40yrs of the RS3100

These days the young blokes might be discussing the new focus st in tangerine scream and salivating over the specs and creature comforts and performance, and I have read up on it too but I dunno I just cant get enthusiastic about it.  (getting old).
It wasnt always like this tho I remember back in 73 when ford took delivery of about 50 rs3100s there was some real excitement in the ford camp in those days. If I remember correctly they didnt sell very quick tho because of the sticker price and because one could get a faster torana that was cheaper and also because fuel prices were going north at an alarming rate.
A couple of years later the depriciation had made them more reasonable in price and a mate of mine showed up at my front door in Ballarat with a very nice pale blue example. After sampling this i decided that another capri was what i needed and it wasnt long before i took delivery of the 72 red pepper that is still sitting in the shed now.
Actually my capri was first registered in march 73 so technicly its also having its fortieth in 2013.
Anyway Owen not too many blokes have the privelige of owning an rs3100 and I am sure yours is in good hands and its great that you intend on spreading the joy around this coming year. In fact i reckon everyone with any sort of capri will be celebrating with you,... regards, ron.

gtv6capri

Hate being pedantic but aren't all Aust delivered ones 1974's?   

JR's right you know, production of the RS3100s only began in November 1973 and overlapped with the Mark II Capri's through the early part of 1974. All 50 RS3100s imported into Australia arrived late in June 1974 as the oil crisis had hit the UK hard. These 50 examples sold here for $6250, which was more than a GT Falcon at the time!

Owen, whilst I agree with you that the RS3100s have a BBECND prefix, meaning that they were all marked as being built in November 1973 at Halewood in the UK as Capri two-door coupe's, past experience indicates that that doesn't necessarily mean that they were all completed in November 1973. As 'our' RS3100s weren't delivered here until late June 1974 and were only offered for sale from July 1974, I reckon they should be classified as 1974 models. In fact, some weren't even sold here until 1975! I quote here Glass's Dealers Guide of April 1977 which states in part, under Important Notes, Model Identification, "Since all manufacturers do not employ the same method in yearly dating of their models, the safest way of describing a vehicle when offering it for sale is to quote the model series or number as specified by the manufacturer, and the year of first registration. This procedure is recommended to avoid the possibility of a charge of misrepresentation."  This is Glass's advice to all Australia dealers at the time. Interestingly, all 11 of the Australian Capri '165hp specials' were coded as CK17ME models, built in August 1972, but of course they were not completed until November 1972. In fact at least one of these 'specials' uses the Ford two ID plate system from 1973, yet still quotes the car as a CK17ME34030P! Ain't life grand, Terry.

My thoughts are a celebration at the same time as the UK.  If we get their date an arrange gatherings in all capitals at the same time it would make for good publicity shots.  I'm sure with skype and the like we could arrange live internet  coverage at each location
 
Re the build date vs year made debate, I was only taking the pi$$ out of Owen, not being anal  

The Uk boys are planning a huge gathering in july this year at combe.. Most show in the year may get 1 or 2 but at combe they have had up to 40, And I know that Lenn is pulling out all stops to get as many as he can, Hoping to have more than 50 there...
 
JR you better find driver this year for SFS as i want to see ur RS31 and ur 3000E there