The Capri L

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by Dallas

Christmas without the Capri.

She's in for restoration, wings, rear arches, doors, floor, sills, engine bay, and a complete respray, quite a bit of fabrication to do.

We were hoping to have her back before Christmas, but its looking more like February/March.

I sure do miss the old girl.

It looks in a fairly good state, that front valance is the key to a nice front end and they don't come up often and aren't cheap, about £900 will get a NOS one if you're lucky. I'd suggest getting those open ends of that one soda blasted and Zinc primed. There are still some good wings out there, if you can get any Veng ones, I'd happily use them.
If you struggle to find stuff, try Ex-Pressed panels in Keighley, not cheap but will have the bits you need.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by SCP440

Capris do rust well, before I bought mine I was shocked at how bad a lot of the ones for sale were, even some of the ones with big asking price had a lot of rust.

Have you managed to source some good front wings? most of the new available are not a good fit.

Be good to see it once all done.

I agree Steve, many out there are either unloved and untouched, or have been partly restored to a poor standard.

Ex-Pressed Panels supplied the wings, seems to be the go to place of many.

What Capri do you have Steve?

Originally Posted by Saga Lout

It looks in a fairly good state, that front valance is the key to a nice front end and they don't come up often and aren't cheap, about £900 will get a NOS one if you're lucky. I'd suggest getting those open ends of that one soda blasted and Zinc primed. There are still some good wings out there, if you can get any Veng ones, I'd happily use them.
If you struggle to find stuff, try Ex-Pressed panels in Keighley, not cheap but will have the bits you need.

Thanks Micheal, to be honest I was in two minds whether to go this far, she was already pretty tidy, but I guess I wasn't happy with the work that had been done by the previous ownership, work had been done to a low standard, and certain bits had been left. The wife and I thought lets get her as pristine as possible, so a tear down and do what needs doing is the approach.

Yes, Ex-Pressed Panels supplied the wings, a great bunch up there.

How is your Cortina coming along?

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by Dallas

I agree Steve, many out there are either unloved and untouched, or have been partly restored to a poor standard.

Ex-Pressed Panels supplied the wings, seems to be the go to place of many.

What Capri do you have Steve?



Thanks Micheal, to be honest I was in two minds whether to go this far, she was already pretty tidy, but I guess I wasn't happy with the work that had been done by the previous ownership, work had been done to a low standard, and certain bits had been left. The wife and I thought lets get her as pristine as possible, so a tear down and do what needs doing is the approach.

Yes, Ex-Pressed Panels supplied the wings, a great bunch up there.

How is your Cortina coming along?

I just brought the Cortina Crusader out of six year storage, I'm basically doing to it what you're doing to this Capri, the MK3 is having bits prepped for use as I wait for it to get a bit warmer. I've bought a sandblasting unit, I've built a vapour blaster to finish off the alloy parts and bought a new parts washer bath. I also have the plating bath to passivate parts back to the yellow gold look after the blasting etc.
I got stuck into the Vauxhall Victor early in the year and made big progress on it, I restored the dashboard as I was recovering from the eye surgery. I'm soon to be bringing my Ford Sierra out of storage and hoping to have a great year getting a lot done, I want to use the Crusader next summer so that's first.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by Saga Lout

I just brought the Cortina Crusader out of six year storage, I'm basically doing to it what you're doing to this Capri, the MK3 is having bits prepped for use as I wait for it to get a bit warmer. I've bought a sandblasting unit, I've built a vapour blaster to finish off the alloy parts and bought a new parts washer bath. I also have the plating bath to passivate parts back to the yellow gold look after the blasting etc.
I got stuck into the Vauxhall Victor early in the year and made big progress on it, I restored the dashboard as I was recovering from the eye surgery. I'm soon to be bringing my Ford Sierra out of storage and hoping to have a great year getting a lot done, I want to use the Crusader next summer so that's first.

Great stuff Michael, it's a lovely feeling when you start to see progress in one's work, it keeps the motivation going doesn't it.

What year's are your Crusader, Sierra and Victor?

[SCP440]

Originally Posted by Dallas

I agree Steve, many out there are either unloved and untouched, or have been partly restored to a poor standard.

Ex-Pressed Panels supplied the wings, seems to be the go to place of many.

What Capri do you have Steve?

1980 3.0 Ghia, I had one when I was 19 and it was a scratch I needed to itch.

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by Dallas

Great stuff Michael, it's a lovely feeling when you start to see progress in one's work, it keeps the motivation going doesn't it.

What year's are your Crusader, Sierra and Victor?

The Crusader is April 82, the Sierra is December 82, the Victor is May 72, my Morris Minor is 1956, the 2000E is May 75, the MGZT is March 2002 and my Punto Sporting is a 1998. I still have my Pewter 75 and my daily driver is a little Punto 60 with a six speed upgrade and better wheels.
The Crusader had some big rust issues when I got it but I've more or less sorted it, just the new front panels from top to bottom and a paint.

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by SCP440

1980 3.0 Ghia, I had one when I was 19 and it was a scratch I needed to itch.

Good to see, I hope it's for keeps. You only live once.

[SCP440]

Originally Posted by Saga Lout

Good to see, I hope it's for keeps. You only live once.

That is the plan at the moment, I was recently offered a £5k profit on what I paid for it back in March but after looking for 18 months to find it I think I would struggle to find a better one, its all original, never been welded and it was even the colour I wanted.
I do actually feel 19 again when I drive it. I put my Ultravox or Paul Young cassete tape in and its just like being in a time machine. Its comfortable, quick enough so I keep my licence and ticks a lot of boxes, It even has Power Steering. My Interceptor is an amazing car but a very different driving experience.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by Saga Lout

The Crusader is April 82, the Sierra is December 82, the Victor is May 72, my Morris Minor is 1956, the 2000E is May 75, the MGZT is March 2002 and my Punto Sporting is a 1998. I still have my Pewter 75 and my daily driver is a little Punto 60 with a six speed upgrade and better wheels.
The Crusader had some big rust issues when I got it but I've more or less sorted it, just the new front panels from top to bottom and a paint.

Great stuff, so many cars Michael, I like the Crusader reg plate.

Originally Posted by SCP440

That is the plan at the moment, I was recently offered a £5k profit on what I paid for it back in March but after looking for 18 months to find it I think I would struggle to find a better one, its all original, never been welded and it was even the colour I wanted.
I do actually feel 19 again when I drive it. I put my Ultravox or Paul Young cassete tape in and its just like being in a time machine. Its comfortable, quick enough so I keep my licence and ticks a lot of boxes, It even has Power Steering. My Interceptor is an amazing car but a very different driving experience.

You're right about the time machine Steve, I sure do feel like 19 again when I drive mine, its a great feeling, especially when I take my daughters out.

I don't have the luxury of power steering though.

My wife and I both had Capri's when we were dating, so when Tracey and I go out in the Capri, we feel like we are on a date again, its a right laugh.

[Dallas]

Hi guys and girls, I thought I better pop in and give you all an update in case anyone is interested.

The 1979 cosmos blue Capri went in for restoration this time last year, and yes you've guessed it, it still isn't finished.

We are hoping she'll be finished at the end of this month...