A simple question, Who came to MX5 ownership via a Capri or two?
I’ve had a 2L Laser and a 2.8i. They were both brilliantly fun cars. I tweaked the 2.0 extensively and in the end it was quicker than the 2.8 (With it’s standard engine).
A few times now people here have mentioned that they had a Capri sometime in the past, I’m just wondering if it’s more of a natural progression than I originally thought.
Scotty B.
I had a couple of Mk 1 Escorts when I was (much) younger, but only because I couldn’t afford a Capri. Would have loved one.
From there I went to Triumph Dolomites (brilliant) before moving onto cars from the current era.
I had the pleasure of owning a 1973 RS3100 one of only 248 made wish I had kept it as it would be worth a bob or two now
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Essex_V6_engine_(UK)
http://www.avoclub.com/avosite/rs3100.html
The irony. Now a MK1 Escort shell with a tree growing through it has a 4 figure price tag, But a rusty Capri is worth F’ all (I should know, I still have most of my 2.8. 
).
Scotty B.
Yup
2.8i. Ltd Ed.
Ford T5 gearbox.
Rear Scorpion handling kit.
Burton heads (flowed), rods, pistons & crank balanced
Steel chain cogs
Tarox rotors & 2 pot caliper.
Rear disc conversion
Mike the Pipe SS exhausts
Uprated struts, all round Nylocs.
Probably the only car I’d ever buy back. That car was untouchable cross country in it’s day.
Probably only around 180bhp but it was King of the late brakers and stuck like pooh on a curtain.
Sorry Scotty, no Capri here, just a Mk5 Cortina…biege with a black vinyl roof…those were the days!
She was my first car and I loved her more than any GF I ‘hosted’ in her 
I DID!
A MK1 2000 GTXLR on a K reg, 1971. V4 Engine same as Corsair (Which I have also owned). I “bunged” twin DCOE40 carbs on it. It went like a ballistic missile on the straight, rubbish around corners tho. Eventually the metal caterpiller ate all around the top shocker mounts and it had to go to heaven!
I had a Mk2 3.0S in Bright Orange. Glorious soundtrack from the twin exhausts
Yes, a 3000 GXL mk1 facelift in Black Cherry which was rotten underneath but still looked good. Ironic when you realise it was eight years old when I had it in 1980 but my 20 year old MX5 is in far better condition today. They don’t make cars like they used to!
No Capri but lots of Fords. My Moonraker has 1600 Capri GT running gear, does that count? After 40 years it’s still looking good with less than 17,000 miles on the clock.
I do believe that Clive, the old Editor of STHT still has a 2.8 Capri. I’ve seen it and it’s a stunner !!
Hopefully he’ll see this thread and post a pic or two.
Personally only Fords I ever had was my dad’s Mk5 Cortina Estate, two Fiesta’s and four Escorts (1 x Mk3 XR3, 1 x Mk3 Estate and 2 x Mk4 XR3i cabriolets).
I previously owned not 1, not 2 but 3 Capris in the mid 80’s - nothing special just 1.6 L - my main love was my Triumph Bonneville.
Today, I am on my second 2.5 V6 Cougar - first one having been robbed and burnt out by some scroats-aaargh.
They are fun and can be worked on- bit.
Now the MX which is totally different as it holds the road-not that I can ever remember the Capri’s handling through bends.
A great question - Pat
2.0S the high compression engine. very sideways. only car I was confident to execute a spin turn in a lane and expect to get round in one! Set the tone for RWD’s from then on really, next thing was a E30 320.
I had a slightly modified MK2 3.0S in the early 90’s, I had it for 4 weeks only as it was nightmare, it virtually broke down every time I went out in it. Only good thing it had going for it was its straight line speed (which wasn’t for very long as something usually broke or fell off), but wouldn’t go round corners, rubbish handling. It was one car I was glad to see the back of which was a shame really as it was good looking car.
I think what first set me off wanting a Capri was my brother’s. For a while in the 80’s he had a black 3.0S to which he did every conceivable modification. It had every go faster goody that was about at the time… Including an X-Pack inlet manifold with 3 twin downdraught Webber’s bolted on it (With all the engine work he’d had done, It was one of the rare cars that actually NEEDED them to be able to feed it enough air at full chant !!!).
When everything (Occasionally) was working together and he was “Having fun”, It would usually get down to around 8 mpg !!! But as he used to say, “When it’s all working right, I’d swap a gallon for them eight miles any day”. 
Now for weekend fun he has a pair of Porsche 928’s, They’re nice car’s to drive, They’re bloody fast, But they REALLY lack any sensation of being quick. You can stamp on the throttle and look at the speedo’s needle shoot round… 50… 100…140 (On a private stretch of… Erm… Motorway. 
) But they’re just numbers. They’re hugely capable cars, But they just doesn’t FEEL like they’re doing anything very impressive, It’s all too clinical and… German.
His Capri on the other hand would pop, Burble and growl. It felt dangerous to be near and there was a real feeling of menace about the car… It was fr*gin’ awesome !
Scotty B.
I always wanted a capri… the neighbour had one up for sale for 600 quid a good 10 years ago or so… it was a c reg 1.6 laser… but it was absolutely immaculate! had done 27k miles… i wanted that car soo bad, but my parents wouldnt let me buy it (id just passed my test and they were scared id end up backwards thru a hedge)
i do occasionally check the classifieds for them, the amount decent ones go for is insane… and dont get me started on the brooklands!!
Started with a 1300 (pre crossflow) Mk 2 Cortina then on to a Cortina Mk 1 1500GT which is the one car I now regret selling for £100 as it needed a bit of welding and was due MOT. Then via a Morris 1000 I got my first Capri a MK1 1600. this was replaced by a Land Rover before it was time for another Capri, a MK2 1.6. It was then a couple of Escorts before it was time and the age of the front wheel drive family taxis of a Cavalier and Mk 6 Escort. Now the kids dont want to travel around with us so much now it was time to get back to rear wheel drive and I got my 1991 1.6 J1, joy oh joy proper driving has been restored.
Ah cr4p !
I shouldn’t have started this thread. I’m getting all Misty eyed again… I’ve just been looking on EBay to see what nice 2 litre Mk3’s are going for.
I loved my 2.0 (Well 2.1 by the time I finished with it) and the idea of a stripped out light weight 2 litre project Capri is starting to sound pretty interesting… And I still have most of my partially stripped (But terminally rotten) 2.8, A pair of glass fibre wings and a bonnet looking for somewhere to live.
Is this what they call “A mid life crises”?
Scotty “The middle aged f4rt” B.
Ive owned 7 capri’s 2 mustangs and 2 cortinas, the mustangs were awful, the 2 best capri’s were a 76 2.0s with PAS conversion and an 80 3.0s both are still around.