Olly's project finished.
30 March 2003, 08:37 PM
#2
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 1999
Posts: 1,300
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At last its finished. Seven years after my old Capri 2.8 Injection was taken off the road to attend to a blown head gasket and a little bodywork repair, the old girl has finally hit the road again after what has turned out to be a full blown restoration.
I have a soft spot for hot Capri’s: my Old Man bought a brand new 3.0S in 1978, and followed it up with this particular car, bought new in 1983. He kept it for 4 years, sold it to a local guy who kept it a further 8 years, and bought it back for a few hundred quid as a 21st birthday present for me in 1995. I was delighted: I always loved the car as a kid, and now it was mine to own. This was my first “real” performance car and it taught me everything I needed to know about opposite lock.
It had a VERY hard life in my hands, which took its toll on the then 13 year old car: it finally gave up the ghost a year later at 91000 miles with a blown head gasket. The tin worm was beginning to show, and the decision was made to take the car off the road for a few months for some engine work and some tidying. Seven years later…
As with all restorations, I could probably write a book about the rebuild. In short, the car has had two resprays, two engine rebuilds, plenty of hard graft and around 8 grand thrown at it, way more than the car is actually worth. Most of the money has been spent on the bodyshell, and for good reason: you can unbolt or change anything else, but you cannot change a shell. Wings, doors, outer sills and inner wing sections have all being replaced with factory items along with countless other repairs, and covered with layers of ICI’s finest 2 pack. Finish is second to none, far better than my folk’s new BMW X5.
The car is now as good as I want it, and exactly as Ford intended, save for a full stainless system, an A frame and a little good ol’ fashioned porting and polishing and a K&N. 165-170bhp should be realistic. The car is mint, but is not a concours car, to me a pointless excersise. Mirror polished fuel tank straps may turn some people on, but not me. I prefer driving than polishing bolts with a toothbrush.
The car made its public debut this weekend, for mate and fellow Scoobynetter CrisPDuk’s blessing of his marriage to his beloved, as transport for the groom to church. As is usually the case, several things that tend to happen in your 20’s had got in the way of actually completing the project (you know the sort of thing: money, girlfriends, holidays, mortgages, houses, etc etc), so the occasion was a great excuse to get the bloody thing finished at last. The car was kept a secret from all, and appeared from nowhere collect the groom (who nearly fell over). Only Cilla was missing.
Happy to report that the old beast still feels great. This was a huge worry: I had a horrible feeling that the car would feel terrible after owning several nice cars (including 2 new Impreza’s) over the last few years. But I still love it. Ignore the bull: 2.8’s were well sorted despite the caveman underpinnings, and were always great, simple, enjoyable drivers cars. The long bonnet is great, the seats are the best I have ever sat in, the driving position is perfect. It has torque, and a V6 growl. And bags of character. The car really feels like new: no squeaks or rattles whatsoever. I am a happy man.
I have a soft spot for hot Capri’s: my Old Man bought a brand new 3.0S in 1978, and followed it up with this particular car, bought new in 1983. He kept it for 4 years, sold it to a local guy who kept it a further 8 years, and bought it back for a few hundred quid as a 21st birthday present for me in 1995. I was delighted: I always loved the car as a kid, and now it was mine to own. This was my first “real” performance car and it taught me everything I needed to know about opposite lock.
It had a VERY hard life in my hands, which took its toll on the then 13 year old car: it finally gave up the ghost a year later at 91000 miles with a blown head gasket. The tin worm was beginning to show, and the decision was made to take the car off the road for a few months for some engine work and some tidying. Seven years later…
As with all restorations, I could probably write a book about the rebuild. In short, the car has had two resprays, two engine rebuilds, plenty of hard graft and around 8 grand thrown at it, way more than the car is actually worth. Most of the money has been spent on the bodyshell, and for good reason: you can unbolt or change anything else, but you cannot change a shell. Wings, doors, outer sills and inner wing sections have all being replaced with factory items along with countless other repairs, and covered with layers of ICI’s finest 2 pack. Finish is second to none, far better than my folk’s new BMW X5.
The car is now as good as I want it, and exactly as Ford intended, save for a full stainless system, an A frame and a little good ol’ fashioned porting and polishing and a K&N. 165-170bhp should be realistic. The car is mint, but is not a concours car, to me a pointless excersise. Mirror polished fuel tank straps may turn some people on, but not me. I prefer driving than polishing bolts with a toothbrush.
The car made its public debut this weekend, for mate and fellow Scoobynetter CrisPDuk’s blessing of his marriage to his beloved, as transport for the groom to church. As is usually the case, several things that tend to happen in your 20’s had got in the way of actually completing the project (you know the sort of thing: money, girlfriends, holidays, mortgages, houses, etc etc), so the occasion was a great excuse to get the bloody thing finished at last. The car was kept a secret from all, and appeared from nowhere collect the groom (who nearly fell over). Only Cilla was missing.
Happy to report that the old beast still feels great. This was a huge worry: I had a horrible feeling that the car would feel terrible after owning several nice cars (including 2 new Impreza’s) over the last few years. But I still love it. Ignore the bull: 2.8’s were well sorted despite the caveman underpinnings, and were always great, simple, enjoyable drivers cars. The long bonnet is great, the seats are the best I have ever sat in, the driving position is perfect. It has torque, and a V6 growl. And bags of character. The car really feels like new: no squeaks or rattles whatsoever. I am a happy man.
30 March 2003, 11:40 PM
#5
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 732
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lovely motor mate!!!
My old man also had one and still claims it is one of the most fun cars he has ever owned!! he even puts if before other cars he has had like Cossie's and his Merc 500SL!!!!!
My old man also had one and still claims it is one of the most fun cars he has ever owned!! he even puts if before other cars he has had like Cossie's and his Merc 500SL!!!!!
31 March 2003, 10:43 AM
#6
Scooby Regular
Cheers Olly, the appearance of the old dear made my day
Never again will I doubt your ability to extract digit from rectum - Unless it is with reference to finishing your house, so your Mum can finally get rid of you
Never again will I doubt your ability to extract digit from rectum
- Unless it is with reference to finishing your house, so your Mum can finally get rid of you
Trending Topics
03 April 2003, 01:28 AM
#9
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've had 6 capri's a MkI 1600XL two MKII's a 1600GL and a 3000 Ghia and three Series III's a 1600GL a 2000S and a 3000S. Never had a 2.8i...
Would gladly swap my '91 MR2 G-Ltd worth about £3500 with 60 odd K on the clock for a good 2.8i, including yours
Would gladly swap my '91 MR2 G-Ltd worth about £3500 with 60 odd K on the clock for a good 2.8i, including yours
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mattybr5@MB Developments
Full Cars Breaking For Spares
28
28 December 2015 11:07 PM
Mattybr5@MB Developments
Full Cars Breaking For Spares
12
18 November 2015 07:03 AM
Phil3822
General Technical
0
30 September 2015 06:29 PM