RE: Ford Capri 2.8 | Spotted
Discussion
Chestrockwell said:
Do any of these ever have any engine conversions or can they be made to be very quick?
Yes, and yes (although, that's quick by the standards of 40 years ago, not todays standards)Back in 1984, a guy I knew had a RS3100, that had been seriously breathed on by Swaymar, at much expense and I think from memory had a Holley 4-barrel conversion etc.,etc, Was about 220hp on the dyno IIRC, which back in the mid-80's was one very quick car.
By the era of the 2.8i, turbo conversions were popular, as was the Tickford car, but can't remember hp figures for these.
Plenty of 289/302 small block Ford V8's were transplanted into Capri's back in the day as well.
BFleming said:
Some were turbocharged, some had Cosworth 24V conversions (and probably 16v turbo conversions too). How long ago are we taking about?
This happened on Sunday, I lost him on a bend on an NSL road and but I slowed down as I knew he was going for it until I gunned it when he was about 5 or 6 car lengths behind me but the distance remained the same up until I had to go another way, it looked really cool in my rear view mirror, very low and menacing Chestrockwell said:
Do any of these ever have any engine conversions or can they be made to be very quick? There was a Ford Capri behind me, lowered one, looked mean and I’m not going to say it kept up but it was a lot faster than I expected on the straights. The advert claims 162 BHP but can they be made to be more? The one that was behind me definitely had more than 160 bhp
Seriously? The Capri is one of the most-tuned and converted cars ever, In the 70s and 80s you couldn't drive around North London on a summer evening without encountering high powered versions looking for Jags and hot hatches to beat up. The ultimate in-period derivative of the Essex V6 was the GAA with up to 450 hp at 9000 rpm. A relatively much more standard 3.4 Essex with the right carbs will give 250 hp and gives a car as light as the Capri some proper shove. Then there were turbos and supercharged ones: you name it, it was out there.
There are, and always were, a significant number of V8 conversions too, some using the Rover family but a lot of big American Ford V8 conversions too, usually 302 or 351 cubic inch engines.
If you wanted four-cylinder performance you could pick up all the Mark II Escort race and rally tuning expertise. A few people dropped the 2.0 turbo 16v Cosworth Sierra engines and gearboxes into them too, at a time when there was a massive tuning industry for that engine.
Lowtimer said:
Seriously? The Capri is one of the most-tuned and converted cars ever, In the 70s and 80s you couldn't drive around North London on a summer evening without encountering high powered versions looking for Jags and hot hatches to beat up.
The ultimate in-period derivative of the Essex V6 was the GAA with up to 450 hp at 9000 rpm. A relatively much more standard 3.4 Essex with the right carbs will give 250 hp and gives a car as light as the Capri some proper shove. Then there were turbos and supercharged ones: you name it, it was out there.
There are, and always were, a significant number of V8 conversions too, some using the Rover family but a lot of big American Ford V8 conversions too, usually 302 or 351 cubic inch engines.
If you wanted four-cylinder performance you could pick up all the Mark II Escort race and rally tuning expertise. A few people dropped the 2.0 turbo 16v Cosworth Sierra engines and gearboxes into them too, at a time when there was a massive tuning industry for that engine.
Additionally, these engines were also used in loads of other cars, TVR, Marcos, Reliant and so on, people were always going to race them and tinker with them.The ultimate in-period derivative of the Essex V6 was the GAA with up to 450 hp at 9000 rpm. A relatively much more standard 3.4 Essex with the right carbs will give 250 hp and gives a car as light as the Capri some proper shove. Then there were turbos and supercharged ones: you name it, it was out there.
There are, and always were, a significant number of V8 conversions too, some using the Rover family but a lot of big American Ford V8 conversions too, usually 302 or 351 cubic inch engines.
If you wanted four-cylinder performance you could pick up all the Mark II Escort race and rally tuning expertise. A few people dropped the 2.0 turbo 16v Cosworth Sierra engines and gearboxes into them too, at a time when there was a massive tuning industry for that engine.
pSyCoSiS said:
Nice cars, love the looks of these. And the twin exit exhausts look cool as well!
As a young lad whenever I used to see a Capri with twin exit exhausts I thought that they were as cool as hell too. I remember thinking at the time when I'm older I really want a car with twin exit exhausts! 
I've lusted after a 3.0S/2.8i/280/Tickford Capri for as long as I can remember!
belleair302 said:
How much today for a Tickford version, with the blanked out front radiator?
Would have to take a close look at the auctions? Here’s an article from last year: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/spotted-ykywt/tic...
AC43 said:
The 2.8 was interesting in that Car actually had it win a group test at the time over a GTV6.
I couldn't stomach that so wrote and complained. They published my letter under the caption "Another Alfa Biggot" LOL.
I guess their point was that Ford had worked a bit of magic with the (crude) chassis which made it the better overall package - just.
I'd never driven a 2.8, only a pretty awful 2.0 GL and a couple of even worse Cortina's. And one of the words worst cars ever, my mate's Capri 1.3 resprayed in bus paint blue with an aftermarket sunroof fitted about 15 degrees off true. Talking about not being able to pull a greased out of a dog's arse......
I think Motor came to the same verdict as CAR mag - usual mag summary was the Alfa engine in the Capri chassisI couldn't stomach that so wrote and complained. They published my letter under the caption "Another Alfa Biggot" LOL.
I guess their point was that Ford had worked a bit of magic with the (crude) chassis which made it the better overall package - just.
I'd never driven a 2.8, only a pretty awful 2.0 GL and a couple of even worse Cortina's. And one of the words worst cars ever, my mate's Capri 1.3 resprayed in bus paint blue with an aftermarket sunroof fitted about 15 degrees off true. Talking about not being able to pull a greased out of a dog's arse......
As a yoof of the 80's and a massive fan of The Professionals I've got a huge space in my heart (and my lottery garage!) for the 2.8i and 3.0S Capri. Great bit of product placement for Ford there.
Just a shame they acquired the reputation of Essex nightclubs, white socks and slip on loafers. The XR3i soon came along to steal that thunder, however, but by then the damage to the image was done.
This one is optimisitcally priced to put it politely, but someone might pay it.
Just a shame they acquired the reputation of Essex nightclubs, white socks and slip on loafers. The XR3i soon came along to steal that thunder, however, but by then the damage to the image was done.
This one is optimisitcally priced to put it politely, but someone might pay it.
Lowtimer said:
Seriously? The Capri is one of the most-tuned and converted cars ever, In the 70s and 80s you couldn't drive around North London on a summer evening without encountering high powered versions looking for Jags and hot hatches to beat up.
That would've been me and my friends. Mine was probably the quickest, and rattiest, before some of my friends traded their V6 Capris for V8 engined ones, a 302 and the Superspeed 357.One now has I think, circa 1,200 - 1,400 bhp.
Another has a GAA, that as far as I know, still hasn't been put in something.
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