Capri 2800 - Daytona Yellow 1973
Discussion
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
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
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 )
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.
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
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 ?
The only significant rot is here @ the front panel to radiator x member join.
Have just ordered rear Bilsteins sports, single leaf rear springs, front Spax Gas strut inserts and a Hi Spec 4 pot calliper upgrade with 290 mm drilled / vented discs.
Minilite or ? 15 inch alloys,
A type 9 5 speed box, RS 2600/3100 front / rear spoilers, RS rear and front 1/4 Bumpers, a drivers bucket seat ( i fancy a leather Recarro Pole Position and more are next on the list !
Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 28th November 01:41
Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 28th November 02:05
Aluminati said:
Hmmmm, 1st the Camaro then the Capri, and from East London 
Must know you
And John Hedges had the quickest Capri back then, the orange GXL with the 5.7 in it
Not counting the 3.2 from Castle Garage on Woodford High Rd.
A Steve Hedges from Woodford Green had a seriously quick , but scruffy J reg Tawny brown one, in 1981 that had been " tweaked " by Uren or another one of the tuners. It had no front bumper on it. I almost bought it, but it was just too tatty. He sold it on and it got rolled / written off shortly after. Must know you
And John Hedges had the quickest Capri back then, the orange GXL with the 5.7 in it
Not counting the 3.2 from Castle Garage on Woodford High Rd.
Yes, there was a Red GXL with 5700 letters on the rear 1/4s and riding on 15s, that used to go to High Beach on sunny weekends, in circa 83 ish, it was owned by a Greek guy from Nth London
Edited by neutral 3 on Wednesday 27th November 02:22
Aluminati said:
The greek fella was ‘Harry’ who had a couple of greengrocers in Wood St. He sold it to John .
The 3.2 from Woodford was a black Mk3 with all the proper RS kit on it.
High Beach
them were the days. Think i had a mustard colour Mk1 Escort around 83 which would of been a regular up there.Beehive in Tottenham used to be a favourite with the American Motors.
Looking forward to your new arrival.
However, I have Vivid memories of a late night tear up in KMK 845K my third 3 Litre Capri, ( a scruffy sapphire blue 3000E that I found in a front garden in Loughton and paid circa £200 for it ) with a pal Nick in his tartty red 150hp K reg TR6, past the Castle and down to the Horse and Wells, in early 1983, we easily got past him. But from a standing start, a good pre 73 TR6, was a quick car to 60.
And re the Camaro.....Yes, just Cannot wait for it to cross the pond !!
The only peeps i knew @ Leytonstone with a Capri, were Newton Equip who had a shop right @ the bottom on the right. I used to buy goodies for my Z900 from them during 1981. They had an X-pac 3000S ( think it was the ex Ford demo car in silver ) and he took me for a High speed hoon in it one Sat a noon !
The upper shot shows the small out rigger ( under the drivers and passengers floor ) that was fitted to the September 72 on Face Lift cars.
The rear Spring hangers on this car are in simply amazing condition. Note the under seal that has dried out and flaked off.
My K reg 1972 3000E ( KMK 845K ) had a rot hole here @ just 11 years old in 1983.
Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 28th November 01:46
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff