The Capri Lives on - !

[stephec]

I had a 1.6 Laser that I used everyday until I got my first company car in 1998, still some of the comfiest seats I've ever sat in.

Even with the massive 88bhp available the rear end would still screech going round roundabouts at 30mph, and skipping the back end out was always a giggle. Didn't half used to drink though, and the lack of power steering gave me forearms like Popeye.

 

[Smokin Joe]

and the lack of power steering gave me forearms like Popeye.

Funny how we take power steering for granted now and a car without it would feel like a tank on a corner, but back in the day..,.

 

[Drago]

A laser, high speed, focused, precision instrument of technical and scientific awesomeness. If ever a car was optimistically named it was the Capri Laser.

 

[Jenkins]

Capris never had V8s - Wiki comments "A wide variety of engines were used in the car throughout its production lifespan, which included the Essex and Cologne V6 at the top of the range, while the Kent straight-four and Taunus V4 engines were used in lower-specification models." Presume a lot had huge empty areas in the engine space. At least that would allow for today's frontal protection to be readily incorporated.

There was the Ford Capri Perana in South Africa which was a V8 - built by Basil Green Motors but with a Ford warranty
From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Green_Motors)

The next model, the Ford Capri Perana came out in 1969 as V6 version. About 20 units of this model were built; the top speed was 186 km/h. As Ford offered the Essex engine as standard from 1970 on, Basil Green had to take a more powerful engine. So he replaced the V6 with the Windsor V8 of the Ford Mustang.
Technically the Capri Perana was a mix of the Australian Ford Falcon (XW) and the American Ford Mustang. It was sold with a 4 speed Ford Toploader transmission and the 3 speed C4 automatic transmission. In the beginning the price for this car was 4,450 Rand.
Top speed was 228 km/h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h was possible in 6.7 seconds (automatic version 7.0 sec).
Officially the Capri Perana was only sold in "Bright Yellow" and "Piri Piri Red", but some cars were painted in different colours, for example Basil Green's Perana naturally was green.
The cars were manufactured by Ford of South Africa (a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company of Canada). Production ended in 1973.

I had to make do with a 1.6 mk2, in a metallic blue with a glass sunroof

 

[stephec]

Funny how we take power steering for granted now and a car without it would feel like a tank on a corner, but back in the day..,.

It put hairs on your chest though.

Splash on some Brut 33 with musk and you could drive anything. 😅

 

[Drago]

Brut33, medallion, denim shirt undone to the navel. By 'eck, we had some style in the 70's.

 

[Jameshow]

Funny how we take power steering for granted now and a car without it would feel like a tank on a corner, but back in the day..,.

Your fighting the pump and rams theses days where as an old car has a bigger wheel, higher profile wheels and a simple mechanical system.

 

[cyberknight]

erm its going to be crossover , sitting 15 cm higher and i think it looks fugly if this is close to what its going to be

 

[Drago]

That's a magazine's artists impression, but may be too far from reality.

 

[sevenfourate]

erm its going to be crossover , sitting 15 cm higher and i think it looks fugly if this is close to what its going to be
View attachment 682984

View attachment 682985

I noticed they haven’t pictured / imagined it going around corners…..

What’s new 🤣🤣

 

[cyberknight]

That's a magazine's artists impression, but may be too far from reality.

thats why i said if

 

[tyred]

erm its going to be crossover , sitting 15 cm higher and i think it looks fugly if this is close to what its going to be
View attachment 682984

View attachment 682985

 

[Drago]

This is a Mustang.

And this is the electric version.

This abominstion does not bode well for the Capri, which I predict will look like this.

 

[johnnyb47]

My second car was a Ford Capri 1.6 LS in bright red.
It was underpowered but it felt infinitely quicker than the Fiesta 950cc it replaced and it looked stunning.Black rubber spoiler on the boot, Sliding tilting sunroof and tartan seats.It even had the six pot instrument cluster.I was only 22 when I bought it and kept it for ten year's.
As I was young and stupid the car took alot of abuse ,but as it was easy to work on,I learned alot about car mechanics.
My most stupidest c*ck up was when I fitted a new radio cassette.Back in the day they weren't plug and play.You had to splice the wiring in yourself.Armed with a roll of insulation tape I joined the various wires up to the new Sony radio.The radio also needed a constant live supply to keep the radio station memories,so i drilled a hole through the bulk head and fed a wire from the battery straight to the radio.
Being totally inexperienced I fitted an in line fuse but my mistake was to fit it near the radio and not near the battery.My other stupid mistake was not to fit a rubber grommet in the drilled bulk head we're the live wire went through.
A few months later my ex wife and me were driving through Sealand road Chester when we started smelling burning and smoke coming through the vents.The radio starting crackling too.
You've guessed it, the live wires insulation had rubbed through the burred bulkhead and as the fuse was it it's furthest point from the battery it had caught fire under the bonnet. Luckily I had a big bottle of water in the boot to put it out before the car went up in flames.I remember ripping the wire off the battery and badly burning my hands.
The VV carburetors which is what mine had gave horrendous fuel economy.
It cost a small fortune to run.
Like all Capris rust eventually got hold of it ,but I did find that hammerite red paint was an identical colour match so for the last few years of ownership it was plenty of filler / newspaper and hammerite to fill in the bullet holes.
I also had some smoked headlight protectors/cover that looked very smart when fitted.With the black grill and blacked perspex covers the car looked like a dodge charger from the front.I think i bought them from the Capri Club upon which I was a member.It did also show the car sometimes at different ford car shows in it heyday.
The car is long gone now but I still have the smoked headlight protectors as a fond memory of the past

 

[mikeIow]

If this is correct, I’d say it looks pretty good!