Capri 2800 - Daytona Yellow 1973

Capri 2800 - Daytona Yellow 1973

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neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
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My first road car was a 1972 Capri 3000GT in Daytona Yellow ( EVC 289L Where Are You Now ?? )
I grew up artound 3 Litre Capris ( my Mum had an H reg Auberghine 3000GT in 72 / 73 and then a lovley J reg Tawny 3000E Auto up to 1976 ) and i ran a string of them from 82-86.
Had many Capris since then, mainly 2.8i which I never really liked. The MK1 will Allways be THE Capri for me.

This lhd daytona yellow Facelift 2800 Car had been advertised for a fair while, so i bought it unseen except via photos and a short video of it running.
This Capri was built @ Cologne in October 1973 for the US market as a 74 model.
Note the very dated Rostyle wheels, these were last fitted to U.K. Market Capris in 1971, but for some strange reason were fitted to US market Capris in 73/74.
This car was sold new to Washington.
It came with litteraly stacks of Invoices and paper work and with what looks like the original purchase receipt!
Looks to be a one family owned car from new up until it's importation to England recently.
In the States, Capris were sold by Lincoln - Mercury outlets and were not badged as Fords.
I'm over the moon with it !

Edited by neutral 3 on Sunday 24th November 13:28


Edited by neutral 3 on Sunday 24th November 14:36


Edited by neutral 3 on Monday 25th November 02:08


Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 28th November 01:50


Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 28th November 01:53

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
quotequote all

Years ago it had a Motorola electronic ignition fitted.
It's a non sunroof car as well, so no rotten roof / ruined headlining / broken cable issues to sort out either !
And will look more authentic as an RS2600 clone !
It's presently an auto, but I think it was originally a manual car ( a Vin decode will tell me ) but the auto box is shot. Loathe Autos, so will fit a type 9 5 speed gear box to it.

Edited by neutral 3 on Monday 25th November 01:57

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
quotequote all

For the US 73 market, the poor Capri was lumbered with these Awful impact bumpers.

cologne2792

2,126 posts

126 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
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Wow ! Very nice !

Very few Federal Capris here.

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
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2800 V6
Hideous rubbing strips will go.
Removed the impact bumpers and their brackets yesterday, omg are they heavy

Pica-Pica

13,792 posts

84 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
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I wish we still had those type of bumpers, they were great on my 1988 Volvo 740GL estate. They even had mini shock absorbers behind them.

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
quotequote all

Arrived yesterday and the first thing was did was to remove those frightful boat anchors! The old warrior seemed to rise up about six inches lol.

Lots of plans for this car. Bigger wheels ( under the OE arches as they are perfectly rust free ) a Princess or Willwood front brake upgrade, rear Bilstein sports, single leaf rear springs, lowered front springs, uprated struts and some front lower adjustable camber arms.
Was thinking of an Essex 3 Litre transplant ( 138bhp verses 118 for the Cologne 2800 ) but it's a heavy old lump, or a 289/302 Ford, but I think we will stick with the 2800, some headers and maybe a cam ( if one is available )

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
quotequote all

Looks like the first owner paid $4,466.23 cents for it on the 19th of March 1974 from Ford / Lincoln - Mercury Inc of 420-116th NE, Belvue Washington 98004.

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
quotequote all

Stacks of invoices with it. First owner didn't skimp on lashing out the $ dollars on it ! It's been a well maintained car in its time !

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
quotequote all

N side calliper is seized. It's had new discs and pads some time ago, they are barely worn.
Note also the Fitchel and Sachs Ford strut, likely the originals.
Note the pristine wing to A post mount and the A post area. These cars rotted terribly here as this area is completely open to water and crud. On the MK3 Capri, Ford fitted a plastic splash guard here, but the MK3 still rots badly in this area.

Smitters

4,003 posts

157 months

Sunday 24th November 2019
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Superb. Love a yellow car, and a Capri. Win!

Mr Tidy

22,327 posts

127 months

Monday 25th November 2019
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That looks great - the MK1 was always the best looking Capri.

But MK1s were a little before my hooligan years - I only had a couple of 2.8is in the 80s.

So maybe retro-fit a Cologne 2.8 with the Injection bits if that is possible, or if you fancy a transplant a 24V Cologne from a Scorpio seems quite popular.

Brilliant thread anyway!


neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Monday 25th November 2019
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Thanks guys, much appreciated!
I could and should write a book about all of my Capri / car and bike adventures!

This was my first road car back in Jenyary 82. An ex pal had bought it the previous summer and late one night whilst coming home on the 406 on my Z900, something came up Fast behind me.......thinking E - Type, I dropped a gear and went for it, but the car was hanging onto my Zs tailpiece @ 118 mph! I pulled over to the left and the 3000GT pulled alongside with my pal grinning at me like a Cheshire Cat. So a after reluctantly selling the Z I bought that Capri.
I never did find out just who had tuned its engine, but in the early 1980s, it was the fastest Capri in East London. It would smoke its tires for seemingly ever and would pull 128 @ 5,800 rpm. Guessing Broadspeed or Uren had tuned it. It was probably putting out circa 180 hp.
But badly needed a front chin spoier as it was unstable @ high speed.

I had a dice one day in Chingford, with someone in a stunning blue 69 Shelby GT500 Mustang. Back then, his Mustang was a £5,000 car. I had just paid £550 and £500 to insure it !
I was behind him when he booted it and can still see the smoke billowing off of that Mustangs rear tires and it sleewing to the left as he booted it. He probably had circa 200 hp more than my Capri, but we gave him a fright that day!

Note the stoves rear -/4 in this shot from circa June 82. One sunny Sunday morning on a motorway, I span it @ 100. It went up on its left two wheels and my panic stricken pal Harvey shouted out " were going over" but fortunately it went into a multiple spin. The driver of the blue 3000E Capri behind us, said that we disappeared in a cloud of tire smoke......
I can still see the regency red XJ-6 going past on our inside .....finally we started going backwards, I braked but the engine had stalled and we slammed into the central crash barrier on the drivers side rear 1/4. We got out and pushed it over to the hard shoulder, both in shock. It started and we carried on our way.

Edited by neutral 3 on Monday 25th November 01:33

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Monday 25th November 2019
quotequote all

Steering wheel will be swapped for a 3 spoke RS type.
It's never had a radio fitted either ! Note the factory blanking plug.

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Monday 25th November 2019
quotequote all

The front boat anchor removed !

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Monday 25th November 2019
quotequote all

ETC Porn - Capri verses 3.0CSL
The Late / Great Brian Yogi Muir, in the Malcolm Gartlan Racing / Alpina CSL, is hard on the heels of one of the Works RS2600 Capris in early 1973. In July 73, the heavier CSL got its "wings" and became the winner.

Ardennes92

610 posts

80 months

Monday 25th November 2019
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My one and only ford was a mk1 Capri back in the seventies when still current, as you say a bit light on the front at speed and a bit twitchy in the wet as I remember, but maybe that was just my youthful exuberance

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,484 posts

170 months

Monday 25th November 2019
quotequote all
Ardennes92 said:
My one and only ford was a mk1 Capri back in the seventies when still current, as you say a bit light on the front at speed and a bit twitchy in the wet as I remember, but maybe that was just my youthful exuberance
Yes your memories are correct! The weedy 1300, the 1600 and the V-4 2000 were light on the front and skittish in the wet, but as for the 3 Litre......

Any photos of it ?

QuadCamCapri

262 posts

151 months

Monday 25th November 2019
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Very nice project, look forward to the updates. Love Daytona Yellow, same colour as my first car back in 1981 a 1.6 GT/XLR. Never been without a Capri since.


Ardennes92

610 posts

80 months

Monday 25th November 2019
quotequote all
neutral 3 said:
Ardennes92 said:
My one and only ford was a mk1 Capri back in the seventies when still current, as you say a bit light on the front at speed and a bit twitchy in the wet as I remember, but maybe that was just my youthful exuberance
Yes your memories are correct! The weedy 1300, the 1600 and the V-4 2000 were light on the front and skittish in the wet, but as for the 3 Litre......

Any photos of it ?
Unfortunately not, for some reason I have very few pictures of any of my rides, Re sprayed it diamond pearl white which went well with the blue interior and vinyl roof, it then got written off in about 77 by a tractor!