In 1983 I was 17 years old and owned a Chevy Vega. It was my first car and it was JUNK! My Dad and I were out looking for my 2nd car and I was interested in Fox Mustangs.
We went to several dealerships and test drove a few, but they just didn't excite me because the ones in my price range were all in pretty rough shape. I was just about to give up when my Dad called a dealership about an hour away and asked them if they had any used Mustangs on their lot for under $1800. They said, "No, but we have a 1979 Mercury Capri if you're intersted". Neither of us had a clue what a Capri was, but the salesman said it was similar to the Mustang, so we just HAD to see what it was all about.
When we got there, the salesman was with another customer, but pointed out to the lot where it was sitting and said we could go look at it. It was cold out, so my Dad waited in the showroom while I walked out to look it over.
When my eyes fell on this car it was instant bliss! I immediately thought it was better looking than any Mustang I'd seen up to that point. It was a black 1979 Ghia with the 2.8 V6 with a 4 speed and red interior. Here's the best pic I could find.
I will never forget the feeling I got seeing this first Capri. Needless to say, I bought it. Absolutely loved the car and drove it non stop for the next two years.
Then one night I was out cruising and went by a Ford dealership and saw another Capri out of the corner of my eye. I pulled u-turn and checked it out. It was a Maroon '84 5.0 5 speed RS bubble back with T-tops. The only Capri I'd ever seen other than my black '79. It was the same feeling of total bliss all over again.
Within two days, I'd traded my '79 for it. Man, the pull of that V8 was pure sex!!
I went on to own a few others along the way and at age 43, I currently own 4 Capris and have never owned a Mustang. The whole point of this thread is to say, no matter how many of them I've owned, I still get that "feeling" whenever come out of a store and see one of mine sitting in a parking lot. Even when I see pics of other members Capris on this site I get the same giddy look on my face.
I don't think I'll ever loose that feeling either... if I haven't yet, I probably never will. I've come to realize that a Capri is the only car for me even though I have owned and currently own other modes of transportation. No other car has ever come close to giving me the same level of excitement. Just thought I'd share. Sorry if all this sound sappy.
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