcharger Dart?
I remember riding in the sexy European, stick shift, in '76
Steve, I owned a 1988 Mercury Tracer but I am not sure if this Capri version of the Mazda 323 ever made it up to the Canadian market.
In Australia they were called the Ford Capri Barchetta, Barchetta being Italian for small boat. I don't think Ford realized that boats are supposed to keep the water out....
"You can fit skiis or a small coffin" lol nice
I had an '86 with the bulged rear window. Wanna talk regrets. I loved that car and through people "borrowing" my car and not respecting it, a very nice model quickly became a P.o.S. I have many regrets regarding my little 1986 Mercury Capri. 😟
Would like to see a video on the merkur xr4ti if you come across one
Had one of them in the shop years ago for routine service. On the test drive it neutraled out,ended up being the torque converter splines stripped out,just happened to be a coincidence I was driving it when it happened. New torque converter fixed it up.
Really common problem on Jatco Fwd transaxles.
@@justdaveify yeah it was syrange,strange, was a line tech at a Ford,Lincoln, Mercury dealer Nd the service manager implied I was abusing the vehicle...it was a scam to not pay me the R&R flat rate for the converter.
I remember the Capri from the '70s.
Don't recall ever seeing the ones in the '90s.
Yes, friend had one inOz. Not bad but some leaked,by memory. Very sharp at the time.
Got me a 73 capri I'm building currently
Just a note Steve, the TRX wheels on the fox body cars were about 14.3" as opposed to 15.3". Some other cars that had optional TRX wheels around 15.3" included the Peugeot 505 and some BMWs.
"The Don Johnson Graphics Package" @5:59 Gotta love it.
hahaha that interruption was unexpected !
I bought a brand new one in 86. 5.0 loaded. Sweet car.
No, that's not correct. The 1970-1978 (not 1977, they were sold in the US through the 1978 model year) Capri was imported from Germany (either made at Cologne or Saarlouis), not England. Yes, the 1991-1994 Capri was a Mazda derivative and was assembled in Campbellfield, Victoria Australia.
Yes, 1986 was the first year for the mandatory "CHMSL" (Center High Mount Stop Lamp), but some 1985 cars had them a little earlier. Possibly sold new/used at Sarat Ford located at 245 Springfield St, Agawam, MA 01001. Should be code "YB" Platinum Silver exterior paint.
Yeah I was wondering about that one (England)
@@will7its Definitely Germany. My coworker had two of them in the 1970s/early 1980s.
@@googleusergp Yeah a kid in shop class bought a couple. He didnt have them long.😅
@@will7its My coworker had them for a few years out west when he was in the military.
I like the rollback
One of my biggest regrets in my life was selling my 83 t-top, 4 speed Capri. Red with black interior. I've never seen one since ☹️
I can get you a similar car, but it probably not have T-Tops. The Mexican Mustangs are basically a Capri coupe which was never sold in the US, like my avatar.
@@mexicanspec thanks for the offer. I'm sure the day will come when I find another. Either way I have to many cars as is 🤣
Did the guy come over to barrow tools? That's my biggest pet peve at the junkyard
Speaking of odd size tires , I always had trouble finding the 16.5 motorhome tires for the old Dodge C class models . My good friend Stanley Hannin who is now gone did T V commercials for local tire shops and would call me when he spotted some 16.5 's where ever he was filming . His catch phrase was " TIRES AINT PRETTY ! " in his southern drawl .
Firestone STILL makes a great 16.5 in most sizes; TransForce.
@@aaron71 Thanks , Aaron , but I'm still freaked out from the Firestone 500 tire failures in the seventies . They killed a lot of people . Today you couldn't give me a Firestone tire and when I buy another vehicle and it has Firestones on it I take them off immediately !
@@daynadiggle8169 Odd reasoning, but ok lol
@Dayna Diggle : I also despise Firestone tires. I remember the Firestone 500 issue's but what turned me against the company was the Firestone Wilderness A/T. That tire also killed many people. Many people I knew that drove the Ford Explorer better known as the Exploder in the 90s had severe rollover accidents with those tires with some friends and aquintances not surviving. Firestone blamed Ford, Ford blamed Firestone. All I knew then was that friend's were gone, the tires were garbage, and both companies were full of sh*t. I have not bought a Ford product or Firestone tire since the 90s.
EVERY company has made mistakes that have killed people if you go back far enough LOL. Not going to judge Firestone because of something that happened decades ago.
Be well.❤
You Were A Bit Of A Dick Steve, And Your Camera Man Interrupted The Video More With His Shadow. He Said He Had One, Mabey He Could Have Taught Us All Something Else We Didn't Know ...
You replaced the junk yard deer with the junkyard dog.
Having tried to put coffins in my pass through trunk, its not as easy at you might at first believe. The back of the trunk lip hangs up so its not a strait shot, and the retracting seatbelts from up above snag on everything. A decent roof rack is a better plan. A Chrysler 9.25 truck rear end is about the limit of what fits through.
Rob graves much? Frankenstein, is that you?
Reminds me of the Ford Probe my sister had in the 90s.
You don't see too many more of these around Australia you do say the odd one getting around
We have two here in the Blue Mountains. A few others around locally, but getting scarce. Good, fun cars.
I had a set of those Fox Body 4 lug rims on my 1985 Ford Escort 5 speed. One of my first cars. Baby blue. Bought it for $25.. got the rims for nothing. Those were the days
any ford EXP or 84 ford escort GT's, Cosworth vega, monza spiders and any late 70's Gm variant of vega and monza?
Last of the capris in my vision was 1986.
Agreed. I thought they were German origin until the Fox era.
The funny thing about Capri's is that pretty much the only parts source these days is the US OE and aftermarket supply and even the Ragtops are still available aftermarket and damned good quality. (Better that factory )
Never owned one but sourced parts for quite a few from the US. :-)
There is a wrecker in Sydney that specialised in them for many years. I’ve had two tubs of their unique parts in the garage for ages, the only thing I’ve ever used was a radiator after the original clogged up. Bought a few aftermarket parts - indicator light covers, etc - but they are not as good as the OE parts. Plenty of them in my collection!
@@phillipleeds296 It started with Brake parts and front struts for a mate in the car club, Roadworthy stuff and when I got sick of calling the Aussie suppliers for new parts I started on the US which is my normal choice lol
Once he realised what was available and the speed of FedEx (Dont bother with USPS) and the price points compared to Aus he went wild :-)
And the Aftermarket Soft top? quieter and zero leaks, quality and yes I know the leak issue was an early production issue.
@@tony66au Good to know there are plenty of sources for parts. We plan on keeping our Capris for the duration. Sometimes think of selling, then take them for a drive.
Oh Steve! Can you please do a bit on the blue GMC Truck at 7:20!
Those rims fit on the Ford Festiva, I have them on mine. 12" rims to 14" alloys.
John Ross had one of these on his channel (WatchJRGo) for a while. Parts are tough to find apparently, he usually sorts cars and sells them but wasn't able to do much with that one. Even the glass is hard to find.
Hi Steve, enjoy your channel, especially the hubcap game. We have two of those Capris down here in Australia, one each for my wife and me. Had them for years, nice little cars that keep going with regular services thanks to those Mazda mechanicals. Not really a sports car, but a fun little roadster that’s comfortable and enjoyable to drive. I could never fit in an MX-5/Miata anyway. Lots of useable parts on that one, the unique bits are getting expensive. Cheers.
Had a friend who had one. It was green. His sisters gave him so much crap telling him it was a girls car. He traided it for a tracer. God rest his sole. He was my best friend.
Reminds me of how sad the early 90s were.
Convertibles just never caught on in the U.S. I rarely see a convertible with it's top down, even on the hottest days.
Realy Steve...LMAO, placement of the junkyard dog was perfect!! I chuckled!! Nice recovery from a fan bustin your balls while shooting a video! You and Shane make an amazing duo!!!
Have you done a C4 Corvette?
I thought the 70's Capri was also made in Germany. 🤔
The Capri in the 70s was made in England
Look at my comment carefully, I said also made in Germany.
Yes it was. At least speaking of US market cars.
My dad had 2 Capris and these were made in more than one factory at some point.
United Kingdom: Halewood
West Germany: Saarlouis, Cologne
Australia: Homebush
South Africa: Port Elizabeth