When did you buy

fredzilla · Post by **fredzilla** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:16 pm

I've owned my 86 CAPRI for uhhh....19 years now.Where
did the years go...

Just curious...
How many years..??? Have you owned your car(s).
Any other original owners ?
Anyone buy one new ?...then sell it years later ?
Any rescent purchases made by anyone ?

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 11:48 pm

I bought my 1986 Coupe new and my 1990 'Vert new (the Blue one). The Silver 1990 I bought when it was 12 years old, with 7,300 miles on it.

n20capri · Post by **n20capri** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 1:49 am

I got my car 11 years ago...I believe I was the 3rd owner...I remember the first thing I said when I saw it:
"I'd take it" lol.

She had 58k miles on her. (has just over 70k now). It was all stock except for flowmaster mufflers...lol. It had the original radio but at the time I didn't have a clue and I swapped it out for the Kenwood I had in my 79 coupe. Oh well...live and learn.

After driving something that no one else has for 11 years, I'm spoiled and will never be able to have a normal car again. Looks like I'm a limited edition only buyer from now on...lol (Think they can see me comin? lol)

cobrajeff · Post by **cobrajeff** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:17 pm

My Dad bought his black 1985 McLaren Capri roadster new in April, 1986 - it was a new-car leftover at Tom Botzum L/M in Akron, Ohio. He didn't have a garage on the house back then, only a carport. For the Winter, he took the sliding glass doors off their tracks, and drove the McLaren into the family room for safe keeping.

He didn't want to drive the McLaren in the Winter, and started looking for a used McLaren coupe for a Winter driver (!) After checking out several coupes, he finally decided it might be more practical to buy just one car, not as rare as the McLaren, to drive year 'round.

In February, 1987, he took delivery of a new bright red Mustang GT hatchback - that's when I got the McLaren from him. I kept it for the next fifteen years, covered up in the garage with a soft car cover, and only taken out when the weather was nice.

In 2002, I decided to fulfill a life-long dream to buy an early Thunderbird. I knew that, with only a three car garage, something was going to have to go. It was an agonizing decision - the McLaren my Dad bought new, the HiPo Mustang convertible I'd spent thirty years looking for, the '57 Thunderbird I'd always wanted, or the 289 FIA Cobra replica I had built myself. My younger Brother (Dahberg) helped me out - he said he didn't want the car to go "out of the family" (neither did I), so, in August, 2003, he flew to Detroit for the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise and bought the McLaren from me. After particpating in the Dream Cruise with it, he drove it back to his home in sunny California.

I miss Dad's McLaren, but I can still go back out to my Brother's to visit it. I actually think he is taking better care of it than I was.

regards,
cobrajeff

tfs2121 · Post by **tfs2121** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 3:01 pm

well its been a really long time actuly since i posted but i do still have my car...

i got my car in october of 2004 it needed alot of work so i put alot of time alot more money and alot of swet into making it look good again i got alot of help from mike negus i thank him verry much....

so i guess that means i have had my car for 1 year and 5 months i just wish i could drive it... to bad its hibernating

~Peter

n20capri · Post by **n20capri** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 3:54 pm

tfs2121 wrote:well its been a really long time actuly since i posted but i do still have my car...

i got my car in october of 2004 it needed alot of work so i put alot of time alot more money and alot of swet into making it look good again i got alot of help from mike negus i thank him verry much....

so i guess that means i have had my car for 1 year and 5 months i just wish i could drive it... to bad its hibernating

~Peter

Hibernating?? Come on...drive it...lol...I was out bangin' gears and roasting the tires on mine last night...

tfs2121 · Post by **tfs2121** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 4:03 pm

n20capri wrote:
tfs2121 wrote:well its been a really long time actuly since i posted but i do still have my car...

i got my car in october of 2004 it needed alot of work so i put alot of time alot more money and alot of swet into making it look good again i got alot of help from mike negus i thank him verry much....

so i guess that means i have had my car for 1 year and 5 months i just wish i could drive it... to bad its hibernating

~Peter
Hibernating?? Come on...drive it...lol...I was out bangin' gears and roasting the tires on mine last night...

yeah but there is still snow on the ground in Michigan where the car is... and plus i live in ohio and i only get to see it on the weekends

JBanks523 · Post by **JBanks523** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 4:34 pm

Bought my 87' in August of 2000 with 8,430 miles on it. The car had never seen rain, snow, or any weather other than sunny skies and warm. I didn't know what it was, I just thought, wow! Thats a really nice looking Fox Body with ultra low-miles!!! I am the third owner, the original owner picked it up in Rhode Island in 87 new, put about 5300 miles on it, and sold it to a buddy of mine in 91'. He had it from 91' to August 2000 when I bought it. In the 9 year span, he only put on about 3,040 miles on it. Unfortunately, I bought it when I was still in College, and cranked the miles up to about 46,000...

Since Finishing school, the car is once again in Connecticut in the garage, covered, and I drive it every so often in the summer on really nice days (I think I took it out 5 times last summer). I think about selling it every now and then, especially with a baby on the way, but thankfully, it hasn't sold yet!!!

n20capri · Post by **n20capri** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 4:51 pm

tfs2121 wrote:
n20capri wrote:
tfs2121 wrote:well its been a really long time actuly since i posted but i do still have my car...

i got my car in october of 2004 it needed alot of work so i put alot of time alot more money and alot of swet into making it look good again i got alot of help from mike negus i thank him verry much....

so i guess that means i have had my car for 1 year and 5 months i just wish i could drive it... to bad its hibernating

~Peter
Hibernating?? Come on...drive it...lol...I was out bangin' gears and roasting the tires on mine last night...
yeah but there is still snow on the ground in Michigan where the car is... and plus i live in ohio and i only get to see it on the weekends

Ahhhhh...snow and long distance relationships are no good...lol. We are finally done with the snow here thank god...it's been raining for a week straight so I was happy to be able to get her out last night...

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 8:11 pm

John Banks
87' Yellow/Black Top #70

1 of 23 made for 1987, John, followed by 21 for 1988. N.A. in 1989 and a new yellow called "Dino Yellow" was new-for-1990 ~ when 5 were made. Dino Yellow is lighter, and brighter than your "Hot Yellow", which is a darker shade.

hopkins1104 · Post by **hopkins1104** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 12:22 am

Bought my '89 vert "new" in early 1992 ..... was the last of 5 imports to be registered in Australia - a former show car for parades, etc with less than 150 miles on it (250 km). Now has less than 30K miles (50K Km)

Now at a cross-roads on keeping & spending some serious $ to bring back to its prime OR to sell/write-off ... OK to drive around, reliable enough but not pristine and somewhat tempremental. I need new blue roof, pull-down motor (biggest frustration when I can't get the roof down), heater/ac, seals all around, and new floor cover (then some minor cosmetic stuff which I can't fix in Australia)

Half-tempted to look at buying a good condition car in the USA and shipping to Australia for spares - but tough to do remotely...and cost may just be a deal breaker....

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 12:47 am

You are correct, and I can add more! I have found 1 other there and that owner knew alot. Heres what he told me:
5 to Australia and 3 to New Zealand = 8. They were (according to him) the last 8 Dash Plaque numbers, or 241 thru 249 of the 1989s, and that they were ALL one of the two blues: Azura Blue or Paris Blue. His was Azura. All had Regatta Blue intereior and Dark (Atlantic) Blue tops.
All were converted by the same company. I have pics of his car as well the underhood convertor's plaque which is a bright green. You have that too?

hopkins1104 · Post by **hopkins1104** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 3:53 am

Sandy,
A minor correction... I understand 3 of the 5 into Australia were Azure Blue (the NZ ones appear to be the other Blue) .. I have SEEN an all-white 89 Vert in Sydney (many eyars ago) and believe there is at least one other all white out there...

What's your thoughts on my dilemna of bringing mine back to pristine ?

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 4:14 am

When you say "All White ones" - they could NOT be "All White" because the white top & white interior were new-for-1990 and a mere 3 were made, and "Daddy" knows where they all are

and they are very much here in the USA. So, the cars you speak of have a color roof & interior other than white, I'd have to assume.... Well, okay, it might be a replacement roof, that IS possible....

I assume that your car is not a bad condition, so I'd say restore it, but do not invest too much. Enough to make it a presentable daily driver. Don't aim for the ultimate concours of Australia.

hopkins1104 · Post by **hopkins1104** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:22 am

Sandy,
I stand corrected... when I say all-white , I didn't mean to include the top .. just exterior, white wheel trim (I remember I didn't like it) & I believe White interior (but was a while ago) ...

I guess on mine, I really need some help on what I need to order to get the whole roof shabang back in prisitne nick.... from reliable release operation to seals and roof cover ... there just seem to be so many different seals in the parts listing I gave up .. maybe I need to take to our friend in Florida for a Bill of Materials ..and PRAY that nothing is screwed up by the Right Hand Drive convesrion that took place in 1990+

Ciao