Garage find Capri

[trigger]

I wasn't going to bother but as a few of seem interested i thought I'd start a thread on the Capri that i bought last month.

It all started when a lady in the village who knows my wife asked her if I'd be interested in her husbands relatives old Capri they have in a garage, both him and his wife have died of old age and they have inherited the property and this old Capri had been in the garage for 20 years since he gave up driving at 83 and it was now being a 'burden', her words, not mind.

The car was over a hour away near Harlow so i shot down there to visit the ladies mother in law who was at the bungalow sorting it out, she gave me the key to the garage and told me to take a look whilst she made me a cup of coffee.

This is was i viewed when i opened the up n over door.

I admit i got a bit excited at this point! the story is what he bought the car new in 1986, used it up until 2003 where he got Parkinson's and was too ill to drive anymore racking up 95000 miles, whilst he maintained the car well he probably would have benefitted from parking sensors these days!

The lady said she'd been offered £900 by a neighbour but thought it was a bit low, i offered £2000 and she was more than happy! a few days later by mate helped me collect it.

Access wasn't great as it was at the rear garden with a short drive with no room for pulling the car out easily and onto a road that was rat run and blind pulling out on, nothings easy!

fortunately my mates truck managed to drag it out with locked brakes and big hammers!

we then dragged it backwards down the roads, swapped ends and pulled it into a nearby school entrance and onto the trailer

on the way back we got lost and managed to go past the original dealers, Gates in Harlow so we pulled in a got a photo!

eventually we managed to drag it into my garage, phew! that was hard work!

[phil_lihp]

What a superb find, that must be a super late one too.

[Split_Pin]

That looks like a great project, very good condition and a good investment. No way youre going to lose on that, even if you paid someone else to do all the work I reckon youd still be in the green.

I remember these last of the line Laser models really well. I'm sure they also came in a burgundy colour too?

 

[sutty2006]

Top find that. I often dream about someone ringing me up and telling me they have a manta tucked away and needing a new home. Good luck with this one! Give it a bath and report back! 

[Tubbo]

Absolutely superb, love it!

[trigger]

So my mate in his excitement wanted to check if the engine was seized or not, so we pulled the plugs out, poured some WD40 down the pours got my big breaker bar on the crank and gently rocked it, it was tight at first which was a worry but then it started to move, result! my mate said the pistons were going up and down freely so that was good news, unfortunately though what i hadn't realised is that whilst the bottom was turning, the belt had stripped its teeth and the top wasn't! Thank god these are non-interreference engines!

What i hadn't noticed was that the alloy water pump and thermostat housing had badly corroded and all fallen inside the pulleys jamming them up! so it all got striped down, completely cleaned up, everything replaced and new belt fitted

Whilst i waited for parts to arrive i made a start cleaning the interior which was quite mouldy and musty

Shame about the seat wear, the head rests are a later story but i never did find the originals!

[trigger]

after the interior, it was exterior time, the best part of any project!

I couldn't believe how much better a bath made it look!

and i gave it a touch up and ran a mop over it.

I've spent so much time on ebay and Facebook just souring the broken or missing bit, side repeater lamp, boot spoiler plug, head rests, fog light switch, just silly bits like that.

I also fitted a brand new 32/36 DGAV Weber carb, for the sake of £280 it wasn't worth messing about with the completely seized and gummed up one, same as the radiator 

[Soundwave]

Wonderful... just goes to show, they're still out there!

[chaseracer]

Nice one, Trig

[trigger]

As i posted on the News 24 thread I've just repaired both front and rear bumpers, they had been bashed a bit and have come out surprisingly well, I'm waiting on a new bracket for the rear as that was a bit managed.

That dent is very annoying too as that wing be perfect if it wasn't for that!

chrome tailpipe will make it go quicker

A friend messaged me to say he found a pair of Laser headrests in his mums shed if i wanted them for £20! I was over the moon!

So much better, and the rocker cover, rad panel and timing cover as come back from being powder coated and now mostly fitted back on

That strut top is a job for another day, I might have to farm that job out once it has a mot, It now runs straight of the key too although it's not set up quite yet so only ran it for about a minute so far. and that's pretty much up to date now!

[sutty2006]

There it is! The instant hard on shot! 

[junkyarddog]

There is just something so right about the shape of a Capri.

I really must get on with my own one.

[Dick Longbridge]

Thanks for sharing. I've a lasting memory from around 1986 when my father dropped his Orion to the local Ford dealership for some work. His loan car was a virtually new Capri 2.8 injection on a D plate like yours. Similar metallic blue too. 

He collected me in it after I'd stayed at a mate's place overnight. As a car mad eleven year old, the Capri was an instant winner for me! 

Great to see such an original looking car and looking forward to hearing what happens next. 

[Popsicle]

Wow, cracking find there - I'm sure you'll have it looking stunning, like the other cars you've breathed new life into in no time at all.

Have a gratuitous pic of my old 2.0 laser.

 

 

[danthecapriman]

Fab work trigger, looks a really good solid and original car.

My mate used to have a 2.0 laser, exactly the same as yours which was a one owner car, well looked after and very solid and original. Sadly he didn’t look after it very well and after a few years it began to look quite sorry for itself. A shame really but luckily he sold it as he couldn’t afford to keep running it and it went to someone who restored it. 
We used to take his and my mk2 out for drives together on weekends. That 2.0 pinto with the twin Weber on his laser used to leave my 1.6 for dead!

Anyway, great to see a thread on this beauty, always enjoyed reading your threads and seeing your handiwork.

[adw1977]

Terrific purchase!

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

I remember these last of the line Laser models really well. I'm sure they also came in a burgundy colour too?

Nine different colours in the October 1986 brochure:

[trigger]

That's interesting, mines Crystal blue but was a bit cheaper than the Ford RRP

[Soundwave]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

 

I remember these last of the line Laser models really well. I'm sure they also came in a burgundy colour too?

 

 

Indeed, that would be Regency Red.



 

[Ghosty]

Following with interest as my dad had a Diamond White 1.6 Laser when I was a kid. I loved it, but my dad never let me in it. so I don't even know what inside was like 

[sierraman]

I’d definitely find a timing belt cover, I can’t remember last time I saw a 1.6/2.0 pinto with the belt cover on! Great work though. Probably at least £2-3k up already there. 

Looks fantastic, really original. You see so many that are over done but that looks useable. Final bit of advice keep it locked away as these seem to attract theft. Stating the obvious there but it’s a point worth hammering home. 

[motorpunk]

That looks great! Keep us posted.

PS - I’ve never driven a Capri, can anyone tell me what they’re like?

[HMC]

I used to love seeing capris about, these Lasers plus the “s” models ; I nearly bought one for £500 off (the recently deceased) bob of bobs affordable classics in knowle, in about 2004

Sadly they are just too expensive and a theft target for me to have some fun with them but it’s lovely to read about you resurrecting this one, what a great find!

[beko1987]

Still don't think I've ever seen one in the flesh that wasn't at a car show and surrounded by boring looking men and their wives... 

And none look as nice as this one! Lucky find there, plus the shit load of time and effort since then 😂

[cort16]

Great work as usual trigger. Good to see the original airbox on the car they're usually long gone.

That roof mounted rear scoosher looks like a classic "oh shit we need to fit a rear wiper lets just put it there" job. 

[task]

What a find, good work!

[cobblers]

You never fail to deliver!!! 

[sutty2006]

35 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

That looks great! Keep us posted.

PS - I’ve never driven a Capri, can anyone tell me what they’re like?

I’ve only ever driven one. A 2.8 special. It was very tail end happy which is cool, but the rest of it was a bit wallowy and unstable. May have just been “that” car. Much prefer to drive my manta. 😁

[junkyarddog]

44 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

I’ve never driven a Capri, can anyone tell me what they’re like?

They aren't in the least bit sporty,but a great cruiser,surprisingly comfortable too.

[LoftyvRS]

6 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

They aren't in the least bit sporty,but a great cruiser,surprisingly comfortable too.

I agree with this, my sister had a 1978 T reg 2.0 GL Capri and that rode just like a Cortina, but you seemed to sit lower in the car and the bonnet was obv longer.

[Rightnider]

Fantastic! A great find, good luck!