Capri or Corvette?

[ukzz4iroc]

I think with that particular Vette yes, it just looks tacky. Like a porn video on wheels somehow.

The majority, being England, will turn their noses up and think 'knob'. The other lot will still believe Top Gear's damning citation that all American cars do not handle and are driven by a certain type. A pissed group of lads outside a pub would levy abuse, I'm sure.

[LuS1fer]

ukzz4iroc said:

You would get abused for driving the Corvette and stereotyped. You will get interest and love in the Capri.

If you don't care then that's cool. If you do take heed.

Au contraire. I had no problems in 3 years of ownership. I doubt the same could be said of the Essex Express if you want to deal in stereotypes.

[anonymous-user]

LuS1fer said:

Au contraire. I had no problems in 3 years of ownership. I doubt the same could be said of the Essex Express if you want to deal in stereotypes.

'Essex Express' lol

That Vette would be better in any other colour than 'look at me red'. The C5 carries it off but not the C4 IMO.

edit.... and why are we comparing something that is £10K against what would probably be £4000 of Capri?

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 19th April 16:29

[300bhp/ton]

Gaz. said:

That's lovely.

Would be happy with red, yellow or black.

Red for me too, although I personally prefer the slightly more angular front of the L98's and something really appeals about owing the 4+3 manual transmission.

[LuS1fer]

yonex said:

'Essex Express' lol

That Vette would be better in any other colour than 'look at me red'. The C5 carries it off but not the C4 IMO.

edit.... and why are we comparing something that is £10K against what would probably be £4000 of Capri?

Edited by yonex on Thursday 19th April 16:29

Fair point but he started it...
The Capri can be had for between £4k-6500 according to ebay.
Two Corvettes on Autotrader from £5600-£6500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[stephen300o]

Gaz. said:

LuS1fer said:

OK...but don't be too disappointed when this parks next to you and you are left shagless.

Edited by LuS1fer on Thursday 19th April 11:57

That's lovely.

Would be happy with red, yellow or black.

I had one like that with a soft top, great engine and bullet proof reliability, chassis is awful though. Take another one over a capri though.

[s m]

U

yonex said:

Loving the old article. A time where cars were drawn by hand and pages were filled with text rather than journo's sunglasses and boutique watches

This has got me thinking about a 2.8i now. A mate used to have one when we were young which elevated him to godlike status and provided shagging on tap. It was heavy on fuel though and I remember that it took about 99% of his income to put fuel in. Whenever we went out for a blast we all chipped in, it was like our own neighbourhood uber taxi really.

Yeah, they used to guzzle a bit round town

Long geared for the faster roads - you could break the motorway limit in 2nd

Edited by s m on Thursday 19th April 23:35

[Alfanatic]

ukzz4iroc said:

I think with that particular Vette yes, it just looks tacky. Like a porn video on wheels somehow.

The majority, being England, will turn their noses up and think 'knob'. The other lot will still believe Top Gear's damning citation that all American cars do not handle and are driven by a certain type. A pissed group of lads outside a pub would levy abuse, I'm sure.

American cars didn't get their lousy handling reputation from top gear. They've had it a lot longer than that, in fact ever since they really did make lots of lousy handling cars.

[Pedmeister]

swerni said:

Pedmeister said:

5lab said:

350z will be that money in 2 years time, and much much better than either of those cars

ROFL- It's NOT a CLASSIC. It has dubious aethetics and like most modern cars, it is grossly over complicated.

And yet the capri has crap handling, isn't very fast, very questionable interior and is nowhere near as fun to drive as 350z

Want me to go on?



PS go for the Vette

Thank you for your entirely subjective, ill informed opinion. I suspect the positive opinions of the legions of motoring journalists who praised the handling of the 2.8i Capri carry slightly more weight than your opinion. In addition, your assertion that the 2.8i, "isn't very fast," is extremely innane. You are taking the cars performance out of context. In 1981, 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds was blisteringly fast, so your comment does not stand up. The turbo charged Capris had better in-gear acceleration figures than Audi Quattros, Porsche 911 turbo & Lotus Espirt- hardly slow then.

If you really want to go on, crack on. Incidentally, I own a modified 2.8i that kicks out 265 Bhp- 221 Bhp at the rear wheels, and 293 ft lb of torque. It hits 60 circa 5.2 seconds. "A modified car!" you cry! No, merely a reflection on the tuning potential of the car.

[Pedmeister]

swerni said:

s m said:

swerni said:

And yet the capri has crap handling,

If it's the 2.8 he mentioned in the OP, rather contrary to your view, they were quite well praised in the press of the time for their predictable handling.

Have you bothered looking at my car history?

My first 2 cars were Carpi's
Although I haven't owned a 2.8 I've driven a quite a few.
The Capri has set the tone for most of my motoring history.


I love Capri's but some things are better looking back with rose tinted glasses

Evidently, you have never driven a 2.8i to make such a derogatory comment in relation to their handling/road holding ability. There is NO COMPARISON between the 2.8i and 'other' Capris- TOTALLY DIFFERENT DAMPER & SPRING RATINGS, THICKER FRONT AND REAR ANTI-ROLL BARS, LOWER RIDE HEIGHT, FATTER TYRES-TOTALLY DIFFERENT DRIVING EXPERIENCE. Get the picture?? ROFL

[Pedmeister]

s m said:

Alfanatic said:

s m said:

No, I'm just telling you how the press at that time perceived them alongside their contemporaries.
8 seconds to 60 and 130mph is not fast to you now ( to some it would be acceptable even now ) but 30 years ago it was fast.

Your experience may differ from that of the mainstream press but I can tell you that no mag of the time thought the 2.8i was "crap handling".

No, but the handling was described at least once as "unsophisticated".

Certainly 'throttle adjustable' but unsophisticated could be applied to lots of cars of that era.
'Crap' to me means bottom of the pile.

I know you remember the twin test with the GTV and IIRC the Capri did OK against the Italian car

Interesting. As an avid Capri fan, I have a collection of road tests from numerous motoring magazines compiled in two volumes by Brooklands books, "Capri Portfolio," & "Gold Portfolio." Several road tests were carried out Alfa GTV6 V Capri 2.8i, in all but ONE, the Capri came out as the preferred option. The Alfa won praise for it's superb V6- arguably one of THE sweetest sounding engines EVER. However, the Alfa came in for plenty of criticism for it's frankly awful driving position, and poor gear change.

[Pedmeister]

s m said:

s m said:

swerni said:

And yet the capri has crap handling,

If it's the 2.8 he mentioned in the OP, rather contrary to your view, they were quite well praised in the press of the time for their predictable handling.

Here's the summary page from the Autocar test of the 2.8i back in 81

At last- a sensible FACTUAL contribution that debunks the bar room nonsense spouted predominantly by people who have never driven a 2.8i Capri. Many of these people base their, 'opinion' on having owned/driven a basic 4 pot 1.6. The 2.8i is a completely different animal-writing it off as, "crap handling," is ridiculous frankly. The motoring press loved it and heaped praise on it, especially with regard to it's road manners.

Even today, a well sorted Capri ie polybushed, uprated front coil springs, anti-dive kit, with modern rubber Eg Bridgestone Potenza tyres is a potent piece of kit not to be trifled with.

[RV8]

Get the 2.8i, if you are lucky and find a 'reasonably' tidy brooklands that is worth going for. I would rather the early 4 speed 2.8 sat on pepperpots in black or blue over silver. I still prefer the cologne to the essex engine and was never fussed about the checkered interior in the 3.0s, I'd rather the half leather grey recoaros - but it's all down to the individual I suppose. £5k ought to get you a decent Mk1 though and that is where I'd be looking to chuck some wedge - a nice original, tax free GT, minus the vinyl roof and no sunroof or webasto spoiling the lines, keep that nice and you may well make money on it.

[Pedmeister]

RV8 said:

Get the 2.8i, if you are lucky and find a 'reasonably' tidy brooklands that is worth going for. I would rather the early 4 speed 2.8 sat on pepperpots in black or blue over silver. I still prefer the cologne to the essex engine and was never fussed about the checkered interior in the 3.0s, I'd rather the half leather grey recoaros - but it's all down to the individual I suppose. £5k ought to get you a decent Mk1 though and that is where I'd be looking to chuck some wedge - a nice original, tax free GT, minus the vinyl roof and no sunroof or webasto spoiling the lines, keep that nice and you may well make money on it.

If he can find a decent Brooklands! There are less than 400 on the road according to information provided by the DVLA to 'Capri Club International.' In addition to their rarity, 280 Capris command premium prices. You will not get anything decent for less than £6,500. EG There is a 280 on PH classified adverts for close on £17K. An excellent 2.8i can fetch £4-7k. My car has an agreed valuation of £10k- and frankly, given it's condition and 80's supercar performance, that is a conservative estimate. 2.8i Capris are no longer 'cheap' cars. Personally, I would not attempt to run one as a daily driver- too expensive on motion lotion, and wear & tear is major factor to consider. Parts are quite expensive, especially trim- bumpers, bumper end caps etc. Ford are utterly useless & provide ZERO spares support. Ownership involves trawling eBay and specialist Capri supply companies-which can be both tedious & frustrating at times. You need a deep wallet ..... They are cars to be relished on high days & holidays, not trudging to work & back on the UK's grid locked, wet, salt encrusted roads- that's what dreary, characterless modern cars are for! I will admit to a degree of inverted snobbery associated with owning a mint 28 year old Capri. My daily drive is a BWM 3 series tourer- utterly anomymous and effient. The Capri on the other hand, draws a large amount of interest, especially at petrol stations. I remember observing the owner of a shiny new BMW M3 snatching covert glances at my car on a petrol forecourt. Nobody showed ANY interest in his contemporary £40k+ BMW, but they certainly showed plenty of interest in my Capri which cost me a fraction of that! It is a tremendously enjoyable car to drive, and very gratifying to own. It is a car that it worth far more than the sum of it's parts.

[Pedmeister]

RV8 said:

Get the 2.8i, if you are lucky and find a 'reasonably' tidy brooklands that is worth going for. I would rather the early 4 speed 2.8 sat on pepperpots in black or blue over silver. I still prefer the cologne to the essex engine and was never fussed about the checkered interior in the 3.0s, I'd rather the half leather grey recoaros - but it's all down to the individual I suppose. £5k ought to get you a decent Mk1 though and that is where I'd be looking to chuck some wedge - a nice original, tax free GT, minus the vinyl roof and no sunroof or webasto spoiling the lines, keep that nice and you may well make money on it.

Here's a nice Mk1 Capri for you! This has been owned from new in 1972 by a mate of mine. It has a genuine 25,000 miles on the clock. All the panels are original, it has never seen a welders torch. All the paint, with the exception of the bonnet is ORIGINAL. The car was originally a 3000E. Rightly or wrongly, the owner embarked on a project in the late 70's to convert it to match the aesthetics of the RS3100. He also fitted a MK2 wiring loom, so it has column stalk controls. It is currently having power steering fitted, 2.8i front struts and uprated front brakes. It has an overdrive fitted to it, which makes for an interesting driving experience. I reckon it could be the ONLY one owner from new Mk1 3 litre in the UK.

[Pedmeister]

300bhp/ton said:

Pedmeister said:

Erm no actually, the Capri is NOT American. It was designed in Europe, to European specifications & tastes by European design engineers. Europe was the primary market for the Capri-not the US.

Not this again FFS. I couldn't give a smegging chuff what market it was designed for. Ford is 100% American!!! And the fact they sold the car over kinda shows it wasn't only destined for Europe.

Why do you adopt such an aggressive, boorish tone in order to make your point? It appears to be a common theme in several of your posts.... Are you usually so aggressive in manner? The Capri is no more 'American' than a Mk1 Escort, Granada, Sierra, or Escort Cosworth. These cars were all designed in Europe, with European tastes in mind. It matters not one jot as to who the shareholders are, or that Ford IS an American company. Jaguar is owned by TATA, an Indian company- so Jags are 'Indian' cars are they? No, they are very much a BRITISH product, designed in the UK for UK tastes, just as the Capri was designed in Europe with European tastes in mind. You are being both pedantic & didactic by insisting that the Capri was 'American' because FORD was established in the US. Have a 'nice' day.......

[Dusty964]

Pedmeister said:

300bhp/ton said:

Pedmeister said:

Erm no actually, the Capri is NOT American. It was designed in Europe, to European specifications & tastes by European design engineers. Europe was the primary market for the Capri-not the US.

Not this again FFS. I couldn't give a smegging chuff what market it was designed for. Ford is 100% American!!! And the fact they sold the car over kinda shows it wasn't only destined for Europe.

Why do you adopt such an aggressive, boorish tone in order to make your point? It appears to be a common theme in several of your posts.... Are you usually so aggressive in manner?

Not if you meet him in person, no.

Quite quiet, and actually seems like a nice enough individual

[300bhp/ton]

Pedmeister said:

Why do you adopt such an aggressive, boorish tone in order to make your point?

I don't know, certainly not intentional. Guess I'm just a bit crap at posting on forums. Please don't take it personally as it isn't meant that way and apologies if you have.

Pedmeister said:

It appears to be a common theme in several of your posts.... Are you usually so aggressive in manner?

Not really, I just say what I think, but I guess it often comes out wrong.

Pedmeister said:

The Capri is no more 'American' than a Mk1 Escort, Granada, Sierra, or Escort Cosworth. These cars were all designed in Europe, with European tastes in mind. It matters not one jot as to who the shareholders are, or that Ford IS an American company.

If that's your stance on all companies then that's ok, I might not agree but I could respect your opinion. However in all other threads where this has been discussed it's always been one rule for one company and another rule for another - it's that that I disagree with more.

Pedmeister said:

Jaguar is owned by TATA, an Indian company- so Jags are 'Indian' cars are they? No, they are very much a BRITISH product, designed in the UK for UK tastes, just as the Capri was designed in Europe with European tastes in mind. You are being both pedantic & didactic by insisting that the Capri was 'American' because FORD was established in the US. Have a 'nice' day.......

But there is a subtle difference, Jaguar has been bought out by a new parent company rather than a company setting up a European division, in essence the circumstances are 100% opposites on how they arrived at the current state of affairs, e.g Ford US never bought out Ford Europe and Ford Europe didn't exist before Ford America.

For example I work for a medium sized software company, we have offices in N. America, Australia, Asia and Scandinavia. We even develop software specific for certain regions. But that doesn't make our software American or Australian when we sell it, we are a British company. In reality has Ford done anything any different in making cars?

As for Jag, well the XJ-S was plainly designed for the American market and almost nothing else. The S-Type and even XF are built on the DEW98 platform which is also used on the Lincoln LS, Ford Thunderbird and a derivative of the platform on the s197 Ford Mustang.

[ukzz4iroc]

Alfanatic said:

American cars didn't get their lousy handling reputation from top gear. They've had it a lot longer than that, in fact ever since they really did make lots of lousy handling cars.

I think the issue here is stereotypes and generalisation. The majority of mainstream, lifeless general cars did handle like barges. They were designed to be so. Doesn't mean all of them didn't. In the same way as not all Alfa's are rust buckets

[LuS1fer]

The C4 actually handled quite well on the Z51 suspension. I only managed to spin mine once and that was being very ambitious on a sharp turn. Even CAR conceded that with the ZR1 America had built a decent sports car at last.

Corvettes also use Bilstein dampers as standard.

Edited by LuS1fer on Friday 20th April 11:52