Good morning! Today we’re taking a look at a couple of cool little rear-wheel-drive coupes from the Pacific Northwest, both with the same aftermarket carburetor: the common Weber DGV. Which one wears it better? That’s what we aim to find out.
Yesterday, we looked at two Swedish station wagons, and in what might be a first, the Saab has lost the vote. Was it the Opel V6? The automatic? Or the fear over finding parts to fit a completely defunct brand? Whatever it was, I guess a Saab had to lose eventually, and it’s only fitting that it lose to a Volvo.
I’m torn on this one, myself. I love the looks of the Saab, and I have some experience with a GM-era 900, which was a really nice car to drive. But then again, I have some experience with a GM-era 900, which was a colossal pain in the ass to live with. So I guess I’ll go Volvo, just because I’ve never had one before, and get to experience a whole new set of old-car problems.
If you’ve spent any time at all around four-cylinder engines from the 1970s, chances are you’ve come across one with a Weber 32/36 DGV carburetor fitted. This downdraft progressive two-barrel carb has been fitted to just about every smallish to medium-sized engine you can think of. They’re popular choices for cars originally choked with smog equipment, like the late MG and Triumph models, and they’re an easy way to work around issues with feedback carbs on vehicles like Toyota and Datsun pickups. With the right intake manifold, jets, and tuning, you can adapt them to just about anything. They’re easy to spot by their rectangular air filter.
Both of today’s cars have been modified with Weber carbs, and in both cases, I bet it was a serious improvement over the stock setup – even if one of them doesn’t exactly run at the moment. Let’s take a look.
1976 Ford (Mercury) Capri – $3,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.3-liter overhead cam inline 4, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Aloha, OR
Odometer reading: 20,000 miles (probably rolled over)
Operational status: Runs and drives well
In the 1970s, Ford offered a sporty two-door coupe that was smaller than its previous offerings, and didn’t have a V8 available, but it handled pretty well and had a unique style all its own. It also, for some reason, offered the Mustang II. Seriously, lots of people over the years have asked why Ford didn’t just develop the Capri into the second-generation Mustang, instead of importing it as-is and selling it strictly through Lincoln-Mercury dealers.
Fitting the V8 may have been a challenge; the Capri’s engine bay was only designed for four cylinders and the narrow Cologne V6. This one has the 2.3-liter overhead-cam four seen in millions of Pintos, Mustangs, and Rangers. In addition to the aforementioned Weber carb, I also see an aftermarket radiator and a smattering of other new parts. The seller says it runs and drives very well, and is fun to drive. I don’t doubt it.
Inside, it’s got newer seats and an aftermarket steering wheel, both welcome upgrades, and the rest of the interior looks pretty good. I feel like I should recognize those seats, but I can’t place them. If someone else knows where they’re from, please enlighten me.
Outside is where it could use some work. It’s in primer, and the seller has done a bunch of body work already, but it still has a little bit of rust to clean up, and then it will need paint. Though I suppose for this price, you could just grab a Harbor Freight paint gun and go for it. Capris aren’t rare enough to warrant a full-on rotisserie repaint, but it would be nice to see it shiny.
1979 Toyota Celica GT Liftback – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Kenmore, WA
Odometer reading: 15,000 miles (also probably rolled over)
Operational status: Cranks but won’t start, previous owner screwed something up
Speaking of Ford’s pony car, it was the inspiration for the Toyota Celica as well, originally based on the Corona platform, but with swoopy coupe bodywork. In its second generation, the Celica got less swoopy, but more practical, and gained a reputation as an excellent sporty alternative to boring economy cars, especially the Liftback body style like this.
Later Celicas distinguished the ST model from the GT by a difference in horsepower, but in 1979 they all had the same 20R four-cylinder, the engine that made Toyota’s trucks famous. This one has a Weber carb and an exhaust header, installed by the original owner, to help it breathe a little better. Unfortunately, the owner in between that person and the current seller seems to have been a bit inept, and somehow did something to the ignition wiring that’s preventing it from starting. It ran and drove well when they bought it, but the current seller bought it non-running, and it doesn’t sound like they really know what they’re doing either. I’m sure either Stephen Gossin or I, or someone else with some troubleshooting experience, could have it humming in an afternoon.
It’s in good shape generally, which leads me to believe its five-digit odometer has only rolled over once, for a total of 115,000 miles. I’m sure the dash top is cracked under that cover, and there is a bad spot in the vinyl on the driver’s seat from where the seatbelt rubs, but apart from that it looks good inside. Or rather, it would, if someone attacked it with a shop vac and some Armor-All. Presentation, people. It matters.
Outside, it’s faded, but rust-free, and features the requisite aftermarket rear window louvers. Apart from those and some cheap fog lights, it looks completely stock outside, which I haven’t seen in years. I can’t tell if the hood is ajar in this photo, or if it has a slight bend in it; hopefully it’s just the former.
By now it’s pretty well-known that I love little sports coupes like this. I’d happily take on either one of these as a project, and have a blast nursing them back to health. But as always, it’s not up to me. The decision is yours.
(Image credits: sellers)
Owned both of these, within a year of each other.
Toyota wins today.
Owned both of these, within a year of each other.
Toyota wins today.
Easy choice.
Mechanical/electrical work > Body work
But like everyone else says, today is a both button day!
My heart wants the Capri, but the Toyota is a better fit for me as I am a wiring expert, not a panel beater.
I do believe those are the front seats from a Mazda, proabably a Mazda 3. The seat bottoms scream RX-8, but those had integrated head rests.
I had the exact same seat thought, it looks like an RX-8 bottom with some other top, but that is amazingly unlikely so probably a Mazda I just haven’t seen before.
Toyota once again for the win. I owned both of these examples, but the Capri had the V6. And have owned a 4 banger Pinto as well.
This Capri bears bigly signs of a boy racer toy. And sketchy bodywork, prep.
I don’t want to deal with another, especially with a Pinto engine.
But I know the Toyota inside out. The 20R is a fantastic engine. Should run till the sun burns out for good. And parts should be much easier to source too.
YMMV as always kids.
Now THIS is what I’m talking about. If you’d thrown in an Opel Manta for a 1v1v1 showdown, I’d be here for an hour trying to decide which to take.
However, as much as I love Ford’s “sexy European,” we’ll go with the Toyota. The Calty Celicas have aged very well, and the rest of the car is bulletproof.
I like them both, but I voted for the Toyota. It’s an awesome yellow color, and it’s more in stock condition.
I really like the Mk2 Capri and agree it should’ve been the Mustang II. Also, fuck the idiot that put primer over the original orange (look under the hood). The original color was an awesome shade of orange.
Here’s what the Mustang’s timeline should’ve been:
64-68 original Mustang
69-86 Euro Capri
87-97 Probe
98-03 New Edge Cougar
04-present modern Mustangs
Oh God no.
The Capri, without its V8 and propensity to rust would’ve been just as reviled, if not more so, than the Mustang II, especially since it’s German. The backlash against the Probe as a Mustang from customers and dealers proved that keeping the fox and developing the SN95 was the right choice. The New Edge Cougars with the V6 were a nightmare to work on sometimes, and you notice that there’s virtually NONE around anymore, right? I mean, I see Mustang IIs more often. (And I’m actively looking for a New Edge Cougar for a specific project.)
Here’s the thing, I love and haved owned 2 Capris and 3 Mustang IIs (along with 5 other Mustangs) and my father has owned 2 Capris and a Mustang. My dad and I share the ’77 Capri I gifted him for father’s day 20 years ago, and we swapped a 302 into it. All three Capris we’ve owned (He had a ’77 2.3 and the current ’77, I had a ’76 2.8 and the current ’77) were southern cars, and all three had rusted out rockers and quarters. It’s a large part of why you don’t see them anymore, and why the one in this article needs so much body work.
After driving a Ford Capri in West Germany during his Air Force days, my dad bought a ’76 Capri when he came back to the States. My grandfather thought he paid too much money for such a small car. Of all the cars he’s owned, it was his favorite. I voted for the Capri
I voted Celica.
And the seats in the Capri are Mazdaspeed 3 seats.
Thank you! I knew they looked familiar.
They’re both pretty attractive options. I was all over the Capri at first but the Celica is probably the better car overall, and definitely looks better. The louvers did it tbh.
I’ve always liked the Capri, but that Celica has a warm spot in my heart – I got my first on-road manual transmission driving experience in one that was fairly similar to this. The yellow makes it an unmistakenly happy little thing as well – and having all of the wheels/caps/trim rings intact is incredible.
Went with the Celica, but it’s a “both” day for me. Lots of fun left in both these cars. I do worry a bit that the Capri may be made of Bondo but it’s still cool.
I’ll take the Saleeka (Top Gear voice). Too bad it doesn’t have the 22RE in it, but I bet we could source one. I like the Capri body style, but I like the Saleeka’s more
I went Capri because I like the body style better, but this is definitely a both kinda day. Also, I think those might be RX-8 seats? They look like it for the most part, but it looks like they have adjustable headrests whereas the RX-8 has fixed ones so maybe not but that was my first thought. The bolsters and the crotch leather look right.
I was definitely getting Mazda vibes from those seats as well.
My first car was a ’77 Celica GT hatchback, with the same 20R motor IIRC. I didn’t care for the looks of the next generation (which this example is) so the Capri is the car I’d rather own, even if the electrical trouble shooting is more up my alley than the body work. (Side note – I did actually paint that ’77 Celica myself. I’d be fairly confident in tackling another spray job, though this time without metal flake.)
This seems as good a time as any to say again that living in a salt-free climate must be amazing.
I haven’t seen a running example of either of these since I was a kid.
I work in IT, so no stranger to wiring of different network components, low voltage cabling, etc. I’ve done residential electrical work too, so let’s just add automotive to the list.
Celica for me, even though I have a soft spot for Capri’s. Incidentally, the aftermarket seats are a negative not a positive. Original Capri seats are puffy goodness, and should never be replaced. I also can’t live with the Pinto motor. Too much time in a high school friend’s wagon listening to its insufferable moan as my friend took it through the gears.
Coyote 5.0 swap.
You’d be pushing it to squeeze a 302 Windsor in that engine bay. No way an OHC Coyote would fit without a massive amount of bodywork.
There is a healthy enough aftermarket for the 2.3 Lima, including turbo kits, that will provide more than enough power. Or just swap an SVO Mustang or Thunderbird Turbo Coupe version in there.
I know it’s no one’s idea of a perfect engine, but could the Capri accept a 4.0 V6 from an Explorer or an S197 Mustang? It’s basically a bored-out Cologne V6, no?
I don’t know much about the 4.0 V6s. I think they are pushrod valves, so probably, unless it has some unusually wide V angle.
From what I have seen online, it looks like The 302 Windsor actually fits well enough, so I’d go with that if power is the goal, or stick with a modded Lima if agility is prioritized.
Coyote swap has already been done in a Capri.
I searched and found the Goblin Works’ Capri. It does look like they did something with the wheel wells (patches to widen the engine bay?) and there was a comment about new steering parts, I presume to work around the much larger engine. I am, however, very surprised that it doesn’t look like they had to do nearly as much as I would have expected to get it to fit.
The engine bay of my ’77 Capri is so big that even the 302 looks small-ish in it. There would be a bit of work to make a Coyote fit, but my first move would probably be an SN-95 crossmember, modified to fit. The brake upgrade from that alone would be worth it. I’m not sure exactly how they did the Coyote swap, but I watched a video of a green one with a Coyote at a dragstrip (might be the same one) awhile back.
The Goblin Works is a UK restomod, very different from the green drag racer which I also saw. I was not able to find any build info on it other than a parts list from a Hemmings listing.
I did see some Windsor 302 swaps and was surprised how well they fit. Without knowing details, looks like it would be a relatively easy swap.
I agree that any mod that upgrades brakes would be well worth the effort when quadrupling the HP, as well as adding a couple of hundred pounds.
Co-sign re: the seats. One shot of that back seat shows what could have been.
Yellow, manual, RWD? Celica all day!!
Body work sucks.
I could go Perana routine with dropping V8 engine in Capri and call it a hot rod…
This is the way.
I like the style and intact paint of the Celica. I’ll roll the dice on a relatively simple fix to get it going. The Capris looks like a solid deal for someone more inclined towards paint and body work than I am. My OCD tendencies would never let me be satisfied with anything but a professional respray.
Celica definitely wins on condition overall but I had to vote Capri because it’s the closest thing to the MkII Escort I had in high school that I could find here in the US. Always had a soft spot for small Fords.
20R wins the day. This is the engine that made me fall in love with mechanical sounds.
The electrical systems in these Celicas seems a lot more intimidating than they actually are. It’s always been my thought that the first think I would do with an old car is just entirely rewire the damn thing, and over-spec the wires. ymmv, since I work for an electrical supply house, so I get steep discounts on wire/cable/terminations.
Yeah there’s just not much to it. Probably less than 10% of the wiring a modern Toyota has.
My dad and I did that to an old MGB back in the day. The entire wiring diagram fit on a single page in the service manual so my dad had it blown up and laminated. The car still overheated and warped heads on a regular basis but at least the electrical was all sorted!
Did the same to a TR6. All of a sudden the brake lights worked again!
I love Capris but not this one with the 2.3L. The Toyota has some great memories since my high school buddy had one and we hooned the daylights out of it. Gimme the Celica.
Why not the 2.3? It’s a great engine. I’ve had three of them. The one in my ’74 Mustang II ended up with a custom intake manifold, a Holley 4-barrel carburetor, an upgraded cam, and a header with a side-exit exhaust. With the 4-spd in that car it was a riot! You can also turbocharge them pretty easily, and they LOVE boost with a set of upgraded pistons.
Vibration. The 2.3 is tough and reasonably powerful but it’s crude. It’s fine in a Pinto and ok in a Mustang II. I’ve experienced a Capri with the smooth Cologne V6 and nothing else will do.
Fair enough. Ford did cheap out by not giving the things a balance shaft, and thought giving them soft motor mounts would hide it.