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  1. #1
    FEP Power Member bigjason_5's Avatar
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    Default My 1983 Crimson Cat 5.0L 4-speed T-tops; pics inside!

    Well, many of you already know that I have a Crimson Cat, but I think this thread is still in order. From the beginning, I purchased my Crimson Cat last fall from a life-long friend of mine, who is also a member here (Crimsoncat66). He listed the car for sale on eBay, and I was the winning bidder.

    Thus far, I have replaced the rear seat with a mint original acquired from another member here. From same said member, I also acquired an original set of Crimson Cat TRX wheels. I refinished the wheels, adding a little of my own personal touch to spice them up. You can find the thread on the wheel refinishing here:

    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?t=84008

    Another thing I have done since getting the car is to mask off and repaint the faded Crimson Cat gold stripes. A new kit was a bit more than I wanted to spend, so since they were mostly still there, but badly faded, I thought I'd try painting them on instead. It came out very well. I am very pleased with it. You can find the thread on the stripe painting here:

    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?t=82860

    Another thing worth mentioning would be that I touched up all the interior silver trim accents with a silver sharpie. It had all rubbed off over time, so I just went over it with the sharpie and it looked very nice again. As an update, the silver is still holding up! You can find the thread on the sharpie touch-up here:

    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?t=81127

    Well, other than that, the car is mechanically very sound. The paint has its blemishes in the form of some scratches and fading, especially on the plastic bumpers, but overall, for original paint, it looks very nice. I intend on keeping the paint original, since the paint scheme is a big part of what this car is. I do intend on touching up the scratches and addressing small details.

    Future projects include reinstalling all the emissions components, including the evap canisters and smog pump. I will also be reinstalling the cruise control, which was previously removed. If funds and parts hunting allows, I would eventually like to reinstall A/C. I do have the lines and compressor, but the pulley is bad and I do not have the condenser. For now, I'll also give some of the more technical information.

    The Buck tag is as follows:

    CAPRI
    609572 61D F TR 0045
    277 DF ST
    AC 06 HB S
    CAR PW MOD 02 V
    ELECTRIC-A NLR

    On the door tag:

    Build date is 01/83
    1MEBP79F1DF609572
    BODY: 61D
    INT. TRIM: KA
    A/C: G
    R: 7
    S: D
    AX: Z
    TR: 4LLJJ

    I will also post that info in the decoding section for anyone's enjoyment.

    As far as the original owner, I have been unable to track him down personally, but when I was replacing the rear seat, I found an old credit card receipt with a date in 1985 and a name. It was from Fresno, CA, and there is also a Fresno City College parking sticker on the windshield from 1991. I searched for the name in Fresno, and I was able to find some old court records, but just from a divorce and without any kind of contact information. A search on Facebook led me to someone with the same name, only Jr. and much, much younger. I sent a message, wondering if it was possibly his son. Turns out, it was, and he remembered the car, but hadn't spoken to his father in over ten years. He didn't want to talk anymore about it, and things sort of dead-ended there.

    Anyway, like I promised, here are a few pics of the car to check out. I will be updating this thread as I get more and more accomplished. Until then, I hope you Crimson Cat fans enjoy!

    This is how it sits right now in my garage:


    This one is with the old wheels:


    Here is a shot of the interior:


    Another interior shot:


    Here is a wheel pic before I cleaned it up and painted it:


    And here is one after:


    Here is a close-up of the stripes on the hood (Which were quite the PITA to mask off):


    And the stripes on the side:


    Ok, well, that's about all I have right now. I will most likely do a little cleaning/detailing at some point this week, since the weather is supposed to be sunny and nice. If I do, I'll post a couple more recent pictures.

    So, that's my Crimson Cat. Thank you for looking!
    1985 Mercury Capri GS - 5.0, 5-Speed, Ported E7s, FMS F303, TFS Valve Springs, Summit Stage 2 Intake, Holley Street Avenger 570, BBK Longtubes, BBK O/R H-Pipe, Flowmasters, Dumps, FRPP HD Clutch, Pro 5.0, Rear Upper and Lower Control Arms, and tons of satisfaction when I can say, "I just beat you with a Mercury!"

    1983 Mercury Capri RS Crimson Cat - 5.0, 4-Speed, T-roof.

  2. #2
    FEP Senior Member silver85horse's Avatar
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    Cool history and nice car! Sounds like you've managed to personalize it in a way that is both cost-effective and visually pleasing.

    So, from what I've read, I assume you're going to try to restore it to as close to stock as possible? That's a great plan, if you ask me.

  3. #3
    FEP Power Member bigjason_5's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by silver85horse View Post
    Cool history and nice car! Sounds like you've managed to personalize it in a way that is both cost-effective and visually pleasing.

    So, from what I've read, I assume you're going to try to restore it to as close to stock as possible? That's a great plan, if you ask me.
    I am planning on getting it as close to stock as possible, taking cost into account, of course. Cosmetically, it is pretty much there with the exception of the radio. Under the hood needs some work. It's a bit messy and there are quite a few missing parts. It'll be a long project. I have time and I'm not in a hurry. It runs and drives beautifully for now, so at least I can fully enjoy it!
    1985 Mercury Capri GS - 5.0, 5-Speed, Ported E7s, FMS F303, TFS Valve Springs, Summit Stage 2 Intake, Holley Street Avenger 570, BBK Longtubes, BBK O/R H-Pipe, Flowmasters, Dumps, FRPP HD Clutch, Pro 5.0, Rear Upper and Lower Control Arms, and tons of satisfaction when I can say, "I just beat you with a Mercury!"

    1983 Mercury Capri RS Crimson Cat - 5.0, 4-Speed, T-roof.

  4. #4
    FEP Power Member bigjason_5's Avatar
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    Here's another pic I took today while the sun was shining. It's still a cell phone pic, but that's all I have to use right now. At least there was more light for this one.

    1985 Mercury Capri GS - 5.0, 5-Speed, Ported E7s, FMS F303, TFS Valve Springs, Summit Stage 2 Intake, Holley Street Avenger 570, BBK Longtubes, BBK O/R H-Pipe, Flowmasters, Dumps, FRPP HD Clutch, Pro 5.0, Rear Upper and Lower Control Arms, and tons of satisfaction when I can say, "I just beat you with a Mercury!"

    1983 Mercury Capri RS Crimson Cat - 5.0, 4-Speed, T-roof.

  5. #5

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    nice car.if thats the original paint your car looks in very good shape

  6. #6
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    What A SWEET Car!!! Now that is very rare...I've never seen one in person.

  7. #7
    FEP Power Member bigjason_5's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SoundsGood View Post
    nice car.if thats the original paint your car looks in very good shape
    It is the original paint, and it is in fairly nice condition. There are some scratches and chips I want to get touched up, and the front bumper is badly faded, but other than that it is really nice for an over 27 year old car. I've thought about having the bumper resprayed, but I may leave it. At least it is still all red, and I can wipe a little Armor-All on it for car shows to give it just enough shine to blend into the rest of the car.

    Quote Originally Posted by Boomer82gt View Post
    What A SWEET Car!!! Now that is very rare...I've never seen one in person.
    I had never seen one until I saw this one. Since then I've seen two others, but both were incomplete cars and in sad shape. Other than the buck tags, they wouldn't have been recognized as Crimson Cats. A couple have popped up here and there for sale, but I've not seen any listed as nice for a long time. I think I'll be holding on to this one. It is interesting, at the least.
    1985 Mercury Capri GS - 5.0, 5-Speed, Ported E7s, FMS F303, TFS Valve Springs, Summit Stage 2 Intake, Holley Street Avenger 570, BBK Longtubes, BBK O/R H-Pipe, Flowmasters, Dumps, FRPP HD Clutch, Pro 5.0, Rear Upper and Lower Control Arms, and tons of satisfaction when I can say, "I just beat you with a Mercury!"

    1983 Mercury Capri RS Crimson Cat - 5.0, 4-Speed, T-roof.

  8. #8
    FEP Super Member 86asccoupe20's Avatar
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    Very nice. Thanks for all the info. A friend of mine was questionong whether his was a real crimson cat. How do you tell? His is red and has the same seats.
    Stan
    1986 Ford Mustang Saleen #80 Gray/gray
    1986 Mercury Capri ASC McLaren Coupe#20 Black/silver, gone.
    1985 GT Silver/gray T-top car, gone
    1985 Canyon Red Turbo coupe, gone

  9. #9
    FEP Supporter 75coug's Avatar
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    Your car is sooooooo great. Thanks for starting this thread.
    Robert

    1986 ascMcLaren SC 5.0 -red
    1985 Capri GS (w/ 5.0) - red
    1985 Capri 5.0L - black
    1984 ascMcLaren SC 5.0 - white
    1984 Capri GS (w/ 5.0) - white
    1983 Capri RS Crimson Cat - red
    1982 Capri RS Black Magic - white
    1982 Cougar wagon
    1982 Mustang GT - red

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by 86asccoupe20 View Post
    Very nice. Thanks for all the info. A friend of mine was questionong whether his was a real crimson cat. How do you tell? His is red and has the same seats.
    Have him check the buck tag, it should have CAT on it.
    86 ASC Capri 'vert #0001
    86 ASC Capri 'vert 3.8 v6
    85 GPIV - The Official Pace car
    85 ASC Capri 'vert - black
    85 ASC Coupe - modified
    85 ASC coupe - roller
    83 Crimson Cat - V6
    66 Cobra replica

  11. #11
    FEP Senior Member
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    Very sharp car. That paint looks great. Did you try Meguiars ultimate compound followed by either gold class or tech wax on your bumper? Try it by hand. I highly recommend these products on original single stage finishes. I would stay clear of armour all. I think these kinds of products will contribute to degrading the paint over time.

  12. #12

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    nice job! wish I had the time and moolah to return to restoring my BM right now. Couple more months and then maybe!

  13. #13
    britneyj91
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    Default HELP!

    My Dad had A 1983 Mercury Capri Crison Cat when he married my mom. It was red and looked identical to the one in these pictures. There 25th wedding anniversary is coming up and we are trying to remake their wedding and have a surprise vowel renewal for them. I found everything I need so far but the car!!! I live in SC and was wondering if you had any idea of where I could start looking. He couldn't have picked a more impossible car to find. He loved it and my mom called it "his other girlfriend" the whole time they were dating! I know that having the car there would really make the whole day for him. PLEASE let me know if you have any ideas! My e-mail address is Britneyj91@yahoo.com Thanks!

  14. #14

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    I love my crimson cat
    83 t top 4 speed 5.0 : )

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