Here we are on 9th May 2010. The Capri has been stored at my friends garage. Not much has happened with it. Lack of time and money, the two usual problems that cause so many projects to flounder.
I have managed to buy some parts I needed. A rear screen , a back bumper that kind of thing.
Yesterday I finally gave the garage the green light to restore it. A joint venture with him and me. We start in a few weeks.
I decided today to join the ' Ford classic and Capri club ' Here is their link ( so I can earn some brownie points as a new member .... )
http://www.fccoc.org.uk/
More stuff soon ..
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
At the garage
I took the Capri to a friends garage yesterday. He restores old cars and I am hoping to strike a deal on my project.
Its a father and son place. Father is 75 and looks and acts like a man much younger. He has a distinct hate towards modern cars with electronics.
So he was waiting for the old Capri to arrive. He also used to work on Fords back in the 60s.
Once unloaded he announced that he was going to get the engine running. It had not turned over for 25 years. To my amazement he had it running just 20 minutes after his head popped under the bonnet. It sounded ok.
Photo shows the old guy at work.
Some history
Back in 1974 , when flared trousers and penny round shirt collars were the norm , I was a 17 year old on a mission.
My mission was to find the best looking flashy car for under 200 quid. The country was awash with crappy old cortinas and even crappier Minis. I wanted a set of wheels that said ... WOW......but on the cheap.
I was still taking driving lessons , but was anxious to improve my street credibility as soon as possible.
So armed with 200 quid and my Dad , we set off for Basingstoke.
The advert stated 200 pounds ONO.
I was of course going to buy this car , that I knew.
White with a red roof and a discrete thin red line down the sides. It also had the red leather seat option.
Already 12 years old, it was showing its age. The engine smoked and rattled , the exhaust was , well exhausted and it had an electric fault.
165 quid and 45 minutes later it was sitting in our drive.
My mission was to find the best looking flashy car for under 200 quid. The country was awash with crappy old cortinas and even crappier Minis. I wanted a set of wheels that said ... WOW......but on the cheap.
I was still taking driving lessons , but was anxious to improve my street credibility as soon as possible.
So armed with 200 quid and my Dad , we set off for Basingstoke.
The advert stated 200 pounds ONO.
I was of course going to buy this car , that I knew.
White with a red roof and a discrete thin red line down the sides. It also had the red leather seat option.
Already 12 years old, it was showing its age. The engine smoked and rattled , the exhaust was , well exhausted and it had an electric fault.
165 quid and 45 minutes later it was sitting in our drive.
Monday, 1 December 2008
Home
The journey from the UK to Belgium was a good one. at Dover waiting for the ferry , I or rather the Capri got mobbed by a bus load of German students.
To me its just my old car, and the interest it caused came as a shock. One middle aged Belgian tried to strike a deal. If I took him for a drive in the Capri after restoration , he would take me up in his glider.
This photo shows the snowy welcome on arriving home.
the tax disc read Dec 1983..
Could it really be 25 years since this old Capri last saw the light of day..
The two photos show her in my brothers garage and being loaded onto my trailer. It only took a few minutes , 4 to be exact. It rolled on without drama. I had not seen the car for over two decades. Memories flooded back.
Secured and ready for its long drive from Berkshire to the Belgian Ardennes.
The two photos show her in my brothers garage and being loaded onto my trailer. It only took a few minutes , 4 to be exact. It rolled on without drama. I had not seen the car for over two decades. Memories flooded back.
Secured and ready for its long drive from Berkshire to the Belgian Ardennes.
Its mine......again
I need to explain a few things before we all launch into this blog.
Firstly , and most importantly its a blog about a very important car , well at least to me and my brother.
Its a little story about my first car. Some say you never forget your first girlfriend others say you never forget your first car. All I will say is that I cannot remember her name.
Over the next few months I will post photos of the restoration work, and some funny stories about my first car , the one and only Ford Consul Capri , aka XPM 921.
A car that I bought back in 1974 when it was already 12 years young. Finally re united with her in November 2008.
Firstly , and most importantly its a blog about a very important car , well at least to me and my brother.
Its a little story about my first car. Some say you never forget your first girlfriend others say you never forget your first car. All I will say is that I cannot remember her name.
Over the next few months I will post photos of the restoration work, and some funny stories about my first car , the one and only Ford Consul Capri , aka XPM 921.
A car that I bought back in 1974 when it was already 12 years young. Finally re united with her in November 2008.
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