Classic Cars: How to Choose Your Dream Car by David Long

Author:David Long
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: TRANSPORTATION / Automotive / Antique & Classic
ISBN: 9781844689101
Publisher: Remember When
Published: 2009-07-18T16:00:00+00:00

Like the Mustang the choice of different models was staggering, ranging from a fairly basic 1300cc model which would struggle to hit 90 - although to be fair that was no worse than its rivals - to a variety of authentically hot V6s whose 2.8, 3.0 and even 3.1 litre engines were to make it a surprisingly effective motorsport contender on the European stage. In all it is estimated that more than 900 different versions were produced during the car’s near-two-decade lifetime, and that’s without including all the aftermarket specials such as the Tickfords (produced under the auspices of Aston Martin) and Janspeed Turbos.

Today, unsurprisingly, more than a few are worth ignoring. The 1300s certainly are, most of the 1600s too for that matter, and the V4-engined versions are novel but can be problematic. The top prices, aside from competition cars with a bit of history, tend to go to the larger-engined stuff such as the RS3100 from the early 1970s. The most handsome, however, is the later 2.8i, the version which remained in production until the very end when a final batch of 1,038 was completed featuring a Brooklands green paint job with red and white coachlines. Smart, quite discreet by Capri standards, and impressively pokey, if I was in the market for a Capri I’d go for one of these.

To be honest, by the late 1970s the Capri was already showing its age, although even then it was still streets ahead of anything its GM rival could muster in the way of hot Opel Mantras and so forth. Visually a substantial facelift for the Mk3 had worked wonders, giving the car double headlamps on either side of a clean, new grille, a lower bonnet profile and new, chunkier bumpers which wrapped around all the way to the wheelarches.

At this point the range-topper was the celebrated 3.0 litre ‘Essex’ V6, a powerful unit which apparently worked wonders for Bodie and Doyle in The Professionals but was nevertheless in danger of falling foul of new European legislation on emissions. The answer was a smaller 2.8 litre V6 from Germany, the cleaner-burning ‘Cologne’ unit which delivered a healthy 160bhp courtesy of Bosch fuel-injection and a new four-speed ‘box.

The interior was essentially the same as any other Capri though, albeit with more comprehensive instrumentation as it was a range-topper; a pair of Recaros finished in slightly dodgy (but period-perfect) tartan plaid, a radio-cassette as standard, and a sliding steel sunroof. Early models also sported a unique design of alloy wheel, nicknamed the pepperpot as a consequence of its spokeless, 12-hole design. Later versions acquired the five-speed transmission from the Sierra XR4i, giving the car a more relaxed drive in top, also a more subtle cloth interior similar to that of the RS1600I Escort, and for a lucky few, from 1984 onwards, a Salisbury limited-slip differential.

Today, for the money, there is very little to beat it in terms of performance, space, practicality and kerbside appeal. People still like to laugh at Capris, but

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