The Ford Capri Laser Page

Hi folks, nice place you’ve got here

Picked up the above in autumn last year and am about ready to do a few bits. It needs paint, but not desperately, needs rear seat belt mounts/belts, brakes/braided hoses, wheels (they’re too wobbly to balance), and probably won’t hurt to throw some springs and shocks at her while i’m at it. She’s running rich too so needs a good tune up, and the driveline tunnel gets a bit too warm - the diff looks like it needs a new seal and a top up...But apart from all that she’s not bad!! Real head turner, bags of fun to cruise in, and gets the nod/thumbs up all round.

Only thing I’m not 100% on is that I’d like to convert the rear brakes to discs - it seems like a 2.8 or 3.0 rear axle is a popular choice to facilitate that. Is it as simple as a straight swap?

Grateful for any insight anyone is kind enough to offer

Cheers,

Rich

Tricky73 wrote: Only thing I’m not 100% on is that I’d like to convert the rear brakes to discs - it seems like a 2.8 or 3.0 rear axle is a popular choice to facilitate that. Is it as simple as a straight swap?

Grateful for any insight anyone is kind enough to offer

Cheers,

Rich

Hi Rich,

On the axle front I think you will find that the 2.8 and 3.0 units are just the same as the one you have. The cogs in the diff will be different to give different ratios but the casings are basically identical so no need to change the axle.

Cheers Peter, I must have misunderstood then...happy days! So to convert the rear to discs is it just a hub swap? Guess I’ll have to do a bit more homework

A change to a production 2.8i or 3.0 rear axle wont provide rear discs as they had drums.

The easiest brake upgrade for 4 cylinder Capris is to go to the vented front discs and calipers from the 2.8i.

To convert to rear discs you would be looking at aftermarket parts. It's worth searching the forum for brake upgrades. The chances are any question you are thinking of has already been answered a few years ago.

There is some useful stuff on Tickover's website about aftermarket brake upgrades also. (Other vendors are available etc) https://www.tickover.co.uk/brakes.htm Their view seems to be the rear brakes are pretty much ok, others disagree and use Sierra discs on the back with various modifications to make them fit and work.

Not_Anumber wrote:The easiest brake upgrade for 4 cylinder Capris is to go to the vented front discs and calipers from the 2.8i.

A heads up if you decide to do this route, I dropped down 2.8 front discs to my local garage a while back while they were adding my carbs on and they told me you would need 2.8 front legs as well, worth doing though!

D366Y wrote:

Not_Anumber wrote:The easiest brake upgrade for 4 cylinder Capris is to go to the vented front discs and calipers from the 2.8i.

A heads up if you decide to do this route, I dropped down 2.8 front discs to my local garage a while back while they were adding my carbs on and they told me you would need 2.8 front legs as well, worth doing though!

They must be a bit confused. The legs are basically the same. The calipers are also the same just spaced to fit around the vented disc and you would need longer bolts but otherwise you can happily fit 2.8 brakes to a 1.6 or 2.0 legs

The complete kit to convert standard M16 calipers to fit vented discs:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M16-Caliper- ... 0448241154

Andrew.

I'll go back and tell my guy he's a mug then! Thanks Peter and Andrew adding more parts to my shopping list now! (once again Andrew is spending my money wisely )

Cheers
Danny

D366Y wrote: (once again Andrew is spending my money wisely )

You'll soon be on to page 2 of that to-do list Danny!

Andrew.

i bought this complete brake kit from Rally Design..

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_in ... s_id=21725

by the time you buy new seal kits for your original calipers, the new disks and the spacer kit, this package works out much cheaper. mine arrived with wider M16 calipers for the vented disks (no extra spacers). and i fitted it all straight onto the original mk2 1600 front struts (minus the tin backing plates). even fits inside the original steel wheels!

hope this helps Andy

Andrew 2.8i wrote:

D366Y wrote: (once again Andrew is spending my money wisely )

You'll soon be on to page 2 of that to-do list Danny!

Andrew.

That's just taken it onto the last line of the first page, not far off, I'm sure |I'll find plenty more wrong yet