My father rented one of these years ago after one of his business trips to Raleigh when he was some sort of executive with Burlington Industries. Objectively, it's sad to say I didn't know what he did for a living when I was young but such was my relationship with him. Anyway, he hated the little thing but I was in love with it. Truly, madly, deeply in love. I still am if you must know.
Ford did little right in the years of my misbegotten childhood and not making these Ford of Germany built little cars the 1971 Mustang or the 1974 Mustang II was one of their most glaring errors. Although woefully if not painfully under-powered, at least at first, these cars were evidence that someone working for Ford had a clue as to what an automobile should, would and could be.
The fact that it could have been a Mustang is borne out of the fact that Ford of Germany, having seen the furious pace that the 1964 1/2 Mustang sold, began almost immediately to design a Mustang of their own. And is so often the case, especially the Ford Motor Company with having their good ideas bested by the competition, what became known as the Ford Capri "over there" was, save for being slower, a vastly superior "Mustang" to any Mustang Ford pushed out. Well, at least up through 1979.
That dreary fall day back on Long Island when my father drove my brother and I to school in that rental was one of the highlights of my third grade days at good old "Oaks School" in Oceanside, New York. A day when I could (but didn't) brag to my classmates with unbridled enthusiasm, "look what my dad is driving". Had I done that I probably would have also told them to pay no mind to the red-faced portly man driving it whom was slamming as many curse words together as he could as he attempted to manipulate it's manual transmission and unassisted power steering.
In the days before the first energy crisis, which, incidentally, was a forgone conclusion that it was going to happen sooner than later, imports were already gaining traction in this country and Ford scurried about looking for a gas sipping car for Mercury to sell. They never called these things "Mercury Capri's" but rather simply if not oddly just "Capri...Imported for Lincoln-Mercury". What's in a name anyway, right?
Why they didn't simply badge engineer a Pinto as a Mercury, as they would eventually starting in 1975, is beyond me. Then again, attempting to figure out what megalomaniac, apolitically run car companies do and did (and will do) is a fruitless exercise. Of course, I'm glad they didn't.
If these cars had any weakness in their fetlocks, it was that they were expensive to build and ship around the world. That pretty much explains why Ford didn't seriously think about selling them wholesale as a Mustang. They were pushed to the back of Lincoln-Mercury showrooms thus becoming fairly boutique in a way.
Somehow and for whatever reason, L-M sold these through 1978 complete with a debate-ably tasteful reboot and reskin for model year 1976 complete with an updated name, "Capri II". Ford was seemingly obsessed with "II" in the '70's what with the Mustang II, the LTD II and what not. When Ford ushered in the new Mustang for 1979, apparently believing there was some equity in the "Capri" nameplate, Ford slapped "Capri" on a Mustang and, voila, Mercury had a Mustang. Again. Keep in mind that Mercury's 1968-1970 and 1971-1973 Cougar were Mustang's in a very fancy and alluring suit. Well, the '68'-'70 Cougars anyways. Jury still in session about the latter ones.
My father left Burlington Industries shortly after our jaunt in that little car and his next job kept him grounded with no business trips. It was a job working a law firm bur he wasn't a lawyer so, just I have no idea what he did. This much I do know, like most people, rentals or "company cars" from then on were few and far between.
No comments:
Post a Comment