1985 Capri 2.8i

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Fri 23 Feb 2001 16:57
1985 Capri 2.8i - Roger Jones
I have a 1985 2.8i Capri in which someone has expressed an interest. It has been sitting on axle blocks in my dry garage for several years. It was originally my company car and I loved it so much that I bought it for personal use, but that didn't work out as expected because I then suffered severely from a back problem and it was agony getting in and out of that low-slung Recaro seat.

When in use it was regularly serviced through its 56k life. When I bought it for personal use I decided to fix the rear axle, from which a grinding noise had been coming intermittently, a noise that of course the several Ford main dealers could never hear until it came to recommending that the whole axle be replaced. After spending serious money on getting that done, I found out via the Capri Owners Club magazine that in all probability the wrong lubricant had been installed on first manufacture. Oy vey!

The bodywork is almost free of rust, save for a couple of very small patches at the front, which have been covered in petroleum jelly since I first noticed them. The engine needs adapting to unleaded fuel, but the last time I checked I was advised by a Ford main agent that it would cost no more than 30 quid to do it.

Anyway, what would be a reasonable offer to expect from someone enthusiastic about putting it back in motion and attracted by the fact that, unlike most of its peers, it has had one careful driver since new?
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Sat 24 Feb 2001 10:24
Re: 1985 Capri 2.8i - John Slaughter
Don't know what the car's worth, but watch that £30 'unleaded conversion'. Sounds like an expensive ignition retiming to me. It sure isn't a valve seat job, and I'm sure a car of that era would need either a valve seat job or a lead substitute in the fuel.

Regards

John
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Sat 24 Feb 2001 19:55
Re: 1985 Capri 2.8i - Andrew Moorey
Be warned that converting the 2.8i to run on unleaded by fitting hardened valve seats is fraught with peril as there is very little "meat" in the valve area to machine. I recently gave a pair of heads to a VERY reputable engineering shop and neither survived. Instead I fitted a pair of heads from Ivor Searle.
With reference to the £30 job; perhaps someone is trying to get rid of some "Fuel Cat" or "Prozone" units cheap?????
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Sat 24 Feb 2001 13:43
Re: 1985 Capri 2.8i - honestjohn
John Slaughter is right. And you are right about the back axle. The all went. My brother had to drive his from Newcastle to a scrapyard in London to find one, then replaced the old axle with the new one at the kerbside outside the scrappie. Your best bet for a sale is to try the club which is listed in the clubs directory at www.mysterymotors.com . Note the URL is not a hyperlink. You need to type it in to your browser.

HJ
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Sun 25 Feb 2001 13:39
Re: 1985 Capri 2.8i - Andrew Moorey
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your reply regarding Ivor Searle Ltd. These people do heads,short and full engines and gearboxes. I have used them on several occasions via Southern Rebore Services and quality is excellent.
Ivor Searle Ltd
2 Regal Lane
Soham
Cambs.
CB7 5BA
01353 720531
www.ivor-searle.co.uk

Please mention Tune-Up Ltd when contacting them
Cheers,
Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up Ltd.)
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