Taking the plunge..

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ssornai
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Taking the plunge..

Post by ssornai »

Hello all!

Been snooping around these forums for a few months now but this is my first post. I must say this place seems like a goldmine of knowledge and advice so thought I'd throw out a few questions. We've recently moved into a place with a garage so it's finally time to start looking for the dream car!
The budget is around 10-14k and I'm looking for a late MK3 (85 onwards ideally!) . I've a feeling the Brooklands is way over budget so leaning towards a 2.8i or 2.8i special although open to suggestions and advice!

I've done a bit of research myself but decided it was time to ask the experts a long list of rambling questions! Any help is massively appreciated!

1. Are all the 2.8's 5 speeds or are there some 4 speed varieties and if so which is which?

2. Likewise with power steering, am I right in saying all the 2.8's have power steering?

3. I realise this could be opening a can of worms but what makes the special so special? I understand there were different wheels/trim and I think the LSD but is there more I'm not aware of? Just want to be sure what's being advertised for sale is what is says it is and not something rebadged!

4. What are the worst problem areas for rust to look out for? Or would it be easier to ask where not to look? :lol:

5. Is a sunroof more hassle than it's worth?

6. Any other tips or advice on what to look out for when viewing a car would be very welcome!


Cheers in advance, have wanted a Capri all my life and it's getting very exciting now the dream is getting achievable!

Ian

:beer:
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Arya2.0S
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Arya2.0S »

ssornai wrote:Hello all!

Been snooping around these forums for a few months now but this is my first post. I must say this place seems like a goldmine of knowledge and advice so thought I'd throw out a few questions. We've recently moved into a place with a garage so it's finally time to start looking for the dream car!
The budget is around 10-14k and I'm looking for a late MK3 (85 onwards ideally!) . I've a feeling the Brooklands is way over budget so leaning towards a 2.8i or 2.8i special although open to suggestions and advice!

I've done a bit of research myself but decided it was time to ask the experts a long list of rambling questions! Any help is massively appreciated!

1. Are all the 2.8's 5 speeds or are there some 4 speed varieties and if so which is which?

2. Likewise with power steering, am I right in saying all the 2.8's have power steering?

3. I realise this could be opening a can of worms but what makes the special so special? I understand there were different wheels/trim and I think the LSD but is there more I'm not aware of? Just want to be sure what's being advertised for sale is what is says it is and not something rebadged!

4. What are the worst problem areas for rust to look out for? Or would it be easier to ask where not to look? :lol:

5. Is a sunroof more hassle than it's worth?

6. Any other tips or advice on what to look out for when viewing a car would be very welcome!


Cheers in advance, have wanted a Capri all my life and it's getting very exciting now the dream is getting achievable!

Ian

:beer:
I cant speak for points 1 2 and 3, but the rest i can offer advice on based 100% on personal experience:

Worst problems for rust, especially on 2.8's (i heard they are the worst when it comes to rot), are pretty much the same areas that plague every Capri.
You will need to check the inner wings, the a-pillars, around the headlights, and if they are gone here that usually means the headlight bowls are gone too.
Check the wings along the top and near the scuttle plate they always go here too. Check along where the wings join to the front valance too, always a trouble spot.
The rear valance can be a breeding ground for tin worm, also check the rear arches down by the spring hangers, and on the rear quarters along the sill just before the wheel arch.
The driver side and passenger side foot wells can rot, as can the rears. If the front foot wells are gone, this likely means the bulkhead is rotten too, or water is getting in under the windscreen and tricking down.
The leading edge of the bonnet usually goes too, as can the scuttle plate in front of the windscreen, also check every square inch of the chassis, and the bottom of the petrol tank and tank itself. So yeah, would have been easier to list the places that DONT rust lol.

As for the sunroof, if it works perfectly then DONT TOUCH IT! Stay well clear of it and be happy it works and never ever touch it outside of operating it normally.
Otherwise yes, they are more hassle than they are worth!
Take it from someone who literally nearly had a nervous breakdown over his own. (no exaggeration)
If the sunroof doesn't work properly, scratches the paint, or one of the two configurations dont work properly (tilt and slide) walk away, or if your brave it would be easier to weld the hole up than it would be to fix any issues it might have. Seriously, they are way more hassle than they are worth and an utter nightmare.
I spent days trying to get mine to work properly, in the end i settled for it only working with the tilt function, otherwise i probably would have ended up in A&E and an aneurysm.

I'd also recommend forgetting about the overrated and over complicated 2.8 and get a carbed Pinto or V6 powered S model instead, but thats just me. *biased* :whistle:
ssornai
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by ssornai »

Cheers for the speedy reply!

I'll definitely be taking your advice on the sunroof anyway, that sounds like a potential nightmare. Who needs a sunroof in Ireland anyway :lol:
Out of interest is the sunroof manually controlled or electric?

Sure I'll do a bit of research into the Pinto and S, knowledge is power and all that :D

I imagine checking the petrol tank would be tricky without throwing it up on a ramp?

Cheers for the info, I have much to learn!

Ian
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Paul G »

I agree with all that Arya has said.

The special models, which came out mid 1984, has the LSD, they also had a grey half-leather interior and the 5 speed box which was fitted to all 2.8i s from about 1983 onwards. Early (1981 - 83) models were fitted with the 4 speed box and the "pepperpot" wheels. Some say they are better than the 5 speeders - it's a matter of opinion and personal choice. There were actually 47 factory built automatic ones built as well - I actually owned one back in the early nineties for a short while.

All had power steering.

Regarding rust - well all of them are pretty good at rusting as prviously said. In addition to what Arya said I would thoroughly check each end of where the rear springs mount - the spring hangers. The rearmost end can be difficult to see with the spring shackles and the exhaust boxes in the way but have a good poke around when you inspect a car. Also have a very good look up in the inner wheel arches - back and front as that's where most of the grot starts and check the lower rear corners under the bumper caps(inside and out)as there are some that have rusted and just been repaired with filler. These rust badly as Ford in their infinate wisdom filled behind them with expanding foam which gets damp and causes the rot.

Running wise there are people on this forum much more experienced with the 2.8 than me but ask to see the car when it hasn't been started and start it from cold and go for a drive checking it runs smoothly and correctly from cold up till it is fully warmed up. Give it a good long test run and check that there is no overheating and check under the bonnet for any obvious leaks, horrible noises or traces thereof. Also, as with any car you would look at, check that there are no unusual or excessive noises coming from the gearbox, axle or drive train.

The last thing I would say is just check the trim and interior are all good, very little is available new and is very expensive - a second hand sunroof handle could be up to £50 for example although mechanical parts availability is quite good if you don't mind quality aftermarket rather than genuine Ford.

Your budget should be sufficient for a nice example or a 2.8i special but if you're not sure then do take a mechanic or be nice to someone on here and get it checked over thoroughly.

Good luck and please post pictures of what you buy.
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by andyd »

Welcome :wave:
V6 fan here :D
I have a 2.9 Sierra XR4X4, which if desired is a much cheaper option than the Capri, as is the 2.8 XR4i or 4X4, but still running the V6 Cologne.

Anyway Capri's; Had several 2.8's (1 x 4 speed, 2 x Brooklands) and a 3.0 Ghia Auto.....All good with no reason to complain.
If you like Carla Interior and 4 speed box, then it's got to be an early 2.8i or 3.0S. In my experience Auto Boxes on the V6 are ok, depending what variant you prefer.

Some 2.8's can have running issues if not used frequently, but this is a caution and with regular driving should be fine.

Which ever model you go for buy the best example you can afford, following the good advice from members comments above. And if it's not broken leave it alone :lol:

:goodluck:

Andy
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Arya2.0S »

ssornai wrote:Cheers for the speedy reply!

I'll definitely be taking your advice on the sunroof anyway, that sounds like a potential nightmare. Who needs a sunroof in Ireland anyway :lol:
Out of interest is the sunroof manually controlled or electric?

Sure I'll do a bit of research into the Pinto and S, knowledge is power and all that :D

I imagine checking the petrol tank would be tricky without throwing it up on a ramp?

Cheers for the info, I have much to learn!

Ian
You can check the petrol tank for the most part just by jacking the car up and taking the rear wheels off. You wont be able to see the whole thing, but chances are if these visible areas are good the rest should be fine too. Not a though rough test but better than nothing.

The sunroof is mechanical, but has a total mind of its own seemingly. It WILL NOT cooperate if there is an issue, so make sure you find one with no issues or get a car that doesn't have one at all (best option).

Oh yes as Paul G mentioned, check the corners under the rear bumper end caps too, i totally forgot about those. They are one of the worst parts of the car when it comes to rust for the reasons Paul mentioned.
OH! And also check to make sure the outriggers arent squashed. These often get confused for jacking points and end up getting severely damaged. New pattern parts are available, but it'll be a nightmare to fix and costly too if you cant weld.
Dont forget to check under the spare wheel as well. The floor often goes rotten here too.
I think that covers everything....long story short: CHECK EVERYTHING! lol.
Good luck! I look forward to seeing what you end up with.
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi,
Welcome to the forum! :welcome:
The others have given excellent advice, and I can't really add much to what the others have said as all your questions in the original posts have been answered. In reference to point 5, there aren't many cars around without a sunroof, so you'd most likely have to have one whether you want it or not!
I would suggest getting out and about to shows where there are Capris on display. The owners will be only too happy to chat to you at length about the model they own and about Capri ownership in general.

In terms of general buying advice, and this is just common sense, I'd be extremely cautious about buying any car that has recently been repainted. It's easy to be swayed by the new shiny paintwork, but you never know what fresh paint can hide a multitude of sins....

I think it's fair to say that if you buy the right car, you'll never regret your decision to take the plunge and buy a Capri! :D

Andrew.
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ssornai
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by ssornai »

Thanks for all the great advice guys, hugely appreciated!
Interesting point about newly resprayed cars, wouldn't have occurred to me that they could be hiding something dodgy underneath!
Checking everywhere for rust seems like a solid plan too :lol: Great to have an idea of the worst areas to look out for though..

Out of interest is there much interior-wise to be particularly skeptical of? I've seen that the dashboards seems to be prone to cracking so that's definitely one to watch out for..

I'll certainly keep ye updated on anything I view/buy, there isn't a massive selection here in Ireland so a spin over to the UK might be on the cards in the near future..

So far this has jumped out at me and seems very reasonably priced, would love to get some opinions! http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C868159

[url]http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C868159/url]
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Paul G »

Looks OK from the advert but may pay to contact the seller to get him to email you more pictures.

If you don't mind a bit of spanner work this one would be a good proposition and from what is said about it in the for sale section of this forum it would be a real bargain as well. It has had a full and total restoration using genuine Ford parts and just needs the bumpers and lights etc finishing off. Might be worth a look as a fallback and it sure won't have any rust or cracked dashboards. Would be worth £15K upwards when finished.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C884016
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Jasonmarie »

Hi and welcome
I took on the search for a car a few years ago and did look at quiet a few before my car found me , as many on here we all have the passion for the Capri and some of us love the pintos where the rest are 2.8i and the 3.0 ,but it all depends on what you really want .
On my many capri visits I check all the history and paper work on the car even down to mots and Tax disks . Also I check the car could run on unleaded and if so where was the paper work for that . If car has been resprayed see if they have any pictures . Then on checking the car I went around with a fridge magnet looking for filler and my God did I find some real bad jobs .
If you can get somebody on here who really knows there stuff to go along with you as more the eyes better the findings .
I do have a book on buying a Capri somewhere but easy to buy from Amazon .

Rust and body work is the main cost of the car .

And after I bought my car I did around 500 miles trying to find fault with the car and then I had the car given a full service from the chaps at Tickover in Dartford so I new I had a good car and not a polished turd . And there after some rusty old cars out there .

I am a bit OCD and not alone on here but I did really check the car and when I was happy with my findings I did a car check for £9.99 and all come back good .

And one last thing there are some scams going on so never take the cash with you like they do on the tv and only see the car at the address on the log book .

Hope I have not scared you away as they will give you that big smile on your face everyday you drive her ..... :lowrider:

Sorry phone going so have not checked spelling ........
Ford Capri 2.0 Laser 1987 Mercury Grey ....... :beer:
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

ssornai wrote:So far this has jumped out at me and seems very reasonably priced, would love to get some opinions! http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C868159
Hi,
It's hard to tell from the photos. There's no substitute for viewing the car in person.
One thing stands out though, the seller says it in "totally original condition" and that it's not a "tarted up wreck", which it probably isn't. If you look at the third photo down though, there appears to be some overspray on the door rubber, although it could just be the paint reflecting on the rubber. The dashboard looks to have one of those leather covers fitted, so that's probably damaged beyond repair. Obviously the headlight inspection covers are missing. That's no big issue in itself, as they are one of the few parts that are easy to find, but are they missing because the car has had a bodywork repair in that area?
The seller says the car has the original front wings. It's easy to check, original Ford wings are double skinned on the bit above the headlight and the underside will have a triangular cut out. The drip rails will have dimples along the length too.

The gold car that Paul linked to looks to be a good car. I think that there could be a liitle negotiation room on the price, as in my opinion, the little bit of work required to finish the car will put a lot of buyers off.

What area of the country are you in?

All the best,
Andrew.
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi,
Before I forget, this buyer's guide covers the basics, it gives some good pointers to look for. Be aware that it was written quite some time ago, but then so were most of the books on buying a Capri.

Andrew.
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Not_Anumber »

Its great to see someone new join the forum and ask all the right questions before taking the plunge. There are some really helpful people on here who can give you lots of advice.

I did the same late last year and was very glad that i did.
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by ssornai »

Thanks for even more golden advice! :cheers:

The gold Capri certainly looks beautifully restored, I'll definitely keep it in mind. I might make contact and try to get some more info on the special, I'll be back here with more questions undoubtedly!

I'm in Cork, Ireland so it's straightforward enough to make it over for a viewing or two. Cheers for the link to the buyers guide too, more light reading for me! I must say I feel like I've learned a huge amount already from these forums but have a long way to go!!

Great tip with the fridge magnet too, I'll definitely be taking a holiday fridge magnet along with me :lol:

Out of interest what are the implications if the car isn't converted to run on unleaded? Some sort of fuel additive?

Also would anybody be able to recommend somewhere I can get more technical info online? Going to invest in a Haynes Manual but are any other manuals available online (certainly nothing that could be downloaded illegally) :roll:

The search continues :ebay:
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

ssornai wrote:Out of interest what are the implications if the car isn't converted to run on unleaded? Some sort of fuel additive?
Hi,
There are two options. You can either use additive, or save the money that you would have spent using the additive to get the required work done.
Personally, I'm happy to use regular unleaded with an additive.
I used to use Castrol valvemaster, but I've recently started using Miller's VSPE as it claims to have extra protection from ethanol in petrol.

Andrew.
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by ssornai »

Cheers Andrew, is there much work involved to convert the car to run on unleaded?
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Lord Flasheart »

If your interested in the gold 3.0 Ghia one, PM me & i'll pass on the contact details of the seller as he is a mate of mine.

I'm off to a show very shortly but I'll be back this evening ;)
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Not_Anumber »

The conversion to unleaded involves work on the exhaust valve seats.

You will save money if you remove the head yourself and take it into an engineering shop. If you give the job to a garage you will be paying for their time to do the easy part you could do yourself and they will also charge a margin for subbing the real work out to the same engineering workshop that you could go to directly.

Alternatively the head on the late Pinto engined Sierras was setup for unleaded and would be a straight swap. Not sure if the same applied to the late Sierra 2.8 V6 heads.
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by tejb1 »

Before even viewing a car, the DVLC has an online service to view MoT history back to 2005. This includes the reported mileage so you can see how the car has been used.

Check to see what it's failed on in the past - if corrosion, that would give you an idea of where to pay more attention to if you go to view it. Check any repairs are to a good standard and holding up.

It's difficult to draw inference in some cases though... some cars belonging to lackadaisical owners fail annually (sometimes on easy stuff) and they just pay to get it through the test. If someone is too tight to buy tyres or wipers until forced to do so, what else have they neglected?
Probably unlikely you'll see that on modern MoTs, but I'll bet many Capris had less than careful owners in the 90s!

There is a Haynes manual around and also a Ford service manual has been reprinted. Those plus this forum haven't ever failed me in finding a solution. Good luck, the plunge is worth it!
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Re: Taking the plunge..

Post by Alanb67 »

Andrew 2.8i wrote:
ssornai wrote:Out of interest what are the implications if the car isn't converted to run on unleaded? Some sort of fuel additive?
Hi,
There are two options. You can either use additive, or save the money that you would have spent using the additive to get the required work done.
Personally, I'm happy to use regular unleaded with an additive.
I used to use Castrol valvemaster, but I've recently started using Miller's VSPE as it claims to have extra protection from ethanol in petrol.

Andrew.
I also use an additive. It's not a problem for me. You can get good deals on ebay rather than buying frim an accessory shop or the petrol station. I suppose ifcaou run your car a lot it may be worth getting it converted.
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