The Ford Capri Laser Page

Hi,
I went through all photos of this car:
https://www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/vehicles/26907/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kgfclassi ... 0300880380

...and I noticed that it has sill hem painted in black. I thought that it was always in body color, so I went through all my Capri brochures and pictures etc. and it looks like (picture quality isn't always good) 2.8i Specials and Lasers have it black. Am I right?
2.8i 4 speed and older Capris have it in body color for sure.

But I have 2.8i 5 speed (1983 - 1984) and I can't find good picture to prove it. In Ford Cars brochure from may 1984 there is red 2.8i 5 speed and it looks it has black sill hem. But I also finded pictures of 5 speed (in sale last year) and it has it in body color. But it was maybe resprayed.

Thanks for any ideas.

One more question. That white Special has some fabric pad where bonnet latch hits body. It isn't original from Ford, right?


Tom

Well spotted, Tom.

I haven't got a clue, but could it be some black rustproofing like Waxoyl sprayed on the sill?

Andrew.

Maybe, but it's only from outer side of hem and also it isn't too much evenly sprayed.

My first thought was that it's simply for "hiding" sill hem. It isn't too much visible in black. But I don't know.
However I want to find out if I should paint it in black on my 2.8i or not.

So if anybody has any original pictures from 80's or present pictures of original unrespreyed 2.8i 5 speed or something like that, I'd appreciate it.


Thanks

Tom

I've got a brochure from '83 that clearly shows a 2.8 with the sill hem painted in body colour.
My scanner isn't currently working, so I can't scan a photo, however, I'll try to take a photo in natural light tomorrow.

Andrew.

You can see flecks of black overspray on surrounding areas, so to me this isn't factory finish.

Would look better white in my opinion.

Andrew 2.8i wrote: ↑Sat Jul 30, 2022 6:36 pm I've got a brochure from '83 that clearly shows a 2.8 with the sill hem painted in body colour.
My scanner isn't currently working, so I can't scan a photo, however, I'll try to take a photo in natural light tomorrow.

Andrew.

Ok, thanks Andrew!

Is it Capri brochure or Ford Cars? And what color is that 2.8i? Maybe I have this brochure too.


Tom

Andrew 2.8i wrote: ↑Sat Jul 30, 2022 5:12 pm
I haven't got a clue, but could it be some black rustproofing like Waxoyl sprayed on the sill?

Andrew.

That would be my bet also.

andyd wrote: ↑Sat Jul 30, 2022 6:51 pm You can see flecks of black overspray on surrounding areas, so to me this isn't factory finish.

Would look better white in my opinion.

Looks rough, I agree. But I don't find any picture of Special or Laser where is clearly visible that it isn't black. On all it looks like black.


Tom

T.M. wrote: ↑Sat Jul 30, 2022 7:16 pm Is it Capri brochure or Ford Cars? And what color is that 2.8i? Maybe I have this brochure too.

Hi Tom,
It's a Capri brochure, this is the front cover.



Here is the 2.8 photo that shows the sill:



A close up of that photo:



Finally, the interior shot that shows the featured car is a 5 speed pre-Special:



I hope that helps!

Andrew.

Looking again at the black paint on the sill of that white car, it looks to me like a stonechip paint has been been sprayed onto the sill.
Because of the overspray that Andy mentioned and the non-even coverage, I would be almost certain that it has not been factory applied.

Andrew.

Mine had Dentrol rust proofing from day one and the sills are sprayed inside not on outer edge my old laser that was a year old when I bought her never had black sills it was all the same colour .
My mk5 cortina had black sills from the factory .

Andrew 2.8i wrote: ↑Sun Jul 31, 2022 8:08 am
Hi Tom,
It's a Capri brochure...

...I hope that helps!

Andrew.

Hi Andrew,
thanks!
I have this brochure too, but this picture is actually 80's "photoshop". Originaly it's from 1981 brochure, so it's 2.8i 4 speed. Check picture below from 1981 german brochure, it has 4 speed fender stickers and Carla checked seat fabric is visible on rear seats. And also your photo is RHD this is LHD.
In fact there is a lot of "photoshop" action in Capri (probably all Ford) brochures in the 80's.

Andrew 2.8i wrote: ↑Sun Jul 31, 2022 8:11 am Looking again at the black paint on the sill of that white car, it looks to me like a stonechip paint has been been sprayed onto the sill.
Because of the overspray that Andy mentioned and the non-even coverage, I would be almost certain that it has not been factory applied.

Andrew.

Jasonmarie wrote: ↑Sun Jul 31, 2022 9:34 am Mine had Dentrol rust proofing from day one and the sills are sprayed inside not on outer edge my old laser that was a year old when I bought her never had black sills it was all the same colour .
My mk5 cortina had black sills from the factory .

I also asked Steve Saxty, he has good contacts and always is very helpful.
He asked Geoff Fox, who was at Ford's SVE in 80's and he replied this:
"This would not be unique to the 2.8i…. It would be part of the end of production beautification programme for Capri….. I suspect it would even be dealer applied as part of the PDI. It certainly didn’t come under my control. The overspray effect would not be accepted in plant & would be masked!"



So yes, it looks like additional "dealer action" and not every Capri had it, like Jason confirmed.

Thanks guys!


Tom

If you zoom in on some of the pictures of the White Capri on Ebay for £72k you can see the black on the hem and that has never been painted.

Interstingly when I had my sills repainted recently ( numerous stonechips) the very same question came up from the painter, my car is Solar Gold and having a Gold hem looked odd, we looked at various pictures in brochures and concluded that the hem and the underside of the sill should be in black.

SCP440 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 31, 2022 12:43 pm If you zoom in on some of the pictures of the White Capri on Ebay for £72k you can see the black on the hem and that has never been painted.

Interstingly when I had my sills repainted recently ( numerous stonechips) the very same question came up from the painter, my car is Solar Gold and having a Gold hem looked odd, we looked at various pictures in brochures and concluded that the hem and the underside of the sill should be in black.

Hi,
that white Capri is probably the same from my first post.

Now I also look at other Capri which KGF sold and if it has original paint it has black hem. But they were always later Capris, Special or Laser.


Tom

I can confirm that the last laser and all the 280s did not have a black sill , also my other Mercury grey Capri never had a black sill .
I will try and find the original photos I got from the 1st owner of mine as a later one shows no black sill .



I guess the garage he got it from sprayed the sills ?

Jasonmarie wrote: ↑Sun Jul 31, 2022 8:09 pm I can confirm that the last laser and all the 280s did not have a black sill , also my other Mercury grey Capri never had a black sill .
I will try and find the original photos I got from the 1st owner of mine as a later one shows no black sill .

I guess the garage he got it from sprayed the sills ?

Yes, garage probably did it.
But I think it made no difference in preventing from rust at all. It's randomly sprayed and only from outer side near sill hem corner...

By the way, nice garden with many interesting machines. Is it your garden?


Tom

I agree it does look a little slap dash spray job , but I do spray mine with a clear xcp rust blocker , it’s great stuff I do this every year before laying her up over winter .

No this was the original owners sons house in suffolk .