Always check your fuel lines... SLE71R content

[beko1987]

That's good* to see, at least the owner isn't keeping it hidden away. 

Tbh some good publicity is probably what's going to help it back on the road

[danthecapriman]

Good stuff! Glad it’s survived reasonably well.

Im off to check my wiring!

[Angrydicky]

Let’s look on the bright side, at least that awful numberplate he’d fitted has gone!

[trigger]

It says in the video but it was the alternator over charging which caused the new battery to explode, the guys restoring it are well known to the owner, they are currently restoring his Marina van for one, one of many they have done I believe and the car isn't going though the insurance, Tony's paying for all the work out of his own pocket. 

[sierraman]

On 8/2/2020 at 4:14 PM, danthecapriman said:

I wonder what the previous owner paid for it!?

I seem to remember one of The Professionals Capri’s was basically a rotten scrap yard car someone just happened to have lying around in a yard somewhere, before it was found and repaired. They were basically just like any other old nail at one bit with virtually no value. It’s just in more recent years the ‘value’ has crept in for a rare TV car.

I wish I had one of them sat in my garden!

I read that one of those VHK Professionals Capris was practically a new car it had that many new panels. 

[junkyarddog]

I hope the sunstrip goes in the bin and stays there.

[danthecapriman]

59 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I read that one of those VHK Professionals Capris was practically a new car it had that many new panels. 

Mines a bit like that too! 
Both wings, both rear quarters, front valance, rear valance, both door skins, one door frame, both headlight bowls, both A posts, both sills inner & outer, both front floor pans (not whole pan but most of the outer edges), both windscreen corners inner & outer, centre section of tailgate/roof closing panel...

The basic shell is largely still untouched in the main areas and the chassis is untouched original, but it’s certainly not the car it was when it left the factory. It’s almost a new car now, as the panels used were all either new old stock ford panels or new reproduction items.

It’s the lengths you have to go to if you want a proper job done on a car that’s basically fucked! Mine was scrap or a parts car really before I started but the reason I carried on was I have a sentimental attachment to that particular car, plus it’s an early car so a bit more unusual. Sound financial sense it was not! Probably!

 

There’s a very early production mk3, VHK494S which was supposedly actually a mk2 shell that was pulled for modification into a Mk3 for the first run of the new models, but that had quite an extensive restoration a while ago. I think I saw it in a magazine. It’s the peppermint ex press car.

[AnthonyG]

Good to see it’s getting rebuilt, hope the restoration company encourage the owner to purchase some proper reproduction number plates! 

I didn’t know the car had actually survived, it was only when a period of extreme boredom during lockdown led me to look up cars from ITV 4 shows on the DVLA checker that I found out it was still about.

Sadly none of Chisholm’s vehicles, including a pov spec Solara in doom blue, have been preserved for history.

[gadgetgricey]

 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

^ Interesting link.

I wonder if there is a record anywhere of the Capri when it was 'found', and its subsequent restoration? Call me cynical, but the more I think about it, unless there's some sort of trail, I'd be inclined to assume this is a rebuilt Capri shell with SLE 71R's identity riveted on. 

Edit:

I reserve judgement on the above. It looks like the car was owned by John Hill from the Capri forum for a few years. I've found photos of the first resto, which was alleged to be a bit mediocre. 

It looks like John had the Capri 'restored' again prior to selling in 2015. 

The question is, how did John Hill definitely know it was the actual car in the first place? 

 

For those who wish to read more, I've also found out the following:

"Newspaper reports about this car have suggested that after it was originally sold, it was used by a gang involved in a drugs racket after which it was saved from the crusher. The car itself was owned until 2014 by John Hill of Capri Club International. After purchasing it for £1500, John Hill approached Phil Blundell and Jeremy Redman of Bletchley based PMB Mobile Servicing to restore the car to its original glory days. For information about this restoration work and 'The John Hill Capri' you can contact the Capri Club HQ, Badgers Hill, Sheriffs Lench, Evesham, Worcs WR11 4SN. Capri Club International also have a website.

Details of this car's initial restoration project including photos can be found on the Minder forum."

[Dick Cheeseburger]

One more. Here's SLE71R being fettled (can't stand that word) by then owner John Hill at Castle Combe in 2009. 

[Tamworthbay]

It’s easy to forget that only a few years ago Capris were still cheap cars, projects were £500-1000, good runners around £2k. So it wasn’t worth chucking tens of thousands at any Capri. It probably had a restoration of the standard of the day.

[N19]

51 minutes ago, Tamworthbay said:

It’s easy to forget that only a few years ago Capris were still cheap cars, projects were £500-1000, good runners around £2k. So it wasn’t worth chucking tens of thousands at any Capri. It probably had a restoration of the standard of the day.

It's still a shock when I look things up on the laser forum to find people scrapping Capris which need £400 of welding....... how times change!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

1 hour ago, Tamworthbay said:

It’s easy to forget that only a few years ago Capris were still cheap cars, projects were £500-1000, good runners around £2k. So it wasn’t worth chucking tens of thousands at any Capri. It probably had a restoration of the standard of the day.

True. Interesting that the John Hill fella paid £1500 for it years ago, presumably in rogered condition.  I'm not sure exactly when he took it on, but it sounds like it was strong money for something which wasn't really worth a pile at the time.

[danthecapriman]

4 hours ago, Tamworthbay said:

It’s easy to forget that only a few years ago Capris were still cheap cars, projects were £500-1000, good runners around £2k. So it wasn’t worth chucking tens of thousands at any Capri. It probably had a restoration of the standard of the day.

I was about to post something to that effect!

The first time I restored mine, the cars value was essentially sod all still (early 00’s), and it just got a basic job done at a price. Obviously these days the cars are much more valuable and desirable so getting things done properly is now the way to go. Mine was solid and safe, but no attempt made to really do a factory looking job on it, and the paint job wasn't great either! The Minder car was probably no different at the time.

[N19]

Every so often I come across well intended bodges on mine. At least one wobbed rear arch. I'm planning on getting a fair amount of bodywork done next year so I've tidied it up and de rusted and re wobbed for now. Feels awful to go anywhere near the car with a pack of isopon but it is temporary. 

[eddyramrod]

"Period Correct Repair" innit? :)

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Car was saved due to really fast response by the FB. Apparently they'd just got back from a shout and arrived and set about the car in double quick time. Fair play.

[colnerov]

 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

And finished. Is it me, or is there something awry with the headlight/indicator/ wing recess fitment? Looks miles off? 

[junkyarddog]

I dunno,it doesn't look to be too bad,Mk2's were a bit crude around that aera anyway.

Wish they painted the metal behind the grille Matt black though.

[danthecapriman]

Mines more or less the same. The shape and fit of the indicators relative to the wing often looks a bit odd on mk2’s, though by how much seems to vary car to car. I’ve tried improving it but tbh there’s not much that you can do!

Its one of those things that seems very noticeable at certain angles or when your looking for it, yet from other angles it doesn’t look out of place at all.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

16 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Mines more or less the same. The shape and fit of the indicators relative to the wing often looks a bit odd on mk2’s, though by how much seems to vary car to car. I’ve tried improving it but tbh there’s not much that you can do!

Its one of those things that seems very noticeable at certain angles or when your looking for it, yet from other angles it doesn’t look out of place at all.

Fair enough, I see what you mean. The leading edge of the wing is an odd design in that you can clearly see the inner upper edge next to the indicator. Mk3 definitely looks a less fussy design in that respect. 

21 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

I dunno,it doesn't look to be too bad,Mk2's were a bit crude around that aera anyway.

Wish they painted the metal behind the grille Matt black though.

Agreed. That and fit some period correct plates, rather than that bloody awful thing current stuck on!

[mitsisigma01]

They do seem a strange fit, are they original wings or a combination of original and pattern, or even two different pattern parts 🤔 on the white one they seem recessed right back, aren't they supposed to be visible from the side? 

[bunglebus]

8 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

Wish they painted the metal behind the grille Matt black though

One of my all time pet hates with Fords of this era. MK2 Escorts often have the same thing and it looks cack

[adw1977]

32 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

That and fit some period correct plates, rather than that bloody awful thing current stuck on!

They're pretty crap, but at least they're not silver on black.