Rodintee

Just been tidying up tonight and came across a Ford Heritage magazine from many moons ago featuring the Capri...... ahhhh the memories.

This has spurred me to post this and see how many 30-40 year old impreza drivers are former capri drivers. To my mind they both embody the ideal of a good, performance car within a modest budget......... ignoring fuel costs obviously.

At the time of "borrowing" this mag from a mate, I was driving a standard 4 speed 2.8i which you probably know was the quickest "standard" 2.8 ever offered by ford using the 3 rail box as used in the mk1 escort mexico. I had rebuilt this car from a virtual basket case after finishing at Uni in 1994 and at the time it was truly an awesome car in both performance and reputation.

There were articles on both the Tickford and Turbo Technics conversions, with many reviewers preferring the TT due to shorter pipe runs and less lag...... you FMIC users note.

A mate of mine had a blown TT kit languishing in his shed so we did the deal and I decided to get a later 2.8 special to build the TT into. After a few months of weekends, the car was up and running in a late "B" plate special with fortunately a TT install plate which related to the age of the car.

I took it for a first run, made sure the brakes, steering and suspension were all attached properly and booted it for the first time. TBH I was astonished, the amount of real grunt with the turbo was amazing. From the mag, I knew they did 200BHP/235Lb/ft of torque (50% over standard) but in the flesh it was quite a surprise. Don't forget that even the 2.8 capri weighed only around 1200Kg.

I suspect that in a straight line, rolling to start, it would be more than capable of keeping up with a 260 brake scoob. In the bends, despite the reputation, the 2.8 fitted with bilsteins, thicker ARB, LSD with the special and much better rated springs was light years ahead of the old 3.0's etc..... and actually handled quite well.

Late one night, around 2.30am, I had a bit of a dice with a nice shiny new 328i beemer down the M6. He must have been gutted to have this old, knackered looking Capri sat next to him in his £££££ car accelerating past 130MPH ...... just about the only time I have ever seen an empty M6!!!!

Unfortunately I have recently sold mine after a long time off the road. I have inherited a car from my late father which is, although relatively slow, exceptionally unusual and interesting....... a 1977 4.2 Jag XJC convertible, one of around 26 made...... but I will miss the crappi

Anyone else out there with an interesting Capri story ?

falkster

I did have a Mk3 2ltrS but smashed it up before I got chance to pass my test!!!

Ive had many friends (a few years olders than me and Im 32) that appreciate the Capri and between them they have had a MK3 Signal Orange 3.0S, 2.8i, 2.8i special and the best which was an F plate 280 Brooklands.....1 owners from new but clearly not appreciated as it was a turd when my mate bought it app. 8 years ago.

I do like the shape, as I do the Rover P6 and Cortina Mk2 but they are nothing but classic/ikonic cars that look good!! In-terms of handling....the phrase 'you cant polish a turd' springs to mind!!

They handled as bad a a Mk2 Astra GTE

eldudereno

My brother bought a new black 2.8i Capri back in 1983 when I was 15. I've got the money to buy something similar or a bit more extravagant on todays market but there just isn't anything out there that excites as much.

Mike123

Funny how many car mags praised them IN THEIR DAY for handling though.....

dpb

1.6 blue mk 2 capri

drove it for a year to work 30 miles on the motorway - took it for a MOT and discovered it had hole the size of a football in the sill footwell wheelarch area

scrapped it

scooby-tc

iTrader: (2)

ive had 3 capri's,a 1.6GL,2.8 special and a 280 brooklands.Ive always had a soft spot for Capri's

Granby

iTrader: (5)

I had 2 Capri's, a MK1 3lt 3000E in red & a MK2 3lt Ghia also in red with black vinyl roof, both completely different as the MK1 had uprated suspension and was rock hard & the MK2 had standard Ghia soft suspension and auto box but i loved them both oh the oversteer moments i had in both of them

Would luv to have one again

Moonloops

Missed the whole Capri thing, they had all rusted to death..

Had an Opel Monza GSE though

dpb

Was *given* P6 3.5 manual
Spent fortune on petrol, was a little damp beneath the carpets but pretty solid otherwise, quite a lump but the de dion susp. coped quite well - never quite got it sidways mind .
Sold it to someone (for the wings) in the end ,50 notes

Brendan Hughes

Isn't paul palmer the Capri king on here?

I can only give another "brother" story, mine bought a 2.0GT mkII, gold with black vinyl roof and leopard-skin seat covers (), then put it through a Chinese restaurant in Edgeware one wet night a couple of weeks later. We then cut the remainder up with an air chisel. Dad put the engine into his Mk4 Cortina instead of the 1.6 and I learned to drive in it - scarily.

matchmaker

I had a 3-litre Ghia Mk3. Rapid, but ate 4* at a rate of knots and the brakes were dire

stressymare

i had a 2.8i black one


ooooooooooooooo i loved it


would love another one

SLIAN

I must admit to being a fan of the capri having a 3.0 x pack (owned for 19 yrs) and a 2.8inj.Entertaining handling and will still keep up with modern hot hatches in a straight line (both capris modded )but am having a break and enjoying my wrx sl at the moment.

Adidas

The first car I ever had was a White 2 litre Sport (with a brown tartan interior ), which I owned for about 2 years before it was nicked

Since then I've owned a couple of 1.6 Lazers as 2nd cars that I ran along side the Scoob

Olly

I've had my 2.8 Injection for nearly 13 years. For someone who generally changes his car every few months, this is a fair achivement





I have fantastic memories. This was my first "proper" performance road car, when I was 21. I was doing plenty of rallying at the time and had grown up in forests left foot braking various FWD cars into doing things I wanted. The Capri was the total opposite, a revelation. With easily approachable limits, quick steering, superb handling (don't get "handling" confused with "ability" or "grip": 2.8's were always predictable and easy to catch) as well as comfort and useability. Others, aspiring to Golf GTi's and various other hot hatches might have sniggered at the time at the then dated 2.8i, but a quick test drive always had them converted, and the car won many friends.

I used it hard, and we went everywhere in it: mad 125mph dashes on camera free motorways down to London on a Friday night after work to see mates at college, thrashes down the lanes, sideways around the roundabouts on the local "test route", general commuting and enjoying driving. Back then I drove for pleasure, not just for the daily grind. Easily the most pleasurable year of motoring I have ever had.

Of course it didn't last: I blew it up after 12 months. It had started to look tatty, rust was appearing. I had 2 options: scrap or restore. So I spent 7 years doing the latter. And now it sits immaculate as a momento of my youth in the garage.

As time goes on, some people yearn to own the best cars they ever had years later. I'm lucky, I've still got both of them, the Capri being one of them

Thanks for posting this thread Rodintee: I realised that I had not started the old girl up since September. Went into the garage, connected the battery, and it burst into life on the first turn of the key.

MartynJ

We have carried out quite a number of TT conversions on Capri's over the years...
We are doing one now as it happens on a pucca perfect car with a fresh engine build and new kit...
Word on the grapevine is that Turbo Technics are going to re-release some of the conversions from the 80's and 90's due to demand..So if all you Capri owners out there keep badgering them i'm sure it'll happen....

Mike123

Word!

Lovely looking car Olly!

EddScott

I don't know alot about Capris but family friends has one and they don't want it anymore.

Its a 3L Black 1976 Capri. It only has 27K on the clock.

The problem is that its in my mothers garage - in Spain.

It was driven there about 15 years ago and has sat in various peoples garages ever since. She (its hers really) has owned the car more or less since new.

I'm supposed to be going out there during the easter half term to help my mother move in and see if this car is worth bringing back.

Anyone got any ideas if this car is worth anything? Its not mint but the mileage is very geniune and has spent at least half its life garaged in Spain.

martyrobertsdj

iTrader: (1)

I had a 1984 "B" 2.8i Special in white. It was absolutely mint!!

I put uprated front springs, 1" lowering block on the rear, and Billstein dampers all round. It also had a Capri Club "X" frame on the rear.

Combine these mods with Yokohama A008 tyres and the handling was actually pretty good. (Believe it or not).....I have several mates with hot hatches and we often used to have a blast about....as you do......many of them gave comments like "f*ck me.....I thought Capri's didn't handle.......that one does"!!

Maybe it just had lots of grip? I know one thing.....it handled much better than my 1987 Manta GTE!!

I've always been a fan of the big engined Capris and if I could find a really nice Mk3 Signal Orange 3.0s with fishnet Recaros, etc......I 'd be tempted!!!

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I still want A 2.8, Had 4 Capris but never A 2.8, lad at work has a mint 280, been in a Tickford, cross between a 2.8 and a hearse (too much wood and leather) but very quick, my old one and my first I think is still going OJA 375G, Mk1 1.6 GT-XLR, would love to find and buy it back.

Hol

iTrader: (1)

Nearly bought a Black 2.8 on an A Plate. I loved the recaros, but that particular example had '2.8' in BIG green stickers up the side, which put me off.

At the time I remember finding the bonnet line really long after my MK2 Escort. In the end I got an RSTurbo which was smaller and had the same seats and sunroof!

Granby

iTrader: (5)

Tart you should of got a real car or was you afraid of all that power from the 2.8

Hol

iTrader: (1)

Actually, both were a power/weight drop on the Mk2 Escort.

Even back then, I used to like my corners!

CrisPDuk

I can vouch for the fact that the old girl got some quality use

She's also responsible for the one and only occasion Olly has ever managed to arrive somewhere on time:



Getting Groom and Best Man to my wedding despite leaving my house nearly 20 minutes late

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

Nearest I came was a Vauhall Capri - an Opel Manta (or 12). Much better than the Ford IMOH of course!

Infact I still have a Manta at home with *cough* Ford *cough* Cosworth 4x4 running gear in it - it fly's too!

Mike123

Capri is on the "Car's the Star" on BBC4 now 7pm -> 7:30pm

Granby

iTrader: (5)

Moonloops

Meh! capri nerds with matching blue jumpers on that prog.

Nearly as sad as subaru rally jackets

Mark A

iTrader: (1)

First car I/we owned, me and two others spent £50 on a P reg 1 in yellow in 1984.

Fantastic memorys of driving to pubs in the Dales and pulling girls in Leeds. Never let us down, even when abused and great fun in the wet or snow.

Learnt to weld and boy did you need to, front suspension top plates

Mark A

Scrappy08

Who could ever forget about the Capri??! It's a lot like Steve Tyler-- old but still rockin'!

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