Two V6 Classic Fords - Capri and Cortina flavour
Discussion
Being a long time reader of PH but infrequent contributor, I thought I'd start a readers cars thread, who knows, some may be interested. I bought the cars in 2025 so this will be a bit of a 'diary' from then up to now.
Over the last 20 years I've owned a number of classic Fords, namely Capris 2.8i and 3.0 Ghia, Cortina Ghia, RS Focus Mk1, and Escorts Mk1, 2 and 3.
They were mostly decent to very good condition and I joined the Capri Club NI and went to various shows and runs. Then around 9 years ago I got a bit bored with it all and sold my Capri and Cortina and just got on with other things.
A couple of years ago I retired, and I'd always said to myself when that happened I'd buy another nice classic, and being of a senior age with a dodgy back, something that needed no work and could just be used and enjoyed.
I started going to a few shows again as a spectator.
Come summer 2025 the itch to get something was getting irresistible, and I went to see a Keith, a fellow Capri Club NI member and serial Capri collector and restorer, to see what he had or was building.
Keith collects and restores mainly Mk3 3.0S Capris, and has owned and restored all the Capris from 'The Professionals' TV series; he still owns the two VHK registration cars.
When I visited him his garage contained, I think, eight fully restored Capri 3.0S in various colours, and more several painted shells ready for reassembly.
After a bit of umming and aahing I decided on a 1981 Venetian Red one; I'd seen photos of this car at shows but never in the flesh.
Here it is when I brought it home a week later. It is a stunning car, these photos don't really do it justice:
.
April 1981 3.0S, fully restored in 2023.
2.8i front struts and vented discs, 2.8i rear springs, Princess 4-pot calipers and Goodridge hoses, full Janspeed stainless exhaust system.
Original Ford Ronal 7x13 4-spoke S alloy wheels with 205/60 R13 tyres.
Black and red Carla check interior with fishnet headrests.
More to follow...
Over the last 20 years I've owned a number of classic Fords, namely Capris 2.8i and 3.0 Ghia, Cortina Ghia, RS Focus Mk1, and Escorts Mk1, 2 and 3.
They were mostly decent to very good condition and I joined the Capri Club NI and went to various shows and runs. Then around 9 years ago I got a bit bored with it all and sold my Capri and Cortina and just got on with other things.
A couple of years ago I retired, and I'd always said to myself when that happened I'd buy another nice classic, and being of a senior age with a dodgy back, something that needed no work and could just be used and enjoyed.
I started going to a few shows again as a spectator.
Come summer 2025 the itch to get something was getting irresistible, and I went to see a Keith, a fellow Capri Club NI member and serial Capri collector and restorer, to see what he had or was building.
Keith collects and restores mainly Mk3 3.0S Capris, and has owned and restored all the Capris from 'The Professionals' TV series; he still owns the two VHK registration cars.
When I visited him his garage contained, I think, eight fully restored Capri 3.0S in various colours, and more several painted shells ready for reassembly.
After a bit of umming and aahing I decided on a 1981 Venetian Red one; I'd seen photos of this car at shows but never in the flesh.
Here it is when I brought it home a week later. It is a stunning car, these photos don't really do it justice:
.
April 1981 3.0S, fully restored in 2023.
2.8i front struts and vented discs, 2.8i rear springs, Princess 4-pot calipers and Goodridge hoses, full Janspeed stainless exhaust system.
Original Ford Ronal 7x13 4-spoke S alloy wheels with 205/60 R13 tyres.
Black and red Carla check interior with fishnet headrests.
More to follow...
Edited by stevep944 on Tuesday 18th August 15:58
Well my plan of buying a car needing nothing doing lasted..... one day!
Came out to this the following morning:
Nice little puddle of diff oil on the floor.
One new diff seal and a visit to the local friendly old school Ford mechanic and that was sorted.
There's always things you can do to enhance things further:
Set of Motorcraft battery stickers from DMB Graphics, and some work with a tyre pen to pick out the Ford logo on the mud flaps.
Took the car out for a run to a nice old abandoned filling station near me, well used for photo opportunities.
It's deteriorated a lot since I was last there with my Cortina 11 years ago.
The following weekend was a trip to the Capri Club's annual show at Brownlow House in Lurgan, Co. Armagh:
Parked next to my mate's similarly restored white 3.0S.
Keith had won 'Car of the Show' with the car the previous two years, and being of modest character I would have felt uncomfortable winning a trophy having just bought the car, so I volunteered to help with judging which meant my car wouldn't be counted.
A couple of weeks later at a local show a fellow was admiring the car and told me he had bought a brand new Brooklands Capri from Irish Road Motors in Belfast back in 1987. I knew my car had come from the same place, and was trying to get a template for a set of original dealer number plates. He told me he still had his Capri plates on the wall of his garage! He very kindly sent me photos when he got home, and I got Dave at DMB to make me a set of plates up:
I also got an old Ford Cars brochure from March 1981 and copied and laminated the relevant Capri S pages to go with the car. Luckily the S was the right colour!
I made a replica first tax disc for the car and put that in the windscreen:
I also wanted a dealer sticker for the rear window.
Luckily my mate's white Capri came from the same dealer but the Craigavon branch, so I drew a new version of his sticker on the PC and sent it to Dave at DMB, and he printed the sticker for me:
I always enjoy adding little touches like this to my classic cars, it all adds to the interest.
The following weekend saw an early morning run through the Mourne mountains:
Followed by a 'photo shoot' at a little industrial estate:
I also did a little bit of artwork on my garage wall:
That took us to September 2025, I had planned to do a few more shows but the weather returned to typical NI wetness, so nothing much happened with the Capri from then and over the winter.
More to follow....
Came out to this the following morning:
Nice little puddle of diff oil on the floor.
One new diff seal and a visit to the local friendly old school Ford mechanic and that was sorted.
There's always things you can do to enhance things further:
Set of Motorcraft battery stickers from DMB Graphics, and some work with a tyre pen to pick out the Ford logo on the mud flaps.
Took the car out for a run to a nice old abandoned filling station near me, well used for photo opportunities.
It's deteriorated a lot since I was last there with my Cortina 11 years ago.
The following weekend was a trip to the Capri Club's annual show at Brownlow House in Lurgan, Co. Armagh:
Parked next to my mate's similarly restored white 3.0S.
Keith had won 'Car of the Show' with the car the previous two years, and being of modest character I would have felt uncomfortable winning a trophy having just bought the car, so I volunteered to help with judging which meant my car wouldn't be counted.
A couple of weeks later at a local show a fellow was admiring the car and told me he had bought a brand new Brooklands Capri from Irish Road Motors in Belfast back in 1987. I knew my car had come from the same place, and was trying to get a template for a set of original dealer number plates. He told me he still had his Capri plates on the wall of his garage! He very kindly sent me photos when he got home, and I got Dave at DMB to make me a set of plates up:
I also got an old Ford Cars brochure from March 1981 and copied and laminated the relevant Capri S pages to go with the car. Luckily the S was the right colour!
I made a replica first tax disc for the car and put that in the windscreen:
I also wanted a dealer sticker for the rear window.
Luckily my mate's white Capri came from the same dealer but the Craigavon branch, so I drew a new version of his sticker on the PC and sent it to Dave at DMB, and he printed the sticker for me:
I always enjoy adding little touches like this to my classic cars, it all adds to the interest.
The following weekend saw an early morning run through the Mourne mountains:
Followed by a 'photo shoot' at a little industrial estate:
I also did a little bit of artwork on my garage wall:
That took us to September 2025, I had planned to do a few more shows but the weather returned to typical NI wetness, so nothing much happened with the Capri from then and over the winter.
More to follow....
As the thread title says, you can never have enough old Fords and a half empty garage is a dangerous thing to have!
I'd always regretted selling my Cortina Ghia, it had gone down to Wexford in ROI, and I had kept in touch with its owner through the Irish Cortina Enthusiasts group.
I'd missed/refused a chance to buy it back in early 2023, and in August 2025 I saw it had been sold on. However this to led me being put in touch with another Mk5 Cortina Ghia that might be for sale, a 2.3 V6 in the same Titan Blue, down in Dundalk.
I went down to see the car, and well, you know what comes next...
It was wearing the steel dartboard style sports wheels but was a Ghia, and came with a set of the Ghia alloy wheels. I got them refurbished and put new tyres on, and sold the steel wheels.
It had been a UK registered car previously but was on ROI plates, so I had to go through the NOVA import process to get it back UK registered again.
The online NOVA part turned out to be straightforward enough, but then the DVA up here insisted on seeing the car in person to verify it was actually a 1982 Cortina, despite me sending them photo evidence including the VIN etc. Cue a trip to Belfast on a mate's transporter where a group of DVA's finest MoT testers gathered round and agreed it was indeed a Cortina.
A couple of weeks later I received the V5 with the car's original NI registration and I could put the plates on and drive it legally.
It's a December 1982 registered car, so one of the last Mk5 Cortinas, originally in England and brought over to NI when it was 10 years old. I have the original green logbook with it, and of course now it is tax and MoT exempt.
It's a smart solid car, not the standard of the Capri, but drives well and is nice and comfy. I need to adjust the handbrake as its very weak, but other than that no plans other than using it.
As with the Capri, over the winter it remained garaged but started up regularly.
I'd always regretted selling my Cortina Ghia, it had gone down to Wexford in ROI, and I had kept in touch with its owner through the Irish Cortina Enthusiasts group.
I'd missed/refused a chance to buy it back in early 2023, and in August 2025 I saw it had been sold on. However this to led me being put in touch with another Mk5 Cortina Ghia that might be for sale, a 2.3 V6 in the same Titan Blue, down in Dundalk.
I went down to see the car, and well, you know what comes next...
It was wearing the steel dartboard style sports wheels but was a Ghia, and came with a set of the Ghia alloy wheels. I got them refurbished and put new tyres on, and sold the steel wheels.
It had been a UK registered car previously but was on ROI plates, so I had to go through the NOVA import process to get it back UK registered again.
The online NOVA part turned out to be straightforward enough, but then the DVA up here insisted on seeing the car in person to verify it was actually a 1982 Cortina, despite me sending them photo evidence including the VIN etc. Cue a trip to Belfast on a mate's transporter where a group of DVA's finest MoT testers gathered round and agreed it was indeed a Cortina.
A couple of weeks later I received the V5 with the car's original NI registration and I could put the plates on and drive it legally.
It's a December 1982 registered car, so one of the last Mk5 Cortinas, originally in England and brought over to NI when it was 10 years old. I have the original green logbook with it, and of course now it is tax and MoT exempt.
It's a smart solid car, not the standard of the Capri, but drives well and is nice and comfy. I need to adjust the handbrake as its very weak, but other than that no plans other than using it.
As with the Capri, over the winter it remained garaged but started up regularly.
The Capri looks stunning and reminds me of the one I owned 20 years ago. Very unusual for your car to not have the tilt and slide sunroof. The Cortina also brings back memories of a 2.3 Ghia a friend owned back in the 90s. The thirstiest car he'd ever owned....but it made a lovely noise.
Doesitdrive said:
The Capri looks stunning, I bought my 3.0s in Ireland but I fell out of love with the heavy gutless Essex.
The Cologne in V4 and V6 is much better IMO, but the S is just the best Capri.
Just two different engines I guess. The 2.8 is more powerful but the 3.0 is very torquey, you hardly need to change out of 4th gear once on the move, it just pulls from very low speeds.The Cologne in V4 and V6 is much better IMO, but the S is just the best Capri.
Thanks for the positive replies!
Spring time is usually the start of the classic car 'season', but my dodgy back picked that time to give me terrible sciatica, which meant I couldn't drive any car for more than about five minutes.
Nevertheless at the end of May I did get the Capri up on stands, took the wheels off, and cleaned the underneath:
My mate Colin with the white 3.0S has sort of become the Northern Ireland correspondent for RetroFord magazine, and he'd arranged for the co-editors, John Waide and Andy Ellis, to come over for the weekend of the Causeway Coast Ford Fair up in Portrush. That was on the Sunday so they spent the Saturday photographing future feature cars for the magazine. Naturally they visited Keith to see his 'Professionals' Capris, a very nice Mk2 RS2000, and also came to see my two cars:
They spent a good hour or so chatting and taking pics and videos, before literally walking across the road to my neighbour to do the same with his gorgeous Mk1 Escort RS1600 twin cam, with him duly obliging by literally taking it for a spin!
The Capri starter motor had always been a bit temperamental, especially when the engine was hot, so I tried some self adhesive heat-reflective foil to see if that would improve things:
It's hard to see but the starter is extremely close to the exhaust manifold, but it seems to have helped a bit.
Spring time is usually the start of the classic car 'season', but my dodgy back picked that time to give me terrible sciatica, which meant I couldn't drive any car for more than about five minutes.
Nevertheless at the end of May I did get the Capri up on stands, took the wheels off, and cleaned the underneath:
My mate Colin with the white 3.0S has sort of become the Northern Ireland correspondent for RetroFord magazine, and he'd arranged for the co-editors, John Waide and Andy Ellis, to come over for the weekend of the Causeway Coast Ford Fair up in Portrush. That was on the Sunday so they spent the Saturday photographing future feature cars for the magazine. Naturally they visited Keith to see his 'Professionals' Capris, a very nice Mk2 RS2000, and also came to see my two cars:
They spent a good hour or so chatting and taking pics and videos, before literally walking across the road to my neighbour to do the same with his gorgeous Mk1 Escort RS1600 twin cam, with him duly obliging by literally taking it for a spin!
The Capri starter motor had always been a bit temperamental, especially when the engine was hot, so I tried some self adhesive heat-reflective foil to see if that would improve things:
It's hard to see but the starter is extremely close to the exhaust manifold, but it seems to have helped a bit.
A couple of weeks ago I took the Capri to the Capri Club NI annual show again, where it won the Capri of the Show trophy:
Then did a local show last weekend:
By now I'd had enough of playing the 'will it start or not' lottery with the starter motor, so today out it came and off for refurb at the local old school motor electrician:
It was extremely tight getting the thing out, and I can just guess what fun it's going to be getting it back in again!
Still at least it's nice and clean under there to work on.
That brings things up to date really. I haven't done anything with the Cortina this year so far, so I really must get on with sorting out the handbrake and getting out in it - dodgy back permitting. The joys of old age lol.
Then did a local show last weekend:
By now I'd had enough of playing the 'will it start or not' lottery with the starter motor, so today out it came and off for refurb at the local old school motor electrician:
It was extremely tight getting the thing out, and I can just guess what fun it's going to be getting it back in again!
Still at least it's nice and clean under there to work on.
That brings things up to date really. I haven't done anything with the Cortina this year so far, so I really must get on with sorting out the handbrake and getting out in it - dodgy back permitting. The joys of old age lol.
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