Much more than a mere Mustang copy (Ford Capri)

Member Name: blackbob

Product:	Ford Capri
Date:	18/02/04 (3360 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 70's Cool, Cheap and abundant, More versatile than you'd think

Disadvantages: 'Essex man' image, 80 driving exp.

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After my forays into the arts namely film,book and music reveiws I intend to return to more familiar territory - is that a collective sigh I hear?As you've probably guessed all ready I'm reviewing a car(presumeably you noticed that!!)

For my return I have decided to reveiw a car that is personally very familiar to me,having had many of these 'Essex man' favourites.I would like it known however that apart from one summer fruit picking I have spent next to no time in Essex and have at no time worn a large gold medallion around my neck.Nor use brut,or wear sunglasses on dull overcast afternoons.

Backg
round
**********
In the fifties Ford produced simple,rugged and reliable family cars that were cheap and,quite frankly,boring.Having but a very limited motorsport program,Ford of Britain were quite content to continue like this as long as people flooded in to buy their safe and conventional products.However,as the fifties became the sixties and people began to demand more from their cars fords rivals,particularly in America,started cashing in on motorsport success Ford USA performed a U-turn and implimented a 'Total Performance' policy which left Ford of Britain to develop and run it's own competition cars and program.The first car to be developed under the new mindset was the Lotus Cortina.Colin Chapman,of Lotus fame,was developing a new twin-cam engine based on a Ford bottom end and Ford of Britain's Public Affairs Chief Walter Hayes put a proposal to him,how would he like to put this engine in 1000 Cortina shells for Group 2 production racing and rallying.Going on sale in 1963 you could have it any colour you like aslong as it was white with a green stripe.With the new Escort released in 1967 this engined was squeezed,just,into it's engine bay to produce the Twin Cam.

In 1964 Ford of America released Lee Ioccoca's now famous brainchild the Mustang was watched closely by the marketing men at Dagenham and this coupled with several fastback four-seater version of saloon cars being released by rival car makers e.g,Hillmans Rapier of '67, helped spur the release of the Capri.

The MKI Arrives
***************
'The Car You Always Promised Yourself' was released in 1969 and shared it's wheelbase with the Corsair at 100inch and it's front and rear track with the Cortina at 52inch.As in the case of the Mustang their were many extras and option packs you could buy to make your car more individual.X,XL,XLR-Packs included - reclining seats,handbrake warning light,two-tone horn,reversing lights,bumper
over-riders,and matt black bonnet,door sills and boot panel while for £14 0s 9d got you a pair of inertia reel seat belts.

Model 0-60mph Max.Speed FuelCons. stand.1/4mile
***** ******* ********* ******** *************
1600GT 13.4s 98mph 24.8mpg 18.8s
2000GT 10.6s 107mph 22mpg 18.2s
3000GT 10.3s 113mph 16.7mpg 17.6s

Engine Cyl. Comp.Ratio Power(bhp) Torque(lbft)
****** **** ********** ********** ************
1,599cc 4 9.2:1 82@5400rpm 92@3600rpm
1,996cc V4 8.9:1 92@5500rpm 104@3600rpm
2,994cc V6 8,9:1 128@4750rpm 173@3000rpm

The 2-door body with long bonnet,boot,rounded rearside windows and those distinctive air vents in front of the rear wheel arch make for an instantly classic look and the MkI sold extremely well,being face-lifted in 1973 when it recieved larger tail lights and the dash layout it would keep until its demise.

RS Models
*********
Two Rs models of the Capri were released during the MKI phase,one being a German model and one a British model.

RS2600

The German RS2600 released in 1970 and running until 1973 were mean,moody versions with Krugelfischer mechanical injection systems number,in total,nearly 4000.Using a 2637cc version of the German cologne V6 engine putting out a reliable 150bhp,and fitted with quarter bumpers,black bonnets and a stripped out interior these were quick and rare competiton-bred cars.

RS3100

With a bored-out Essex V6 at 3091cc the RS3100,also born out of competition needs,was instantly recognised by the large 'duck-tail' black rubber boot spoiler and producing 148bhp was also a quick car.Being produced during the winter of 1973-74 with about 200 being made make this a very sought after car nowadays.

Perana

Though not being either an RS model nor sold in this country thi
s model however deserves note for the fact it packs a 302cu.in. 4,942cc V8 from a Mustang.Produced in Johannesburg by South African tuning expert Basil Green it had a 460cfm Holley carb,sports cam and solid lifters making for a warmed-over version of the venerable 'Stang lump.At 14lb lighter than a V6 Capri this made for a mouth-watering version.

MKII-Inroducing the Hatchback
*****************************
With a total of 1,172,900 MKI's being built and sold in 5 years,the new model proved to be more versatile with a hatchback tailgate giving much more load-space.More glass area gave all round better visability.The new models recieved the 'pinto' engine from the Cortina in both 1.6 and 2.0 versions.Launched in Febuary 1974 the new model all had rectangular headlights and models were,by the next year,L,GL,S and the new Ghia designation.S replaced the GT designation.

Model 0-60 Max.Speed Av.Fuel Cons. Stand.1/4mile
***** **** ********* ************ ************
1600S 11.4s 106mph 27.4mpg 18.2s
2000S 10.4s 110mph 24mpg 17.9s
3000S 9.7s 119mph 23.1mpg 17s

Engine Cyls Comp.Ratio Power(bhp) Torque(lbft)
****** **** ********** ********** ************
1,593cc 4 9.2:1 88@5700rpm 92@4000rpm
1,993cc 4 9.2:1 98@5200rpm 111@3500rpm
2,994CC V6 9:1 138@5000rpm 174@3500rpm

The sleek new body made for a much more modern looking car and the Capri II sold well but competition from GM's Opel Manta and cars like the Datsun 'Z' cars were beginning to dent it's sales figures so in 1978 the car was further updated to what is now known as the MKIII version though to Ford it was just a face-lifted MKII.

MKIII The most well-known.
**************************
Introduced in 1978 the MKIII as it became known is the most familiar model on our roads today.Wi
th larger tail lights and twin round head lights it is the car made famous in the 'Professionals' surely the best TV cop program of the all!!!

Model 0-60 Max.Speed Av.Fuel Cons. Stand.1/4mile
***** **** ********* ************* *************
1600S 12.7s 101mph 27.6mpg 19s
2000S 10.8s 107mph 25.6mpg 17.7s
3000S 8.6s 118mph 19.5mpg 16.6s
2.8i 7.7s 133mph 21mpg 16.2s

Engine Cyls Comp.Ratio Power(bhp) Torque(lbft)
****** **** ********** ********** ************
1,593cc 4 9.2:1 88@5700rpm 92@4000rpm
1,993cc 4 9.2:1 98@5200rpm 111@3500rpm
2,994cc V6 9:1 138@5000rpm 174@3000rpm
2,792cc V6 9.2:1 152@5700rpm 162@4200rpm

The most noticeable model launched in 1981 was the 2.8injection with it's cologne engine and Bosch K-Jetronic injection system,with a 5-sd g/box offered not long after and an LSD rear axle set-up these were without doubt the best and most competent version of the Capri.Half leather Recaro front seats were an option on 'Special' models along with the afore-mentioned LSD.

Personal Experience.
********************
I have owned 12 Capris in the past ranging from a 1977 R-reg MKII 1600GL to an '82 X-reg 2.8i and have found these great cars to drive.You have a 'sit on the floor' driving position and once you get used to nosing that long bonnet out of restricted junctions they are easy enough to drive though they are not the kind of car you can point in the right direction and then drift off like modern cars they do require drivers input.At speeds of over 130mph they do tend to rattle and shake while the handling road-holding is a lot better than what you initially feel they are.The trick is,when you put them hard into a corner and the front end goes worryingly light,if non-exsistant,trust it because they do grip well and if
your driving a more powerful version apply more throttle and the steering will begin to feedback more.While the driving experience is good and they make for,in the case of the V6's at least,fast cars they do use fuel,I used to find fuel returns of around 15mpg out of my 2.8 when I played with it so be warned.

If you want a more involving and different to the modern euro-boxes type of car then a Capri makes a good choice.I highly recommend them and would have another with no problems at all.

Summary: