When did the "S" become a Laser?

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When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by whooligan »

Don't get on these forums much these days but I'm on the look out for a 2.0s Capri.

My knowledge is not brilliant on the model so I'm looking for info on when the model changed from "S" to "Laser" and what features distinguishes the "S" as I've come across a few lasers that have been re-badged as "S" models.

Love to pick the brain of an expert as my knowledge is mainly confined to the Mk1 Prefacelift Capris (from Australia) I'm living full time in the UK now so wanting to get into the UK spec Capris.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi,
The Laser was introduced in June 1984, initially as a special edition and later as a regular model in the range. I imagine that dealers would still have been selling old stocks of S spec cars, so a car registered later than that may not necessarily be a Laser.
As far as I'm aware, there are quite a few differences between the two models. I'm sure somebody else will describe the differences in fine detail, but off the top of my head the S has single leaf springs, different seats and door cards, unpainted grille and headlight surrounds.

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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Peter-S »

The S did not have the side rubbing strips either
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

The S also had "S" stripes and badging! :D
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Paul G »

Both my 2.0S and my Laser are B-reg and both were surprisingly registered on the same day, 1/08/84. Neither were fitted with single leafs at the factory althoug my Laser now has them. Only the 2.8i has single leafs as standard.

The Laser is better equiped than the S by having a leather steering wheel and gearknob as standard and it also has the 2.8i front anti roll bar.

The S has the sports "Strobe" striped seats which are much more hard wearing than the Truro crap in the Laser.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Paul G wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:00 pm Neither were fitted with single leafs at the factory
My mistake! :oops:
Must try harder!

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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by pbar »

Is there nothing mechanically different then with the two models does anyone know? Always thought the 'S', which is short for Sport? Meant that it has some sort of prowess. But maybe not then.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by D366Y »

pbar wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:36 am Is there nothing mechanically different then with the two models does anyone know? Always thought the 'S', which is short for Sport? Meant that it has some sort of prowess. But maybe not then.
My understanding was that the engines were the same as the lasers, they just fluffed up the interior and made it look a bit different to sell a laser - much like a 2.8i versus a 2.8 'special' exactly the same apart from the interior, colour coding, and some wheels...
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Jasonmarie »

I might be wrong but I think ford swapped to the 205 block which gave them a 101bhp then a 99bhp on the S .
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Bug »

My A-reg 2.0S had single leaf springs from the factory.
I'm pretty sure they WERE a standard fit when they went to the 5-speed box, or around that same time.

AFAIK the 205 block wasn't used on any Capri was it? Or am I getting muddled with the unleaded head that is often associated with that block?
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by pbar »

D366Y wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:43 am
My understanding was that the engines were the same as the lasers, they just fluffed up the interior and made it look a bit different to sell a laser - much like a 2.8i versus a 2.8 'special' exactly the same apart from the interior, colour coding, and some wheels...
Thank you Danny, basically the same car with a different trim then pretty much.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by pbar »

Bug wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:21 am My A-reg 2.0S had single leaf springs from the factory.
I'm pretty sure they WERE a standard fit when they went to the 5-speed box, or around that same time.

AFAIK the 205 block wasn't used on any Capri was it? Or am I getting muddled with the unleaded head that is often associated with that block?
Thanks Martin. The 205 block was used on some Lasers I think? I couldn't say which ones/years, etc. though.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Not_Anumber »

The presence of the side rubbing strips on the Laser seemed to pitch it as a better equipped version of the LS or the GL rather than a successor to the S.

When deciding to restrict the 4 cylinder Capri range to the Laser, Ford included a fairly high level of equipment to reduce the number of optional extras - it kept buyers happy but further simplified the build process as they were pretty much all the same. Buyer choices became pretty much restricted to engine size and the external colour only. This allowed better economies of scale on a car that was being wound down with lower sales expectations.

It would be interesting to find out if anyone at all at the time managed to persuade a Ford dealer to do a special order Laser at extra cost, maybe deleting the side rubbing strips or fitting the 2.8 interior etc.
Last edited by Not_Anumber on Thu Mar 05, 2020 1:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Bug »

pbar wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:26 am
Bug wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:21 am My A-reg 2.0S had single leaf springs from the factory.
I'm pretty sure they WERE a standard fit when they went to the 5-speed box, or around that same time.

AFAIK the 205 block wasn't used on any Capri was it? Or am I getting muddled with the unleaded head that is often associated with that block?
Thanks Martin. The 205 block was used on some Lasers I think? I couldn't say which ones/years, etc. though.
As I said, I wasn't particularly confident on that bit.
I do think though that the very last Lasers were built grabbing whatever was left on the shelf.
I have seen and owned versions on D-plates that had single or multi-leaf springs.
I have this image of the assembly line running into stores and grabbing whatever was left. :xd:

I think the biggest backward step on the Laser was the seats.
Threw out the lovely sports seats from the S and dumped in re-covered GL seats made of self-unravelling material. (Can you tell I'm not a fan??)
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Jasonmarie »

Both my laser have the 205 block also both had Multi leaf springs one thing I only found out was twin horns as my old laser had a single horn but mine now has a duel horn .
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Major_Tom »

Bug wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:21 am My A-reg 2.0S had single leaf springs from the factory.
I'm pretty sure they WERE a standard fit when they went to the 5-speed box, or around that same time.
Yes, S's should have single leaves. My A-reg had them. But later on, parts bin etc...

Mine didnt have a 205 block.. but its the injection head with slightly bigger ports that give you a few more horses. Nothing to do with the block Im afraid, thats chinese whispers.

Also Im fairly sure only the injection engines had the wider, stronger conrods in the 205 block. So to confirm, just because its a 205 doesnt necessarily mean ypu have the stronger rods. Glyn could tell you more about that though.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Major_Tom »

Oh and Ford never said S meant Sport... old Ford fans like us made that up later 8-)
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Major_Tom »

Oh (again, Im on my second pint of Old Perculiar up in the dales) I believe "proper" S's should have a 4-speed. The later ones had type 9s, in preparation for the Lasers.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by Bug »

I think Tom is perfectly correct in what he says about the 205 engine, in that the biggest gains were to be had swapping it for an injection one. I did that once for a mate. Fitted the engine, loom, ECU and 5 speed box from a Sierra, coupled to all the suspension, fuel tank, accumulator etc from a 2.8i. With a little bit of tweaking we had an easy 135bhp, through the original 3.44:1 diff. Went well.

The best bit about the 205 block is that it is thicker. Doesn't actually make it any better on it's own, as the original block was plenty strong enough. But it does mean you can give it a decent over-bore without weakening it and with less likelihood of hitting any water- or oil-ways.
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Re: When did the "S" become a Laser?

Post by 340truck »

Bug wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:26 pm I think Tom is perfectly correct in what he says about the 205 engine, in that the biggest gains were to be had swapping it for an injection one. I did that once for a mate. Fitted the engine, loom, ECU and 5 speed box from a Sierra, coupled to all the suspension, fuel tank, accumulator etc from a 2.8i. With a little bit of tweaking we had an easy 135bhp, through the original 3.44:1 diff. Went well.

The best bit about the 205 block is that it is thicker. Doesn't actually make it any better on it's own, as the original block was plenty strong enough. But it does mean you can give it a decent over-bore without weakening it and with less likelihood of hitting any water- or oil-ways.
Exactly the same engine spec as the Rat....injection Sierra with original 1.6 4 speed box and axle. Broke the 205 block racing a range rover, fitted a standard block under the injection head, didn't lose any power. As said, the 205 block was just easier to bore to 2.1. I wasn't aware any capris had it as standard but I stand corrected. AFAIK no capris had unleaded suitable heads as standard in any case.
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