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

[danthecapriman]

Cheers fellas! 

Ill stick to the DOT4 then I reckon, as you say there’s nothing wrong with it. I’ll see if I can get some pre mix antifreeze, I think ECP do it cheap!

[mat_the_cat]

There's also the choice of a waterless coolant like Evans. I've not had first-hand experience of it, but the idea sounds good, especially for a restored car. Basically fit and forget!

[SiC]

The problem with waterless coolant is that if you spring a leak or top up, you need to have the expensive fluid to hand. Otherwise if you add water, the whole cleaning and refilling process needs to be done again. 

If the water ways are clean and fresh, why not go straight for the long life fluid?

[danthecapriman]

I’m not sure I trust that waterless stuff tbh, didn’t someone on here have trouble with some? I might be thinking of somewhere else though. 

Just doing a bit of reading up on it, specifically the Evans stuff there’s a lot of people not recommending it. I found this link on a Triumph site which explains a few of the downsides, http://www.norosion.com/evanstest.htm skip to the end if you can’t be arsed reading all the bollocks and just want an answer! 

I think I’ll stick with good old blue glycol and water. Albeit using water that’s not as hard as it is here! I’ll get some premixed I think. If nothing else that’s what is recommended in these old engines and it’s been ok for the last 40+ years.

[Timewaster]

Just to throw another thought in, OE Motorcraft anti freeze was always pink.

Still Ethelene Glycol, just pink not blue.

Not to be confused with the red OAT stuff or the old cheap methanol.

[danthecapriman]

Time for an update on the Crapi project.

First things first, leading on from the last posts on here, I’ve bought some ready mixed blue glycol antifreeze. I went to everyone’s favourite parts place and got some of this, it’s as good as any. Plus, being ready mix means no hard water we have here! While there I bought a new battery for it since I’ll soon be going for a start up! Nice meaty Bosch battery.

 

Ive had a couple of weeks holiday from work this week and last. Plan was to spend most of that time cracking on with this, but typically the weather has had other ideas! Nowhere near the progress I wanted but some things have gotten done.

The first jobs knocked off the ‘to do’ list were the rear end bits. Starting with the number plate lights, these have been checked and cleaned and the contacts for the bulbs given a buff with the trusty fibreglass pencil, now a nice shiny bright brass instead of dull and corroded. Wires poked in through the holes in the rear panel and the freshly painted screws put in to hold them in place. I’ve put a thin dab of sealant around the holes too just to stop water getting in. Next up was the number plate itself, both my number plates are the old ally ones with the raised plastic figures. Nothing wrong with them a clean in soapy water won’t sort and they’re both good to go back on. The rear plate secured through two holes in the rear panel using a weird nylon collar with a nut secured into one end of it. You screw the big number plate screws into it and as it tightens it spreads four little legs out behind the panel and holds the plate tight.

Then time for the rear lights! These are both the new old stock items I got from France. Drivers side light fitted well so I made up a suitable gasket for the light body - bodyshell out of some thin cork sheet. I think the original gaskets are foam but aren’t available anymore so you need to improvise! Popped the light into the hole, plugged on the wires and tightened the two screws to hold the light to the car. Job done. The passenger side light was extremely tight fit into the hole in the rear panel though. If I’d tried to force it in I think it’d have broken the light. Once I’d made up the gasket for this light a little light ‘persuasion’ with a rubber mallet to the rear panel saw the light fitting perfectly. It was tight where the rear panel edge rolls over into the light aperture, probably down to the rear panel having been replaced for a non genuine panel. Easy to fix though!

And... then it started pissing down so I had to quickly push the car into the garage and go in! Which also meant I got no pics of the work here for you lot! But, I’ll get a few tomorrow hopefully when I get the car out again.

 

The next task completed was digging out the battery cables and starter solenoid from the box of bits, check em over and clean them up ready to back on. The cables are all good, but were absolutely shit filthy. The one that goes to the starter was jet black with dirt and oily crap. A good scrub with some rags soaked in degreaser brought them up like new. I’ve also cleaned the terminals on the ends too.

The starter solenoid for the inner wing was broken annoyingly. One of the terminals has obviously been knocked and it’s come loose so I’ve bought a new replacement. It looks exactly the same and seems good quality so it’s been screwed into place and all the leads/wires fitted. The battery is also secured into the tray ready to go. I’ve fitted one of those acid neutralising pads under it too, just to hopefully stop the tray going rusty later.

 

Next task is the front lights. I’ve done the same again here and bought new old stock replacement parts. The old indicator units were serviceable but very very tired. The lenses in particular have faded and crazed with age. New original Ford parts will look so much better so I got a pair a while ago. The headlights, one (RH) was a new old stock part fitted to the car a few years before it was stripped down for an MOT, and that light is still in excellent condition so is good to be reused. The other (LH) is probably the factory fitted one from when this car was new. It’s fucked now! The back box of the light is rusted, the silvering inside is poor and going dull and rusty and the glass has fallen off! A (yes, new old stock!) replacement is on its way in the post!

For now I’ve finished the RH side and gone as far as I can with the LH, just need to wait for the light to turn up.

Here’s the start. The light bowl itself is a particularly bad rust trap on these mud and water attack it from the rear inside the front wheel arch and they get pelted with dirt and water from the front too. To give them a fighting chance on this car I’ve decided to use a good coat of Dynax UB clear wax to spray out both the bowls. I’ve also sprayed it straight into the edges of the seams between the bowls, wings and front panel. Fuck you rust!

The tiny bit of masking tape in the back of the bowl is a patch I cleaned to bare metal for the earths. I just didn’t want wax going all over it!

The indicator just sits in the outer edge, held in with two screws and the headlight has a pair of plastic channels under it which sit on the body seam at the bottom. Then a spring clip pushes under the lip at the top and a single screw holds it in. All the screws have been dipped in a tin of waxoyl before being wound in too to stop the holes rusting.

The original screws were all present but they’re all too far gone to reuse so I’ve used some new bolt headed generic ones I had in my tool box. One thing I have noticed is actually how poor the fit between indicator and wing is! There’s quite a gap, but everything lines up as it should elsewhere so it must just be how they are! You can’t move the indicator any further over as it won’t fit, plus, doing that would stop it aligning properly with the headlight. It looks fine with the bonnet closed and looking at an old pic of the car it was much the same then so I don’t think there’s much you can do about it. Must be good old 70’s build quality!

Heres the other headlight bowl waxed and ready to go once the light turns up.

More tomorrow hopefully.

[adw1977]

The way the lights sit does seem strange.  Compared to the brochure shot below, your wing seems to be at a slight angle. 

But then yours is a normal production car, the one in the brochure may have been specially prepared.

[danthecapriman]

It’s weird, everything lines up well, except for against the wing edge. But the wing and adjoining panels all line up together too. I don’t think it helps with the angle I took the pics though either. From some angles it doesn’t seem so obvious. 

Googling pics of other mk2’s seems to show differences in how well or not they fit too. Some show similar to mine but there was one I was looking at and the indicators almost look like they’re standing proud of the front of the car.

It has always been like this though, you can see the same thing on the same side in this pic of the car back in 2001! Obviously it’s had new wings and all sorts of work done since then but the problem in that area seems to have stayed some how!

I’ll see what happens on the other side once I get the new headlight but I don’t think there’s too much I can do about it now.

 

 

[danthecapriman]

You can see something similar on this one from eBay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1977-Mk2-Ford-Capri-3-0-S/283571899156?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3Ddcc864deb8f741dc9405d1e2739644cf%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D401844476018%26itm%3D283571899156%26pg%3D2481888&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Ae346f592-c3eb-11e9-8105-74dbd1800d4a|parentrq%3Ab33f126916c0a4e922a69beafff86147|iid%3A1

 

[Tamworthbay]

It’s perfectly normal, there have been a few discussions on it over the years on various groups I have been on and people bring up pic after pic of production/ brand new cars where it’s like that. There does seem a bit of variance between individual cars but yours is absolutely fine. The one that slightly frustrates me is how the bonnet radius doesn’t match the corner radius on the light, I guess the pressings were limited on what they could do and the light just has four the same. But every one is like that.

[eddyramrod]

Dan, every time I look at this thread I have to marvel at the care and patience you are putting into this car.  I wish I had a fraction of your dedication!  You really have a Car For Life there.

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, Tamworthbay said:

It’s perfectly normal, there have been a few discussions on it over the years on various groups I have been on and people bring up pic after pic of production/ brand new cars where it’s like that. There does seem a bit of variance between individual cars but yours is absolutely fine. The one that slightly frustrates me is how the bonnet radius doesn’t match the corner radius on the light, I guess the pressings were limited on what they could do and the light just has four the same. But every one is like that.

Nice one! As long as it is normal that’s fine with me! I’ve had a good look at it this morning and there is literally nothing you can do to get it better than it is now. Not unless you want to start cutting and welding the edge of the wing anyway! Isn’t it amazing what was considered to be acceptable back then though? Imagine someone making a new car like that now!

 

2 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

Dan, every time I look at this thread I have to marvel at the care and patience you are putting into this car.  I wish I had a fraction of your dedication!  You really have a Car For Life there.

Ha ha! Thanks Eddy. Trust me, I’m fighting every urge to rush it and just get it back on the road at any cost! As you probably know, I’ve got very little patience!

 

Got a few jobs done today already. I’ll put a longer pictorial update up tonight. I’m just summoning up the courage to go drill a hole through the inner wing for the aerial cable...

[Tamworthbay]

You want to see the gap I have between the wing and door! I can my little finger in it at the top. I suppose all the panels were pressed from tools made by hand. They used some fancy copy machines to get a rough tool from the clay mould then hand finished so very different to today’s CNC stuff. My oppo at work made press tools for BL at press steel Fishers and his stories are amazing, especially about when Honda guys came in and showed them what they were doing. It’s part of the charm! And I have seen Mk2s where people have tried to ‘cure’ it and put the lower part of the wing out in a way that looks really wrong. 

[danthecapriman]

I went to a place at work that made big mass produced plastic parts for cars etc. We did a power shutdown to maintain their substation but afterwards when we put the power back on I asked them what they actually did there. The guy let me in and showed me all the machines and the huge moulds and tools. Very impressive.

He said they used to do parts for Volvo (back in the 700/900 era) and what they used to do was make the tooling then start making all the parts for Volvo who used them. Then when the cars went out of production they’d sell the tooling to non oe manufacturers who’d carry on having the parts made. Apparently you could see the quality dropping by the time the cars went out of production as the tooling began to wear. Once the non oe firms started using them the quality could often be really poor!

[Timewaster]

4 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Apparently you could see the quality dropping by the time the cars went out of production as the tooling began to wear. 

The last of the "classic" or proper minis were a right state by all accounts.

(Plus expectations had moved on since the last real body change in 1969!)

[danthecapriman]

Here’s some pics of the cars back side as it looks now. Got them today since it was sunny.

 

The tailgate isn’t fully closed in those pics so the gap along the top of the lights is bigger than it should be. I need to trim the boot seal to size before I can close it properly. Looks nice at the back though! The tailgate has had its four little guide plates painted and the screws and they’re on properly now too.

heres another pic of the headlight and indicator from another angle.

On the indicators, I’ve changed the two lense securing screws. Original ones are just anodised so eventually they’ll start rusting (like the old ones had) being right at the front of the car doesn’t help. So I’ve swapped them for some identical stainless steel replacements.

Today’s work was a bit boring so I’ve not taken pics. But first job was to put the cleaned up starter motor back in. Heavy little bastard it is too!

You can tell it’s an early Pinto as it’s got the old inertia type starter. Nothing particularly involving putting this back on, put in the hole, do up 3 bolts and bolt the power cable back on. Easy peasy! 

Next was to fill up the gearbox oil. I’d meant to do this ages ago but never did! 

Then, I jacked it up, removed the front wheel and took the inner wing splash shied out. This gives access to space where the radio aerial should sit. The hole in the wing top was put in by the body shop so nothing to do there. But I did have to drill the hole through the A post for the cable to go through. I checked and double checked the exact position for this as it needs to be clear of the glovebox etc inside and also the interior kick panel that covers the A post area inside. I drilled a small pilot hole then used a step drill to open the hole out so the rubber grommet seal for the cable was a snug fit. Once happy I smeared some seam sealer around the hole and shoved the grommet in so I could make double sure it was a good seal and wasn’t going to rust later! Cable fed through and all seems good. Then it was just a case of putting the aerial back onto the wing.

With that done I broke out the good old Dynax S50 UB clear and went over the whole inner front wing and A post areas. Just a thin coat to retain the blue colour but I’ve gone heavy with it in rust prone places (headlight bowls, strut tops and front valance to wing joint) and also went heavy behind where the splash shield goes as you won’t see this area once the shield goes back. I also gave the shield itself a coat just for good measure before bolting it back in place.

Thats about it for today. Not particularly interesting work but still important and necessary. I’ve had a clean up in the garage too, thrown loads of old boxes and little parts bags etc away. It’s surprising actually how little parts are now left to put back on! Also tidied my tools up as they were scattered everywhere and it was becoming a pain to find things. Just after putting the car away for the day my new headlight arrived so that’s going to be the first job for tomorrow...

[danthecapriman]

Finished the front lights off today after spending the morning doing some bits & bobs on the Volvo.

This side is much the same as the other. Which is good in a way, as it means there is indeed nothing you can do to get rid of that gap between the wing and indicator! Here’s the new headlight. Both headlights are the same make and are both oe but I wish they’d have stuck to one colour for the backs! Now I’ve got one green and one silver!

Earths connected up same as before and indicator plugged in.

And finished!

Im well happy with it tbh! It looks like it should do again!

I also put a few other bits and pieces back onto the engine bay, headlight pod covers, bonnet rubber blocks etc.

Its really coming together now. And, crucially, there’s not much really left in my boxes of parts to fit now. Most of it is interior stuff.

 

[Amishtat]

Love your attention to detail! 

[Shirley Knott]

Edging closer.... 

As mentioned before I would honestly be too worried to actually enjoy driving this! Be that as it may it's going to be very special once it's done, also the attention to detail shown and methodical way of working through it all firms this up as one of Autoshite's 'mothershp' threads for sure.

 

[danthecapriman]

24 minutes ago, Shirley Knott said:

Edging closer.... 

As mentioned before I would honestly be too worried to actually enjoy driving this! Be that as it may it's going to be very special once it's done, also the attention to detail shown and methodical way of working through it all firms this up as one of Autoshite's 'mothershp' threads for sure.

 

Cheers m8!

I must say the thought of driving it on the roads with other cars driving around does worry me! But on the other hand I can’t wait either! It’s nearing four years since the last time I drove this car and since I’ve started putting bits back on the outside it’s looking like something that could be driven again soon. I think the next big ‘moment’ Im looking forward to is having the freshly upholstered seats back in it!

Ive certainly gone a bit overboard with it though too. I didn’t intend to! It just sort of got a bit out of hand! I’ll probably not do a car to this level again though so at least I can say I’ve done it now. Plus, doing it like this should (in theory) mean it stays nice longer.

 

Oh btw... 

I scratched it today too!! Dropped a bolt by accident which hit a panel edge a took a tiny chip off. It’ll touch in easy and shouldn’t be noticeable but that makes it no less annoying! Shit happens though I suppose.

[Shirley Knott]

The man with the £500 car with a rusty rear wing worries not about scratches (This is the logic behind the sale of the 940) The Capris' clearly going to be epic, perhaps once kids have grown up etc I'll be able to provided and environment where with occasional use something really nice would make sense.

I suppose by the same token, and playing devil's advocate to the above thesis, the man with the £500 car with a rusty rear wing doesn't have much to be be proud about. 

[danthecapriman]

4 minutes ago, Shirley Knott said:

The man with the £500 car with a rusty rear wing worries not about scratches (This is the logic behind the sale of the 940)

I suppose by the same token, and playing devil's advocate to the above thesis, the man with the £500 car with a rusty rear wing doesn't have much to be be proud about.

Very true!

you know, it did cross my mind to do something similar to this Capri on my Volvo too...

 

Actually fuck that!! It’d stop being just a nice old car that I can use whenever and however I want if I did.

[eddyramrod]

I've seen that Volvo (and read about it here).  I reckon you've got it just right now.  It's a lovely car that you needn't be afraid to use.  I understand the temptation do "do a Capri" on it but I don't think you want to put yourself through all this again.

You've done a splendid job on this.  Be proud, enjoy it, and above all, drive it!  Even if it's only once a week, which is all Huggy gets at the moment, it'll remind you why you did it.

[AndySnapper]

15 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Very true!

you know, it did cross my mind to do something similar to this Capri on my Volvo too...

 

Actually fuck that!! It’d stop being just a nice old car that I can use whenever and however I want if I did.

I think I might be tempted to add aircon to the 740 as that might be a welcome addition and add to the comfort driving it. It shouldn't be too hard to do either

Andy

[danthecapriman]

30 minutes ago, AndySnapper said:

I think I might be tempted to add aircon to the 740 as that might be a welcome addition and add to the comfort driving it. It shouldn't be too hard to do either

Andy

The gold saloon 740 I had before had air con. I think the bits are probably available from the US tbh. Hmm... now you’ve got me thinking!!

[TripleRich]

Just caught up with the thread (not been here in a while).  The car is looking mega!  The colour really looks good now you've got most of the parts fitted.  Taking the time you have to make sure everything fitted is in the best condition possible has also made a massive difference.  I guess you plan to go to the odd show or two so I look forward to seeing it one day, cheers.

[danthecapriman]

54 minutes ago, TripleRich said:

Just caught up with the thread (not been here in a while).  The car is looking mega!  The colour really looks good now you've got most of the parts fitted.  Taking the time you have to make sure everything fitted is in the best condition possible has also made a massive difference.  I guess you plan to go to the odd show or two so I look forward to seeing it one day, cheers.

Hi Rich! Thanks for the comments.

It does make things more involving and time consuming to build up by making sure everything is in as good a condition as possible but it’s worth it in the end.

Must admit, I’m not really a car show type!! Dunno why? I just like to have these things for tinkering with and driving around in. With this though who knows!? Maybe I might give a show a try... 

[TripleRich]

I'm of a similar mindset but I would like to try a show with mine when the time comes.  Went to FOTU for the first time this year and really enjoyed the day.  Something like that would be the sort of show I'd like to try, nice and relaxed.

[Spottedlaurel]

It's looking great! Must be such a temptation to rush it, but I think your patience will pay off.

To see your Capri and Rich's Granada at FOTU would be fantastic.

[danthecapriman]

Squeezed a few hours in today despite the heat.

Back to the interior now. One of the outstanding jobs I hadn’t particularly been looking forward to doing was refitting the two interior courtesy lights. The reason I didn’t want to do them was because it meant cutting the headlining! One slip or fuck up here and would look awful.

Theres a live wire to feed the light, then a wire that goes from one of the switch positions back to the door pin switches - so you can have the lights operable from the doors opening.

Theres also a short loop wire that goes from the other switch position to an earth on the cars body behind the light unit so it can be turned on or off permanently via the switch. Getting the earth attached again was a right pain as there’s very little room to work in and there’s a danger you can rip the headlining if you pull it about too much.

All connected up. These lights are brand new ones, the cars originals look much the same but the internals are different. It turned out that these aftermarket ones are in fact a gnat’s cock bigger than the originals which made these a right twat to get back into the little frames up in roof cavity! I’ve left the headlining very slightly too big around the light fitting too, which probably makes it even harder to force the lights in, but I really didn’t want to cut too much material away!

Heres them both fitted. They look much nicer than the old faded and broken originals!

Nice little job in the end and I didn’t ruin the headlining either which is a bonus! Just need to drill the holes in the door shuts now for the pin switches. Fingers crossed they actually work once I power it all up.

Also covered the holes in the inner sills with little tabs of black gaffer tape. Sounds shitty but it’s how they were done originally.

And fitted the bulkhead sound proofing mat. This is just a big thick rubbery mat moulded to the shape of the bulkhead with loads of sound proofing material glued to the back of it. 

I gave up afterwards though as it was just too hot to do much else! Just waiting on a few parts to arrive and then it’s time for the carpets to go back in.