The Ford Capri Laser Page

Morning all,
I’ll soon be needing a pair of these. Anyone got experience of the fit & quality of the CCI version vs. Ashley (could be the same but the pics don’t look like it), or another make? There doesn’t seem to be many options about nowadays.
I know stainless would be good but I can’t find any off the shelf, a few places can fabricate to fit but my car hasn’t run for years & has been rebuilt fully, so I want to get it running at home for the first time. That rules out sending it for a custom job & of course the costs are pretty high.
All comments & shared experiences will be gratefully received.
Matt

I'm pretty sure Ashley, CCi and Sportex kits are all exactly the same

I was looking at this a while back as well and couldn't find anything else at all

Custom made and delivered. Same as the 3.0 system although, you might need to cut the flange off your manifolds then sleeve and clamp the system onto them? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385209737078 ... R_DnuP61YQ


Janspeed were always the best system in my opinion but the last I knew they were making them in batches to order. They would be more expensive than the system I linked above! Tel; 01722 321833 or [email protected]

Admittedly stainless are more expensive, but once fitted shouldn't need replacing again unlike the mild steel Ashley etc.

andyd wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:01 am Custom made and delivered. Same as the 3.0 system although, you might need to cut the flange off your manifolds then sleeve and clamp the system onto them? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385209737078 ... ote][quote]

Thanks Andyd,

That looks like good value for S/S! Do you think replacing the original flexi-joints to the manifolds with sleeves might be problematic due to them being inflexible?

Cheers,
Matt

I'm no expert but have fitted Janspeeds to a 3.0 and 2.8.

Janspeeds come with flanges so easy to connect to the 3.0, and they can be cut off to sleeve the 2.8.

The 2.8 manifolds don't have the flange https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270715330786 ... R8r52oG2YQ

Assuming your manifolds are like these? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295377023135 ... R8r52oG2YQ


You could probably buy a pair of flanges or use your old ones and get them welded to the system then bolt to manifolds, or sleeve into the manifold and system as not much space to overlap /clamp onto the 3.0 manifold!?

andyd wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:59 am I'm no expert but have fitted Janspeeds to a 3.0 and 2.8.

Janspeeds come with flanges so easy to connect to the 3.0, and they can be cut off to sleeve the 2.8.


Assuming your manifolds are like these? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295377023135 ... R8r52oG2YQ


You could probably buy a pair of flanges or use your old ones and get them welded to the system then bolt to manifolds, or sleeve into the manifold and system as not much space to overlap /clamp onto the 3.0 manifold!?

Yeh, they’re the ones. I’ve messaged the seller of the S/S to ask if they can supply ‘trumpet’ extensions to mate up with my manifolds, since there’s no room to clamp if I cut the flares off.

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated,
Matt

I purchased a CCI System last year and the fit is not the best, I think the main silencers should be closer to the floor and the tailpipes are at different angles no matter how much fiddling I have tried. The Stainless tailpipes do look smart though.
I also find the booming between 2500 and 3000 rpm annoying.
I did contact Janspeed and they are not making any systems for at least a couple of months.
I did find another option https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204112140395. or this one https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254171365578
I know the first one says they dont post but I have a friend who lives in Germany who said he can organise that for £70 or I might be going over there in the next couple of months in the car so can collect it.
A warning with Stainless, it can sound tinny.
If your interested I do have a brand new Sportex system that is yours for £125 collected from Oxfordshire.

I have a set of Sportex pipes on mine and whilst sounding great the rear tailpipes are a nightmare, everytime I go over even a relatively small bump the rear spring(s) hit the pipes and I have yet to find a cure for it, the rear tailpipes are simply shaped/curved wrong, also with 205 60 13 tyres fitted the O/S tailpipe has a very good chance of rubbing against the inner wall of the tyre. They sound nice though.......

Wayne

andyd wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:59 am I'm no expert but have fitted Janspeeds to a 3.0 and 2.8.

Janspeeds come with flanges so easy to connect to the 3.0, and they can be cut off to sleeve the 2.8.

The 2.8 manifolds don't have the flange https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270715330786 ... R8r52oG2YQ

Assuming your manifolds are like these? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295377023135 ... R8r52oG2YQ


You could probably buy a pair of flanges or use your old ones and get them welded to the system then bolt to manifolds, or sleeve into the manifold and system as not much space to overlap /clamp onto the 3.0 manifold!?

Just a word of warning regarding the Essex V6 Sportex manifolds, the O/S manifold isn't shaped correctly - the pipe for cylinder number 3 at the back of the engine can hit the servo, Tickover even contacted Sportex regarding this issue and they didn't get a reply......

Wayne

Agreed, the Sportex manifolds are a pain in the arse, not only are they badly formed, the drivers side one actually catches on the steering column UJ. I've had this issue on two different 3 litres that have had these manifolds fitted.
I recently fitted a Janspeed system onto a set of standard manifolds and the job was completed in less than one hour. The same job on a set of Sportex manifolds was closer to three hours, absolute pain of a job.

Thanks everyone for your input.
I had read some negative reports on the Sportex systems, so I'd ruled them out, your experiences have confirmed that's the right decision for me.
I've do have my orignal manifolds, they'll tidy up & since they are tubular anyway there's not much to gain by going for bigger I reckon.
For the system; I have heard some 'tinny' sounding systems on other cars - I don't want that for mine & they all seem to be standard too. So I'm down to CCI or Ashley, Burton sell Ashley & the picture shows a logo pressed into the silencer which suggests they aren't the same from CCI?.
I did fit a CCI system to my car many many years ago before I took it off the road; I remember it was a fiddle but satisfactory in the end; it just didn't last very long; I only used it for five years as a daily driver & it went through two systems, the second being shot at the end of that time.
I know they rot out from the inside but I might paint my new ones to see if I can eke out a bit more lifespan, it can't hurt. Problem is, my car won't be doing many miles & that's not great for mild steel systems.
Unless anyone says definitely don't do it because..., it looks like another CCI system for me.

Cheers,
Matt

I don't quite get the stainless steel fascination personally. I bought a whole system, including brackets etc. for a Laser which came to around £90 I think it was, delivered. With that in mind, I could buy another 6 or 7 full systems, all nice and easy to fit, for less than a stainless one will cost, so even if each one lasts for, say, 8 years, that's still a whopping 50 years I'd be getting out of them, and as said, still cheaper than stainless. The one I fitted, several years ago now, has a lovely noise/rumble to it too.

The CCI system I bought last year came painted and to a reasonable standard.
As far as stainless steel goes it can be a good option on cars used mainly for shorter runs, I personally dont like the sound of a lot of stainless systems. often tinny and can droan.

I'd definitely recommend Klarius exhausts, based on my own experience.

My stainless cost about 900 all in and that was for a whole system including manifold

I've gone through about 3 or 4 Sportex/CCI kits, add on the manifold for each (and at least one, possibly two extra manifolds on top because they also rusted away) so at £150 (Ish) for a system, and an extra £150 for manifolds that means I spent about £1000 across the course of about 8years - granted split between two cars, but for me it was a no brainer

I'm not sure what the lifespan of a mild steel exhaust is expected to be, but 15 to 20 years should be the norm, I would have thought.
I've got the same mild steel exhaust that was on my Capri when I bought it 10 years ago. There's no sign of exterior surface corrosion.
My Toyota has the original factory fitted exhaust and that is 19 years old this year.

In terms of stainless systems being more cost effective over their lifetime when compared to the cost of a mild steel exhaust, I sincerely doubt.

Andrew.

Andrew 2.8i wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 4:52 pm I'm not sure what the lifespan of a mild steel exhaust is expected to be, but 15 to 20 years should be the norm

It depends on how the vehicle is used, lots of short runs or starting the car for 10 mins will allow the water vapour to collect. Cars used mainly for long runs can see as you say a system lasting 15 plus years.

Andrew 2.8i wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 4:52 pm In terms of stainless systems being more cost effective over their lifetime when compared to the cost of a mild steel exhaust, I sincerely doubt.

Yes, just the point I was making. Also, fitting it is straight forward, satisfying and good fun, can't understand why anyone would only wish to do it once. Just don't get the fascination about stainless steel at all.

Personally I hate fitting the exhaust
Ballache of a job in my experience laying rolling around in the dirt struggling on me todd!

I think the use I get out of them may be in part to how they are used - obviously I use mine all year-round, rain, sleet, snow, grit, mud, etc.

Either way, I wouldn't sell stainless to anyone more than any other option, but in my personal experience the mild steel systems have been crap and stainless solved it for me. If the mild steel kits have gotten better or the older ones are better or whatever then they are great - I loved mine (the sound, the simplicity) before it started rusting to shit out of nowhere

D366Y wrote: ↑Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:44 pm Personally I hate fitting the exhaust
Ballache of a job in my experience laying rolling around in the dirt struggling on me todd!

Wear tighter fitting trousers to reduce ballache and to stop you struggling so much with your todd.