Capri 280 , More Desirable Than A 3.0 S ?
Discussion
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266982893039?itmmeta=01...
It must be a pretty rare sight to find them in this condition because they were always desirable . From memory just over a 1000 made ? I have seen them at almost £35,000 so perhaps a bit of room for a profit if bought at the right money . No more than £10k ?
Personally I find the 3.0 S in Signal Orange , RS Alloys and Fishnet Recaros infinitely more desirable . Perhaps its just a generation thing .
It must be a pretty rare sight to find them in this condition because they were always desirable . From memory just over a 1000 made ? I have seen them at almost £35,000 so perhaps a bit of room for a profit if bought at the right money . No more than £10k ?
Personally I find the 3.0 S in Signal Orange , RS Alloys and Fishnet Recaros infinitely more desirable . Perhaps its just a generation thing .
https://www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/vehicles/2420/
Sadly sold but you get the idea . It just has a bit of crispness about it that harked back to earlier days
Sadly sold but you get the idea . It just has a bit of crispness about it that harked back to earlier days
It would be the 3.0S for me. I have not driven one unfortunately but have owned a 2.0 Ghia and a 2.8i Special (fitted with Brooklands wheels). As a seventeen year old the 2.0 felt quite sprightly and enjoyed my time owning it but i was not so impressed with the performance of the 2.8i which just felt a bit flat and uninspiring. The 3.0S was the model i coveted as a child due to watching too many episodes of the Professionals.
reddiesel said:
Personally I find the 3.0 S in Signal Orange , RS Alloys and Fishnet Recaros infinitely more desirable . Perhaps its just a generation thing .
I agree, 3.0S in same colour for me as well 
Tibetan Gold would be my alternative colour choice for a 3.0S
However, I'd put up with the LHD for an early lightweight RS2600 in Maize Yellow as my ultimate Capri choice.
The nearest I got to wanting a Capri was a new 1974 facelift 3000 GT in red with the big oblong headlights. I always thought if you wanted a Capri, you might as well buy a Mustang.
However, the older I get, the more I prefer the Capri II
But I was always a Firenza man (though only got as far as a 4 door Viva 1800). Though the Firenza 2300SL isn't fast enough to match the Capri, the droop snoot certainly was and was my dream car as a teenager. I'd love a Magnum Sports Hatch too.
However, the older I get, the more I prefer the Capri II
But I was always a Firenza man (though only got as far as a 4 door Viva 1800). Though the Firenza 2300SL isn't fast enough to match the Capri, the droop snoot certainly was and was my dream car as a teenager. I'd love a Magnum Sports Hatch too.
bennno said:
ingenieur said:
I had the BMW 635 instead of the Capri. Dad also had the 635. I think I'd still say the same today.
not in the same price brackets then, i'm pretty sure my dad went from a 3.0S Capri to a BMW 318i SE.... Never owned a Capri but a pal had just about every variant. 16GT crossflow then a pinto, then a GTXLR and a 3000E then a 2 litre mark 2 or 3 and another and a 2.8i!
Drove a couple of them and was usually impressed but there again I was driving Imps and old MG Midgets etc.
Interesting question OP and made me look at a few for sale.
If i was tempted go look, I assume I'd best look for a 2.8i, is the old Essex not a bit heavy? And what about a tuned 2 litre. The pinto motor is a heavy lump too but you can get 180bhp relatively cheaply.
Must stop idly looking at classifieds.
Drove a couple of them and was usually impressed but there again I was driving Imps and old MG Midgets etc.
Interesting question OP and made me look at a few for sale.
If i was tempted go look, I assume I'd best look for a 2.8i, is the old Essex not a bit heavy? And what about a tuned 2 litre. The pinto motor is a heavy lump too but you can get 180bhp relatively cheaply.
Must stop idly looking at classifieds.
3.0S for me as well, in Signal Yellow, Venetian Red, Cobalt Blue or Tibetan Gold, any will do 
Remember my first 3.0S I bought in 1986, being a bit underwhelmed by it's performance as it wasn't any better than my mildly tuned 2.0S. But I only drove it the 30 miles home as a standard car, then stripped it and modified it to go racing.
Had a few 2.8i's but never spent much on one, a black E-reg for £450 and a Graphite grey X-reg for £400, just a bit of cheap fun while I had the Granada 2.8i Ghia X Estate for wafting along
Remember my first 3.0S I bought in 1986, being a bit underwhelmed by it's performance as it wasn't any better than my mildly tuned 2.0S. But I only drove it the 30 miles home as a standard car, then stripped it and modified it to go racing.
Had a few 2.8i's but never spent much on one, a black E-reg for £450 and a Graphite grey X-reg for £400, just a bit of cheap fun while I had the Granada 2.8i Ghia X Estate for wafting along
I never got the attraction of Capris at all. I drove most of them. Several 2.0S with rattly cams & whiny diffs. A 2.8i Brooklands which belonged to a mate, it was his company car & was nicked & stripped. Even a 2L V4 early one. Its a Cortina Mk2 in a frock. The handling is average at best & they're not particularly quick.
I had a 85 Opel Manta GT/E and it was a country mile better to drive than any Capri & went around corners as well. Unfortunately I had to deal with Vauxhall dealers to get it serviced & repaired which was painful.
I had a 85 Opel Manta GT/E and it was a country mile better to drive than any Capri & went around corners as well. Unfortunately I had to deal with Vauxhall dealers to get it serviced & repaired which was painful.
Mr Tidy said:
I had two 4 speed 2.8is back in the 80s and loved them, so it would have to be a 280i for me - unless I could find a 3100RS!
I like the idea of 15" wheels too as you'd have room for some decent front brakes, as I remember poor braking being the worst feature of my Capris.
Preferred the 4-speeds, so ideally I'd have an early 4-speed model with the LSD from the Special.I like the idea of 15" wheels too as you'd have room for some decent front brakes, as I remember poor braking being the worst feature of my Capris.
I remember putting 302mm discs from a BMW E34 and Cosworth 4-pots inside 15" wheels on my 3.0 Ghia with a Cosworth 24V
The race Capri has 18" wheels so no problems with brakes, 368mm discs and 6-pots, stops well enough
The 280 was the posh Capri that Ford had great difficulty in selling.
Originally planned for 500 and then decided to make 1,038.
They were £2,000 more than the Injection Special at £11,995.
Ford struggled to shift them and they were eventually discounted to the same price as the Injection Special.
The 195/50 15s on the 280 looked nice, cut the roll in corners drastically but ruined the ride and steering feedback.
A black Injection Special on a 'D' or an Apollo Green 3.0S on an 'X', please.
Originally planned for 500 and then decided to make 1,038.
They were £2,000 more than the Injection Special at £11,995.
Ford struggled to shift them and they were eventually discounted to the same price as the Injection Special.
The 195/50 15s on the 280 looked nice, cut the roll in corners drastically but ruined the ride and steering feedback.
A black Injection Special on a 'D' or an Apollo Green 3.0S on an 'X', please.
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