The car you always promised yourself: Capri 2.8 Injection
Discussion
Well not exactly but way back in the 1970s I drove a friend’s 1600GT and thought “what a great car, I could fancy one of these” however I was always into convertibles and there I stayed. Until yesterday.
A train from Oban to Sheffield on Wednesday and a drive home yesterday, over 350 miles in a 2.8 injection that has hardly turned a wheel since 2019. Pushing my luck, nope all went well (ish). A steady 50 to 60mph with odd bursts to 70mph and an hour in slow moving traffic on the Edinburgh Bypass with no obvious problems although there is a few rumbles and grumbles from down below that need investigating. Plenty of little jobs to keep me occupied too but think I’m going to like this car.
A train from Oban to Sheffield on Wednesday and a drive home yesterday, over 350 miles in a 2.8 injection that has hardly turned a wheel since 2019. Pushing my luck, nope all went well (ish). A steady 50 to 60mph with odd bursts to 70mph and an hour in slow moving traffic on the Edinburgh Bypass with no obvious problems although there is a few rumbles and grumbles from down below that need investigating. Plenty of little jobs to keep me occupied too but think I’m going to like this car.
Skyedriver said:
Well not exactly but way back in the 1970s I drove a friend s 1600GT and thought what a great car, I could fancy one of these however I was always into convertibles and there I stayed. Until yesterday.
A train from Oban to Sheffield on Wednesday and a drive home yesterday, over 350 miles in a 2.8 injection that has hardly turned a wheel since 2019. Pushing my luck, nope all went well (ish). A steady 50 to 60mph with odd bursts to 70mph and an hour in slow moving traffic on the Edinburgh Bypass with no obvious problems although there is a few rumbles and grumbles from down below that need investigating. Plenty of little jobs to keep me occupied too but think I m going to like this car.
What a joy.A train from Oban to Sheffield on Wednesday and a drive home yesterday, over 350 miles in a 2.8 injection that has hardly turned a wheel since 2019. Pushing my luck, nope all went well (ish). A steady 50 to 60mph with odd bursts to 70mph and an hour in slow moving traffic on the Edinburgh Bypass with no obvious problems although there is a few rumbles and grumbles from down below that need investigating. Plenty of little jobs to keep me occupied too but think I m going to like this car.
My fondest memory of one is going off to work as a teenager with the chap that owned the company driving. It was slightly damp and he'd gone the wrong way. Without warning he just stamped on the throttle and the car did a magnificent 180 degree turn! Scared the life out of me at that time.
TX.
Dr G said:
Am I going loopy or was there an ad campaign for these back in the days with a slogan "the car you always promised yourself" or something similar?
Anyway - fair play for braving the long trip home.
You cannot however post that without sharing any pictures of the old girl!
Not loopy - it was the launch advert back in 1969. Anyway - fair play for braving the long trip home.
You cannot however post that without sharing any pictures of the old girl!
This one from a few years later though…..
https://scontent.fltn3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808...
Skyedriver said:
Well not exactly but way back in the 1970s I drove a friend s 1600GT and thought what a great car, I could fancy one of these however I was always into convertibles and there I stayed. Until yesterday.
A train from Oban to Sheffield on Wednesday and a drive home yesterday, over 350 miles in a 2.8 injection that has hardly turned a wheel since 2019. Pushing my luck, nope all went well (ish). A steady 50 to 60mph with odd bursts to 70mph and an hour in slow moving traffic on the Edinburgh Bypass with no obvious problems although there is a few rumbles and grumbles from down below that need investigating. Plenty of little jobs to keep me occupied too but think I m going to like this car.
Congrats - pic ?A train from Oban to Sheffield on Wednesday and a drive home yesterday, over 350 miles in a 2.8 injection that has hardly turned a wheel since 2019. Pushing my luck, nope all went well (ish). A steady 50 to 60mph with odd bursts to 70mph and an hour in slow moving traffic on the Edinburgh Bypass with no obvious problems although there is a few rumbles and grumbles from down below that need investigating. Plenty of little jobs to keep me occupied too but think I m going to like this car.
My second car ( after my Vanden Plas Princess don’t ask ) was a 1600GT XLR followed by a 2.0S and then my much liked 3.0S made even more special by the tennis racquet recaros.
Well done.
Top choice.
I had 2 in my student days (early 2000s) when they were cheap as chips and about as desirable as nhs specs. Absolutely loved both of them. Always tempted to revisit, but current prices and the suspicion that my rose tinted glasses are thicker than coke bottle bottoms have kept me away.
I hope it treats you well & you have lots of fun with it.
Top choice.
I had 2 in my student days (early 2000s) when they were cheap as chips and about as desirable as nhs specs. Absolutely loved both of them. Always tempted to revisit, but current prices and the suspicion that my rose tinted glasses are thicker than coke bottle bottoms have kept me away.
I hope it treats you well & you have lots of fun with it.
I had one back in the day. It had a very dubious history and was best kept out of sight! It was a brilliant drift machine, sideways on every single roundabout and when one lived in MK there was a lot of choice 
Mine used to lash through P7F tyres, remember those?, at an amazing rate I think about 2-3K miles rings a bell. 13” rims and 205*50 tyres. Those were the days. My wheelie bin has bigger wheels
Recaro seats, two tone paint, shoulder pads, Chertsey Lock at the weekends, blast home at 3.00AM, no M25! classic 80 s. Happy times.
Mine used to lash through P7F tyres, remember those?, at an amazing rate I think about 2-3K miles rings a bell. 13” rims and 205*50 tyres. Those were the days. My wheelie bin has bigger wheels
Recaro seats, two tone paint, shoulder pads, Chertsey Lock at the weekends, blast home at 3.00AM, no M25! classic 80 s. Happy times.
Edited by bigmowley on Friday 11th September 19:49
Edited by bigmowley on Friday 11th September 19:52
Congratulations, a decent trip to collect a car is always an exciting adventure!
I'll never forget how excited I was in 1984 when I bought a 1982 Strato Silver 2.8i - I loved that car. But then in 1985 a job change gave me the opportunity to buy my fist house, and sadly the car had to go to fund the deposit.
But it was unfinished business and by working all the overtime on offer in 1988 I bought a 1981 Caspian Blue over Strato Silver replacement.
I sold it at a Capri meet at Goodwood racecourse to a guy who lived on a Scottish island and someone on here spotted it in 2010 looking a bit sorry for itself in the Shetlands.
I have great memories of them back in the day when they were a bit special, but I think I'd be disappointed by one now.
I'll never forget how excited I was in 1984 when I bought a 1982 Strato Silver 2.8i - I loved that car. But then in 1985 a job change gave me the opportunity to buy my fist house, and sadly the car had to go to fund the deposit.
But it was unfinished business and by working all the overtime on offer in 1988 I bought a 1981 Caspian Blue over Strato Silver replacement.
I sold it at a Capri meet at Goodwood racecourse to a guy who lived on a Scottish island and someone on here spotted it in 2010 looking a bit sorry for itself in the Shetlands.
I have great memories of them back in the day when they were a bit special, but I think I'd be disappointed by one now.
alscar said:
Not loopy - it was the launch advert back in 1969.
This one from a few years later though ..
https://scontent.fltn3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808...
Oh deary me This one from a few years later though ..
https://scontent.fltn3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808...
The pepper pots do look nice, some may say quaint 
and in good condition, tyres are ancient, 2011, 2011, 2010 & undated so will all be replaced which brings me to the possibility of 15" wheels to improve gearing as I'll be buying tyres anyway.
It is a pretty tidy shell, it was reshelled quite early in it's life with a brand new shell from Ford, still needed new front wings since though.
Interior is in good condition too although while most is grey check, the driver seat base is brown check...Rear seats are apparently grey but have faded a bit. Carpets are OK too and door cards are good. No cracks in the dash top but the front has been hacked for a more modern stereo. Will try to make a nice surround to cover the damage but that's waaaay down the list.
Car was very noisy on the way home and I suspected a nearside rear wheel bearing. A quick check has highlighted that actually it's an offside front. Just stripped it this afternoon and the inner race is pitted and rusty.
Other noise suspects are the deflector to the sunroof (two screws to remove) and the "sporty exhaust" which resonates rather a lot. Sounds great but grates on long journeys.
Oh and the tailgate rams are foobarred, vendor provided a suitable umbrella to keep it supported.
and in good condition, tyres are ancient, 2011, 2011, 2010 & undated so will all be replaced which brings me to the possibility of 15" wheels to improve gearing as I'll be buying tyres anyway.It is a pretty tidy shell, it was reshelled quite early in it's life with a brand new shell from Ford, still needed new front wings since though.
Interior is in good condition too although while most is grey check, the driver seat base is brown check...Rear seats are apparently grey but have faded a bit. Carpets are OK too and door cards are good. No cracks in the dash top but the front has been hacked for a more modern stereo. Will try to make a nice surround to cover the damage but that's waaaay down the list.
Car was very noisy on the way home and I suspected a nearside rear wheel bearing. A quick check has highlighted that actually it's an offside front. Just stripped it this afternoon and the inner race is pitted and rusty.
Other noise suspects are the deflector to the sunroof (two screws to remove) and the "sporty exhaust" which resonates rather a lot. Sounds great but grates on long journeys.
Oh and the tailgate rams are foobarred, vendor provided a suitable umbrella to keep it supported.
This was my Capri, bought in 1975. 1600GT XLR, HNO 672H. It also had a Sun Roof!
Absolutely loved this car, I thought I was the Bees Knees. I remember how proud I was showing it to my first Girlfriend. The “R” stood for “Rally”, which basically meant they had a black bonnet. Unfortunately, it was an Automatic which dented the performance a little.
I eventually traded it in for a 1973 MG Midget; in those days I was swapping cars every couple of years.
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