Which capris had an unlacquered wooden dash fascia?

[MotorcyclesFish]

I've got one in the garage. It has an extra hole cut out for a gauge where the radio should be, and has only a thin gap for the heater controls. Bit odd.

[Supercharged Nat]

Hey Grant, good to see your still about. I 'think' you may have a tickford turbo one? I 'think' the tickfords had a boost gauge where the radio is?

[MotorcyclesFish]

Hi mate, yeah I'm still about, am actually starting to do the capri up properly this year! Although thse days I'm normally to be found on turbosport rather than anywhere else.

Tickford turbo dash eh, maybe i'll stick that up for sale - i'm not gonna be using it!

[Jasonmarie]

So Iam thinking about stuff that I had for my old Capri but never fitted .

1. The wooden dash . Reading some of you are fans and some are not but what are your thoughts now .
2. Bling up the engine bay . Like the rad panel and lights and fuse box with stainless steel .
3. Keep the 2.8 wheels ?

Part of me wants to put my own stamp on the car also I still want to keep the way ford wanted the car to look.


What's your thoughts ladies & Gents .

[Andrew 2.8i]

Bling up the engine bay . Like the rad panel and lights and fuse box with stainless steel .

Hi,
Personally, I think some people go over the top with the Mirage-type stainless steel parts.

Andrew.

[Jasonmarie]

Iam with you on that but Iam still thinking it will be ok just the rad cover with capri on it ( I wonder if that mirage company do like black chrome ) I have got that dim dip thing that I will have to retro fit .

But just to throw the spanner in the works my dad has found the wooden dash with a new laser / 2.8i steering wheel in a ford bag ( I don't remember getting that but I do and did have family working for Fords . So do I fit that or keep it ? And also there is a rear bumper from fords .
I ask my dad to keep on searching god knows what I put up there might be a whole capri ?

Might have to look in my attic as well .

[Fordoholic Nick]

Hi Jason,

Re putting your own stamp on your Capri I say go for it fella ! Reckon that rad cover would look good mate, but as Andrew said be careful not to get tooooooooooooooo carried away with the bling

Personally I really like walking around car shows seeing what owners have done to their Capri's, just as much as I enjoy seeing the ones that are very original. But imo, and its just this, some things I think Ford could have done a tad better ! One little thing is the expansion tank hose that runs from the rad connector to the tank itself on the bulkhead. Now the correct way I believe for it to run, and I stand to be corrected on this, is up along the passenger inner wing to the tank but to me this just looks untidy ( ). I have mine running a different route back to the tank which imo looks tidier but as said its only my opinion chaps !

20170312_162200 by nicholas bowler, on Flickr

A lot of pinto rads I noticed when looking to replace my old one seemed to all have the expansion tank hose connector on the left side of filler cap as you look at it, but I got one from CCI that had it on the right so keeps it even tidier as the hose runs straight off it without having to snake back on itself if this makes sense. I also removed my air box too and replaced it with a k+n filter and again imo I personally really like how this set up looks and sounds, and it shows the Pinto in all its glory Changed my original exhaust for a 4-2-1 Sportex system as well.

I hope these changes as much as they are not original have not detracted too much from the factory original set up. Having said this I do go weak at the knees when I see these concours Pinto's at shows. Amazing attention to detail that I have total respect for the proud owners.

As said do what makes you happy fella !

Jeepers can I come look through your attic too mate

All the best

Nick

[Andrew 2.8i]

But imo, and its just this, some things I think Ford could have done a tad better ! One little thing is the expansion tank hose that runs from the rad connector to the tank itself on the bulkhead.

Hi All,
I'm showing my Pinto ignorance here, but is there a reason that Ford mounted the expansion tank on the bulkhead instead of the inner wing? It would have been much tidier to swap the positions of the expansion tank and the washer bottle.

Andrew.

[Jasonmarie]

See I do like your set up and till now I did not notice the header tank pipe tuck out the way on yours , as I have left mine in place , Iam going with the Plastic Bumper Paint for the light inspection panels & fuse box cover like yourself as they really do look good can I ask did you use lacquer on them after the paint ?
I also like that your HT leads match your battery but last check I thought you had the black cover .
I am thinking now that I will only go for the black chrome rad cover if it can be done just to make it different and not to bling eee .

The air box I might paint with the black plastic paint if my other bits come out ok .

Yes could not believe what my dad found in the loft , he also found the rubber seal trim for the ignition barrel housing as mine is missing .

But as we all say on here your engine bay does look really good and it's just right .

[Fordoholic Nick]

I'm showing my Pinto ignorance here, but is there a reason that Ford mounted the expansion tank on the bulkhead instead of the inner wing? It would have been much tidier to swap the positions of the expansion tank and the washer bottle.

Very true Andrew old chap ! Very true ! Both hoses would have less distance to run to their respective tanks. However every Pinto owner knows how dirty the expansion tank becomes in time so maybe just maybe its tucked at the back for this reason. I personally much prefer the washer bottle at the front where it is now tbh mate. Just as long as you can 'tidy' up the hoses a bit. Having said this most guys who have fitted side draughts (40/45's) instead of standard carbs have indeed moved the expansion tank and fitted it beside the washer bottle at the front...more out of having no other option than first choice methinks....as where else would you fit it with side draughts. Whilst this looks ok and is acceptable to make way for these carbs i dont think it would look right with a standard set up. I seem to recall the Coops 2.0S with side draughts left the expansion tank in its original place on bulkhead but the side draughts were far too close to it imo even though the engine bay on a whole looked simply stunning ! I just dont understand the point of having the hose connector on the rad coming off the 'left' side when it needs to travel along the right wing ?? As said alot are like this but the CCI had it coming of the right side which is why I bought this one myself, plus knowing it was CCI must be decent quality. Andrew some folk dont even use the expansion tank. Seem to recall Glyn (terra kotta) had his hose straight down the side of rad straight onto the floor !

Anyway as said originally little things like this you wonder dont you ?

All the best

Nick

[Fordoholic Nick]

See I do like your set up and till now I did not notice the header tank pipe tuck out the way on yours , as I have left mine in place , Iam going with the Plastic Bumper Paint for the light inspection panels & fuse box cover like yourself as they really do look good can I ask did you use lacquer on them after the paint ?
I also like that your HT leads match your battery but last check I thought you had the black cover .
I am thinking now that I will only go for the black chrome rad cover if it can be done just to make it different and not to bling eee .

The air box I might paint with the black plastic paint if my other bits come out ok .

Yes could not believe what my dad found in the loft , he also found the rubber seal trim for the ignition barrel housing as mine is missing .

But as we all say on here your engine bay does look really good and it's just right .

Hi Jason.

Mate I actually used standard Halfords Black Gloss on my inspection covers and fuse box. Sanded them down then gave them a few coats if primer as a key coat and chanced it with the gloss and it turned out really well. I did apply a couple of coats of clear lacquer too but did not 'matt" them down first. Just straight onto the gloss finish. Did the same with grill and light surrounds and they have all lasted the course of time absolutely fine.

That rad cover does sound very nice indeed Jason. If you do get one I look forward to seeing pictures

Thank you for your kind words on my engine bay mate. Much appreciated. Its come quite a way since when I first bought it so am pretty happy with it now. But mate as with my alternator issue I am still finding things that need sorting like "missing bolts" but hey this is the joy of owning an older car ! Never had a black battery cover fella.

Good luck with your plans with yours fella. Nice one.

All the best

Nick