Our Capri's new suspension...
Our Capri's new suspension components from Lakewood Industries and Moroso resolved the car's very erratic suspension antics, and we dropped the front sway bar finally to help with weight transfer and weight savings.
It's hard to believe, but the '85 Mercury Capri that we've been modifying over the last several issues is now 25 years old. That's two and a half decades since it rolled off the assembly line with its 5.0L powerplant and five-speed manual transmission. Overall, it's in pretty good shape for a four-eyed car, which so often are found beaten, abused, and generally thrashed.
We took the opportunity to modify this near-stock example with commonly available, budget-friendly speed parts and have had a great time running it at the dragstrip. After stopping the clocks in a staggeringly slow 15.10 seconds at 91 mph, we began modifying the Capri, first with a set of lightweight Weld Racing Draglite wheels from Summit Racing and Toyo Proxes 26x9 slicks and skinnies. We bumped the timing and powershifted the T-5 transmission to a best time of 14.46 at 92.9 mph. Then we broke the stock 7.5 rear differential.
Our suspension mods start...
Our suspension mods start with upper and lower boxed control arms (PN 20152 upper; PN 20150 lower) from Lakewood Industries. Lakewood also sent us a set of its venerable 90/10 front drag struts (PN 40511) and 50/50 rear shocks (PN 40301). The control arms feature new urethane bushings and are fully serviceable using the supplied grease fittings.
MPS Auto Salvage set us up with a used 8.8 axle assembly, and we stuffed it with Moser 28-spline axle shafts and a 3.73 Richmond ring and pinion, all from Summit Racing Equipment. We were then able to whittle the 60-foot time down and improved our quarter-mile e.t. to a 14.26 at 94.10 mph before dropping on a new Holley 4160 600-cfm carburetor. That put us down to a 14.14 at 94.9 mph. From there, we installed a new ignition system from Performance Distributors, as well as a Weiand Street Dominator dual-plane intake manifold from Summit Racing Equipment. With these parts, e.t.'s dropped to 14.06, 14.04, 13.98, and a 13.94 with trap speeds attaining 97 mph. Our 60-foot times dropped as well, into the high 1.8-second range.
Next on our agenda was to change out the factory exhaust system for some tried-and-true aftermarket dual-exhaust versions. Summit Racing provided us with a set of Flow-tech 15/8-inch long-tube headers and an off-road H-pipe, while Dynomax shipped us one of its Ultraflo stainless converter-back exhaust systems.
Having opened up the induction side of the engine, we figured that the stock two-to-one-to-two Y-pipe configuration had to be choking the air pump, and we were right. With the new exhaust system installed, the Capri was solidly in the 13s and logged a 13.64 off the trailer, followed by a 13.62, 13.66, and a 13.63. Raising the launch rpm from 4,500 to 5,500 rpm produced our best e.t. to date-a 13.55 at 100 mph. We then chucked the serpentine belt, raised the front tire pressure to 50 psi, and let the clutch fly. The Capri responded with a 13.31 at 102 mph.
When you start using slick...
When you start using slick tires at the track, you must have a driveshaft loop. This one (PN 18017) from Lakewood Industries bolts together and is a perfect fit for Fox-body Mustangs/Capris.
We were pretty impressed with the Capri's performance up to this point, and like most of our readers, we always want to go faster. To that end, we called up Tri-State Cylinder Heads and ordered a set of its very budget-friendly Flo Tek 5.0X cylinder heads. Summit Racing sent us a Ford Racing Performance Parts B303 hydraulic roller camshaft, as well as Trickflow Specialties pushrods and Ford Racing roller rocker arms to complete the installation. Cometic's Streetpro gasket kit was used to seal up the 5.0L, and we backed up the newly fortified powerplant with a Ram HDX clutch and Ram billet-steel flywheel from AmericanMuscle.com.
There was simply no reason to expect the stock clutch to handle the extra power and continued track abuse, so while the engine was out, we installed the new clutch, which is a half-inch larger in diameter than the factory piece it replaced. The extra surface area would be beneficial to our cause for sure.
Despite cold temperatures and a track surface that could not sustain our previous 5,500-rpm launches, we slashed our e.t.s's considerably and ran a 12.89, a 12.74, a 12.61, and finally a 12.54. We made a significant increase in trap speed as well, with the Capri now running around 108 mph out the back door.
The old springs and struts...
The old springs and struts were removed, and we inspected the ball joints and tie-rod ends for excessive wear.
We couldn't find any information...
We couldn't find any information online or otherwise on how much to cut the Moroso Trick springs. Editor Smith had cut a coil and a half out of his for project Stocker, and given that we have the benefit of lighter aluminum heads and a smaller intake manifold, we cut two coils, which worked out perfectly. Here you can see the how the Trick spring with two coils cut is still taller than the factory spring.
No matter how big of a pry...
No matter how big of a pry bar is used, we just can't see the springs going in any other way than with a compressor of some sort. We had this Snap-on one in the shop collecting dust and so put it to good use. Hooking up some sort of a retaining chain or other method is a good idea as there is a ton of stored energy in the compressed spring, and it can easily injure you should it get loose.
With the Trick springs and...
With the Trick springs and the drag struts installed, it was time to stiffen up the back of the car.
With the rear axle at full...
With the rear axle at full droop but supported, we removed the upper control arms one at a time and replaced them with the new Lakewood boxed pieces.
Aftermarket Fox-body control...
Aftermarket Fox-body control arms are nothing new, but they are indeed far and away better than the factory stamped pieces.
The lower control arms are...
The lower control arms are next. Old bushings and flimsy arms are a recipe for bad suspension manners, especially when increased power and torque figures are applied.
With us launching the car at about 3,500 rpm and our short times off by about a tenth of a second, we knew there was more in the car, but we also needed to address the suspension before we headed to the track again. The car didn't go straight on any of the most recent passes, and our drivers reported that the Capri wanted to dart right on every shift.
To remedy our suspension woes, we called up Lakewood Industries and ordered 90/10 front drag struts and 50/50 rear shocks, as well as upper and lower rear control arms. Lakewood also sent us a driveshaft loop, which we actually should have installed long ago when we started running the car on slick tires.
Pivot the axle assembly down...
Pivot the axle assembly down and remove the coil spring.
To help with weight transfer, we called up Moroso and ordered a set of the company's legendary Trick Springs for the front. After cutting out two coils, we stuffed them in and then got to installing our Hurst SST billet shifter for the T-5 transmission. The SST shifter (super short throw) comes with a chrome retro stick and white shift knob, and features very short, and precise, shift throws.
To help us dial in our carburetor without resorting to reading spark plugs, we installed Holley's wideband air/fuel meter. It's a pretty simple installation and provides accurate, real-time air/fuel metering so you can make accurate carburetor changes for increased performance.
The new lower control arms...
The new lower control arms relocate the antiroll-bar mounting points slightly. The new urethane bushings are much stiffer than the stock worn-out pieces, and thus should keep the rear axle located properly.
Holley also sent us a jet kit, rebuild kit, and a trick kit for the 4160 Holley carb we're using. We also got a copy of Holley's carburetor installation and tuning DVD, which should be a must-watch item if you're going to start tuning the four-barrel fuel mixer and don't have much experience with a carburetor.
With our latest round of tweaks, we went to Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, where we unloaded the Capri and made ready for some quarter-mile fun. Until this point, we had been worrying about the increasingly bad shifting issue with the stock T-5 transmission. It appeared to be a bad Second gear synchronizer, but it was really only a problem when driving the car in a normal fashion. At wide-open throttle, it was more or less fine. This was not to be the case for our last test session, as we managed to find Second on a couple of occasions. Furthermore, the stock 8.8 Traction-Lok differential was throwing in the towel, and the vast majority of our runs featured just one wheel with traction.
The rear Lakewood drag shocks...
The rear Lakewood drag shocks come with an assortment of spacers and bolts to mount them. We used the appropriate spacer to fit the stock hardware.
That being said, we finished the day with a best e.t. of 12.56 seconds at 108.79 mph. On one pass, we logged our best 60-foot time, which was a 1.72-second effort. On another, we hit 109.35 mph-the first and only time we ever got past 108 mph.
There's definitely more in the Capri as it sits, and adding an electric fan and a set of race pulleys has to be worth a couple of tenths as well. There's probably a solid 12.2 performance in the car-and this is a fully loaded and equipped Mercury we're talking about. That being said, the scale at Gainesville did show the Capri to be a svelte warrior at 2,940 pounds without a driver.
The Lakewood control arms...
The Lakewood control arms feature grease fittings that must be tapped into the arm. We used a brass hammer so we wouldn't damage the fitting.
We'd like to thank Summit Racing Equipment and all of the other companies that helped make our Mercury fly. They made it really easy to go fast. We also need to thank the car's owner, Dave Bohnsack, for letting us whip on his 5.0L, as well as George Xenos, Brian Bohnsack, Rob Baldwin, Mark Johnson, and Chris Crosby.
We don't necessarily like going out with a fizz, as opposed to a bang, but next month, we will debut our new NMRA True Street project car. It's another early Mustang that should have the foureyedpride.com guys all excited, and it's going to be another carbureted build as well.
Do one side at a time and...
Do one side at a time and you'll have the rear suspension completed quickly and easily.
Lakewood's Fox-body driveshaft...
Lakewood's Fox-body driveshaft loop has been around for a long time and works flawlessly. It's a custom-fit, bolt-in piece that offers plenty of clearance for stock, as well as aftermarket aluminum, driveshafts.
Six screws are all that holds...
Six screws are all that holds in the factory '85 console. Once removed, there is easy access to the shifter boot bolts. With those pieces out of the way, take out the four shifter bolts, and clean the mounting surface with a razor blade and some brake cleaner. Our Hurst Billet Plus shifter came with a new plastic cup bushing to replace the old factory piece that can sometimes break over time.
Once you have the new shifter...
Once you have the new shifter in, you'll need to adjust the shift lever stops on the base. Hurst recommends putting the shifter in Second and Third gear to make the adjustments. While holding the shifter firmly in gear, run the bolt up to the lever and then tighten the jam nut. Use some thread locker on the nut as well.
You're ready to bang some...
You're ready to bang some gears now with a short and tight shifter that even Cole Trickle would be proud to use. We think the classic styling goes great with the vintage four-eyed Fox-body platform.
An ailing Traction-Lok (as...
An ailing Traction-Lok (as you can see) and a troubled T-5 transmission conspired to prevent us from achieving our maximum e.t. The suspension worked great, though an airbag or antiroll bar should probably be the next modification. Our stock passenger-side strut was locked up and would help prevent the car from rotating too much at launch, but with the new 90/10s, the front end and chassis was free to move, hence the bodyroll. Most important is the fact that the car goes straight down the track now, without sideways-lurching drama during gear changes. It's time to say goodbye to our 5.0L Capri project though, as we will be starting a new four-eyed project. Check back next month for all of the details.
Holley set us up with a bevy...
Holley set us up with a bevy of performance products for its Holley 4160 series 600-cfm carburetor we are using. To make sure we're getting enough fuel to the engine, we ditched the factory fuel pump for this Holley mechanical unit (PN 12-833), which flows 80 gph. Holley also sent us a TricKit, a tuning/installation DVD, a Jet Kit, and its wideband O2 controller with gauge.
Since we were planning on...
Since we were planning on moving our Holley wideband controller to another project, we fabricated a quick gauge mount for the Holley unit and used a dash screw to secure it. Its location is excellent for viewing while going down the track