My 1986 1.6 Laser

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LaserSean91
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Ford Capri 1.6 Laser (Restoration Project)
Location: Preston, Lancashire

My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by LaserSean91 »

Hi all, My name is Sean and I came across this forum whilst browsing for various bits of information. I purchased my project (1986 1.6 Laser) last week and as you can imagine I had many questions that I wanted answering as I haven't taken on a project like this before. Search after search and I always seemed to end up on this forum for an answer. It really is a great site for anyone requiring any help with their Capri (Me) :roll: So I have joined and would like to share my project with you all. :sleepy: :sleepy: :sleepy:
Anyway, onto my new purchase...... I found this car advertised online and it was a spur of the moment thing really, it has been off the road since 2005 and is looking rather sorry for herself at the moment. I went to view it and the rest is history. This is my first real project so I am looking forward to getting stuck in and learning many new things, welding especially. I would like to have it finished as a useable car that will put a big smile on my face and provide me with a great deal of satisfaction knowing I have restored it. Here she is upon delivery....

ImageIMG_0693 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0712 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0708 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0703 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0696 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr

As you can see she needs a lot of attention but I'm willing and ready to invest my time into her.
Thanks for looking,
Sean.
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Fordoholic Nick
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Re: My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by Fordoholic Nick »

Hi Sean.

Welcome to the forum fella and congratulations on buying your 1.6 Laser. Nice one mate :applaud:

This Forum really is a fantastic place mate with so many knowledgeable and friendly folk here, you will surely find the answer to anything you need to know, so just ask away no matter how complicated or simple...I certainly did...and still do...mostly simple :lol:

Thanks for posting up pics of your Laser Sean. It definitely seems to be in good hands now. Good luck with the restoration. Its fantastic that you are prepared to take on restoring it and hopefully in the "not too distant" future it will be back to its stunning glory . Cant wait to see how you get on so please keep us updated....

Another Laser back on the road :D

All the best now

Nick
I was born a Fordoholic, They'll bury me a Fordoholic...
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Andrew 2.8i
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Re: My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi Sean,
Welcome to the forum. :welcome:

It's good to see that another neglected Capri has now found a home with an enthuiastic and dedicated owner.
Although the restoration will, no doubt, be challenging, I'm sure that the sense of achievement on completion will be immense.

If you haven't already, I recommend joining Capri Club International. The club is an invaluble source of spares and information. I also recommend using Martin at Caprigear for your spare part requirements, and with his vast Capri experience is also full of advice.
Some new bits and bobs can also be bought from Tickover and Burton Power.

Good luck with your restoration, and please keep us updated with it as it progresses.

All the best,
Andrew.
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LaserSean91
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Car(s): Golf GTI (Daily Driver)
Ford Capri 1.6 Laser (Restoration Project)
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by LaserSean91 »

Thanks guys, I will be taking many pictures along the long road to completion so will keep you all informed. I already have a big shopping list compiled so Martin will come in handy when I need to purchase items. (A thread on here tells me is the go to man for some seat material I require). Right I thought I would give you an idea of the task in hand:
Engine - Having been sat for at least 10 years I have no idea what state of repair this unit is in. When I went to view the car the seller had no idea if it ran or not. A bit of fresh fuel and a battery and she turns over but I am not getting a spark. Fuel was definitely getting to the carburettor as my split fuel hoses gave the engine bay a nice hosing down. I have now replaced them so a process of elimination is taking place. The spark plugs are covered in oil so a strip down may be required if we have worn piston rings. It could also be that oil was placed into the ignition chambers to ensure the engine didn't seize whilst being put into storage, if this is the case my piston rings may be ok. Anyway I have purchased all the gear to service it and a new dizzy cap, points, condenser and rotor arm. Please let me know if I have missed something here that may stop me getting a spark.
Body work - As shabby as she may seem externally, underneath she didn't look too bad. The doors were solid, and the floors looked ok apart from small bits of rust. Once I got her home and stripped everything out it more holes appeared and the ones I knew about got bigger as I started poking :crying: I have started trying to cut the rust out now I have my welding equipment at the ready so will post a few pictures later to show how my holes have grown prior to welding some plate in. For now I have a few snaps of the interior strip and my new fuel pipes and filter.

ImageIMG_0731 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0732 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0726 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0729 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0730 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0742 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0743 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr

My plan is to start with any welding required to get the shell safe and rot free. Then come winter time I would like to do an engine strip down and rebuild. My thought process being that during the winter I would like to work on the engine out of the cold.

Sean.
LaserSean91
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Re: My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by LaserSean91 »

We have a runner! After replacing the spark plugs, dizzy cap, points and rotor arm it has sprung into life. A bit of smoke on the first start as you can imagine but that soon cleared and it now starts first time. No knocks or bangs just a squeaky roller on the cambelt. That's a bit of a relief. I didn't know what to expect with the ending being sat so long. That's cheered me up no end after taking a break from chopping holes in my floor trying to find fresh metal :D
LaserSean91
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Re: My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by LaserSean91 »

Ok so onto the bodywork, it needs a lot of attention. I have decided to do one part of the car at a time starting with the drivers wing and continuing to the rear of the car a panel at a time. First job then..... Removing the wing. I have tried to remove the wing this evening and haven't succeeded. I believe the wing is a genuine ford item so I will be trying my best to carefully remove and then repair by welding two patches in the areas shown below.

ImageIMG_0755 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
ImageIMG_0756 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr

I think these are repairable and will know better once removed I imagine although someone who has done this before may suggest just getting new wings?
Both sides of the car require work on the inner wings so I will eventually have to repair both sides as I have this in the engine bay :crying:

ImageIMG_0753 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr
For now I have drilled all the spot welds on the wing and it wouldn't come loose so I then proceeded onto cutting along the edge of the wing as far as I could get with my grinder. I am now at this point wondering how to get the wing off......
ImageIMG_0757 by Sean Taylor, on Flickr

I have got the wing away from the front valance and also where it is spot welded onto the sill. I now need to get the rest of the wing loose.
If anyone has done this before and knows what my next point of call would be that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for taking time to read,
Sean.
LaserSean91
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Car(s): Golf GTI (Daily Driver)
Ford Capri 1.6 Laser (Restoration Project)
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by LaserSean91 »

Well overdue an update...
As I'm sure many of you on here have experienced, things can take longer than initially planned. Especially when renovating my first house along side the car :roll:
Considering how busy I have been I have still managed to do little bits on the Capri.
Just a few pictures of what I have been up to. Bear in mind this is my first project so go easy on the standard of welding :D

As expected the headlamp bowls were shot at, here's the drivers side repair.

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Seat mount

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Wheels

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Headlamps

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Inner wing

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I will update more when my camera stops playing up. Sorry if it is a bit picture heavy :lol:
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Fordoholic Nick
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Re: My 1986 1.6 Laser

Post by Fordoholic Nick »

Hi Sean,

Fantastic work so far fella. Thanks for the update pics. Keep up the great work and look forward to seeing more pics as you go along. Bet you are well chuffed to see the results so far of your hard work. Nice one !

All the best

Nick
I was born a Fordoholic, They'll bury me a Fordoholic...
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