Capri 1.6LS

[Renrut]

That capri looks good until you notice the wing mirrors.

[Max]

Right, time to get back on topic

I’ve not reported on the Capri for a while but progress has not slowed, here’s the latest update:

All of the front suspension components were removed and sent for shot blasting by a firm in Corby. I then cut the spring seats off the front struts after removing the old shock absorber assemblies ready for conversion to coil over spec along with gas shock inserts. All of the shot blasted metalwork is now primed and will be painted with some left over red 2 pack I have lying around – very fetching.

I’ve not been so lucky with the body though… I knew the strut tops were an MOT fail so I cut out all of the rust which then required the removal of the passenger wing. That’s when it all went wrong.

Behind the wing, next to the A pillar was a block of expanding foam which was holding various structural components together and explains why the passenger door was dropping when opened! I reckon I can fashion some sizable repair panels from scrap steel sheet so it won’t be an expensive repair, but it will take lots of precious time.

I’ll get stuck into that over the next few weekends but my deadline of PPC in the Park is looking a bit shaky

[Relentless Rob]

Right, time to get back on topic

That's what happens when you leave threads unattended.

I’ll get stuck into that over the next few weekends but my deadline of PPC in the Park is looking a bit shaky

Enter try not to be too shaky and do a Will' line here.

That's the problem with old cars you get old bodges with them. Still a good oportunity to seem weld the body together for extra strengh and possibly run some box from the bulkhead to the strut tops to reduce torque twist. I have some leaf lowering blocks somewhere if you'd like to drop the back in line with the front unless you're planning a D.I.Y four link set up as well.

[Max]

The rear end is quite low as it is so I'll be leaving that alone for the time being.

Given the abundance of rust I'm sure the rear spring mounts will need attention soon though. I'm toying with the idea of Sierra IRS but haven't looked into the width yet. I really want to keep the 13" RS 4 spokes (the later fake ones - I know purists) so it'll probably mean keeping drum brakes. The alternative is a Porsche 924 IRS set up with a diff off a BM or Merc so I keep the 108mm PCD but that seems like a very complicated idea

[Relentless Rob]

There's a Sierra Diesel on eBay at the moment, long legged diff' a lot of the YB boys used the diesel diff' to get thair cars to silly mph.

You can use any diff' so long as you have 4x108 hubs.

[Relentless Rob]

Any news Max'?

No pressure but I have just passed on a link to this thread to a chap in the Capri owners club.

[Kate Miller]

Max is allowed 1 hour a week to work on it, and because he bumbles about so much progress is slow. He was welding it today but you can't notice, it's still covered in rust! He reckons it will be ready next year as only worked on the passenger side so far, have to sort drivers side before we can wire engine up.
The welding was on the A post where the bulk head meets. He has managed to convert the front struts to coilovers with KYB gas inserts and gussets, these are now nice, shiny and red, not the boring usual blue...! Sorry I can't give you more description but Max is washing up and don't want to disturb him!!!! I will tell him about this post once he has finished the hoovering.

[owelly]

Gussets.........

[Relentless Rob]

Anyone else thinking.....




...Practical Performance Kirby?

[Relentless Rob]

There's a chap in my village with a roll cage in his front garden. So thinking I could adapt it for the Fiat I asked how much he wanted for it and what car it was for. Turns out it was local Rallycross legend Stan Rolfe and the cage was the only part left of his 3.4 Championship winning Capri. I couldn't cut and shut a piece of motorsport history to keep 'er in panties from getting in a Health and Safety twist.

It would be a straight forward fit to your car and an interesting interview for the mag if you're not too busy cleaning one weekend.

http://editions.pagesuite.co.uk/_psedit ... Page80.pdf

Very nice chap.

[Max]

Just realised reading this post that I have now been welding the damn passenger A panel for over a year!

I have now got to the stage that I can open the door without it dropping so it's not all bad and the hole that was allowing the neighbour's cat to get into the car and sleep is now solid metal again - sorry Henry you'll have to find a new home

Next step is to turn the inner wheel arches I cut out of a VW Caddy into a headlamp bowl, profiles are pretty much spot on...

[Relentless Rob]

It's a Ford Capri so Henry will have a new hole soon enough.

Have you borrowed the clock from PPC towers?