Project Project Capri. Back on the road! New earths.

[TripleRich]

Don't forget to re-foam the heater flaps.  The foam ensures a half decent seal and also keeps it quiet as you throw the levers on the dash.  I like the older units, the later plastic ones are not easy to split apart.

 

Matrix looks like its for the Mk3 plastic box but if it works then who cares!

[Tamworthbay]

The later plastic ones aren’t as bad as some would have you believe. There are loads of horror stories of how impossible they are to get back together but as long as you take your time they are ok. I have done a few now and I am sure some club members think I use fairy dust and magic to do it.

[danthecapriman]

shirley if the matrix is shorterer the the cold air can just bypass it?

The old matrix isn’t as tall as the new one but it’s a fraction wider so it fits perfectly inside the box. The width issue isn’t much though and the foam takes up the difference. The way these boxes are means the air can’t bypass the matrix. The only issue you can get is it either sticks on hot only or cold only if the cable snaps like mine has!

I need to find a replacement but god knows where from!?

 

 

Don't forget to re-foam the heater flaps.  The foam ensures a half decent seal and also keeps it quiet as you throw the levers on the dash.  I like the older units, the later plastic ones are not easy to split apart.

 

Matrix looks like its for the Mk3 plastic box but if it works then who cares!

All the foam is long gone from my flaps (ha!). There’s a bit of glue residue on them but I’ll need to find something to replace it with. I don’t think you can buy any. I might have an old foam cutting mat thing which might work with some glue?

The new matrix is a mk3 one. Though it’s listed on the Capri club site as suitable for all. They will fit but the holes in the box need opening out as the new tubes are straight but angled slightly as they come out of the matrix. Original mk1 matrix tubes one of them has a kink in the tube and they come out of the matrix straight.

It should all work still. End of the day it’s a metal box that holds a miniature radiator. Only difference now is my radiator is a bit bigger!

[Guest Hooli]

How about that sticky foam draught excluder strip for house doors? It's always seemed much the same to me.

[danthecapriman]

How about that sticky foam draught excluder strip for house doors? It's always seemed much the same to me.

Similar thickness foam but I need a small sheet of it, roughly the same size as the matrix. Two of obviously as there’s two flaps.

[Guest Hooli]

Ahh, the only ones I've been inside just have foam strips on the end of the flaps.

[fordperv]

I'd be interested to see how good the brake lines you've ordered are. Up to now I've made them from scratch which is quite time consuming. Originally the brake lines were steel and green in colour. It's not so easy to get anymore and is quite hard to work with.

 

I fit copper lines to customers cars, but am tempted to try the green stuff on the Coupe if I can find some.

Here you go

 

http://www.carpartsexpress.co.uk/RS-Range/Focus-RS-Mk1/BRAKES/Brake-Pipe/Original-Ford-Green-Brake-Pipe/p-49-53-254-763-561/

[danthecapriman]

Sweet! Just got a replacement cable off eBay!

Used, but comes with both cables and the dash switch mechanism so I’ll have some spares. It’s a mk1 part.

[danthecapriman]

Been going through the boxes of bits that came back with the car, trying to find the various bits I’ll be needing soon.

First things first, get the bonnet prop back on so I can work under the bonnet. I found the new retaining clip but it took ages to find the round bush. Sod’s law, everything you want is always underneath everything else!

Refitted the newly painted prop easy enough then dug out the cars VIN plate and data plate. Found some rivets, dipped them into a tin of waxoyl and riveted them both onto the slam panel.

Hopefully the waxoyl will prevent any corrosion starting around the holes. The data plate is quite corroded and faded already sadly. I’ve given it a good clean up and coat of clear lacquer to stop it getting worse. It doesn’t look too bad though.

 

Here’s a few engine bay pics now I can open the bonnet properly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks brilliant inn the engine bay, lovely and smooth and clean. There’s lots of dust and specks of polish residue that’ll need wiping off though.

[Guest Hooli]

Awww isn't it cute? it's like an engine, but smaller

 

Seriously though, looks excellent Dan. It's gonna be perfect when finished.

[danthecapriman]

Awww isn't it cute? it's like an engine, but smaller

 

Seriously though, looks excellent Dan. It's gonna be perfect when finished.

You can even get in there with the engine and work on it! Before now I’ve sat on the slam panel with my legs down each side of the front of the engine to work. Saves leaning over!

 

 

Brake servo and master cylinder are both now installed too. Stupidly easy without a dash in the way.

I’ve sorted the old brake pipes, I’ve layed them out next to the car to see how they went (I’d forgotten!), pretty simple really.

The new line kit has a number tag on each length of line. You cross reference that number to a list supplied in the kit and it tells you exactly where that line is for. Looks a piece of piss to do tbh. I’ve offered the new up to the old lines and they’re all present and correct. There’s an odd mix of metric and imperial unions on these cars, again all these are new and ready fixed onto the ready flared pipes, all of them are in the correct places. Seems like a good kit so far.

Only thing not included is the 3 way splitter that bolts to the inner drivers side wing under the bonnet. There’s no valves or anything on this car. 1 port on the master cylinder does the two front brakes via the 3 way splitter. The other port on the master cylinder goes under the car to one rear wheel cylinder, then another brake line comes off the bleed nipple port of the wheel cylinder, across the axle to the other wheel cylinder which has its bleed nipple in place as usual. Easy and simple!

Just need a set of three brake hoses first.

[danthecapriman]

Made a start on the brake lines today.

I’ll be honest, I’ve been dreading doing these! I’ve sorted the new kit in order of what pipe does what and labelled the original pipes with numbers to match the new ones. There’s five short lengths in the new kit so I did it that way to avoid bending the wrong pipe.

 

Here’s the old ones.

 

 

 

 

These ones are mostly original steel ones. There’s one short one connected to the T piece for the RH front flexi hose that is a hand made MOT type replacement.

So far I’ve started with the short RHF pipe, that bent up very nicely and seems fine. Then the master cylinder to T piece pipe. Again, easy and went nicely.

Then the long pipe from T piece to LHF wheel. This was an epic twat! Once the long rolls are uncoiled it becomes a right pain in the arse to keep bending it and moving it as your going along copying the original. In the end I decided to use masking tape to tape the new and old pipes together so I could get the profile about right off the car. Bend up about a foot long section then tape it down and so on.

I did try straightening the new pipe before bending everything to shape but it doesn’t work very well in this case as there’s shit loads of kinks, bends, direction changes etc. Its just pointless really.

The big pipe actually looks pretty good so far but one end is not finished. It’s got to simply bend 90 degrees and go into the T piece on the inner wing. But to get the bend in the right place I needed to clips that hold the pipes in place onto the bulkhead. These were in a bag somewhere!

Took an hour to find them, they were minging so the plastic ones have been scrubbed clean with soapy water and refitted to the bulkhead. The three steel ones were cleaned and are soaking in some rust remover overnight before getting a coat or paint tomorrow.

For now then I’ve cleaned the original T piece, this was filthy but now it’s shiny brass. Bolted that to the inner wing loosely and screwed the two short new pipes into it and the master cylinder. They fit very well if I do say so!

The master cylinder pipe needed a slight tweek as it was fouling the servo to start with. It’d likely have started rattling if I’d left it but so far so good.

I’ll still need to straighten a couple of sections once everything is in place permanently but I’m happy so far.

 

 

I do like the bare copper and brass look tbh! I think painting the pipes green would look a bit shit on a blue car so my plan is to loosely assemble everything to prove it fits then remove it all again, tape over the unions and threads then spray them all with clear lacquer to preserve the copper colour! I like the colour against the blue paint. Then reassemble more permanently.

 

So far I’ve found the kit to be pretty good. Only difficulty comes if your original pipes are missing (my rear most pipe across the rear axle is) or if someone has replaced an original pipe. It means the original profile can’t be simply copied to the new pipe and the MOT style pipe replacements are rarely done to a high standard! The shape only basically resembles the original.

It’s taking a hell of a lot longer to do all this than I thought it would too. You’ve got to be so careful with the new paint. Keep everything clean and of course find all the little clips and fittings.

[purplebargeken]

I'm not actually sure the engine bay of these were that good when new.

 

Looks bloody brilliant!

[danthecapriman]

I'm not actually sure the engine bay of these were that good when new.

 

Looks bloody brilliant!

Probably not!

It’s actually quite dusty in there at the moment and there’s lots of polish residue around from the paint getting flatted and polished up. Needs a wipe down with a microfibre cloth really.

[danthecapriman]

Slow progress again today, mostly caused by my own poor prep!

 

The metal brake pipe clips that I’d left soaking in rust remover overnight are now rust free. Dried them off, gave them a coat of etch primer and intended to give them a quick spray with some satin black... which I’ve run out of! Back up plan then. Use the black engine enamel I’ve got left over. This looks nice but it takes hours to dry! Last coat is drying now but I’m not likely to get them fitted today which means I can’t finish the front under bonnet brake pipe.

To fit the rear brake pipes will need the flexi hose fitting, I’ve looked everywhere for the old one just to use temporarily so I can bend the pipe properly but I can’t find that, or the front ones either. So that’s that out the window too! I’ve ordered a set of 3 flexi hoses off eBay now so fingers crossed for next weekend.

Also ordered some satin black aerosol, always comes in handy. And a can of engine bay heat proof lacquer and a can of brake calliper paint (satin black). So with any luck next weekend I can get everything done and permanently assembled.

 

I’ve found the old front pads. These have loads of meat left on them and hadn’t seen much action as they were fitted not long before the car came off the road. I’ll reuse these after a clean up.

Same goes for the rear shoes. They’re clean and in very good condition with no wear at all. Even the factory applied paint and part number is still in place and legible so they can go back on too. These are EBC shoes I fitted a while back but still good. Saves me a few quid.

Rear cylinders are fucked but I’ve got new ones already.

 

 

So today I’ve spent prepping and painting various things, one of which was the steel panel that bolts to the rear floor and covers the fuel filler pipe.

I’ve ground it down and got rid of any rust, then it’s had a coat of etch primer, then normal primer. It’s drying now ready for the Miami blue to go on. It’ll be covered by trim afterwards so it’s not visible but I’ll do it as good as I can with rattle cans. Shame really, I’d forgotten about it when the car went for paint so it got missed.

 

 

 

I’ve also re-foamed my flaps!

I found some thin foam in my model making box. I think it was a cutting mat or similar but this is a much better use for it! I’ve cut it to size and stuck it onto the heater box flaps for the sound deadening that was all disintegrated and missing. Evostick impact worked a treat on that.

 

 

 

This is now finished and can be put back together and back into the car at some stage.

 

I’ve been in touch with a trimmer too. Got a quote now and I’ve been down to see them too. I’ve booked them in to do a full retrim of my original black interior.

The prices for a retrim seem to vary a bit tbh, but I’ve been told it’s something that does tend to cost a bit!

My choice of trimmer is towards to upper end cost wise but their work is superb.

The seats will be stripped and completely refurbished with replacement foam and new handmade vinyl and cloth covers.

Door cards and rear quarter cards will be getting new backing boards in ply (instead of hardboard) and should be like new afterwards.

Down side though is that they can’t do them until October, so a bit of a wait unfortunately.

 

 

Things are going much slower than I’d like but progress is progress I suppose.

[danthecapriman]

Little update for July.

 

I’ve barely touched the car tbh this month. I’ve been busy on other things and the hot weather has seen me lazing around instead of working on cars!

But, I’ve been doing a few bits and bobs including finishing the front brake pipes. The one across the bulkhead, side to side, was a right pig. It’s quite a length and it’s anything but straight so it’s taken a lot of trial fitting and modifying to get it looking right. I’ve degreased them all and the brass 3 way union, and sprayed them with some heat proof clear engine lacquer. That should see them retain their lovely copper colour. Once dried they are now bolted permanently in place.

I’ve also been cleaning up and painting various little clips etc etc ready for them to go back on.

 

I’m off work next week so I’ll try to get more done. I’m aiming to have all the brakes - front and rear, reassembled and the original calipers painted. New flexi hoses on and the final front to rear brake pipe made up and fitted. Then I can fill the system with the new silicone brake fluid and bleed it all up.

If I’ve got time I’ll at least start on the cavity waxing and sound deadening.

 

Another bit of good news,

I’ve managed to jump the queue with the interior!

I was booked in during October for the retrim but someone else has had to get more metal work done to their car so it couldn’t be trimmed now so I’ve got their space.

I’ve paid the deposit. Materials are being ordered in as close to the original as they can find. Seats should be getting stripped down very soon.

Work on the door and quarter trims has started already.

 

 

 

Brand new back boards made up in ply. Should be much longer lasting than the original hardboard.

They are saving and reusing the original vinyl on these trims. It’s being separated from the hardboard, new foam padding added and stuck onto the new ply boards.

Reason being - these trims have that plastic oval shaped trim in the middle which is completely unavailable now. It’s also heat welded onto the rest of the vinyl so it’s never going to come off again without damage. Also the stitching on the vinyl isn’t actually stitching, it’s all done on a press using heat to imprint the stitch detail so it would be very very difficult to replicate now.

I was sceptical tbh that the old vinyl could ever be removed and brought back to life again but they’ve managed it! Shows what I know and why experts like these trimmers are experts! The door card above will just be getting some chrome effect plastic trim paint added to that oval shaped bit in the middle.

They’ve done a very nice job so far.

 

This now means the brown interior is no longer needed so I’ll probably sell that on soon.

[Felly Magic]

Huzzah, I bet you were shocked with the news about the trimming, after all the stress you had with the bodywork, it is nice to hear you have jumped the queue. You do realise once this car is complete, it will look TA SECKZ

[danthecapriman]

Huzzah, I bet you were shocked with the news about the trimming, after all the stress you had with the bodywork, it is nice to hear you have jumped the queue. You do realise once this car is complete, it will look TA SECKZ

Yep! It’s nice to have something go better than you think or quicker than you expect sometimes. I’m really looking forward to seeing the interior come back too, it was absolutely fucked before and always let the car down. Plus, interior stuff on Fords of this vintage are notoriously difficult to either get replacements or repair. They never lasted well and are a bit of a headache if your restoring one, so it was a job I wasn’t looking forward to.

It’ll really make the car once it’s back to being as good as new though. Should be a really nice place to sit once once done, looking out the windscreen at that long blue bonnet!

 

I need to stop pissing about really and get on with it!

[TripleRich]

Looking very good.  You've done well to find somebody who'll tackle the door cards.  All the trimmers we've used so far wouldn't touch them for fear of tearing the vinyl.  Brake pipes look great too and its well worth the time to get them right.  Having the originals to copy is a life saver!

[danthecapriman]

Looking very good.  You've done well to find somebody who'll tackle the door cards.  All the trimmers we've used so far wouldn't touch them for fear of tearing the vinyl.  Brake pipes look great too and its well worth the time to get them right.  Having the originals to copy is a life saver!

I’m surprised they’ve done the door cards really. As you say, it’s potentially disastrous if the old vinyl rips but they seemed to think little of doing it! It’s come up well so far.

The tops of the door cards had to be salvaged from the original hardboard ones though as it’s moulded into a curve for the top edge which obviously can’t be done with ply. You can’t see the join afterwards though so all good.

It’ll be weird having a nice interior in this car. It’s never really had one in all the time I’ve had it!

[danthecapriman]

Just for a comparison.

This is the same door card before and after.

 

 

 

How they’ve done it I don’t know because it was pretty well fucked before! The bottom edge especially was all torn and crumpled up.

 

Anyway, little job for today.

Callipers. These are the tiny little standard ones for solid discs.

I got lucky with these as I’d replaced both callipers for recon ones not long before the car came off the road which meant both were still very clean, rust free and all the seals and pistons were still good. That meant prepping them now for paint was nice and easy!

 

Here’s them before.

 

 

Gave them a rub down and degrease then a couple of coats of VHT satin black brake parts paint.

 

 

I’ve masked off the piston and seals and also the brake union hole and bleed nipple. Best not clogging all that up with paint.

They look lovely now, ready to go back on to the car.

The discs and pads, again were replaced at the same time as the callipers so there’s virtually no wear on them. The discs are back on the car already, the pads and fittings will get a clean up and be reused. There’s no benefit to buying new ones just for the hell of it.

 

Now I need to find some replacement nuts for the new brake hoses. They didn’t come with the lock nuts oddly and my old ones have disappeared!

[JeeExEll]

Good to see more progress there Dan. You going for black cloth inserts in the vinyl seats?

 

This was a factory option on US 75/76 models ↓

(Not very practical at all but interesting to see).

[dozeydustman]

That looks amazing. I wonder if they have some magic potion that rejuvenates 70's faux leather. Capri is coming along well, chap. If you need assistance with anything heavy needing moved let me know. Waterlooville isn't far

[danthecapriman]

Bloody hell! They’re, err, a bit loud!

 

I’ll be safe and stick with black cloth, with a slight pattern as per original. They did show me a similar black cloth but with a slight blue fleck in it but I think it’d look a bit too 80’s. I want to stay 70’s!

[danthecapriman]

That looks amazing. I wonder if they have some magic potion that rejuvenates 70's faux leather. Capri is coming along well, chap. If you need assistance with anything heavy needing moved let me know. Waterlooville isn't far

Ta.

The trimmer is local aswell so I think I’ve struck pay dirt with these guys!

Your welcome to come have a play if you want! You could work while I ‘supervise’!?

[dozeydustman]

Ta.

The trimmer is local aswell so I think I’ve struck pay dirt with these guys!

Your welcome to come have a play if you want! You could work while I ‘supervise’!?

 

 

Will PM when I know I definitely have a spare afternoon or Saturday! I'm off up to my folks this afternoon and coming back tomorrow. I'll have a look and see if there are any 70's Ford parts in his cupboard of old toot in the garage, all left over from our scimitar days. I'll send over a list of anything I find (if there is indeed anything left) that may be of use to you.

[DeeJay]

Steam is the answer. Softens the vinyl and kills the glue so the old foam can be removed.

[danthecapriman]

Speaking of the trimmer...

 

I’ll see how well this interior comes out. From what I’ve seen of their work and my door cards it should be bloody good.

Then I might have another job for them involving my Volvo 740 seats. I’m having visions of full tan velour instead of leather! Not available from the factory in tan but it’ll look marvellous and nothing beats the comfort and softness of velour.

[fordperv]

Witchcraft I tell you

 

They have done a fantastic job on the cards

[danthecapriman]

More done today.

Front to rear brake line bent to shape and fitted. Seemed to take forever to do but it’s done. Transferred the little rubber anti rattle tubes onto it from the original steel pipes too so hopefully it won’t rattle.

Brake wise, I just need my new lock nuts for the flexi hoses then they can go on followed by the wheel cylinders/callipers and then I can bend up the two front mini pipes and the one for across the axle. The original ones are missing so I’ll have to do these once the other things are in place and just bend them up to suit. Should be straight forward though.

 

I’ve gone through a box full of floor pan bungs I found. All seem to be present but need a quick clean and blast of paint on the metal ones. Which I’ll do tomorrow.

This afternoon I’ve started the cavity waxing.

It’s been roasting hot today so while it was a grim hot sweaty job for me it’ll be perfect for the car!

 

My usual method for this is to leave the car in full sun all morning to get warm. Easy today.

Then either park on a slope of jack up one end of the car so all the wax runs down the panels and seams. I’d put various pots, cut open bottles etc and old newspapers under the car to catch the drips.

I started with the front chassis legs which were easy while the floor bungs were all out. Then I’ve done the sills, paying extra attention to the front A post base and rear sill end cavity. Afterwards I sprayed a load more into the interior crossmembers under the front and rear seats and the little cavity above the rear spring mounts. Finally for today I’ve sprayed a load of wax around the rear wheel arch to inner arch bowl seams and into the insides of the rear quarter panels.

 

It was unbelievably hot inside the car doing this, even the floor pan itself was too hot to touch in the sun. That’s good though as it makes the wax extra thin and helps it to soak into the spot welded seams and run down through all the cavity’s and drain holes.

I’ve really gone to town with it too given how much was pissing out of the car underneath!

 

 

 

 

I’ve got about 50% of the car done so far. For now I’ve pushed it back into the garage with fresh newspapers under it and I’ll leave it a day or so to finish dripping and dry off. Then I’ll do the exact same on the rear half of the car.

 

Progress seems frustratingly slow though. No where near as quick as I want!