Being a product of the 70’s myself, I’ve always had a liking for the Capri. Rose-tinted glasses were not part of my attire when I was 5 so I was none-the-wiser as to what lay underneath the car Ford said “You promised yourself”. This fascination for the Capri was also in part because of The Professionals. You can’t think of a Capri without thinking of the TV show that made it famous. Or Bodie. I still have a crush on him now.
Capri 2. The Second Coming.
After 5 years in production, Ford revamped their cock-rocket for the modern man about town. But this time they were appealing to all demographics. They made it more practical. Along with a shorter bonnet (according to Wikipedia) it was the addition of a rear door that made it easier to live with and versatile. This was to become Ford’s first hatchback.
Ford UK arrived at the SGMW heritage and drive day with their Mk2 1.6L. With all the resources at their hands, you’d expect Ford to have the top of the crop when it comes to their heritage fleet. However, this 1.6L is easy to love and you can see why it is in their fleet.
It’s easy to be picky and criticise an old car for its flaws. To do so would be an injustice to the Capri and any other classic car out there. When you have the luxury of driving many new cars, sliding into a golden olden wakes you up to the advances made. An old car isn’t bought and driven for its ease and luxury of driving. It’s a joy to possess and navigate around the roads you travel on.
Driving Straight
There are driving adjustments you have to make when driving a Capri. The first is to wonder how the world kept these on the straight. The leaf-sprung live back axle certainly has a way of communicating with you. The rear end wobbles on those soft springs and it’s easy to break traction when pulling away in the wet without trying.
The front end is quite the opposite. A little firmer in feel, it’s easy to point in the direction you want to go in. The steering is light and demands no effort in turning the wheel. At any speed, the Capri has a sense of going faster than it is.
And this is in complete contrast to the engine up front. The 1.6 Pinto engine has all the noise of a bigger engine but delivers none of it. 70 hp is about all you’ll get if you push it. And with around 82-87 Ib-ft torque, you wonder where in the rev range this arrives due to the noise from the go-slow-Pinto engine.
From the driver’s seat, the long bonnet gives you a visual sense that the car is longer than it is. This is amplified by a low seat and dashboard that curves away from your knees. There is a presence of America in here. You don’t need a gas-guzzling yank tank when you have an economic Capri and a family to feed.
It all adds up to make the Capri a hoot to drive. For years I was always left thinking the bigger engined models were the ones to go for. Not at all. For what it lacks in performance, it gives you the joy to exploit and enjoy it without the whack on the knuckles from the law or trees that annoyingly jump out in front of you on a nice corner.
Pull Up And Pull Over
The rear door on the Capri was a modern addition back in 1974. It certainly added versatility to the life of the Capri owner. Going about your business with a sporting car was made easier with it. You now didn’t need to promise yourself a Capri.
You could own one without compromise. The 70’s was about making cars accessible to women, especially with a hatchback body. Manufactures where keen to point out a woman loading the rear boot full of shopping. There was no way she could argue with the man of the house now. He had his sporting wheels and she had an easy-to-live-with hatchback.
What it also made easier was impressing. Courting in a car hasn’t changed. We’d all still do it if modern cars didn’t have such vast centre consoles. This alone is probably why pregnancy rates are dropping.
Back in its hayday, the Capri MK2 gave you the luxury of a bedroom at your disposal. Gone were the days of a gearstick up your arse in the cramped MK1. This time round you had a fold-down couch in the back. The bed area was wide enough for more than just heavy petting. Here you could make new Capri owners of your own.
The New Capri For The Masses?
Let’s not go there. Let’s not touch that. Let’s just enjoy the fact that the classic Capri is out there and still available on the classic market for you to enjoy should you wish for a practical coupe with the looks of a flashier car. Whatever spec you go for, you’ll not wish for any other. Except maybe a second. Or third.