RE: The final Ford Capri: Driven
Discussion
aaron_2000 said:
Look at the grille on that Capri, why were the slats never straight on those early 80's Ford's? Capri, Granada, Cortina, Fiesta all had the issue.
I think that's because it's a scan of a magazine page! My capri never had curvy grille slats and I don't ever recall it being a 'thing'.(Apols if I'm due a parrot).
swisstoni said:
aaron_2000 said:
Look at the grille on that Capri, why were the slats never straight on those early 80's Ford's? Capri, Granada, Cortina, Fiesta all had the issue.
I think that's because it's a scan of a magazine page! My capri never had curvy grille slats and I don't ever recall it being a 'thing'.(Apols if I'm due a parrot).
blade7 said:
techguyone said:
Ahh the infamous nylon timing gear, who on earth thought that was a good idea.
Someone who didn't like the noise a metal one made, probably fine if changed every 25k?I'd forgotten about that! I had a Sierra with steel timing gear fitted and it sounded like the car was supercharged when you wound the revs up.
njw1 said:
blade7 said:
techguyone said:
Ahh the infamous nylon timing gear, who on earth thought that was a good idea.
Someone who didn't like the noise a metal one made, probably fine if changed every 25k?I'd forgotten about that! I had a Sierra with steel timing gear fitted and it sounded like the car was supercharged when you wound the revs up.
njw1 said:
I'd forgotten about that! I had a Sierra with steel timing gear fitted and it sounded like the car was supercharged when you wound the revs up.
Supposedly the alloy replacements were quieter than steel
s m said:
My 2.8 still had the OE fibre gear going strong well into 6 figure mileage - certainly never needed changing every 25k on a road car
Supposedly the alloy replacements were quieter than steel
I didn't say it needed changing. I never changed one on all the V6 Capris I had, I know of a couple that stripped the teeth though. Did you have your car from brand new?Supposedly the alloy replacements were quieter than steel
blade7 said:
s m said:
My 2.8 still had the OE fibre gear going strong well into 6 figure mileage - certainly never needed changing every 25k on a road car
Supposedly the alloy replacements were quieter than steel
I didn't say it needed changing. I never changed one on all the V6 Capris I had, I know of a couple that stripped the teeth though. Did you have your car from brand new?Supposedly the alloy replacements were quieter than steel
Just a general comment about the 25k change someone mentioned
Mine was on 110k when I had it - full service history from Ford as it had been a rep express. In the 50k I had it, did the rocker gaskets and tappet adjustment, replaced the non-return valve when it had a misfire starting and had the K-jet adjusted .....and that was about it
When I had it rolling after the K- jet adjustments I asked about a few things - guy looked after a few Capri V6 racers and he said the fibre ones were fine - as above he said you could hear a steel one when they were revved ( but they did get quieter with age ) but alloy were a bit quieter
Did keep the oil fresh and actually serviced it which is where I think a lot of old cars get neglected in their banger years
s m said:
Don’t recall saying you said it needed changing??
Just a general comment about the 25k change someone mentioned
The 25k was a random figure I made up, bearing in mind the cost of the Waples big valve heads my Essex had.Though if I remember correctly the gear wasn't expensive and was fairly easy to get to. So if I was still running it to 7k rpm today I certainly wouldn't leave it 100k before changing it.Just a general comment about the 25k change someone mentioned
I remember my '73 brown Capri fondly. We called it the poor man's BMW 2002. It was fun, bright and airy, with a nice manual transmission. It replaced my '69 Cougar and while it didn't have anywhere near its power or torque, it was more fun to drive. it sill looks good by today's standards.
SILVERSTONE CLASSIC CLUB PACKAGE SALES EXTENDED
If you want to see this exact car at the Silverstone Classic (26-28th July) and many other Capris racing across the weekend – then join us in the PH club parking inside the circuit next to our Pie & Piston pub.
Saturday and weekend club packages are now sold out, but we've been able to extend our club package sales for Friday and Sunday.
If you have an eligible car to park in our club area, Friday is £52 for two people and Sunday is £67 for two people including your infield parking pass.
Click here to check our eligibility list, then click here to book using our code CCD001342019.
If you want to see this exact car at the Silverstone Classic (26-28th July) and many other Capris racing across the weekend – then join us in the PH club parking inside the circuit next to our Pie & Piston pub.
Saturday and weekend club packages are now sold out, but we've been able to extend our club package sales for Friday and Sunday.
If you have an eligible car to park in our club area, Friday is £52 for two people and Sunday is £67 for two people including your infield parking pass.
Click here to check our eligibility list, then click here to book using our code CCD001342019.
From an article published yesterday... some entertaining comments, many from former owners.
A couple of examples:
"Mine was powder blue 1600 which didn’t really go with the lad-about town image, especially in Essex."
"I put 260,000 on the clock with same engine clutch and gearbox. Averaged 37mpg, until it finally rusted to death. Most fun car I have ever owned."
"The big joke was Ford's advert which boasted 'Looks like it's doing 60 even when it's standing still.' Much p**s taking from my mates"
more here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/ford-capr...
RazerSauber said:
Properly wish I'd have been old enough to consider one when you could get a 1.6 Laser for £300 in half decent nick. People sell half a tonne of rust with a steering wheel for about 3 grand now..
I declined a Mk1 3.0 V6 for a swap for my Leon because I didn't wanna do 40 miles. Regret it so heavily. J4CKO said:
Hi. Came across this thread. Got to ask because I owned this car. Presuming I'm on the right user! Was your dad called Graham? Least I think that was his name. He was nicknamed Monolito.
He worked at Hyde Rd garage then moved to Charles strett works in Stockport. I remember the story of you winning the golf and him turning up in it. Was it black with steel wheels on it? Mk2? Then I bought the capri off him. Kept it maybe 5 years. Resprayed it. Changed the wing. Could only get it one off a later model so was actually slightly different. Fixed the seat as the springs had gone in it. I remember the rev ccountervread far too high. 2nd gear synchro was knackered. Got a few pics of it. Wish I still had it. All the best to your dad. Steve Duffy is my name. They all used yo call me tinting after the singer. No idea how to upload a pic on here
Ok, now you are in trouble, bored and nostalgic for Capris..
I think for me it was just because we had it around so long,
My dads one was around from about 74 when he got it, I can remember going with him to get it (bought privately) and it involved an amorous Alsatian that took a shine to me, my mum has said I was like catnip to pervy dogs, happened in Devon at a relatives, couldnt leave me anywhere near their Border Collie as it would try and shag me aged three, at least at some point in my life I was regarded as desirable, pity it was just to large horny canines
It was silver which faded over time, my dad added a black stripe down the side, it was the seventies so stripes were in, the stripe got changed so the rear wings had a big black patch, that was temporary and some years later he took it into the Bus Depot where he worked where it got painted white and it looked more or less identical to J4r4lly's one pictured above.
He added a Vinyl roof, he got all new chrome from the Ford Dealer near St Marys Hospital in about 1980, apparently the dealer had the trim in stock, wing badges, strips and all the stuff for round the Vinyl roof, the dealer apparently said something along the lines of "Glad I saved those, knew someone would want them eventually"
It looked great, I had a mishap during a stunt on my Raleigh Strika and hot the rear quarter, and a bloke bumped into the rear quarter, it went to court, we had our own copper called PC Brazier, the bloke who crashed into us was called Clifford Perkins, amazing what you remember.
I had a Feu Orange air freshener, the smell of that takes me back, though it was mixed with other smells, like slightly mouldy carpet and burning oil until my dad rebuilt the engine, can remember that job as well. Can remember the poooiiiing noise when you slammed the boot, the superheated black vinyl seats, the "Sports Motors of Hale" tax disk holder, the switch to go from 8 track to radio, the loud ticking of the clock in the centre console (well it was a GT-XLR) the six clock dash, the extra locks fitted in the door, the tops of the internal lock pop up things being filed off to prevent them being pulled up, the Piston Slap when it was cold and how easy autostores brake pads catch fire, the non functional heated rear screen, the silver chequered flag sticker that said "HIGH PERFORMANCE"
It had a Sanyo 8 track, I loved Tubular Bells, still do which was a good thing as he only had a handful of cassettes, Dark side of the Moon, Best of the Beach Boys, Deep Purple Machine Head and a couple of others, when I hear Tubular Bells nowadays I wait for the pause, and click as the tape machine switched tracks, it is perhaps best that particular technology got replaced, Reed and pipe Organ.....And....Tubular.....Bells, the Piltdown man bit scared me when I was little though, the sort of caveman gurgling and growling.
Remember sitting in it on Saturday at dinner time outside the chippy, stomach grumbling in anticipation of some stodge, my dad listening to the incomprehensible (to a kid) football pools report, Forfar Four, Queen of the South Nil, Forties, Northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later in west, There are 4 score draws and 2 no score draws...
Sometimes it got a bit scary, like the time a bloke cut across him in a Viva and got a bit aggressive and it got a bit punchy, think it was the same time a drunk bloke at the cinema had puked over my brother as we tried to watch ET so not in a good mood, a Biker scuttled through another time and clouted the car or my dads arm resting on the door, a full on chase ensued !
My dad was saving for a 2.8i, he nearly won a 280 in Autocar in 87, in the last 5 or so, then I did win a car, a Golf GTI in the Daily Mirror, he bought that off me, and I got the Capri, I kept it a year and had loads of fun.
I learnt to drive in it, my mum did as well, I got picked up occasionally from school in it, my dad wasnt averse to leaving onto the main road sideways, bigger kid and any of those waiting for the school bus if it ever snowed he used to arse about in the snow, which is where i get it from.
It was eventful that year, the car had got 3 litre front springs as that was what my dad could get at the time so it had a somewhat nose up stance as the 1600 engine was half the weight of the Essex V6 which made the legendary handling even more er, legendary, when it went sideways it tended to go into a massive pendulum tank slapping type thing, never span it but I did give a queue of traffic going into Heald Green a nasty moment seeing this classic 20 year old Capri slewing one way and the other wit me sawing frantically at the wheel, managed to collect it and then had a bit of a lie down. Did the same following my mates (J4ckos mate on here) Viva onto the Manchester Airport Cargo centre, he saw one side of the car, then the other, then the first one again....
A mate got me a stereo liberated from a crashed 944 so I wired that in, a Panasonic F30, was so proud of that thing, the Technique album by New Order had just come out so that was the soundtrack, made a nice change from Tubular......Bells.
I used to show off sliding it round, the Heald Green Pub had an unmade section of car park, learnt how to do handbrake turns and donuts, well, as well as 90 ish bhp can muster, then the day after my dad noticed my car was sat at a jaunty angle due to a broken spring, so many happy hours then finding and removing a less shagged, but still quite shagged almost suitable and very crusty leaf spring. Put the proper front springs on as well, it was much nicer to drive and didnt look like it was going to hump the car in front.
I took all the wheels off and painted them, including the black inlays, spent hours on it, new carpet and had all sorts of ideas to refurbish things, but got bored and demoralised, as despite 18 years of my dads best efforts injecting various oily substances, mainly liberated from work into every nook and cranny, the rust was settling in, the front wing wad a hole above the front wheel, over which a Shell Oils Touring cars sticker lived. The electics sometimes went off completely, a bit alarming at pace somewhere up around High Peak at night, especially when it was accompanied by smoke, the gear stick occasionally fell out, this happened first back when my dad it, which seemed hilarious at the time as a kid.
I was working part time at a car sales place, a tidy 1.6 LS Mk3 in a fetching bluey green came in, seemed so new and luxurious with its check cloth trim and remote controlled (by a cable) door mirror, so the MK1 (OJA 375G) was sold and I bought that, still miss it, it still gets mentioned, I send my dad eBay links to similar cars to try to get him to buy one but he isnt into having old cars himself.
He worked at Hyde Rd garage then moved to Charles strett works in Stockport. I remember the story of you winning the golf and him turning up in it. Was it black with steel wheels on it? Mk2? Then I bought the capri off him. Kept it maybe 5 years. Resprayed it. Changed the wing. Could only get it one off a later model so was actually slightly different. Fixed the seat as the springs had gone in it. I remember the rev ccountervread far too high. 2nd gear synchro was knackered. Got a few pics of it. Wish I still had it. All the best to your dad. Steve Duffy is my name. They all used yo call me tinting after the singer. No idea how to upload a pic on here
Ok, now you are in trouble, bored and nostalgic for Capris..
I think for me it was just because we had it around so long,
My dads one was around from about 74 when he got it, I can remember going with him to get it (bought privately) and it involved an amorous Alsatian that took a shine to me, my mum has said I was like catnip to pervy dogs, happened in Devon at a relatives, couldnt leave me anywhere near their Border Collie as it would try and shag me aged three, at least at some point in my life I was regarded as desirable, pity it was just to large horny canines
It was silver which faded over time, my dad added a black stripe down the side, it was the seventies so stripes were in, the stripe got changed so the rear wings had a big black patch, that was temporary and some years later he took it into the Bus Depot where he worked where it got painted white and it looked more or less identical to J4r4lly's one pictured above.
He added a Vinyl roof, he got all new chrome from the Ford Dealer near St Marys Hospital in about 1980, apparently the dealer had the trim in stock, wing badges, strips and all the stuff for round the Vinyl roof, the dealer apparently said something along the lines of "Glad I saved those, knew someone would want them eventually"
It looked great, I had a mishap during a stunt on my Raleigh Strika and hot the rear quarter, and a bloke bumped into the rear quarter, it went to court, we had our own copper called PC Brazier, the bloke who crashed into us was called Clifford Perkins, amazing what you remember.
I had a Feu Orange air freshener, the smell of that takes me back, though it was mixed with other smells, like slightly mouldy carpet and burning oil until my dad rebuilt the engine, can remember that job as well. Can remember the poooiiiing noise when you slammed the boot, the superheated black vinyl seats, the "Sports Motors of Hale" tax disk holder, the switch to go from 8 track to radio, the loud ticking of the clock in the centre console (well it was a GT-XLR) the six clock dash, the extra locks fitted in the door, the tops of the internal lock pop up things being filed off to prevent them being pulled up, the Piston Slap when it was cold and how easy autostores brake pads catch fire, the non functional heated rear screen, the silver chequered flag sticker that said "HIGH PERFORMANCE"
It had a Sanyo 8 track, I loved Tubular Bells, still do which was a good thing as he only had a handful of cassettes, Dark side of the Moon, Best of the Beach Boys, Deep Purple Machine Head and a couple of others, when I hear Tubular Bells nowadays I wait for the pause, and click as the tape machine switched tracks, it is perhaps best that particular technology got replaced, Reed and pipe Organ.....And....Tubular.....Bells, the Piltdown man bit scared me when I was little though, the sort of caveman gurgling and growling.
Remember sitting in it on Saturday at dinner time outside the chippy, stomach grumbling in anticipation of some stodge, my dad listening to the incomprehensible (to a kid) football pools report, Forfar Four, Queen of the South Nil, Forties, Northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later in west, There are 4 score draws and 2 no score draws...
Sometimes it got a bit scary, like the time a bloke cut across him in a Viva and got a bit aggressive and it got a bit punchy, think it was the same time a drunk bloke at the cinema had puked over my brother as we tried to watch ET so not in a good mood, a Biker scuttled through another time and clouted the car or my dads arm resting on the door, a full on chase ensued !
My dad was saving for a 2.8i, he nearly won a 280 in Autocar in 87, in the last 5 or so, then I did win a car, a Golf GTI in the Daily Mirror, he bought that off me, and I got the Capri, I kept it a year and had loads of fun.
I learnt to drive in it, my mum did as well, I got picked up occasionally from school in it, my dad wasnt averse to leaving onto the main road sideways, bigger kid and any of those waiting for the school bus
if it ever snowed he used to arse about in the snow, which is where i get it from.It was eventful that year, the car had got 3 litre front springs as that was what my dad could get at the time so it had a somewhat nose up stance as the 1600 engine was half the weight of the Essex V6 which made the legendary handling even more er, legendary, when it went sideways it tended to go into a massive pendulum tank slapping type thing, never span it but I did give a queue of traffic going into Heald Green a nasty moment seeing this classic 20 year old Capri slewing one way and the other wit me sawing frantically at the wheel, managed to collect it and then had a bit of a lie down. Did the same following my mates (J4ckos mate on here) Viva onto the Manchester Airport Cargo centre, he saw one side of the car, then the other, then the first one again....
A mate got me a stereo liberated from a crashed 944 so I wired that in, a Panasonic F30, was so proud of that thing, the Technique album by New Order had just come out so that was the soundtrack, made a nice change from Tubular......Bells.
I used to show off sliding it round, the Heald Green Pub had an unmade section of car park, learnt how to do handbrake turns and donuts, well, as well as 90 ish bhp can muster, then the day after my dad noticed my car was sat at a jaunty angle due to a broken spring, so many happy hours then finding and removing a less shagged, but still quite shagged almost suitable and very crusty leaf spring. Put the proper front springs on as well, it was much nicer to drive and didnt look like it was going to hump the car in front.
I took all the wheels off and painted them, including the black inlays, spent hours on it, new carpet and had all sorts of ideas to refurbish things, but got bored and demoralised, as despite 18 years of my dads best efforts injecting various oily substances, mainly liberated from work into every nook and cranny, the rust was settling in, the front wing wad a hole above the front wheel, over which a Shell Oils Touring cars sticker lived. The electics sometimes went off completely, a bit alarming at pace somewhere up around High Peak at night, especially when it was accompanied by smoke, the gear stick occasionally fell out, this happened first back when my dad it, which seemed hilarious at the time as a kid.
I was working part time at a car sales place, a tidy 1.6 LS Mk3 in a fetching bluey green came in, seemed so new and luxurious with its check cloth trim and remote controlled (by a cable) door mirror, so the MK1 (OJA 375G) was sold and I bought that, still miss it, it still gets mentioned, I send my dad eBay links to similar cars to try to get him to buy one but he isnt into having old cars himself.
Edited by J4CKO on Thursday 9th May 22:09
Edited by J4CKO on Thursday 9th May 22:11
Dufoismcduff said:
J4CKO said:
Hi. Came across this thread. Got to ask because I owned this car. Presuming I'm on the right user! Was your dad called Graham? Least I think that was his name. He was nicknamed Monolito.
He worked at Hyde Rd garage then moved to Charles strett works in Stockport. I remember the story of you winning the golf and him turning up in it. Was it black with steel wheels on it? Mk2? Then I bought the capri off him. Kept it maybe 5 years. Resprayed it. Changed the wing. Could only get it one off a later model so was actually slightly different. Fixed the seat as the springs had gone in it. I remember the rev ccountervread far too high. 2nd gear synchro was knackered. Got a few pics of it. Wish I still had it. All the best to your dad. Steve Duffy is my name. They all used yo call me tinting after the singer. No idea how to upload a pic on here
Ok, now you are in trouble, bored and nostalgic for Capris..
I think for me it was just because we had it around so long,
My dads one was around from about 74 when he got it, I can remember going with him to get it (bought privately) and it involved an amorous Alsatian that took a shine to me, my mum has said I was like catnip to pervy dogs, happened in Devon at a relatives, couldnt leave me anywhere near their Border Collie as it would try and shag me aged three, at least at some point in my life I was regarded as desirable, pity it was just to large horny canines
It was silver which faded over time, my dad added a black stripe down the side, it was the seventies so stripes were in, the stripe got changed so the rear wings had a big black patch, that was temporary and some years later he took it into the Bus Depot where he worked where it got painted white and it looked more or less identical to J4r4lly's one pictured above.
He added a Vinyl roof, he got all new chrome from the Ford Dealer near St Marys Hospital in about 1980, apparently the dealer had the trim in stock, wing badges, strips and all the stuff for round the Vinyl roof, the dealer apparently said something along the lines of "Glad I saved those, knew someone would want them eventually"
It looked great, I had a mishap during a stunt on my Raleigh Strika and hot the rear quarter, and a bloke bumped into the rear quarter, it went to court, we had our own copper called PC Brazier, the bloke who crashed into us was called Clifford Perkins, amazing what you remember.
I had a Feu Orange air freshener, the smell of that takes me back, though it was mixed with other smells, like slightly mouldy carpet and burning oil until my dad rebuilt the engine, can remember that job as well. Can remember the poooiiiing noise when you slammed the boot, the superheated black vinyl seats, the "Sports Motors of Hale" tax disk holder, the switch to go from 8 track to radio, the loud ticking of the clock in the centre console (well it was a GT-XLR) the six clock dash, the extra locks fitted in the door, the tops of the internal lock pop up things being filed off to prevent them being pulled up, the Piston Slap when it was cold and how easy autostores brake pads catch fire, the non functional heated rear screen, the silver chequered flag sticker that said "HIGH PERFORMANCE"
It had a Sanyo 8 track, I loved Tubular Bells, still do which was a good thing as he only had a handful of cassettes, Dark side of the Moon, Best of the Beach Boys, Deep Purple Machine Head and a couple of others, when I hear Tubular Bells nowadays I wait for the pause, and click as the tape machine switched tracks, it is perhaps best that particular technology got replaced, Reed and pipe Organ.....And....Tubular.....Bells, the Piltdown man bit scared me when I was little though, the sort of caveman gurgling and growling.
Remember sitting in it on Saturday at dinner time outside the chippy, stomach grumbling in anticipation of some stodge, my dad listening to the incomprehensible (to a kid) football pools report, Forfar Four, Queen of the South Nil, Forties, Northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later in west, There are 4 score draws and 2 no score draws...
Sometimes it got a bit scary, like the time a bloke cut across him in a Viva and got a bit aggressive and it got a bit punchy, think it was the same time a drunk bloke at the cinema had puked over my brother as we tried to watch ET so not in a good mood, a Biker scuttled through another time and clouted the car or my dads arm resting on the door, a full on chase ensued !
My dad was saving for a 2.8i, he nearly won a 280 in Autocar in 87, in the last 5 or so, then I did win a car, a Golf GTI in the Daily Mirror, he bought that off me, and I got the Capri, I kept it a year and had loads of fun.
I learnt to drive in it, my mum did as well, I got picked up occasionally from school in it, my dad wasnt averse to leaving onto the main road sideways, bigger kid and any of those waiting for the school bus if it ever snowed he used to arse about in the snow, which is where i get it from.
It was eventful that year, the car had got 3 litre front springs as that was what my dad could get at the time so it had a somewhat nose up stance as the 1600 engine was half the weight of the Essex V6 which made the legendary handling even more er, legendary, when it went sideways it tended to go into a massive pendulum tank slapping type thing, never span it but I did give a queue of traffic going into Heald Green a nasty moment seeing this classic 20 year old Capri slewing one way and the other wit me sawing frantically at the wheel, managed to collect it and then had a bit of a lie down. Did the same following my mates (J4ckos mate on here) Viva onto the Manchester Airport Cargo centre, he saw one side of the car, then the other, then the first one again....
A mate got me a stereo liberated from a crashed 944 so I wired that in, a Panasonic F30, was so proud of that thing, the Technique album by New Order had just come out so that was the soundtrack, made a nice change from Tubular......Bells.
I used to show off sliding it round, the Heald Green Pub had an unmade section of car park, learnt how to do handbrake turns and donuts, well, as well as 90 ish bhp can muster, then the day after my dad noticed my car was sat at a jaunty angle due to a broken spring, so many happy hours then finding and removing a less shagged, but still quite shagged almost suitable and very crusty leaf spring. Put the proper front springs on as well, it was much nicer to drive and didnt look like it was going to hump the car in front.
I took all the wheels off and painted them, including the black inlays, spent hours on it, new carpet and had all sorts of ideas to refurbish things, but got bored and demoralised, as despite 18 years of my dads best efforts injecting various oily substances, mainly liberated from work into every nook and cranny, the rust was settling in, the front wing wad a hole above the front wheel, over which a Shell Oils Touring cars sticker lived. The electics sometimes went off completely, a bit alarming at pace somewhere up around High Peak at night, especially when it was accompanied by smoke, the gear stick occasionally fell out, this happened first back when my dad it, which seemed hilarious at the time as a kid.
I was working part time at a car sales place, a tidy 1.6 LS Mk3 in a fetching bluey green came in, seemed so new and luxurious with its check cloth trim and remote controlled (by a cable) door mirror, so the MK1 (OJA 375G) was sold and I bought that, still miss it, it still gets mentioned, I send my dad eBay links to similar cars to try to get him to buy one but he isnt into having old cars himself.
He worked at Hyde Rd garage then moved to Charles strett works in Stockport. I remember the story of you winning the golf and him turning up in it. Was it black with steel wheels on it? Mk2? Then I bought the capri off him. Kept it maybe 5 years. Resprayed it. Changed the wing. Could only get it one off a later model so was actually slightly different. Fixed the seat as the springs had gone in it. I remember the rev ccountervread far too high. 2nd gear synchro was knackered. Got a few pics of it. Wish I still had it. All the best to your dad. Steve Duffy is my name. They all used yo call me tinting after the singer. No idea how to upload a pic on here
Ok, now you are in trouble, bored and nostalgic for Capris..
I think for me it was just because we had it around so long,
My dads one was around from about 74 when he got it, I can remember going with him to get it (bought privately) and it involved an amorous Alsatian that took a shine to me, my mum has said I was like catnip to pervy dogs, happened in Devon at a relatives, couldnt leave me anywhere near their Border Collie as it would try and shag me aged three, at least at some point in my life I was regarded as desirable, pity it was just to large horny canines
It was silver which faded over time, my dad added a black stripe down the side, it was the seventies so stripes were in, the stripe got changed so the rear wings had a big black patch, that was temporary and some years later he took it into the Bus Depot where he worked where it got painted white and it looked more or less identical to J4r4lly's one pictured above.
He added a Vinyl roof, he got all new chrome from the Ford Dealer near St Marys Hospital in about 1980, apparently the dealer had the trim in stock, wing badges, strips and all the stuff for round the Vinyl roof, the dealer apparently said something along the lines of "Glad I saved those, knew someone would want them eventually"
It looked great, I had a mishap during a stunt on my Raleigh Strika and hot the rear quarter, and a bloke bumped into the rear quarter, it went to court, we had our own copper called PC Brazier, the bloke who crashed into us was called Clifford Perkins, amazing what you remember.
I had a Feu Orange air freshener, the smell of that takes me back, though it was mixed with other smells, like slightly mouldy carpet and burning oil until my dad rebuilt the engine, can remember that job as well. Can remember the poooiiiing noise when you slammed the boot, the superheated black vinyl seats, the "Sports Motors of Hale" tax disk holder, the switch to go from 8 track to radio, the loud ticking of the clock in the centre console (well it was a GT-XLR) the six clock dash, the extra locks fitted in the door, the tops of the internal lock pop up things being filed off to prevent them being pulled up, the Piston Slap when it was cold and how easy autostores brake pads catch fire, the non functional heated rear screen, the silver chequered flag sticker that said "HIGH PERFORMANCE"
It had a Sanyo 8 track, I loved Tubular Bells, still do which was a good thing as he only had a handful of cassettes, Dark side of the Moon, Best of the Beach Boys, Deep Purple Machine Head and a couple of others, when I hear Tubular Bells nowadays I wait for the pause, and click as the tape machine switched tracks, it is perhaps best that particular technology got replaced, Reed and pipe Organ.....And....Tubular.....Bells, the Piltdown man bit scared me when I was little though, the sort of caveman gurgling and growling.
Remember sitting in it on Saturday at dinner time outside the chippy, stomach grumbling in anticipation of some stodge, my dad listening to the incomprehensible (to a kid) football pools report, Forfar Four, Queen of the South Nil, Forties, Northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later in west, There are 4 score draws and 2 no score draws...
Sometimes it got a bit scary, like the time a bloke cut across him in a Viva and got a bit aggressive and it got a bit punchy, think it was the same time a drunk bloke at the cinema had puked over my brother as we tried to watch ET so not in a good mood, a Biker scuttled through another time and clouted the car or my dads arm resting on the door, a full on chase ensued !
My dad was saving for a 2.8i, he nearly won a 280 in Autocar in 87, in the last 5 or so, then I did win a car, a Golf GTI in the Daily Mirror, he bought that off me, and I got the Capri, I kept it a year and had loads of fun.
I learnt to drive in it, my mum did as well, I got picked up occasionally from school in it, my dad wasnt averse to leaving onto the main road sideways, bigger kid and any of those waiting for the school bus
if it ever snowed he used to arse about in the snow, which is where i get it from.It was eventful that year, the car had got 3 litre front springs as that was what my dad could get at the time so it had a somewhat nose up stance as the 1600 engine was half the weight of the Essex V6 which made the legendary handling even more er, legendary, when it went sideways it tended to go into a massive pendulum tank slapping type thing, never span it but I did give a queue of traffic going into Heald Green a nasty moment seeing this classic 20 year old Capri slewing one way and the other wit me sawing frantically at the wheel, managed to collect it and then had a bit of a lie down. Did the same following my mates (J4ckos mate on here) Viva onto the Manchester Airport Cargo centre, he saw one side of the car, then the other, then the first one again....
A mate got me a stereo liberated from a crashed 944 so I wired that in, a Panasonic F30, was so proud of that thing, the Technique album by New Order had just come out so that was the soundtrack, made a nice change from Tubular......Bells.
I used to show off sliding it round, the Heald Green Pub had an unmade section of car park, learnt how to do handbrake turns and donuts, well, as well as 90 ish bhp can muster, then the day after my dad noticed my car was sat at a jaunty angle due to a broken spring, so many happy hours then finding and removing a less shagged, but still quite shagged almost suitable and very crusty leaf spring. Put the proper front springs on as well, it was much nicer to drive and didnt look like it was going to hump the car in front.
I took all the wheels off and painted them, including the black inlays, spent hours on it, new carpet and had all sorts of ideas to refurbish things, but got bored and demoralised, as despite 18 years of my dads best efforts injecting various oily substances, mainly liberated from work into every nook and cranny, the rust was settling in, the front wing wad a hole above the front wheel, over which a Shell Oils Touring cars sticker lived. The electics sometimes went off completely, a bit alarming at pace somewhere up around High Peak at night, especially when it was accompanied by smoke, the gear stick occasionally fell out, this happened first back when my dad it, which seemed hilarious at the time as a kid.
I was working part time at a car sales place, a tidy 1.6 LS Mk3 in a fetching bluey green came in, seemed so new and luxurious with its check cloth trim and remote controlled (by a cable) door mirror, so the MK1 (OJA 375G) was sold and I bought that, still miss it, it still gets mentioned, I send my dad eBay links to similar cars to try to get him to buy one but he isnt into having old cars himself.
Edited by J4CKO on Thursday 9th May 22:09
Edited by J4CKO on Thursday 9th May 22:11
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