Mercury Capri Tires

Mercury Capri uses a wide range of sizes across its production span. Early cars use 165R13 and 185/70R13 from 1971 to 1977, 1979 adds B78-13, C78-13, BR78-14, CR78-14, and C78-14, 1980 to 1986 uses 175/75R14, 185/75R14, 185/80R13, 190/65R390, 195/75R14, 220/55R390, 205/70R14, and 225/60R15, and 1991 to 1994 uses 185/60R14 and 195/50R15. Rim diameters in the range include 13 inch, 14 inch, 15 inch, and 390mm.

The practical takeaway is that Mercury Capri fitment must be narrowed by year and by the actual wheel on the car, not by model name alone. A 390mm TRX wheel is especially important to identify correctly, because it does not accept a 15-inch tire even though the dimensions appear close to a casual glance.

B78-13 is an alphanumeric bias-ply size used on certain 1979 Mercury Capri applications. The B identifies the tire's width class, 78 is the series designation, and the 13 is the wheel diameter in inches. Because there is no R in the code, it is a bias-ply size rather than a radial.

That matters because a 1979 Mercury Capri can also use 14-inch alphanumeric radial sizes and other 13-inch options, so the code on the sidewall and the wheel diameter both need to agree. Bias-ply alphanumeric applications also call for a tube, which makes wheel condition and tube compatibility part of the fitment decision.

The 1979 Mercury Capri shows five sizes because that model year spans more than one wheel diameter and more than one construction type. The listed sizes include 13-inch and 14-inch applications, with both bias-ply alphanumeric sizes and alphanumeric radial sizes appearing in the same year. That is a much more complex fitment picture than a single-size year.

A 1979 Mercury Capri owner should verify the actual wheel diameter first, then confirm whether the car is set up for bias-ply or radial sizing before choosing a replacement. Looking only at the year can put you into the wrong group, especially where B78-13, C78-13, BR78-14, CR78-14, and C78-14 all appear.

Mercury Capri uses several different wheel diameters across its production years: 13 inch, 14 inch, 15 inch, and 390mm. The earliest cars begin with 13-inch applications, the first move to a different diameter appears in 1979 with 14-inch options, mid-1980s cars add 15-inch applications, and selected early-to-mid-1980s cars use 390mm metric wheels for TRX-type tires.

Wheel diameter is the first specification to confirm before anything else, because a tire in the correct width and profile still will not fit if the wheel diameter is wrong. Metric-diameter 390mm wheels deserve special attention, since they are a separate system and cannot be treated as ordinary 15-inch rims.

Start with the model year, then compare it against the sizes used in that specific year. Mercury Capri has straightforward years such as 1975 through 1977 with only 185/70R13 listed, but it also has split years such as 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986 where several different sizes were used. The later 1991 to 1994 cars narrow again to either 185/60R14 or 195/50R15.

After narrowing by year, inspect the wheel already on the car and match the rim diameter exactly before worrying about sidewall style or brand. If the car has been restored, modified, or converted from metric TRX wheels to inch-based wheels, the tire currently fitted may tell a different story than the factory-era size range for that year.

Mercury Capri tires in this range are available in several sidewall styles, including blackwall, narrow whitewall, wide whitewall, redline, dual-redline, and RWL. Blackwalls appear across many sporty radial fitments, while whitewall options are offered in several 13-inch, 14-inch, and 15-inch sizes. Redline and RWL selections appear in some of the mid-1980s performance-oriented 14-inch and 15-inch sizes.

Sidewall style should follow the personality and presentation of the specific Mercury Capri you are building, whether that means a clean blackwall look or a more distinctive period performance treatment. Once the size and wheel diameter are correct, sidewall choice becomes one of the best ways to tune the car toward factory-style restoration, personalized period taste, or show presentation.

Mercury Capri tires in the listed sizes are available from Michelin, Dunlop, BFGoodrich, Avon, Vredestein, Travelstar, Tornel, Maxxis, Coker Classic, and Goodyear. Some brands appear mainly in early European-style radial sizes, while others concentrate on whitewall or performance-oriented 14-inch and 15-inch applications. The available brand mix changes considerably by size.

That means brand selection starts after the fitment has been narrowed correctly. A 165R13 early Capri buyer is choosing from a different group than a 225/60R15 mid-1980s buyer or a 195/50R15 1990s buyer, so the best approach is to match the year and wheel first, then compare the brands that exist in that exact size.

Mercury Capri applications are spread across many tire series, including Michelin XAS-FF, Michelin XAS, SP Sport Aquajet, Silvertown Radial, CR6ZZ, Sport Classic, Michelin XDX-B, Sprint Classic, UN106, Tornel Classic, Classic Whitewall MA-1, Star Series, Michelin TRX-B, Radial T/A, Michelin XWX, Eagle Gatorback, and Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2. Some are period European-style blackwall radials, some are classic-style whitewall radials, some are performance street radials, and the TRX series is built specifically for 390mm metric wheels. The series difference is often as important as the size difference because it shapes the car's appearance and intended road character.

A practical way to use the series information is to decide whether your Mercury Capri is being restored to a period look, prepared for regular collector driving, or finished with a stronger performance aesthetic. The same wheel diameter may support very different visual outcomes, such as blackwall, redline, whitewall, or RWL, while the 390mm TRX applications stand apart as their own wheel-and-tire system.

A Mercury Capri should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept out of direct sunlight, ozone sources, and extreme temperature swings. Inflate the tires to an appropriate storage pressure for the application, keep the car on a clean surface, and move it periodically if it will sit for long intervals. Clean, stable storage conditions matter as much as tread depth on collector-car tires.

If the Mercury Capri will be parked for months at a time, avoid leaving the full vehicle weight on one spot indefinitely. Periodic rolling, proper inflation checks, and careful storage away from electric motors, heaters, and solvents will help preserve both appearance and casing condition, whether the car wears an early 13-inch radial or a later 15-inch performance size.

Tires on a Mercury Capri should be inspected before each meaningful drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals during the season. Check for cracking, age-related hardening, flat spotting, air loss, sidewall damage, uneven wear, and any sign that the tire is not seated or wearing correctly on the wheel. Low-mile collector cars often age tires out long before they wear them out.

The practical habit is to make tire inspection part of the same routine as checking fluids, brakes, and lights. Cars with less common applications, especially 390mm metric-wheel Mercury Capri models, deserve extra attention because replacement paths are narrower and catching a problem early makes preservation and planning much easier.

A Mercury Capri tire should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, vibration, belt separation, or other structural concerns appear, even if the tread still looks usable. Collector tires often retain visual tread depth while losing the flexibility and integrity needed for reliable road use. Replacement decisions should be guided by condition and age as much as by miles driven.

That is especially important on lightly used cars that spend more time parked than driven. A Mercury Capri that still wears older specialty tires may look correct at a glance, but age-related deterioration can exist beneath the surface, so periodic professional evaluation is the right standard when the car is driven beyond display, parade, or occasional short-trip use.

Mercury Capri did not use one single original tire specification across its full run. The listed fitments show early 13-inch Euro-metric sizes, a 1979 group of alphanumeric 13-inch and 14-inch sizes, early-to-mid-1980s inch-based and 390mm metric applications, and later 14-inch and 15-inch low-profile radial sizes for the 1991 to 1994 cars. Original-correct selection depends on the exact year and wheel package.

For restoration work, the best approach is to match the car's year, its current wheel diameter, and its intended presentation rather than assuming one Mercury Capri tire answer fits the whole model line. A factory brochure, build information, or marque-club guidance can help settle which of the listed year-correct sizes best suits a specific surviving car.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how a Mercury Capri is viewed in restoration circles, especially when the wheel diameter, profile, and sidewall style align with the period character of the car. A tire that is mechanically usable but visually or dimensionally out of place can change the stance and overall impression enough to matter in judged or high-level enthusiast settings. The effect is stronger on carefully restored cars than on casual drivers.

For a Mercury Capri being prepared for show, the tire choice should support the car's year and presentation rather than simply filling the wheel opening. Marque clubs and year-specific reference material are usually the best arbiters for fine points such as whether a blackwall, whitewall, or performance-style sidewall best matches the way the car would have appeared in its period.

Mercury Capri restoration choices can draw from blackwall, narrow whitewall, wide whitewall, redline, dual-redline, and RWL styles within the listed size range. Blackwall is the most broadly available across the European-style and later performance radial fitments, while whitewall and redline variations appear in selected 13-inch, 14-inch, and 15-inch sizes. The correct look depends on the specific year and the restoration goal.

A stock-appearing Mercury Capri generally benefits from choosing a sidewall style that matches the era and stance of the car rather than simply the most eye-catching option. If the car is being restored for authenticity, the sidewall should be treated as part of the visual trim package, much like wheel covers, trim rings, or factory sport wheels.

A Mercury Capri can be driven on public roads with the correct tire size, proper condition, and an overall roadworthy chassis, but the answer depends heavily on which generation and wheel package the car uses. All of the listed available products are radial tires, while some 1979 fitments are alphanumeric bias-ply sizes that require extra care when identifying what is actually on the car. Safe road use begins with a correct match between tire, wheel diameter, and vehicle condition.

Before regular driving, a Mercury Capri should have its tires inspected for age, damage, and proper inflation, and the rest of the suspension and braking system should be in equally sound condition. Cars with uncommon 390mm metric wheels or long-stored specialty tires deserve especially careful evaluation before they are treated like ordinary modern daily transportation.

Before driving a Mercury Capri, check tire pressure, visible sidewall condition, tread condition, valve stems, and whether all four tires match the intended size and wheel diameter for the car. Look closely for cracking, flat spotting, impact damage, or signs that a long-stored tire has hardened with age. On split-fitment years, confirm that the tire actually matches the wheel installed on the car.

That final point matters because Mercury Capri uses several different size systems over the years, and mistakes often happen when a car has changed hands or been modified. A quick pre-drive walkaround is often enough to catch an air-loss issue or an obvious age problem before it becomes a roadside failure, especially on collector cars that are driven infrequently.

A sensible road speed for a Mercury Capri depends on the exact tire fitted, its age, its condition, and whether the car is using a modern reproduction-style radial or an older surviving tire. Even when a size was period-correct, age can reduce a tire's margin dramatically, especially on low-mile collector cars. The tire's present condition matters more than its historical fitment alone.

The prudent approach is to treat any recently acquired Mercury Capri cautiously until the tires have been evaluated and the rest of the chassis is sorted. If the car is fitted with older or long-stored tires, moderate speeds and short drives are wise until a specialist inspection confirms that the tires are suitable for sustained public-road use.