Trans Am Protofab Mercury Capri

With a desire to dethrone the bowtie-laden Chevys, Jack Roush brought in the help of Bill Riley and Gary Pratt (of Pratt & Miller), whom together had just formed Protofab. As a whole, the Roush Protofab team set forth on building an all-new purpose-built chassis.

However, instead of building a car centered around the Mustang, the decision was made to body the silhouette race car as a Mercury Capri, the upscale sister car to Ford’s fox body. Adhering to the new Trans Am rulebook, Roush Protofab’s team began by designing and fabricating a steel tube-frame chassis, and fitted it with a fiberglass skin that loosely resembles the production Capri.

The Protofab side of the team focused on building the suspension for the Mercury. The custom spaceframe chassis was fitted with independent suspension in both the front and rear, utilizing double wishbones, coilover dampers, and adjustable sway bars. Jack Roush focused on what he knows best: the heart.

Under the hood of the Mercury is a Roush-built naturally aspirated longtiudinally-mounted Ford 90º V8. Displacement fell just under 6 liters: 5.868 to be exact, or 358 cubic inches for the Yanks. A single Holley carburetor capped the motor, and a dry sump oil system plugged the bottom, keeping the V8 as simple as possible. Despite its simplicity, the Roush motor pumped out an earth-churning 800 horsepower in its evolved trim.

By the third race of the ’84 season, the Capris had taken a one-two podium finish, foreshadowing the monumental ass-whooping the Chevys were to receive in the races to come. The Capris, at the hands of Tom Gloy and Greg Pickett, took 1st place in the fourth race of the season too. And then the fifth. The sixth. And the seventh. The Mercury Capris had shown their prowess, and Team Roush Protofab proved a force to be reckoned with.

By the end of the season, they had claimed 12 of the season’s 18 races, securing a solid margin of victory over the team at Chevrolet. It seemed as though Ford had made the right call by bringing in Jack Roush – Chevy was in serious trouble.

The Roush Protofab Mercury Capri’s were the catalyst to a legendary era in motorsports, fueled by the fires of rivalry. The Roush team continued to rule the Trans Am series until 1988

Car 63 was predominantly driven in ’84 by Greg Pickett and Willy T Ribbs.

The car is presented immaculately restored by J&L Fabrications with no expenses spared. Can be seen at this years Monterrey Historic race meeting.