@@ldnwholesale8552 What? You mean like the Capri Injection I have on an 'A' plate- 1984, that retains all it's original panels and has never seen a welders torch? Yep, terrible rot boxes those Capris.........*YAWN!*
I had loads of 3 litre Capri's in the 80,s and 2.8,s proper cars loved them , I had a 3 .0 Ghia auto identical to the one featured same colour also auto , but a total different drive to the manual, the manual was a proper drivers car and would shift in its day ,but the auto box killed that performance off , it was an amazing cruising car with comfort ,The Ghia trims were fantastic and still look good ,thanks all you Capri fans 👍
@@VauxhallViva1975 The manual steering 2.0 Capri I drove felt like a truck. It certainly didn't qualify as a sports car. I never considered buying one.
@@swanvictor887 _"Capri's were not build for performance, they were for Posing!!"_ From the outside they looked like a kinda sports car. From the inside they drove like a manual shift U-Haul truck. If you bought one your next car to pose in would be a much better car.
Yes and they did all the driving themselves remember Cowley always arrived in a princess I seem to recall and the police drove rovers or triumphs. Great show great British cars
I owned seven 3.0 Capri Mk2 and MK3's in both Ghia and S forms and finally an early 2.8 Injection. I preferred the 3.0 more lazy engine characteristic and as I recall the auto box was as good as anything else at the time. I have lots of happy memories.
@@jjs3287 Hi JJ thanks for the response. its something over the years i have often pondered about the 3 litre v the 2.8. I briefly drove my mates 3 litre (gently) in the mid 1980s and had a bit of a problem with the long bonnet. Saying that, they are iconic cars from a era when you could easily tell cars apart. Ford has since lost the magic imo
I owned a lovely 2.0 ghia auto in 1990 - 1991 on R registration and although it was 13 years old at the time and had gone past 100000 miles it drove well and never let me down mainly due to regular minor service work every few months like plug gaps etc - during my time with this one it only needed a wing replacing due to rust and then needed a front wheel bearing and headlight alignment for its 10th MOT - this car was a lovely Arizona gold with unmarked sand interior - I drove all over UK as an alarm and cctv installer back then and my capri was a car I really would love to own once again - unlikely to be around these days alas but many trouble free miles in comfort and once you are aware of a capris flaws - wet roads etc and questionable brakes - plus being a half decent driver - only then could you begin to get the hang of a capri and enjoy driving one - they were a scream to drive as I recall especially the 2 litre ones and the 3 litre too - I've driven a friends 3 litre and briefly drove a quite new 2.8 in 80s on a C registration form a company I did some work for - all good memories of many miles together with capris - they were a unique car which had everything other similar cars had except were usually cheaper by a mile and were usually a better all round car !!
My dad did the same with Mk1 Sierra and heavy iron Peugeot 2,3D under hood. On the way to country house, he brought tools and shit. On way back, he brought two 40-50Kg sacks of potatoes, especially in winter. That was the roomiest 3-door car I've ever been into. And luckily, ours was assembled in Belgium so it did run for 560,00 km's with one tranny refurbish and one clutch replacement.
The correct name for the MK3 is Capri ‘78. It is widely known in Ford circles that the Ghia seats are the best Ford ever made. The Ghia version was about 40kg heavier than the S ( without taking into account the auto gearbox) due to extra sound insulation. The Capri was indeed well assembled, the early MK3’s were also more resistant to rust. The Essex is much torquier than the Cologne and has a better V6 sound although the Cologne is revvier. The C3 auto box is renowned for its smooth shifting and reliability, if it’s working correctly kickdown to 2nd is available until 50 mph. The manual 3.0 did 0-60 in 8.5 secs, it was properly fast. The only “sports” difference between the S and the Ghia is slightly stiffer suspension front and rear. At launch in 1978 all Ghia’s in video, magazines etc were in Oyster Gold. I’m a MK3 Capri Ghia owner, owned from new, with the iconic Ghia colour, Oyster Gold with chocolate interior.
The Ghia seats are superb- agreed! I had a friend who owned a Mk 1 3000E from new in 1972, until his demise in 2018- with 28,000 on the clock. All original panels and paint- immaculate. He modified it to look like an RS3100 (mistake I feel) and he fitted new Ghia seats- which were superb.
I remember the Capri as a Euro pony car and it made a lot of sense, a little sporty, a little stylish. And I've never expected street or production cars to perform like race cars. Race cars of any variety are wild beasts meant only for the track and I had no problem telling the two apart because I grew up while my Dad was involved in auto racing and those cars under construction in the shop were a spectacular sight. And street cars are cool, too, just in a different way and I was always a fan of body styles and paint.
I always liked the first generation the best. A friend of mine turbo charged one in the mid 80's and got about. 250PS out of it. This thing was a beast.
Tickford did a few turbo versions and a popular choice was to drop a YB cosworth lump in them I remember seeing one at a ford show it was pushing over 400bhp
Plenty of other turbo options. I owned a few Turbo Technics cars over the years. At the time they were produced, there was very little on the roads to touch them. A TT240 would hit 50 in first, 90 in second and 125 in third!! Top end well over 140. Seems tame now but at the time it was addicfive. Janspeed did a turbo as well as a few others, but ford germany also did a limiited run 2.8 Turbo, and just before that, they did a V8 beast called the Mako. Aah those halcyon days
I had a 30s back in 1983 and it felt like a rocket ship compared to what my mates were driving, so you should drive it back to back with an Morris Marina 1300 coupe, a Mini 1000 and a Hillman minx 1300, believe me, I felt like the king of the road!
It was a great looking car. My dad had the 1.6 engined series 2, with a very slick manual gearbox, which I drove a few times and for a car with a relatively small engine it was surprisingly quick and agile. It was a car ahead of its time in terms of styling and marketability which was why it was so popular.
It even had a clock than ran backward (5:50). It could literally go back in time. You could leave for work at 9.30, & get in by 9.00. What a magic motor, its a shame they don't make them anymore!
Actually, the Mk2 and Mk3 WERE hot hatches! The Capri is possibly the best demonstration of Ford's marketing genius; take a pile of already existing mundane components and stir the pot until they come together to make something exotic looking and desirable. Power wise though, I dyno tested several Essex V6s in the late 70s/early 80s and we never really saw anything much over 120bhp in standard form (Ford were claiming 138bhp). On the other hand, as you say, the torque was great from very low rpm.
@@jjs3287 The Mk 1 Granada 3000 S (manual) was beloved of the rozzers (remember "The Sweeney"?), same engine, which was also a good swap for a failed Stag engine.
Nice car, always loved the Capri. Not hard to get a few extra ponies from an Essex V6. Match port the intake manifold with the heads, port the heads, change the cam profile, good exhaust, fit a small 4 barrel Holley if you had a mate in the seventies who could cut the inlet manifold and weld the aluminium plate on😅 We had a lot of fun with these engines. Fitted one to a Mark 3 Cortina and left the 1600 badges on as a sleeper and the tiny tail pipe still in place. Surprised alot of boy racers. Glad you can now have a little bit of appreciation for a Ford Jack. Thanks for the channel.
In Australia the early 70's V6 GT 3000 4 speed manual was a great car. Massive torque they would fly up any hill and they sounded great with a dual exhaust system. Now they are highly sought after , better looking than the series 2 in some ways. RS3100 was the ultimate , and they were all very successful in touring car racing back in the seventies and eighties.
Yes they where a cool little car , used to see quite a few of the early model around Melbourne in their time . Unfortunately time has made them as rare as rocking horse poo.
"Now they are highly sought after" You honestly hardly ever see them about in Australia compared to Falcons (be they XY or XA era) though. (People tend to take their classics out to cruise the beaches in the evenings in summer.) Mustangs seem much more common, and I honestly think I've seen more Alfa Romeo Alfettas out and about than Capris...?
@@TassieLorenzo That's right , they are very rare ,many were crashed a long time ago ,which means the few survivors that are still around are in demand.
I remember getting driven to primary school, in a parents' carpool, in a Ford Capri. It was a gold 2.0 Ghia. Briefly before that, the same owner had a blue Mk2 3.0 with a manual box. Much sexier. To this day, I'm sure that car is the single biggest reason why I'm a car enthusiast today.
"This is the kind of car I dearly miss on today's market!" What was the model progression? Capri -> Sierra 3-door -> Probe -> Cougar? I guess the Cougar didn't sell, so the Ford coupe line was cancelled there. You can buy a "full-size" Mustang from your Ford dealer (with the 2.3 Ecoboost for better fuel economy) I suppose, therefore Ford don't want to have more than one offering.
Back in the day I tuned my 3 litre Essex a bit with self ported heads, mild cam and an overbore to 3.1 litres, also an aftermarket tubular exhaust and big bore system and got a very torquey 154 rear wheel hp or over 180 bhp at the crank, which was a 20% increase over standard. The car had impeccable road manners was pretty fast but I ended up getting a 1.6 Pinto engined Capri and tuned that engine to give nearly 160 rear wheel hp and due to the lighter engine the car was a lot faster and handled much better than the heavy 3 litre. I ended up with a highly tuned 2.1 litre Pinto road car with about 205 RWHP which a friend repeatedly put round Brands Hatch Indy circuit on road tyres in 53 seconds on a test day, happy days! Roland, HT Racing Ltd
I had a similar spec engine although in a 3.0S (built by Burton Power in Ilford several owners before me) plus triple carbs, janspeed exhaust, tubular manifolds, 2.8i 5 speed box, a frame axle location kit, big brakes - circa 230 - 240 bhp and it would easily pull on standard sapph and 3 door cossies, even rs500, which for a 19yr old to own circa 1990 was just amazing. The noise was spine tingling, especially once I added those triple carbs. Mpg not so good though 😅 Wish I still had that one
Did similar with the German built 2 S, Piper 285, lightened flywheel, lumenition, 4/2/1, made the exhaust, all RS Escort suspension even double width roll bar bushes. Cibie H4 conversion 90w/130 on all 4, bigger alernator, gas fronts and Koni adj rear etc. It out handled Lotus Elans, had to drop clutch in a corner to get back out. What i did find could play with the 3 S and wave tarrar, though the Cologne was a struggle. At 50mph had to hit the brake following an Escort RS and ease off with the 1600 MR2. Problem was i was on it every night repairing, clutch release bearings would last 3 days to 3 months and no warning.
Sounds like I remember it. However nobody really wanted the 3.0 L in Continental Europe - the insurance was and is to a large extent based on weight of the car and the volume of the engine rather than the actual performance of a given motor. You would be eaten alive by the insurance companies. Why the smaller engines were preferred - for the reasons you've mentioned getting the same power in a more nimble package. I've only known one person driving and owning a 3.0L Capri. It lasted a few months. The bank simply told him to downsize. He wanted to buy a house. Not a reality with the price of insurance and the car being hard on the juice. But somehow there were more 2.8 injection Capris than there ever were 3.0's and all in the blue metallic colour. They were left handed drivers. I don't know if it was a conversion - apparently it was made solely for the UK market. But I'm definitely no expert - just growing up in the haydays of the Capris as the go to second hand boy racers ...
Having messed about with these back in the day (and fitted many of these engines to smaller Fords) I found a huge variance between different individual cars. I know the cylinder heads were revised at some point but with no published power gain. My group of friends at the time used to regard the Capri as a Cortina in a dress with inferior handling. Some 3 litre Capris seemed to have brutal performance for the time, but most felt lazy. I suspect that many were not running properly, in practice the 2 litre Pinto powered ones were better handling and just as fast. I remember a few of them being converted to Rover V8 power, a much lighter engine with slightly more power. I must be getting old, I recently saw a beautiful 3 litre Ghia and it did make me smile. I would strongly suggest that you try a 2litre Pinto powered manual one.
You must have driven some pretty poor 3 litre versions, i can only say i drove a good few and there was no comparison in performance and obviously the 3 litre was a proper handful, i have a pal who builds race essex engines and he tells me there is a massive variation in head castings some are too thin to port...
I had a 3LTR GT XLR early 197, in Light Orchid (pink). Had it for tens years great memories, petrol was cheap. Still think the first style was the best.
you need to drive a manual Jack, these were my car back in the day, didnt take much to hop them up back then but they always sounded good, Janspeed full system and a holly 4 barrel made a massive difference but back then we had loads of tuners for that engine
Hey, I had one of these in the 1980s, same colour outside and in. The way to operate the auto box for speed was lock it in 1st, put your foot down till the red line, shift to 2nd and repeat into top gear. Additionally, if cruising along a road like you used there and there's a car or two in front, drop the box into 2nd and floor it, easy way to blow off a couple of cars. My one also had low profile Goodyear tires and Konis all round, noticeable improvement, dropped the cog and better handling. It was also a great car for doing long distances, once drove on a weekend camping trip from London to the Scottish highlands with two friends and all our gear, plowed a furrow up the motorways pretty much +100mph all the way, little motorway traffic in those days and plod few and far between, left at 8.00am, stopped off in Chester top pick up some electronics gear, and made the highlands by 9.00pm. I enjoyed that car and then traded it in for a XR2i which was also a reasonable car. Thanks for the review and bringing back the memories... 👍😻
This engine is much better with a manual gearbox. I have this engine in my Scimitar GTE and it certainly isn’t sluggish. Especially with the watts rear linkage suspension. Makes it handle very well too. I would love to see what you think in a comparison, as the Scimitar grossly underrated. So much cheaper and so much better in my opinion. You’re welcome to drive mine. It’s a bit tatty though! Runs well however!
I would love to see this! My dad had two scimitars (not at the same time) in the early-mid 70’s. Still eye catching today, and Princess Anne had one! 😉😂
@@justinbrown6558 Pahaha she did indeed. On paper, the Scimitar is a much more sophisticated design. The early ones are pretty light. My one feels pretty nimble when you plant your right foot. Value wise, the Fords are worth so much more but looks wise, the Scimitar does it for me.
@@theoriginaldanalogue agreed. Personally, I think the scimitars should be the more valuable car. Ogle design, I believe. If ever I see one (which is pretty rare these days) I always stop to take it in, including the dash/instrumentation. Way more stylish than a capri, in my opinion! 😉👍🏻
@@justinbrown6558 agreed. I really rate the scimitars. I drive mine all the time. Having also owned a Capri, the Scimitar is a much more sophisticated design. Brilliant handling car.
I only ever like the Mk1 Capri when I was younger. As I have aged I now really like the look of all the marks of the Capri. If I had the money I would happily buy one. It is the same as some of the Music of time , it grows on you with Nostalgia.
Another great video Number 27! I grew up in the Ford Capri's heyday. And yes, when the "GTI" hot hatches appeared it was the end of an era. I was fortunate enough to drive many 3 litre versions: from being passengered in a very rough - and very fast - RS 2600 up Spanish mountain roads.. to thrashing a "chopped in" ex-police 3 litre S for a few days. Those manuals are a different animal to the autos, especially in soft Ghia spec. Yet I have always had a soft spot for these and other fast Fords. (Just look at the rally and racing heritage from the late 60's onwards.) Between my innumerable memories of the Ford Capri is the extremely rare version: no, not the Tickford. Way before that Jeff Uren developed a 3litre (originally a GXL I think) into the Uren Stampede: shoehorning in a 5.7litre V8 before anyone else had the idea. Motor magazine tested it, with the "fifth wheel" strapped on ; it ran a 5.7 seconds to 60mph! This was back in the '70's when tyre tech etc., was a world away from today. Funnily enough another old world car being built then was even faster. Anyone want to guess? It was the Panther J72 V12. These English "cottage industry" cars bring back fond memories. MG Costello anyone? To conclude, try a manual 3 litre, maybe a 3.0S. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.. All the best and thanks Number. 27!!
Jack, we never got any Capris here in Australia after the series 1. But you should see the loud stripe package we fitted to the V6 GT. Look it up cos you won’t believe it. Way OTT, the stripes and Superoo stickers were meant to evoke the even wilder stripes on our homegrown Falcon GT 351 V8.
Always lusted after a 3 litre S Capri but could never afford one! Had to make do with a MK2 escort 1300 sport. Oh my, wish I still had it today! £££££££££😬 Great vid as usual Jack!👍♥️
🥝✔️ In the US, this catagory is called the Specialty Coupé. To create it in the Ford of Europe version, its differentiation is the extra 5 inches from the A pillar to the leading edge of the wheel arch on the Escort, not the Mark II Cortina. Its a Mark 1 Escort undeneath, with Its IFS suspension and Rack and Pinion steering and the Atlas Kolin Axle. The Consul Capri glass house, with the Mustang style 1931 Bugatti Royalé esque style hood length and back slopping nose rake. Ford had the Escort unibody paid off, so the Capri II Facelift continued. The key was that Ford worked the mock Company Executive market, perfectly. Ford didnt know how to continue the concept in a European idiom.
Period comparison on flickr: Ford Capri 3000 Ghia vs Ford Mustang II 5.0 V8 Ghia, both automatics, interesting read for performance figures etc. Capri: Top speed 118mph, 0-60 9.1, 20.4mpg. Mustang: Top speed 104mph, 0-60 10.5, 15.3mpg.
Haha you did it! You should try my 3.4 liter Capri... or actually, it will be a 3.0 again after I installed the S-type V6 (270HP...). If you dare... and if I get it done. The thing is, I have a Fiat 500, a Mini, a Capri, an X1/9.... and now all that is left be fore you tried them all, are a Range Rover and a Citroën Visa... Then the wife has a Fiësta, daughter has a Ka and son has a Puma. LMAO!!
I was in high school when these came to the US. I absolutely loved the look and preferred it to the Mustang. The Capris were very popular, several every block or two. Rostyle wheels shared with MGBs. My history teacher traded in his VW Beetle for one. Within a few weeks the safety “push-push” headlight switch popped out of of dashboard and was hanging by its wires. Dealer couldn’t/wouldn’t fix it. The rust showed up a bit later. They were fairly inexpensive and didn’t get the maintenance and fixing they needed. I literally haven’t seen one on the street or even in a show for many decades. Actually I see more MG Midgets here than Capris.
The first year of importation to the USA, 1970, the Capri was only offered with a 1.6 liter Kent 4-cylinder engine. This didn’t work well for American driving conditions, as it only put out 75 horsepower. A better 4 cylinder was offered for ‘71 (100 horsepower) and in ‘72 the Capri got a V6 option. If your history teacher had a lot of trouble with his Capri, he probably had a 1970 model.
I really like the look of the Mark III Capri, which was never imported to North America. The example you drive in the video looks pretty well cared for. I always thought that the Mark III was more powerful than this, as European emissions requirements from the 1980’s didn’t stifle engine performance the way USA requirements did. A Mark III Capri with a 5.0 liter V8/six speed manual conversion would be a hell of great car!
I believe you're thinking of the 2.8i. Until I saw this video I didn't even know the 3.0 survived into the Mk3 (2 facelift). I always thought any 3.0 with the facelift had been given a bonnet/headlight swap (as my friend's one had). The 2.8i was 160hp from the factory. Plenty of tuning options eventually arrived. The 3.0 was easier to play with (injection being a hinderance at the time), triple webers and some loud pipes being popular in certain circles 😁 Performance wise, this 3.0 Ghia is ruined by the slushbox. I'm not sure, but 5 speed manual might have been available on the 2.8i.... If not, it's not the hardest job to steal one from a Sierra. And yes, V8s were possible. I never saw a US 5.0 transplanted, but the Buick derived rover 3.5 V8 did fit easily and made for some serious tail out fun.
Thanks Jack, I think they were seen as previous generation drivers cars towards the end & suffered an image problem. Still, I liked the run out versions! 🙏🙏
Always liked the look of these cars, particularly the early iterations. Good proportions, perfect size. Looking at them today the main thing that dates them are the small diameter wheels and little tires. I almost never see them for sale here in America. And I cannot remember the last time I saw one on the road. Would probably be a fairly affordable classic car to own if you can find one.
@@barrycuda3769 - A lot of the cars people salivate over crossing the block at Barrett-Jackson sold in big numbers when new. Most went back to Mother Earth. Considering the hundreds of millions of cars that have disappeared over the last hundred years makes one realize the earth is a lot bigger than we’re being led to believe.
I had a bright red 1.6 30 years ago. I loved that one. Went to buy a bicycle, got it in the Capri OK. Getting the bike out was a different matter. Had to take the front wheel off. Was jammed in there. Cool vid, Jack. Wheel arches and round headlights for the win. Cheers.
Enjoyed the video Jack👍 My first car at 17 back in 83' was a 'S' plate Mk2 Signal Amber/ Black Vinyl roof 1.6 s, loved that car. Two years later I changed it for a lovely mini mileage 'A' plate Mk3 Black 2.0 s off a work colleague who bought it new. To me I preferred the cleaner lines of the Mk2 but both great cars back in the day. I aspired to later own a 3.0 s or 2.8 Injection but other cars got in the way. Would I like one today? Yes especially in rare Mk2 3.0 s Guise.
I had several capris in the 80's mostly 2.0 but I did have a 3.0 for a while , I converted it from auto to manual and loved it to bits . It was a lovely thing to drive . I uprated the suspension but not the brakes which were pathetic for the power available. But by the time I had had it for a few years into the early 90's it became that things like bx gtis etc could keep up with you and as soon as the boy racers saw the twin tail pipes they wanted to race all the time. I got fed up with proving a point that yes I can go around a corner and yes it does accelerate etc and sold the car. I should add the tin worm was rife by then. I think most of this video I agree with a fair assesment . the tail out fun that could be had was addictive as a young man .
the ideal conversion was to get the rear axle and single leaf suspension from an injection special and also the vented discs to put on a 3.0. Also the five speed box as well, Not too sure about the bell housing though if there was a conversion kit or it would fit the essex from the cologne.
I owned in the 90´s two Capris, a green Mark II 1.6 and a golden Mark III 2.3. Both were not really fast, but very easy to control in corners, even when it´s wet. It was (surprising) very easy (and great fun) to control the outbreaking rear.
Owned two 2.8 Injections one after the other in their day and just loved them, such a fun car with some practicality and yes most of its handling reputation was deserved but only if you drove it stupidly, would love another one now but way out of my price range for what would be a man’s toy!!
The Capri was an icon back in the day , i bought and sold many ghias , xl, gt , e 's etc always fun to drive even tho they didn't like going around corners too quicky and tail happy with the 3 litre . We put concrete slabs in the boot to try keep them stable lol . I once drove a jaguar conversion and that was terrifying .
Here we go, it didn't take long- the old urban myth about concrete slabs in the boot. I've heard that a million times, in over 30 years of being associated with Capris, I'm yet to meet anybody with a slab of concrete, or bag of sand in the boot. That would have been great in an accident- smashing through the collapsible rear seats and smashing your brains out over the dash..........
I owned a 1974 Capri 3.0 GXL I decided to have the engine rebuilt as a 3.1, stage II and fitted with the Weber 40 DFI5 (a Weber 38 DGAS was standard fitment). It was a nice, simple car which I enjoyed as a young 24 year old for 3 years. Yes, it's handling and brakes were not the best, but pretty average for the time. I was surprised to see the Essex V6 actually had fabricated exhaust manifolds. Though I had the chance to drive the German version, they came with the much better Cologne V6 with the choice of a 2.0, 2.3, 2.6 and 2.8 engine. The last of these had mechanical fuel injection and a 5-speed box. IIRC a few were imported into the U.K. in RHD as the Capri 2.8 Brooklands which was so much better than the UK version. A nice honest car without any of the electronics and gizmos which cause a lot of the reliability issues nowadays.
Excellent description of an underrated classic. Thank you. I actually own exactly the same gold 3.0 Ghia in the late eighties. I was never a “Capri fan” and won’t have bought one. However, a friend owed me some money and a “few favours”. He offered his car as “compensation” : I accepted, as this was the only practical way to settle the debt ! He dropped it outside my house and it was a few days before I had to move it. It had no MOT and hardly any petrol. I drove it to the station and … I was pleasantly surprised! It was as you said extremely comfortable, easy, agreeable and reassuring to drive: the automatic gearbox reminded me, in sorts, of a Mustang I had before! Finally, instead of selling it, that was my initial idea, I kept it for years as a second car, (I am a Jaguar/Daimler addict) and I enjoyed every minute of it. The only problem was the leaking sun roof (on the passenger side!) and the creeping rust that finally terminated its usefulness. The engine and gearbox never gave me any problems, and, but for the rust, it stayed very clean and smart for years. It had to go, sadly, when the spare garage space was needed for a lovely racing green E Type 2+2 . Still, I regret selling it. And, of course, the hand brake turns Body and Doyle style, always a must, very dramatic and impressive, are sadly missed! 😂😂
Brilliant, I had a 3.0S from 1978 in Signal Amber with the ‘tennis racket’ Recaro seats. Wonderful car and the sound with its dual 3” system was wonderful
@@meandthefamily1485 great car, a different beast than the automatic Ghia version. I remember original road tests saying the Recaro’s added £££thousands to the cars feel alone.
Capri 3.0S and 2.8i were amazing "budget sports cars". But then as Ford always, made obnoxious 1.3 and 1.6 automatic versions of the same car. I mean what the hell... why put a lawnmower engine to a sports car? But then again there was also 1.2 Opel Manta (Vauxhall in the UK). Ridiculous.
Now Jack... let me tell you... the Ford Capri was one of the greatest cars ever made [IMO :)]. I had many of them and I absolutely adored them. The Mk 3 3.0S and 2.8i Special were my favourites. I drove the absolute nuts off them everywhere - high speed tail out slides at 80mph-90mph along fast bends on A-roads in the wet, particularly with the 2.8i Special and its LSD were just an absolute hoot. The wail of the V6 at full chat was pure music... particularly with the Janspeed exhaust. They were properly fast and in their day the thing to have in touring car racing. Anyway, to see how they should be driven, here's BTCC star Jake Hill in Ric Wood's Gorgeous Gitannes 3.0S at Goodwood. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d9bjjJ-WF9U.html
If you're talking Group A Skylines then it doesn't get much better than the to die for HR31... here's three of them screaming their heads off at Philip Island a few weeks back. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Q9FRwyFPjq8.html
How could you not fall in love with this car?? They’re sexy as all get out! Nothing looked like them, put any performance part on them , they got faster!! I have owned 3 in total!! I miss my 2600 that car was quick n sexy green!! I’m say if you didn’t like them,, you were a “ Hater” as we say in America 🇺🇸 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Great Video!!
I heard a story from a retired Manchester traffic cop that the handling was OK when full of kit but they would chuck a paving slab in the boot when empty!
@BatManoe2gh Ford SA used the V8 from the Mustang at that time. I was under the impression that it was some these that had somehow made it to Aus. But I cannot find any reference to it. Any idea of the motors in the Aussie versions ?
@@monk3yboy69 No V8 Capris made it to Australia. Some people put Ford 302 Windsor or Cleveland V8's into them. Some even put 351 Cleveland's in them as well for drag racing.
The MkII 3000S was a proper hotrod. It would swap ends very quickly in the wet and could give you a fright in the dry too. The image went south with the MkII especially when the hot hatch appeared.
Great Video brings back memories had a MK1 1.6 as second car then 3.0 Chia, blow the box converted to manual using breakers then blew the engine, stuck a reconditioned engine it from a local engineering company then moved on to a 2.8i Special. They were great cars cheap for parts fun to drive especially when getting the back sideways, think they call it drifting now in those days it was just driving a Capri, Happy days…
Well first that was you best video you have ever done , hang on I would say that as I have a Capri 😂😂😂 nice one Jack great to see you enjoying a Old Ford
Hi Jack, I've always been a Capri Fan and I am now on my 14th ! I have a 2.8i Special, your welcome to have a drive if you wish, I have a couple of videos on my channel MEC-TEC All the best MEC
Giac, I had two Capris, the first was an early US import with the 1.6 cross flow engine and a single throat carb. It was called a Crapi. Everything that held fluids, leaked. The body started to rust in a year. Drove fantastically and I loved it. I have fond memories of it. The second was a series 2 with the 2.3 long stroke brazil engine. Engine was garbage, car waddled, and had poor driveability until I put 185/70x13 Uniroyal 240s on it. Changed the car completely. But really, the first car was far better.
One of the major weak areas in the Essex power unit were the Cam gears made from Nylon these would break if things got to hot in the engine. Even though Ford replaced them from a metal gears with still a mixture of Nylon and Steel. Lots of owners replace the cam gear with after market steel parts .never the strongest of engines the 2.8 injection was a stronger engine in the long run. My Father had a few series Capri's a Mk 1 GLX 3.0 a Mk2 3.0 he lost the back end at least once in the wet , his Brother wrote his Capri off after loosing control and ending up on top of a wall. Yes the rear end was way to light .most added bags of sand or bricks in the trunk. The Mk3 2.8 injection was a better sorted car , still could get scary in the wet . I remember a trip to Silverstone in 1990 for F1 race that year in a Freinds 2.8 i loverly trip down in the dry and he was not driving slowly. However the return trip was in the rain that was a bit more intresting 😅😅 with a few moments. Still very much a very loved Car in the UK along with the Escort. Another intresting Story is the 2 times WRC champion and driving legend Walter Röhl first pro drive was driving a Ford Capri 2.5 V6 at that the 2nd tier car to the 3.0 team entry. When the first stage times came through to the press room he was the fastest car . But the press this can not be it must be a mistake no one drive a Capri can be that fast. So when the next stage time arrived it was the same Röhl fastest with all the A listed drivers and big works teams trailing. That Rally car was built here in Hamburg my current home. A few Years ago it was re-found and has since been fully restored to its original spec for that event buy the same company that built it originally. They then invited Walter to see his first works rally car again. Walter would go one to become Europeian champion and then WRC Champion . Driving for the likes of Opel , Fiat, Mercedes ,Lancia , and Audi and later working for Porsche. But the Legend all started with the Capri.
I grew up in Colchester, Essex, in the mid-nineties and to a young pup Capris, along with 205 GTIs and Escort Cosworths, were the dream cars. I genuinely believed my life would be superior if I owned one of those! Fully kitted out Capris were not uncommon and they looked the business with spoilers and tyres the width of the wheel arch. Obviously, I’ve lost such high-mindedness. However, around 2015 I regularly delivered to a guy in Colchester who had two Capris on his driveway; I think he still used the cars. Not having seen a Capri for at least a decade I was blown away and a vestige of my adolescence was momentarily reignited!
Only car I’ve bought twice. A 1984 2.8i in the early 90s and a 1987 2.8 injection special in the mid 2000s. Great character, great sound. Both did a ton in 3rd (of the 5 gears). Very flexible engines. Both in black. Never understood the appeal of contemporary hot hatches as they were slower and smaller. And ugly IMO.
The Ford Capri was UK,s Mustang, Ford typically use many existing components!! the auto was C3, C4 was for small V8s C6 was for the big V8. Would be much MUCH Better with manual!!!! FORGET 1.3 Capri GUTLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a 1300 Escort ( same engine ) it was GUTLESS!!!!!!!!!
5:50 looks like the second-hand on the clock is going round backwards! Quite apt for such a superb example that takes you back in time. My dad had a 2-litre Ghia (I was aged 16) and I really enjoyed this video. Thanks Jack. Edit: just watched the end of the vid now and at 13:08 the second-hand is ticking the correct way. What's going on, Jack, we need to be told!
Both the 2.8i and 3.0 are good but the 3.0 is so much simpler and also much more tuneable, the 3.0 Essex engine can be tuned to almost 300hp , Group 1 racing 3.0 Capris like the ones you see at Goodwood make around 260-280hp, with a single Weber IDF carb.
The 0-100 in 11 seconds clip is from the official launch film, a KPH (0-62 mph) figure for the 2.0 v4 or 2.0 v6 (the latter never available in Britain), the range toppers in Britain and Europe until the 3.0 became available some 6 odd months later. Why they use KPH in an English language film (South Africa didn't go metric until the mid 70's), i don't know, probably overlooked in translation and not an attempt to make it look like shelby cobra 427 rival. Only road test figures for a Capri 3.0 Ghia automatic i've seen are from a motor magazine twin test vs a Mustang 5.0 automatic: Capri: Top speed 118mph, 0-60 9.1, 20.4mpg. Mustang: Top speed 104mph, 0-60 10.5, 15.3mpg.
Mr. Number 27, Although not an official Ford product, there's one obscure version of the Type 2 Capri deserving of mention. In South Africa, A Ford-sanctioned builder/dealer (Basil Green Motors of Jo-berg) created the Perana, a Capri mated to a modified 302 solid-lifter V8 producing around 280hp. In much the same way Ford partnered with Carroll Shelby in 1965, Ford shipped new Capri 3000s to Basil Green Motors without engines or transmissions, and BGM did the rest. Ford stood behind it 100% making it available through any Ford dealership in SA, and backed each Perana with the same factory warranty as the regular Capri. One could order a Perana with the same C4 auto transmission available for the rest of the Capri line, or a 4-speed manual. All Peranas also came with a limited-slip rear end which I believe was sourced from another Ford model altogether, limited but exclusive paint schemes, and more robust struts and springs. 0-100kms in under 7 seconds, and top speed in excess of 200km/h. Understandably, many South African Capris have been unofficially converted to Perana clones, not unlike the hundreds of 1965 GT350 "tribute" cars across North America. How one ended-up in Western Canada is anyone's guess but I happened upon it in 2008 and the owner - a former Can-Am racer named John - was kind enough to take me on a spirited ride around a few laps of a disused airport. His Perana is an incredibly nimble and well-balanced beast which would have sold like hotcakes (and possibly impacted Mustang sales) had Ford gone with a V8 Capri of their own.
Dude, you're just waffling. The car is nearly 50 years old. What are you expecting? That Essex lump was an absolutely awesome engine in its day. People who drove a 3.0 Ghia back in those days were the people who had "arrived". It was what most people back then aspired to. If you were of a sportier mindset, you ordered the 3.0 with a stick shifter. Capris, Cortinas and Granadas with the 3.0 Essex were hugely popular here in South Africa in the 70s and early 80s. In fact, we loved them so much that Ford South Africa even sold them with the Mustang 5.0 V8 engine as developed by Basil Green. Happy days. 😍
It is unbelievable that people in late 80s decided that ugly FWD hatchbacks are more desirable than classy RWD coupes... I guess it could be summarised as fashion coming in waves and after decade of coupes there had to be change to excite people with something else. As for Capri specifically... I never understood what is the so special about it. Not that I particularly hate it, but it always looked to me like discounted version of Mustang, which itself was not even considered real muscle car, but "poni car"... wo whereas americans where getting real thing, brits opted for fat free discount version and that is the way I see it. With it tiny wheels it doesn't look particularly sporty... and I guess my experience wasn't that that great either - I believe one I tied was 2.0 or maybe even 1.6... so it was was slow and not sporty coupe in my view, the car which pretended to be sports car but wasn't. And as GT car it wasn't particularly luxury or comfortable either. Obviously I am not being fair to it, because by the time I got into classic cars it was already 20+ years old... but say 10 years ago when looking at it's price and comparing it to equivalent say BMW E30 325 or similar... it just didn't sand out. And I think even today most people would agree that for astronomical prices that Capri costs in UK the E30 is better buy even as classic car... although in last 10 yeas E30 probably increased in price 10x, so that probably evens out the odds. Or even better comparison BMW E24 6-Series... up until recently one could pick-up 628 or 635 for well under 10k and Capri was in the same price range, which is just unbelievable, because BMW was genuinely fast and well equipped car... and universally recognisable classic. I guess I missed the period when they were in their glory years, because I would assume that was early 90s e.g. when they were common and cheap... by the time I grew-up the remaining Capri were expensive and in comparison mediocre... just because vast majority of them met their end by that time and where increasingly rare and expensive.
Back in the late '70s and turn of the '80s, there was a very respectable elderly couple living at the end of my cul-de-sac and their very '70s-dude son had three Capris in succession - a beautiful blue S-reg 3000 Ghia with a black vinyl roof (how do i remember such details?), a V- or W-reg 3.0S in gold and then a 2.8i a couple of years later. I was in love with the meaty sound of the Essex V6 motor and always thought that the successor Cologne unit sounded much busier / less characterful. Even so, as a teenager I would have loved to have a 2.8i just because of what you got for the money. There's no modern equivalent nowadays to what you got with a Capri back then and that's such a shame, although I suppose that the rise of pokey thrummy little 3-cylinder motors in recent years (eg Fiesta ST or Mini Cooper) could offer a bit of the character if fitted with a good exhaust, but there's no really substitute for an honest old six-pot lump. The death of TVR was really the end of characterful engines for me.
RS3100 anyone? That's the sporty Capri that used to stuff BMWs in 70's touring car races. The specification that you drove was really aimed at people that wanted an Aston Martin DBS, but weren't working for MI6.
Never been the biggest fan of Fords..... Wash your mouth out with soap Jack!!!! 😂.... Cracking stuff as always and I'll not hold the anti Ford comment against you! 😉👍
Always, always loved the Capri as it reminds me not only of a sort of european version of american muscle cars (pony cars), but also looks soo similar to the Australian cousin, the Ford Falcon xg bt featured in Mad Max movies (especially the first police cars). ❤
Some years ago I was looking for a cheap car, and found one for sale by the side of the road. A 1978 Capri 1.3 AUTO. No matter how rose- tinted your glasses are, avoid this madel at all costs. Very slow, very thirsty, and no street cred amongst fellow owners...
I remember as a kid when this car came out down under. Built at Homebush in New South Wales. Also the mark one escort. By the time I was old enough to drive I saw it as a lady's car the 1.6 we had was not sporting enough to match it's looks. My first car was a Renault 16 TS which was quicker. Bit of a shame. Later I had some mates that had twin cam escorts, but up graded to Renault 8 Gordini's, which were quite popular down here. I've got a 1134 1100 8G.
I’ll never forget the Capri GT. I was 17, lived in Devon, UK. Walking into town to grab a bite to eat with my friends during school lunch break. A girl I had only seen a few times in school who had graduated a year before, pulled up and stopped beside us. “Hey Dave, I got a new car, get in” she said. She was beautiful ! So was her car. ! My friends were slack jawed and speechless. I got in and we drove away, her giggling, adjusting her blouse and batting eyes. Me, truthfully a bit bewildered at my lucky stars. The Capri barked its tires and left my friends staring at that sexy rear end. To my friends I became a legend. But we just went and ate lunch. 😉 It was the same color as the one you drove in the review. I’ll never forget the Capri, or that beautiful young lady who’s name I’ll keep a secret. It was a damn sexy car back then.
I got a 2.8 after a 3.0 s...o.k more power due to injection but what a disappointment finding 2 exhaust ports per head...wished they had sorted the essex..and obviously the 2.8 had lost that induction and exhaust tone...went for TR8 to finish my active prostate years!
I think the SIII 2.8i Cologne V6 with 5 speed manual is the Capri to go for. I always liked the styling of the SII and III, and I think it has stood the test of time. However, given prices of top examples, I would tend to go for a late Reliant Scimitar instead. David Hammond (Robin Chadwick) in 1970s TV series The Brothers had one, and the interior is more special. As far as the Essex V6, I was actually surprised how good the Essex V6 sounded under acceleration in this video. It almost sang at the end of the pull. Anyway, IMO any rust-free Capri or Reliant Scimitar makes for an excellent classic car choice...as indeed does an XR3i. The car in this video looks to be an exceptionally nice example. My Dad was never a Ford fan, but I have to say that all Fords I've owned and driven have exceeded my expectations, although my experience is limited to the mid-1980s onward, whereas I think my Dad's opinion was informed by 1960s build quality. I remember him saying that he once cut his hand on exposed metal when adjusting the seat.
