Learn me: The 70's Ford Capri

Oh I really shouldn't.

Is the 2.3L the Lima motor? What's the suspension commonality? I'm not super worried about electrics as I'd probably strip it down and MS the whole show. Rear axle? Transmission? Why am I excited about this?!

The motor is the 2.3 Lima. The suspension is in common with the Ford Cortina. Like how the original Mustang was really a Falcon in a lot of ways, that's how this works. So the rear is a straight axle called "Atlas" in Ford speak, with drums, and no cheap LSD options. Leaf springs in the rear. Front is Mac struts with a single arm running straight from the cross member to the spindle. Fore/aft movement control is provided by the sway bar on the front. Rack & pinion steering that is pretty direct. 4 speed gearbox or a C3 auto. The manual is, I believe, the Ford "Type E". Electrics are mostly if not 100% Bosch. Drums in the back, solid discs in the front.

These cars rust like it's their job. The electrical system uses some oddball fuses that are not easy to find anymore, little ceramic jobs, if I remember this right. The front suspension is semi-junk as designed. They're a nice size and the engine bay is huge for a car of this size; big-block swallowing isn't a joke, and the S. African factory installed Boss 302-spec V8's, so really any engine you'd probably be interested in can fit. The tub is fairly stiff. There's a couple companies in the USA that support these cars, or did.

A four-cylinder Ranger would probably be an excellent drivetrain donor. Someone in Europe, I believe, lopped off the front suspension and replaced it wholesale with FC RX-7 bits. I think Miata makes more sense.

pres589 wrote: I think Miata makes more sense.

Ha, as a suspension donor...or just in general?

In reply to paddylopez:

Suspension donor. I fit in my Capri, I don't think I would in a Miata, and it might be fun to cut one up.

Obviously it would be a lot of cutting, measuring, welding, etc etc. But if the Miata strut is about the right length and yadda yadda, it makes more sense to me to do the following; rear axle from an RX-7, a later solid one with discs or do a disc conversion. The Atlas is heavy and ratios are limited. And LSD's are much more plentiful for the RX-7 unit. Front, Miata with a coil-over conversion so you can adjust ride height, and have access to tons of spring rates. Plus the brakes would be nicer this way.

Not that I spent much time thinking about this [and not doing it].

In reply to pres589:

Oh man, you got me thinking dangerous thoughts. Also, nice bike. Love the VFR (if you still have it). Looked at buying a mid-80's VF750 this summer, couldn't get the price right.

Yeah, I still have the VFR; it's been a pretty good bike overall. Need to play with the rear spring rate and get a bunch of maintenance done before spring.

Ah man, old Ford Capris. What memories.

My dad had two. Both with the Colgne V6. My grandmother had several. Two notable memories. She had a 73 that I put stripes on. When I was three ish. With a pen. A ball point pen, because ø though they were called pen stripes. Right through the paint.

It was replaced by a 76 hatch like this one. Bright red, with the first three letters of the plate spelling Mao. It barely survived running over a spare wheel and tire combo on the highway at speed. Great speed, since my grandmother drove by accelerating until she had to brake. Everywhere. She didn't brake for the wheel.

She also passed an Opp officer on the 401 and when he asked why she passed, she said "I thought you were driving too slowly." So this whole driving thing is genetic.

Since we are on the topic of Capris
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/cto/4869190016.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4851952899.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4831561324.html

Talk to Norm at Team Blits. I don't think that they ever had the 2.3, nor do I think they ever had any Bosche electrics. I prefer the MK 1,but that MK II is col too. The 2 liter made 100 hp in the early models. An early car with the 2.3 or 2.6 Cologne V6 was a killer DSP autocrosser into the 90s. I've often wondered how a 4.0 pushrod or OHC cologne from an Exploder would work in one of them. It has the Ford "Atlas" axle. It has rack and pinion steering.

http://www.classicfordmag.co.uk/files/2012/01/CLF176.definitive.pdf It isn't a Mustang.

http://www.teamblitz.com/

I would buy a nice one any time, personally. Most are gone.

Check Classic Ford magazine.

http://www.classicfordmag.co.uk/

amg_rx7 wrote: Since we are on the topic of Capris http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/cto/4869190016.html http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4851952899.html http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4831561324.html

That's amazing. They've been extinct from New England for 20 years now.

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/4841516661.html

Woody wrote: http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/4841516661.html

Well-played.

That's quite a unicorn.

I have my Dad's 1973 Capri shop manual just waiting for a car to go with it. I've looked a few times, but these cars are pretty hard to find in good shape. They must have been to inexpensive for people to keep in a garage all these years.

In reply to JoeTR6:

Rust is even less expensive!

I remember my dad had a brown '74 with the 4-cylinder, but I don't remember what kind. It had a 4-speed and a really tall 1st gear or final drive. I really had to slip the clutch to get it going and I topped it out at 127mph one day on a long flat road in cool weather. I didn't know much about cars back then, but I do remember it "pushed like a pig". I can only imagine what it would be like with bigger and heavier engine up front...,

lateapexer wrote: She also passed an Opp officer on the 401 and when he asked why she passed, she said "I thought you were driving too slowly." So this whole driving thing is genetic.

It must be, Dad . . .

I'll just leave this here:

My Dad had a 73 with the 2.0 and 4-speed. It was a lot of fun to ride around in it when I was a kid. From talking to Dad, it was heavy for its size and at the time, parts were getting hard to come by.

Nowadays with enough fab effort you can fix a lot of the inability to find parts by making new ones, adapting new assemblies, etc.

I have a '77 Capri that I am restoring to vintage race. Norm @ Team Blitz has a ton of knowledge and a lot of parts. I am pretty sure the one you linked to has the 2.6 or 2.8 V6. If I wasn't trying to keep mine "period correct" for vinatge racing, I'd go with a small block Ford and a T5.

My Capri "restoration"

The front suspension isn't Cortina. It is similar,and better, because of the rack and pinion steering. I have 2 Cortinas, and have owned three others. It is more similar to a MK I Escort, the cool ones not sold in the USA. Like the Cortina, it has a true Macphereson strut suspension, meaning that the sway bar connects to the track arm and constitutes the fore / aft location of the front wheels. This is known to cause toe changes under heavy (track) braking. here are fixes for that.

The 2 liter is called the "Pinto" engine in England. It was the basis for the 16 valve turbocharged Cosworth YB, which was used in the Escort Cosworth and Saphire cosworth. Cosworth also built sixes based upon the Cologne which were used for touring car racing as shown above.

Capri Safety Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrFMTl77v8o

gamby wrote:

Woody wrote: http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/4841516661.html

Well-played. That's quite a unicorn.

I always loved these cars and I've driven past that car dozens of times. I've never taken a close look at it but he's had it for sale for at least three years. I'm sure it's a limited market, but that should tell you something.

Woody wrote:

gamby wrote:

Woody wrote: http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/4841516661.html

Well-played. That's quite a unicorn.

I always loved these cars and I've driven past that car dozens of times. I've never taken a close look at it but he's had it for sale for at least three years. I'm sure it's a limited market, but that should tell you something.

I thought that car looked familiar. I lived just below the dam on Rt 34, probably drove by it several times.

I used to race against a retro fitted 302 powered Aussie GT, it started a lust I haven't yet got over

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/73-mercury-capri/61191/page1/

As for electrics, the Capri got "the prince of darkness" brand in the early models made in England, I.E. those that have the 1600 Kent. All the 2.0, 2.3, 2.6, & 2.8 were built in Germany. Those got Bosch, but some cars that I have seen had Autolite alternators. Go figure?

I owned solely or in partnership 5 Capris. A friend still has one, a MKI V6 sitting in his garage for the past 20 years. I've been working on him to let me help him get it back on the road. Now that he's retired and 65+ I think it's time to either fix everything that a car that's sat for 20 years needs fixed then drive it or just get it running and sell it.

The car was purchased in California so it should be OK rust wise and it was repainted so all of the work required is on engine, suspension, & brakes.

I looked at that ad for the brown project car for 3K. That dude is on crack! No way that pile of parts is worth 3K. I have seen running Capri's for less and very nice ones for 7-8K!

If you haven't seen one, I'll just leave the phrase Tickford to lead you down the path of unrighteousness...