N19's fleet - vacuum tracing

[danthecapriman]

31 minutes ago, N19 said:

Mine has never had one!

Mine didn’t until I got it. It’d stayed with one mirror but I decided in this day & age having one was a good idea so I fitted one. They were the wrong type though from a later mk2 or mk3. 
Mine being a 74 it should have had the 74/early 75 only mk2 specific mirror(s) which were discontinued early on for whatever reason. 
That’s what I managed to track down and fit to it this time!

My car only has a single stalk on the column too!😆 base model mk1 style. 
 

[stuboy]

back in 1992 i rented a room of a couple, the fella had a red mk3 capri with only the 4 pod dash, and couldve been 1.3... trying too find picture

[puddlethumper]

A 1.3 Capri must have been a bit dire. Back in the mists of time, the 70's, I had a 1.6L which I thought was no more than adequate especially as the shape implied some speed. Sold it after a month or so and bought a 3.0L which fitted the style far betterer.

[N19]

Exciting progress was made.

The cooling system had just had water in it for a while, to run through and try and flush things out a bit. With the cold snap approaching I thought it a good time to drain this and refill with some nice blue antifreeze mix.

For some reason, fuse 6 blows any time you press the rear wiper. Must be a short somewhere, so that's on the list for tomorrow.

the spare wiper stalk that I'd got was from a fiesta and didn't have exactly the same pinout - and didn't work with the indicators. I thus decided to get the old one off and give it a good blow out and clean, which seemed to result in better operation.

the opportunity was taken to re-route the rear brake line via the proper path along the transmission tunnel, nicely clipped in.

(I had planned to repaint the brake lines in the original green; however it's a bit cold at the moment)

The brakes were bled which results in some small brake effort, but still needs doing again.

The bonnet was then reinstated which wasn't difficult, just heavy, and took 4 people in the end. I had taken it off myself, but that was pre-paint job!

... and this was followed by the drivers door!

Especially observant readers will notice that the car is in a different position. In a moment that I wasn't sure would actually all come together properly, but did, I was able to manouvre the car around the garage so that the drivers door could be fitted. I took it up and down the alleyway that the garage is in, but of course didn't take it on the public road to turn it around without a windscreen, as that's probably not allowed.

Moving swiftly on.

If ever anybody else makes this mistake in future. If you're putting doors on/off, do so with the dash removed. don't put the dash back in and then realise that the fixings are behind the dash... like this idiot did...

So that was fun.

Jobs for tomorrow :-

Reinstate dash / adjust choke cable correctly / replace inlet and exhaust manifold gaskets as they have now arrived / fit bonnet trim / trace fuse 6 fault / fault find brake lights / fault find NSF indicator / reinstate clutch gaiter / reinstate wingmirror / reinstate drivers door mechanism / bleed brakes again / fit door cards and inner plastic liners / shorten fuel hose and secure with new clips / rear bumper trim / sort through boxes and slim down.

[danthecapriman]

Err, yes. Drivers side upper hinge nuts are an absolute swine to get to with the dash etc fitted arent they!😄

Great progress though.

[N19]

11 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Err, yes. Drivers side upper hinge nuts are an absolute swine to get to with the dash etc fitted arent they!😄

Great progress though.

There was a moment when I leaned into the car to try and get it in (with the dash partially forward, as in the picture) and triggered the screenwash, receiving a faceful...

[N19]

Today has involved quite a few pain in the arse jobs, all of which are easy enough tasks but which took longer than they should.

First started by re-equipping the NS door with the plastic liner, then the door card, lock pins and window winder etc. 

Some testing occurred on the lights:

The reverse light switch doesn't seem to sit properly, so I may need to do some re-wiring there. 

I have ordered 3 sets of exhaust manifold gaskets for this project. I've lost 2 of them. But finally a set arrived today which I managed to put on the car without losing, hurrah. This reduced the slight blow coming from the exhaust.

The clutch gaiter was refitted which was another pain in the arse job, having to unbolt the manifold a second time to move it out the way to get the clutch gaiter in. 

Drivers door mirror is held on with a stud and nut arrangement, which was pretty mashed up. I managed to make up a bolt and washer arrangement to replace it, but the awkward angle you have to adopt to screw it in wasn't fun - had to blu-tak the bolt into the socket to stop it falling down the door for the 46th time.

I haven't refitted the dash properly yet as there's a couple of snags to resolve - speedo not working and clocks illumination not working. There's little point in boxing it all up until I've sorted these bits out.

I did have a good going over of the wheels with some spray and an airline,

these wheels will recieve new tyres, the tyres on here will go to the spare set.

 

[sierraman]

Brilliant to see a lower spec Capri getting done all original and to what looks like a superb standard. There seems to be plenty of Capris left but very few good ones like yours and @danthecapriman. When you look on eBay there’s some real horrors full of wob for mad money. 

[danthecapriman]

2 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Brilliant to see a lower spec Capri getting done all original and to what looks like a superb standard. There seems to be plenty of Capris left but very few good ones like yours and @danthecapriman. When you look on eBay there’s some real horrors full of wob for mad money. 

I think it’s more down to the sort of people that tend to own cars like Capri’s and other Fords of the era than the cars rusting abilities. Most of them wind up in the ownership of those who like to modify them and mess around with them, but don’t necessarily take the best care of them. Plus, think about how long hotting up old Ford’s has been a thing for! Very few actually manage to remain standard (or close to), so when you try restoring one into standard condition it’s incredibly difficult because you just can’t find the parts to do it. Interiors, especially on earlier cars are practically impossible to find and repairing a rough one can cost shit lots! These early door trims are flimsy and rarely last too so they become hard to find.

Basic models were never particularly desirable either, so most were either driven into the ground, modified and ruined or became shell donors for bigger engined higher spec cars.

It’s a shame in many ways the current ‘values’ are how they are too because it prices many people out of them. Call me crazy but I’d absolutely love a standard 2 door mk1 Escort in 1100 or 1300 form but it’s never going to happen because of ‘values’ and the fact, like Capri’s, they all end up getting modified and messed up.

[sierraman]

2 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I think it’s more down to the sort of people that tend to own cars like Capri’s and other Fords of the era than the cars rusting abilities. Most of them wind up in the ownership of those who like to modify them and mess around with them, but don’t necessarily take the best care of them. Plus, think about how long hotting up old Ford’s has been a thing for! Very few actually manage to remain standard (or close to), so when you try restoring one into standard condition it’s incredibly difficult because you just can’t find the parts to do it. Interiors, especially on earlier cars are practically impossible to find and repairing a rough one can cost shit lots! These early door trims are flimsy and rarely last too so they become hard to find.

Basic models were never particularly desirable either, so most were either driven into the ground, modified and ruined or became shell donors for bigger engined higher spec cars.

It’s a shame in many ways the current ‘values’ are how they are too because it prices many people out of them. Call me crazy but I’d absolutely love a standard 2 door mk1 Escort in 1100 or 1300 form but it’s never going to happen because of ‘values’ and the fact, like Capri’s, they all end up getting modified and messed up.

I’ve seen quite a few that come over from South of France and Portugal that seem to have the solid body. I figure that’s half the battle undoing all the P40 trowelled on in the 80’s. 

[danthecapriman]

17 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I’ve seen quite a few that come over from South of France and Portugal that seem to have the solid body. I figure that’s half the battle undoing all the P40 trowelled on in the 80’s. 

When I lived down near Portsmouth there was a guy that had a small industrial unit near where I used to work. He did cars, but seemed to periodically bring stuff over from south France, Malta, Portugal etc. They were usually parked up outside the unit still wearing their foreign number plates. 
They were, as you say, generally unmodified and incredibly rust free. It’s a pity really but it’s almost a given they would all most likely end up as yet another Mexico replica or rally car wannabe. 
One of his cars was a French registered Escort mk1 2 door. Most likely a 1100 base model from its appearance which was in sun bleached plain white with black interior. Still even had its original chrome wheel centre caps on its tiny steel wheels. It literally needed nothing in terms of bodywork and wanted leaving exactly as it was. Poor things probably got a Mexico paint job and a roll cage in it now.

My Capri was absolutely fucked really when it came back from the blaster. It wasn’t really a good base for restoring in all honesty. It’d survived purely from its original owner troweling in the filler and bodging it up every year.

Unfortunately this was the story all over it. Although on the other hand if that hadn’t been done it’d have been scrapped years ago. In fairness to the car though, it’d lived near the coast, not garaged and parked on the street for its first 20/25 years or so, so it didn’t do too badly.

[sierraman]

I think if you want one now you’d be as well getting a good shell from SA/Portugal etc and getting it cosmetically right. I’ve noticed the SA ones are always sporting really gopping paint jobs but they seek mostly solid. I love a base but then equally a 3.0 Sierra/Cortina is a lovely thing, be nice to see one that’s been done with just Ford bits, none of this roll cage bollocks or fitting a Vauxhall engine in. 

[danthecapriman]

8 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I think if you want one now you’d be as well getting a good shell from SA/Portugal etc and getting it cosmetically right. I’ve noticed the SA ones are always sporting really gopping paint jobs but they seek mostly solid. I love a base but then equally a 3.0 Sierra/Cortina is a lovely thing, be nice to see one that’s been done with just Ford bits, none of this roll cage bollocks or fitting a Vauxhall engine in. 

If you could get an imported shell or even complete car from a dry country using it as a base for a resto would almost certainly work out cheaper than restoring a rusted out UK car. It’s not cheap in parts let alone labour to restore rusted cars. Most of my replacement panels were new old stock Ford items, purely because the quality and fit was better than non oe. But because of how it is, they are in short supply and therefore expensive.

The trick then is keeping the thing rust free, but if you invest in good quality waxes and underseals that are available now it stands a much better chance than it did decades back.

A South African Capri Perana with the Mustang V8 would be a great car to bring over! It’s a pity we didn’t get that option here!

[N19]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

Brilliant to see a lower spec Capri getting done all original and to what looks like a superb standard. There seems to be plenty of Capris left but very few good ones like yours and @danthecapriman. When you look on eBay there’s some real horrors full of wob for mad money. 

When I bought mine the values were going up but they are stupid now as Dan says. 

How many times someone's told me I should take the engine out and stick a V8 in or something. Yeah ok mate. It's an original 1.6 engine albeit with a slightly bigger exhaust and a weber although it's a 34ich. It's honest and does the job. Maybe a 3 litre would be fun but I'm quite happy with the 1.6L that I've owned for 8 years and driven for a third of its miles.

Anything that's not original has been done in keeping eg the radio.

[N19]

42 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

When I lived down near Portsmouth there was a guy that had a small industrial unit near where I used to work. He did cars, but seemed to periodically bring stuff over from south France, Malta, Portugal etc. They were usually parked up outside the unit still wearing their foreign number plates. 
They were, as you say, generally unmodified and incredibly rust free. It’s a pity really but it’s almost a given they would all most likely end up as yet another Mexico replica or rally car wannabe. 
One of his cars was a French registered Escort mk1 2 door. Most likely a 1100 base model from its appearance which was in sun bleached plain white with black interior. Still even had its original chrome wheel centre caps on its tiny steel wheels. It literally needed nothing in terms of bodywork and wanted leaving exactly as it was. Poor things probably got a Mexico paint job and a roll cage in it now.

My Capri was absolutely fucked really when it came back from the blaster. It wasn’t really a good base for restoring in all honesty. It’d survived purely from its original owner troweling in the filler and bodging it up every year.

Unfortunately this was the story all over it. Although on the other hand if that hadn’t been done it’d have been scrapped years ago. In fairness to the car though, it’d lived near the coast, not garaged and parked on the street for its first 20/25 years or so, so it didn’t do too badly.

That could almost be mine...

As you say, bodged throughout the 80s/90s.

My car was bought by an old guy from new, who kept it between 1980 and 1999. This meant that, when Capris were being driven sideways into trees and hedges and ragged around the carpark of Focus Do It All, mine was trundling back and forth to Safeway every week. Main dealer servicing and repairs only for the first 16 years. 

[danthecapriman]

Apologies if you’ve mentioned it somewhere and I’ve missed it, but what colour is your car @N19?

Only reason I ask, I wouldn’t mind getting hold of a tin of that paint to make a little recreation in 1:43 scale at some point!

Ive got a suitable donor model already, which has had more suitable wheels fitted. Just needs a strip & repaint and a few details changing.

[N19]

It's Corsican Blue, XSC1405 or L 0. 

It'd be lovely to see a mini capri in that colour!

I imagine you'd only need a small amount. Would it be a rattle can? I might have one that's half- 3/4 used, which I could send you, rather than you buying a whole new can.

The colour is pretty rare. It seemed to be popular around the mid-late 70s and I've seen Cortinas in it, but never another Capri in the flesh.

[Shite Ron]

8 minutes ago, N19 said:

It's Corsican Blue, XSC1405 or L 0. 

It'd be lovely to see a mini capri in that colour!

The colour is pretty rare. It seemed to be popular around the mid-late 70s and I've seen Cortinas in it, but never another Capri in the flesh.

It was a 1980 model year only colour so only available from around October 1979 to approx. October 1980. It is a lovely colour and was used on the first mk5 Cortina’s also, I do not understand why it had such a short run. I am really enjoying seeing this come together it is a lovely car in a great colour.

[danthecapriman]

15 minutes ago, N19 said:

It's Corsican Blue, XSC1405 or L 0. 

It'd be lovely to see a mini capri in that colour!

I imagine you'd only need a small amount. Would it be a rattle can? I might have one that's half- 3/4 used, which I could send you, rather than you buying a whole new can.

The colour is pretty rare. It seemed to be popular around the mid-late 70s and I've seen Cortinas in it, but never another Capri in the flesh.

It’s a lovely colour, and I’ve never seen a Capri in it either other than yours.

Ive just ordered a can, as it’ll be useful for other things somewhen but cheers for the offer of a can. I’m not sure when I’ll actually be able to make the model as everything is still packed up and in a mess after moving house! 
I might well try to find the donor model and a donor mk2 model I’ve got and do one of each of our cars at the same time when I do get chance.

[N19]

Tyres. When I last got new tyres for this, around 2017, there was a reasonable selection including continental and pirelli. They were something in the region of £35 a corner plus the vat and fitting, consumer price.

Now it's a load of chinese nonames, then a massive price gap before you get to the dunlop special edition types from Longstones in Bawtry at £200 a corner.

Went with these Nankangs which a few people on the capri forums seem happy enough with, so we'll see how they fare.

The old tyres, which are old and quite worn down but still legal, are now on the 'second best' rims, so I can easily swop them around.

[High Jetter]

I usually have Nankangs fitted to my vans, no problems with them so far.

[sierraman]

The script on those Nankangs look ‘right’ if that makes sense? 

[N19]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

The script on those Nankangs look ‘right’ if that makes sense? 

Not OTT or naff?

I wonder how long they'll still be available for. When I change them in 5-6 years maybe it'll just be the expensive ones. These were £130 for 4 including the vat.

[sierraman]

3 minutes ago, N19 said:

Not OTT or naff?

I wonder how long they'll still be available for. When I change them in 5-6 years maybe it'll just be the expensive ones. These were £130 for 4 including the vat.

No, the script for Nankang looks like the similar typeface to how you used to get on tyres of that era so India, Semperit etc. I don’t know it just looks ‘right’ if that makes sense. 

[captain_70s]

The braging about "LOW NOISE" also feels apt. Like how tyres from the 90s still proudly proclaimed they were a "RADIAL" despite crossplies being old tech by 1975.

[danthecapriman]

When I bought my tyres I had one of those companies that come out in a van to your house/work fit and supply a set of five Firestone’s. I can’t remember the price now, but I guess the size is harder to get hold of now?

[N19]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

When I bought my tyres I had one of those companies that come out in a van to your house/work fit and supply a set of five Firestone’s. I can’t remember the price now, but I guess the size is harder to get hold of now?

It definitely seems that way, and this is in the what 8 years since I last changed the tyres. I suppose they'd argue there's little demand!

[danthecapriman]

23 minutes ago, N19 said:

It definitely seems that way, and this is in the what 8 years since I last changed the tyres. I suppose they'd argue there's little demand!

There probably isn’t now.

I do remember some years before those Firestone tyres I had a set of the 4 spoke Laser alloys on the car and bought tyres for them. They were a slightly different size to what usually goes on the steels and they were hard to get even that long back. 
They were so unusual the guy on the phone I ordered them in from actually said ‘you’ve got a Capri then I’m assuming!’ Just from the size.

I wonder if they’re any easier to get from abroad instead?

[N19]

A couple of parcels have arrived at home today, including some parts to replace ones I have put in a safe* place... and can no longer find. Battery clamp, reverse light shroud, tailgate seal.

Noseying at this little package which has been sitting on my desk for over 2 years, waiting for the car to go on... should I wait a little longer... shiny brand new reproductions. The rear on the car right now is the original I think, but the front one is a replacement for the awful modern font one that was on the car when I got it.

[mk2_craig]

Those fresh plates look ace. How did you get hold of them?