RE: SOTW: Ford Capri Mk3

[will261058]

I liked these a lot after trying out a mates 3.0S in gold paint. Remember the TV ads to "The car you always promised yourself". Well I never promised myself one but it sure made me appreciate rear wheel drive, so much so that I have stuck to it ever since.

[davegreg]

Had a few 3 Litre Capris back in the day, the best one i had was a MKII Ghia in Signal Orange with a manual gearbox, all black interior and i fitted a 4 barrel Holley carb and cherry bomb exhausts. Loved that motor - right up to the point where i smashed it up the arse end of an unmarked police car!

[.Mark]

Smike said:

.Mark said:

rallycross said:

I enjoyed having my 2.8i it was one of the later cars an 87-D special with recaro's, LSD, about 150 bhp, low mileage with fsh. That was in 1995 & I wouldnt be surprised if its still going now.

That'd be the Brooklands. Was a special run for the last ever card IIRC.

I think he means it was the earlier 'Special' special edition, rather than the Brooklands which had the bigger 15" alloys

I stand corrected

[angusc43]

kellys hero said:

angusc43 said:

I used to get out of it into an Alfa Sud 1.5 and it was like going forward 100 years in time.

Most cars, in a 100 years are piles of rust, the 'Sud did indeed achieve that far ahead of any other Capri.

Yeah but I didn't leave my car unlocked with the windows open in the hope it would get nicked. Unlike my mate with his Capri.

[dowahdiddyman]

Always liked the Capri since I was a nipper, bloke down the road bought a 3.0s and I was sold,wanted one so bad. A few years later my mate went out and totally destroyed my Capri fantasy by buying a `74` 1.6GL(gutless lemon). Thought he was the `bees` until I pulled up along side him at the lights in my aunts Marina tc,(total crap), to a 17yr old that thing was mega quick, pity really as there was nowhere to hide as it was bright orange.

[Smike]

Funnily enough I've just seen a local PHer's 2.8 Capri woofling up the road within the last hour.

Sounded great

[OllieC]

Having owned a 1.6, a few 2 litres and 2.8i, you need at least a 2 litre, the 1.6 is just tooo slow

heres my curent 2.0s :



standard 2.0s, apart from the wheels.

needs more powerrrrr

[Dunk76]

Ollie - there's an identical one round here - without the silver decals removed.

Oh, and a small-block v8 under the nose.

[Faust66]

.Mark said:

Smike said:

.Mark said:

rallycross said:

I enjoyed having my 2.8i it was one of the later cars an 87-D special with recaro's, LSD, about 150 bhp, low mileage with fsh. That was in 1995 & I wouldnt be surprised if its still going now.

That'd be the Brooklands. Was a special run for the last ever card IIRC.

I think he means it was the earlier 'Special' special edition, rather than the Brooklands which had the bigger 15" alloys

I stand corrected

All the 2.8i's had recaro interiors, the 2.8 'Special' had an LSD and half leather recaros plus the 13 inch 7 spoke RS alloys.

The 280's or 'Brooklands' all had the dark green brooklands green paint, 15 inch RS 7 spokes plus 'Raven' (black leather) recaros with red piping. 1038 were sold, of which circa 200 were converted by Turbo techics.

Sadly, I didn't google this info... 'twas already in my head.

Sad, I know.

[anything fast]

its not worth touching one of these for under a grand or with a small engine..

most cars for this kind of money will be crap... if you really want one get a 2.8 or 3.0, and spend at least 3 grand, or better still find a solid shell a drop in granada 24V cosworth v6.. it will fly..

I looked at a 280 Brooklands with a twin turbo conversion a while back and it looked lovely and really went but sadly was half made of body filler.. would have been a massive project..

One interesting Capri is worth looking up the Aston Martin Tickford prepared car, came only in white and is now a very valuable car (for a capri) i think they were 2.8 twin turbos (not 100% sure on engine) i saw one at classic ford show last year and it looked lovely..

As far as shedding goes these are now to pricey, a 900 quid Capri indeed will be a shed but not the kind worth having. These are now all cool cars and well worth preserving (although IMO the 1.6 and 2 litre cars should be left to rot)

[Smike]

anything fast said:

One interesting Capri is worth looking up the Aston Martin Tickford prepared car, came only in white and is now a very valuable car (for a capri) i think they were 2.8 twin turbos (not 100% sure on engine) i saw one at classic ford show last year and it looked lovely..

The Tickfords were a single IHI turbo and were available in at least 4 colours, white, red and black and the press ones done in pale yellow ( Flaxen Mist )

Edited by Smike on Friday 22 October 18:17

[Wacky Racer]

I owned four new Capris between 1976-9, two Mk 2's and two Mk 3's.... the pick of the bunch being a 1978 White 3.0S bought from Gordons in Stockport for £4250. It had Red recaro seats with net headrests.....and 3.0S decals down the side.

Actually, I found the original sales invoice in the loft a couple of weeks ago.

[BILL PAYER]

Dunk76 said:

Agent Orange said:

CHJ said:

BILL PAYER said:

Had both and can honestly say the Manta was a far better car in every way

+1

Manta GTE Exclusive was another car I'd promised myself too! Lovely looking car.

Had a black GTE Exclusive coupe. 2.2 conversion, Volvo four pots, Bilsteins, H&R 40mm drop. Not a bad old smoker all things considered.

Had a brand new GTE coupe finished in silver,it was good for around 120mph and handled well for the time.

[Smike]

BILL PAYER said:

Had a brand new GTE coupe finished in silver,it was good for around 120mph

In 4th AND 5th gear on the standard ones

[Dunk76]

Smike said:

BILL PAYER said:

Had a brand new GTE coupe finished in silver,it was good for around 120mph

In 4th AND 5th gear on the standard ones

"Fourth... 120mph... and into 5th... 119mph, 118mph, 117mph... bugger it, back into fourth"

[Smike]

Dunk76 said:

Smike said:

BILL PAYER said:

Had a brand new GTE coupe finished in silver,it was good for around 120mph

In 4th AND 5th gear on the standard ones

"Fourth... 120mph... and into 5th... 119mph, 118mph, 117mph... bugger it, back into fourth"

Yeah it did struggle with the std 110bhp engine to hold it in 5th

I had a 2.2 and then 2.4 engine which meant you could accelerate very s-l-o-w-l-y in 5th ( it was really a 4+E ).
The Irmscher c/r gearset was better

[Dunk76]

Smike said:

Dunk76 said:

Smike said:

BILL PAYER said:

Had a brand new GTE coupe finished in silver,it was good for around 120mph

In 4th AND 5th gear on the standard ones

"Fourth... 120mph... and into 5th... 119mph, 118mph, 117mph... bugger it, back into fourth"

Yeah it did struggle with the std 110bhp engine to hold it in 5th

I had a 2.2 and then 2.4 engine which meant you could accelerate very s-l-o-w-l-y in 5th ( it was really a 4+E ).
The Irmscher c/r gearset was better

110? *snigger*

Don't think any of them ever made 110: Bill Blydenstein dynoed mine at 88 @ the crank before the 2-2 conversion and stage three head, Irmscher mild road cams, lightened flywheel, and blueprinted bottom end. Even once that was done I only got a massive 139 at the crank.

Specific inefficiency anyone?

Even my GSi3000 with 3750 stroker kit (rods from a 2.4 Rekord Diesel of all things) and supercharger and KDA injection only got to 277bhp.

Edited by Dunk76 on Friday 22 October 19:29

[Smike]

Dunk76 said:

Smike said:

Dunk76 said:

Smike said:

BILL PAYER said:

Had a brand new GTE coupe finished in silver,it was good for around 120mph

In 4th AND 5th gear on the standard ones

"Fourth... 120mph... and into 5th... 119mph, 118mph, 117mph... bugger it, back into fourth"

Yeah it did struggle with the std 110bhp engine to hold it in 5th

I had a 2.2 and then 2.4 engine which meant you could accelerate very s-l-o-w-l-y in 5th ( it was really a 4+E ).
The Irmscher c/r gearset was better

110? *snigger*

Don't think any of them ever made 110: Bill Blydenstein dynoed mine at 88 @ the crank before the 2-2 conversion and stage three head. Even once that was done I only got a massive 139 at the crank.

Specific inefficiency anyone?

Even my GSi3000 with 3750 conversion and supercharger and KDA injection only got to 277bhp.

I'm sure you're right - 110 was the factory figure - whatever they had as standard you could hit the fuel cutoff in 4th with it which is just a smidge over 120

[Smike]

Dunk76 said:

(rods from a 2.4 Rekord Diesel of all things)

Not surprising - they used the Record diesel block for the Manta 400

[standardman]

Owning a 2x 1.6, a mint 2.8 special and a MK1 3000 GT I am obviously biased towards Capri's.

I have to say that a 1.6 in tune with a decent exhaust and twin choke webber is an absolute hoot to drive.

The engine whilst it lacks some of the power of a 2.0 the fact it will rev freely to 7K return 40 to the gallon on a run still makes it my favourite car to drive. It also shares its stables with a Caterham so its not like I am short of Choice.

For B road fun never under estimate a 1.6 Capri but please don't tell anyone else, I don't want to have to pay serious money for one.

Only downside is everytime you park up some git wants to waste your time talking about it !.