RE: The final Ford Capri: Driven

[ralphrj]

Number_Six said:

That is lovely.

[fernando the frog]

I want that so much. Perfect spec for me

[unsprung]

ralphrj said:

Number_Six said:

That is lovely.

+1

[Number_Six]

I'll put up a reader's car post at some point as I'd love to know what happened to it, damn thing almost bankrupted me at the time. Also had an LPG conversion badly done by previous owner with a carb plate going into the Essex V6. When I had the engine changed I had a proper conversion done with additional injectors into the Cosworth V6, meant I could run the car as a daily driver for pennies. Few more shots:











It came with the rubber spoiler and a mishmash of Ghia trim, and was either a late mk2 or an early mk3. The S interior was a nightmare to find! If anyone knows where the car is now please let me know. I can probably afford to look after it now

[nullogik]

Christhepostie said:

I seem to remember one of these beauties, back in the late 90's, on an 'E' plate, in the Balham/Tooting area of London. The house it was parked at also had another Capri. I'm pretty sure that was on a 'D'. I wonder if that lucky person is on here? I actually lusted after those 2 cars.

There is a chap in Balham that has a black D-reg one. He uses it regularly. Not sure if it's the same person as I don't recall him having had an E-reg one. I think it is an "injection" model.

Edited by nullogik on Sunday 5th May 13:12

[s m]

Excellent

Friend has a 280



Even EVO who normally dislike Fords overall did a buying guide on these ( no doubt Mr Barker had a bit of influence! )






Looking forward to the good weather and hearing the exhaust burbling away

[Faust66]

I've had 3 Capris... the ONLY reason there is not one parked outside my house right now if the cost of a good one.

I had a 1.6 l laser, 2 l laser and then a 2.8 injection special between 1997-2006 (all daily drivers and my only car).

The article is quite correct: the brakes were always woeful, especially on the 2.8. Set of Wilwood Dyalite 4 pot calipers soon sorted that out, and a set of AVO adjustables and polybushes made it handle quite well (as well as a road going Capri every will, that is). Never went with a rear axle triangulation kit as I enjoyed the tail happy fun a V6 Capri provides.

Excellent cars and I will have another. The sound off that big V6 through a performance exhaust with twin 3 inch tailpipes... Always wanted to drop a cossie V6 in but never got round to hit before a halfwit in a Corsa decided to write my car off.

For the time being, my Volvo Amazon will suffice... rear coil springs on a car designed in the mid 1950's? Quite a shock after Capri leaf springs!

[ess]

Needs cardboard boxes

S

[GTI16V]

An acquaintance on the classic Ford scene has one of these stroked out to 3.1 litres.
It has a custom stainless exhaust and sounds absolutely epic.

[ballans]

Love a Capri!
My auntie had a John Player Special limited edition version which meant she was the coolest person in the world. I don’t know much about them in terms of spec but I remember it being black with the gold JPS branded stickers. Would be good if anyone on here could shed some more light on it as I haven’t seen another one since. Think it was on an R plate so 76/77.
It eventually rusted away and got replaced by a Scirocco which was also very cool.

[WJNB]

A timeless shape & scaled down beautifully for the real world of driving in the UK.
For once the Essex blue-collar badge mattered not a jot & I was chuffed to be able to choose one as a company car. I recall some smart-arse who imagined he had a way with words & called it a 'Cortina in drag', which was true of course but how dreary & suburban they looked compared to the Capri.
I'd be happy to own one now although I gather they are a thief magnet judging by all the extra locks I see fitted on them.
And yes I know somebody will remind us of the famous advertising strap line so I'll let 'em.

[EDLT]

These have always been the rusty shed that's been dumped in someone's drive for years. Were the struggling sales down to the availability of the much more modern Sierra parked next to it in the dealership?

[B17NNS]

Looks like a Special to me (half leather Recaro's and the wheels).

My old man had one of these from new. Lovely noise from the V6 and I remember it feeling very rapid at the time.

EDLT said:

These have always been the rusty shed that's been dumped in someone's drive for years. Were the struggling sales down to the availability of the much more modern Sierra parked next to it in the dealership?

Hot Golfs and 205's started to make them look a bit ancient and chest wiggy.

Edited by B17NNS on Sunday 5th May 17:02

[swisstoni]

EDLT said:

These have always been the rusty shed that's been dumped in someone's drive for years. Were the struggling sales down to the availability of the much more modern Sierra parked next to it in the dealership?

You sound quite the expert.

[shaunsmith]

There were quite a few 280 Capri’s in the late 80’s in Hull were I lived back then, yet near every other Capri had the majestic aerodynamic Richard Grant RGA bodykits.

Edited by shaunsmith on Sunday 5th May 17:20

[J4CKO]

EDLT said:

These have always been the rusty shed that's been dumped in someone's drive for years. Were the struggling sales down to the availability of the much more modern Sierra parked next to it in the dealership?

Maybe 25 years ago, not nowadays as they are worth decent money.

They sold reasonably well into the 1980s but things moved on, the Capri was a dinosaur by 1980 and then soldiered on another 6 and a bit years.

The Sierra wasnt that much more modern really, the engines and gearboxes were shared, the Sierra got independent rear suspension and a futuristic look but it wasnt exactly the huge leap in technology it looked like.

[irocfan]

I always liked the mk2 capri but they seem to be insanely rare

[br d]

axeman54 said:

I love these cars so much i have 1x 2.0 laser (daily driver) and 2x 2.8 injections (under restoration)

1 post in 117 months, impressive.

I had a laser 2.0 as a wan young man. It caught fire after I had thrashed it up the A127, I pulled into the car park of the Fortune of War and tried to get some water from somewhere but the pub was "shut". So I stood and watched it burn, joined eventually by about 50 people all holding drinks who had come out from the lock-in.

The next day on phoning the insurance company I was told I had ballsed something up on the forms and wasn't actually covered. Sold the wreck for buttons and learned a very costly lesson.

[samoht]

Johnny5hoods said:

So let me pose a question. Did the Capri die out because people really wanted hot hatches instead, or did it die out because Ford, essentially, left it largely unchanged all the way from 1974 to 1987???

Well, in 1989 Nissan brought out the S13 model 200SX; the same idea as the Capri, but with up to date multilink rear suspension, DOHC and turbo. They were moderately popular in the UK but never big sellers; I think the big numbers sold in Japan were what kept it cost-effective to keep making them.

[s m]

Helicopter123 said:

Johnny5hoods said:

During the 70's, the Capri dominated the market for 4 seater(ish) "affordable" sporty cars. Then, in the 80's the hot hatch stole that sector of the market.

So let me pose a question. Did the Capri die out because people really wanted hot hatches instead, or did it die out because Ford, essentially, left it largely unchanged all the way from 1974 to 1987???

Didn't Ford replace the Capri with the Probe though and then later, the Cougar?

Just no demand although will be interesting to see how the Mustang goes.

Cars like the Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ show how small the market is for a cheap Coupe.

Exactly right - Ford's Capri and Vauxhall/Opel's Manta both died out in the late 80s, partly down to diminishing sales and partly down to lack,of willingness to invest in ageing rwd platforms. Both were replaced with much newer fwd coupes - Probe and Calibra.

Good point re the GT86 - not a big market for small rwd coupes with out a prestige badge now. The ageing Opel Manta sold more in UK in its last full year of production than the GT86 managed in its first 3 years on sale in UK ....and that lack of sales was enough to convince Ford/GM to finish them.
Hot hatches are more practical for most