Constructed as a salute to Ford’s well-known RS2600, in the present day’s Good Worth or No Cube Capri actually appears the half. Let’s determine if this old-school tribute wants an equally old style value.
Final Friday, we took a have a look at a 2019 Mercedes-Benz E 450 convertible that, between its physique, canvas roof, and leather-swaddled inside, was a chef’s kiss of a coloration palette. It additionally was packed to the gills with issues like huge screens within the sprint, neck heaters within the seats, and a movable spoiler atop the windscreen to assist preserve the cabin gust-free, thus sustaining its occupants’ costly coifs. General, that extra-fancy Benz proved to be in nice form, however age and an absence of guarantee for when any of its devices goes on the blink referred to as into query its $37,900 price ticket. In the end, the guarantee worriers did not win out, with the swank E eking out a slim 53 p.c Good Worth win.
A becoming tribute
Over time, Ford has employed loads of completely different nomenclatures for its efficiency divisions and merchandise. Right here within the U.S. alone, there’s been SVO, SVT, and the evocatively descriptive “Ford Efficiency.” Within the Sixties, Ford of Europe adopted a deal with rally racing, which spawned the TeamRS (Rally Sport) division supporting these efforts. Many rally racing guidelines require homologation of manufacturing vehicles, which naturally led to Ford providing hotter variations of its secure staples for the road, together with legendary fashions such because the Escort RS, Sierra Cosworth RS, and, most vital for in the present day’s dialogue, the Capri RS2600 and RS3100.
Precisely described as a “mini-Mustang,” the Capri was nearly as huge a success with British and European patrons as its older huge brother had been in America. It additionally served the identical function of a Swiss Military Knife in Ford’s Euro lineup, attracting everybody from the fashion acutely aware to the yobbos with its collection of 4 and six-cylinder engines and numerous choice packages.
Hammond eggs
This 1974 Capri is claimed to have been modded to evoke the expertise of the vaunted RS2600. It actually appears the half, having traded its ungainly U.S. bumpers for the sooner blade fashion within the again and Nerf bars in entrance, in addition to a blacked-out hood and window surrounds. It additionally wears period-correct minilite-style wheels and, befitting its model reassignment, has been denuded of its Mercury badging. The black-over-yellow coloration mixture may really feel a bit acquainted since it is very near that of the Capri 3000GXL that Richard Hammond drove within the last “The Grand Tour” episode, One For The Road.
This one, nonetheless, appears to be in fairly a bit higher situation than Hammond’s automobile. The paint is clear, and the bodywork beneath that’s straight. Apart from the absent badging, it appears to have all its trim, as properly. The cabin includes a pair of old-school Recaro buckets paired with a freshly upholstered rear seat. All the things else seems pretty inventory and blissfully analog, proper all the way down to the winder home windows and Armstrong energy steering.
A dab of Cologne
One factor that is not inventory is the shifter, which is taller than the inventory stick and wears a later-style knob on the highest. That is required for the five-speed transmission that has been fitted to the automobile, which apparently additionally demanded the modification of the console to work correctly. That has resulted in what appears to be the nubbiest E-brake ever conceived and sure the inside’s solely flaw.
Forward of the five-speed sits the automobile’s power majeure, a 2.8-liter carbureted version of Ford’s evergreen Cologne V6. That is fitted with a customized air filter and “Capri V6” branded valve covers. That is a bit of glitz and makes for an especially tidy presentation within the repainted engine bay. Exhaust is by means of tubular headers, and people name consideration to the V6’s bizarre two-and-one exhaust porting. That engine does present warmth for the cabin and vacuum for the facility entrance disc/rear drum brakes however gives nothing in the best way of A/C.
Per the advert, the clean-title automobile comes with 77,777 miles on the clock, and is described as being “enjoyable to drive.”
However is it a enjoyable deal?
Now, as a lot as this automobile remembers Hammond’s adventurous Capri, a lot of you may be recalling one other, more moderen version, the wildly modded V8-powered edition we looked at several weeks back. That automobile had lots occurring—maybe greater than most of us cared for. At nearly $20K, it additionally requested for lots of financial institution.
This one has some mods, however they’re much much less audacious and much more applicable for the time and the automobile’s tribute function. And, at $16,000, this one is an efficient bit cheaper as properly.
What’s your tackle this tribute Capri and that $16,000 asking? Does that really feel truthful, contemplating the automobile’s situation and presentation? Or is that an excessive amount of dough to dis-tribute for its buy?
You determine!
Good Worth or No Cube:
Orange County, California, Craigslist, or go here if the advert disappears.
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