question for rare asc

[1985 Motorsport Capri]

so what your saying is there was 4 radios you could have gotten in 1985.
1 -am/fm MTR
2 - am/fm w/cass. - MTR
3 - am/fm w/cass. - ETR
4 - am/fm w/cass. - ETR - premium sound

this look correct?

[cobrajeff]

Sorry, I messed up in my last note (I have corrected it now). The MTR Cassette model was NOT offered in Capri, the base radio was just an AM/FM MTR. This radio was available with or without Premium Sound. The optional radio was the AM/FM/Cass ETR. This radio was also available with or without Premium Sound. So, two types of radios, offered in two flavors - with or without without PS.

The AM/FM/Cass MTR radio was available on Mustang, but NOT Capri for 1985.


regards,

Jeff

[RARE-ASC]

Thanks for the info was sure my 85 motorsport capri was all correct it even still has original tires, plug wires things like that this a untouched one so i guess i got a little carryed away on this radio thing

[1985 Motorsport Capri]

The AM/FM/Cass MTR radio was available on Mustang, but NOT Capri for 1985

not true. i had a friend who purchased a brand new 1985 capri gs v-6 at
mercury dealership in dearborn(currently Krug lincoln/mercury)
he wanted a mustang. parents said no since it was partaly being paid for by parents. he said capri, & they had no idea what a capri was but said OK. i went with him to the dealer to pick it out. dad seen the plain jane base model on show room floor & gave the go ahead. Mike optioned out a RS w/5-speed, t-tops, premium sound, a.c., cruise...the works.
His dad seen the overall cost from the salesman & nearly had a heart attach. over 13 grand. mike then had to remove some of the options.
5.0 was the first to go. powerlocks, t-roof & cruise control all gone.
premium sound also went. mike wanted a radio with cassette & dealer added one not as pricey as the premium sound.
he picked up the car at the dealer & it had a am/fm w/cass MTR.
i believe it may have had the amp(not sure though).
also had a friend who bought a 86 mustang lx convert new & the same exact radio was in it.

could this have been a dealer installed thing on this particular 85 capri gs? kind of to please the cust & get the sale?

[RARE-ASC]

MOST LIKLEY YES WAS A DEALER ADD ON!

[cobrajeff]

I would say it was most likely Dealer-installed. Royal Radio in Royal Oak was (and still is) the factory-authorized Ford radio Service Center. They would come out to Krug L/M or Village Ford and install any radio the dealer wanted.

According to Ford's records (I suppose there is a CHANCE there could be an error in there) there were ZERO Capri's built in 1985 (and 1986) with the MTR Cassette radio.

I do recall that we had some pretty serious supply issues in late 1985/early 1986, as we moved radio production from the US and Canada to Brazil and Mexico. We built a LOT more cars with NO radios than we ever intended to. ETR type radios were in especially short supply, and we had to short (build as Radio Delete) many trucks and lower-level carlines to insure that every Lincoln had a radio. Those were NOT fun times.

regards,

Jeff

[RARE-ASC]

guess i feel lucky my gp4 was built with a factory installed ETR radio.

[Euro#13]

Jeff,

Can I pick your brain a little?

My '85 Cougar has the same style ETR radio (Cougar option code 586) as what was offered in the Capri, the only appearance difference being green lighting instead of red.
Are they the same radio or are the internals still going to be different since my Cougar has 6 speakers instead of four?

BTW, my Cougar has premium sound also (option code 913)

Also do you know if I can send my radio to Royal Radio for re-conditioning?

Thanks,
Brent

[cobrajeff]

Brent -

The ETR radio in your Cougar is the same as the Mustang/Capri radio except for the lighting color. The lighting can be changed - the bezel can be removed from the radio, then the printed circuit board can be detached from the bezel. The red display lighting comes from a filter glued into the bezel; the red backlighting on the bezel comes from thin colored rubber "booties" on the bulbs on the PC board.

Royal Radio has technicians on staff who can repair your radio (they have fixed the "WonderBar" radio in my '57 'Bird, and the AM/FM Mono out of my '65 Mustang). Biggest problem will be the supply of repair parts, as Ford no longer stocks this old stuff. Royal would probably have the parts on hand, or other "parts radios" that they could scavenge parts from.

regards,

Jeff

[Euro#13]

Jeff,

Thank you very much for the information. My Cougar radio still works fine but the reason for asking is that I would like to purchase a spare one.

I have bought used radios in the past that the seller claims work great but have been don't, so I'm a little shy about spending the money on a 20 year old radio sitting on a swapmeet bench.

Brent

[RARE-ASC]

thanks for the great info cobrajeff!