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  1. #1

    Default '84 Capri RS Restomod

    To kind of make a long story shorter, I bought an '85 Capri RS 5.0 5spd back in 1993. It was the 1st car I ever bought and the 1st thing I ever borrowed $$ from a bank to buy. I drove it as my daily for about 3 yrs. However, after tearing up the 2nd 7.5 rear and the t-5 needing rebuilt, it sat while I got married and started a family. About 1998 a young guy offered me more money than I could pass up as a young married guy with a family and I sold it. Regretted it from the moment I watched them tow it away!

    I really started to get the itch to have another one and finally after a good 2-3 yrs of looking, back in October of last year I found a really good deal on an '84 Capri RS 5.0 5spd on craigslist and made the 17hr roundtrip to scoop it up.

    I'm so stoked about this thing, it's a really good starting point for a nice car!

    Here are some pics from the day I loaded it up ready to head home on October 28, 2017:
    Attached Images Attached Images    
    '79 Fairmont Futura
    '79 Mercury Zephyr wagon
    '83 LTD Wagon - future Mustang "Sport" Wagon
    '84 Mercury Capri RS - 5.0 5spd
    Owner of Victory Engines and Machining, LLC
    g2G

  2. #2

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    Here's a list of mods the previous owner had made:

    1989 8.8 rearend w/3.73 gears

    W/C T-5 transmission with about 10k miles since rebuild

    Pro 5.0 shifter

    Spec Billet steel flywheel w/ Spec clutch

    1989 roller shortblock w/about 36K miles

    Motorsport E303 or B303 camshaft

    Heads are pocket ported GT40 (not P), converted to screw in studs with roller rockers

    Weiand Stealth Intake

    650 Mighty Demon carb

    Motorsport valve covers

    DUI HEI distributor

    Aluminum Radiator with Electric Fan

    Long tube headers, offroad H - pipe, and dumped exhaust

    SN-95 front disc brake conversion

    Rear five lug conversion with Ranger axles/drum brakes

    03-04 Cobra wheels

    HO Fibertrends 2.5" cowl hood

    New black carpet including hatch area


    I want you guys to keep me honost and bug me now and again to work on this thing!!
    Last edited by Flyin'Montdude; 02-17-2018 at 10:22 PM.
    '79 Fairmont Futura
    '79 Mercury Zephyr wagon
    '83 LTD Wagon - future Mustang "Sport" Wagon
    '84 Mercury Capri RS - 5.0 5spd
    Owner of Victory Engines and Machining, LLC
    g2G

  3. #3
    FEP Power Member 4-barrel Mike's Avatar
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    Sweet!

    Mike

  4. #4
    FEP Senior Member Dave9052's Avatar
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    Very nice!

  5. #5

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    Nice Capri, I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

  6. #6
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Good starting point to have a very nice car!

    You didn't mention anything about having improved brakes. I suggest putting that high on your list. Even just some great quality brake pads and an adjustable proportioning valve.

  7. #7
    FEP Power Member Hemlock's Avatar
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    Saw your post on my build thread, Gratz on the score! This does look similar to the car I was going to buy but the RS I was looking at had a little drivers side rear quarter damage, a factory hood and wasn't in as good a shape as this one.

    This looks like a great starting point and should be a killer car when you are finished! You going to keep the Tri-color?

    Robert
    1984 RS 347 Capri, To many car parts to list, check out my car build page here for the story on my car and a full parts list/setup!:

    My RS in Action

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by 4-barrel Mike View Post
    Sweet!

    Mike
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave9052 View Post
    Very nice!
    Thanks Mike and Dave!

    Quote Originally Posted by Davedacarpainter View Post
    Nice Capri, I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
    Thanks Dave! I plan to use a bunch of stuff on this I learned from following your T-top coupe thread!

    Quote Originally Posted by erratic50 View Post
    Good starting point to have a very nice car!

    You didn't mention anything about having improved brakes. I suggest putting that high on your list. Even just some great quality brake pads and an adjustable proportioning valve.
    Thanks! Definitely high on the list! I have an SN-95 rear disc setup I plan to add to go with the fronts. I'll either mod/make my own bracket to keep the stock fox track width or buy the North Racecars brackets. I have the master & booster from the SN-95 as well. That will be sufficient to get me drivable for this season. Then hopefully next winter I can swap in the cobra IRS I have!

    Quote Originally Posted by Hemlock View Post
    Saw your post on my build thread, Gratz on the score! This does look similar to the car I was going to buy but the RS I was looking at had a little drivers side rear quarter damage, a factory hood and wasn't in as good a shape as this one.

    This looks like a great starting point and should be a killer car when you are finished! You going to keep the Tri-color?

    Robert
    Thanks, Robert! I considered a color change to either blue or silver, but after looking at all the pics of your car I think I'm going to keep the Tri - color! Looks sharp. I may add a little pearl to the white when I repaint it, but that's at least a year or so away.
    '79 Fairmont Futura
    '79 Mercury Zephyr wagon
    '83 LTD Wagon - future Mustang "Sport" Wagon
    '84 Mercury Capri RS - 5.0 5spd
    Owner of Victory Engines and Machining, LLC
    g2G

  9. #9
    FEP Power Member Hemlock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flyin'Montdude View Post
    Thanks, Robert! I considered a color change to either blue or silver, but after looking at all the pics of your car I think I'm going to keep the Tri - color! Looks sharp. I may add a little pearl to the white when I repaint it, but that's at least a year or so away.
    Yeah the tri-color treatment was a 1984 only option so they really stick out and makes the car even more rare to see. People these days are crazy for these cars! I am completely floored how many compliments I get when I am out driving it! Most people don't even know what it is and the ones that do recognize it always say "I don't remember these being this cool!" Definitely a conversation starter.

    Keep us posted on the project, would love to see the progress!
    Robert
    1984 RS 347 Capri, To many car parts to list, check out my car build page here for the story on my car and a full parts list/setup!:

    My RS in Action

  10. #10
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Dunedin 9011, New Zealand, South Pacific
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    Its the wheels and the stance and the extra grunt of a really good carby 4-bbl that make these cars so much cooler than they were in 1984.




    The common parts between it and the LN7 Hatch and it's undermined jibes about Mercury Cimmarrons and bubble buts were unfortunate school yard trash talk. No one does it now, especailly when a loafy 5 liter hits the barriotone at Three Five in Second.

    The cars were Caddilac Cimarron like in the aspects of its Fox car up rightness,

    https://dmi3w0goirzgw.cloudfront.net.../700/70703.jpg

    and they weren't lowered and given big wheels like they are today. . People never understood what it needed was to be more Porsche 928S4 in stance ans wheel house filling.


    The TRX wheels and lack of cheap 16" wheels back in 85 to about 93 made it a very exy car to get 'tired up".

    The four lugs really hurt the wheel options back then. 4 On 108mm wheel patterns didn't get the back up until ROH and other wheel importers forced the US industry to look at buying patterns. Life is good know for these incredably B-A-D A-S-S white winged warriors.

  11. #11

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    Found and decoded my buck tag:


    CAPRI = Capri model line
    619883 = 19,883rd 1984 Mercury scheduled for production at Dearborn Assembly
    61D = Capri 3-dr hatchback
    M = H.O. 5.0L V8 engine
    0121 = body & paint rotations #0121
    9LL = Oxford White exterior paint color
    RS = tri-color lower paint (Silver Metallic lower w/ Coral/Yellow Orange tape stripe)
    DF
    ST
    AC = manual air conditioner
    06 = YES rear defrost
    HB = heated backlite (rear defrost)
    CRS = Capri RS model/trim level
    WD = power side windows (W), power door locks (D)
    MBW = manual Borg Warner transmission (5-speed T-5)
    02 = vents in hood, no hood scoop
    EL
    -H = Desert Tan interior trim color
    06
    2
    3
    2 = solid roof/sunroof door with power locks and/or power windows
    NLR
    '79 Fairmont Futura
    '79 Mercury Zephyr wagon
    '83 LTD Wagon - future Mustang "Sport" Wagon
    '84 Mercury Capri RS - 5.0 5spd
    Owner of Victory Engines and Machining, LLC
    g2G

  12. #12
    FEP Member brianj's Avatar
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    I love these cars. I'd have rather had a Capri than a Mustang, but they are very hard to find up where I am. The RS nose, with ASC or Cobra side skirts, an ASC or Cobra rear valance, and it's my perfect Fox.
    1983 Mustang G.T. No-option stripper- I like strippers.
    5.0, GT40P heads, Comp Cams XE270HR-12 on 1.6 rockers, TFI spring kit, Weiand 174 blower, Holley 750 mechanical secondarys, Mishimoto radiator, Edelbrock street performer mechanical pump, BBK shortys, T-5 conversion, 8.8 rear, 3.73 gears, carbon fiber clutches, SS Machine lowers, Maximum Motorsport XL subframes, "B" springs.

  13. #13
    FEP Member
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    Back in High School sum 25+ years ago, even then Capri’s where not all that common. Not here anyway. Wow oh wow to find the one you did! It sure is a sharp combo. It’s so very cool.

  14. #14

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    I have liked the Capri ever since I was 17 years old and saw one on the local Ford dealership lot. I wanted it so bad but I knew I could not afford the insurance on it, so I tucked my head and walked away.

    Great looking project.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by brianj View Post
    I love these cars. I'd have rather had a Capri than a Mustang, but they are very hard to find up where I am. The RS nose, with ASC or Cobra side skirts, an ASC or Cobra rear valance, and it's my perfect Fox.
    Perfect for me would be the Saleen side skirts and rear valence with the ASC wing. I like the ASC rear tailight covers, but they look cool without them too! So many ways to go!

    Quote Originally Posted by boss82gt View Post
    Back in High School sum 25+ years ago, even then Capri’s where not all that common. Not here anyway. Wow oh wow to find the one you did! It sure is a sharp combo. It’s so very cool.
    Thanks man! Lot's of hours perusing Craigslist. And at least 3 or 4 heartbreaks, because they were just too far away or sold before I could get to'em. Or they had T-tops or a sunroof and I wanted a solid roof car!

    Quote Originally Posted by 19mousetang84 View Post
    I have liked the Capri ever since I was 17 years old and saw one on the local Ford dealership lot. I wanted it so bad but I knew I could not afford the insurance on it, so I tucked my head and walked away.

    Great looking project.
    Thanks! Join the fun, save up some cash and start scouring Craigslist!
    '79 Fairmont Futura
    '79 Mercury Zephyr wagon
    '83 LTD Wagon - future Mustang "Sport" Wagon
    '84 Mercury Capri RS - 5.0 5spd
    Owner of Victory Engines and Machining, LLC
    g2G

  16. #16

    Default

    Last night I changed the water pump that was leaking from the weep hole and rear cover.

    I fabricated and added a couple of brackets to hold the bottom of the electric fan to the aluminum radiator. It only had those radiator "zip ties" at the bottom previously.

    I reworked the radiator clamps and replaced the rubber pads on them.

    No pictures, I'm so used to just knocking something out that I forgot I have a build thread to update!

    I'll do better to remember next time and snap some pics.

    - Daniel
    '79 Fairmont Futura
    '79 Mercury Zephyr wagon
    '83 LTD Wagon - future Mustang "Sport" Wagon
    '84 Mercury Capri RS - 5.0 5spd
    Owner of Victory Engines and Machining, LLC
    g2G

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