Ok so word is out I have acquired one of the 11 165HP capris. This car was discovered in a collection of cars and parts being sold off due to the owners ill health. At first I did not pay too much attention to the car as it was the sellers Track / Race Car and had done a few hards laps by the look of it. My initial plan was to tart it up make it run and drive, then move it on.
On closer inspection there was a 165HP decal in the engine bay. A quick look in the drivers door jamb saw a second 165HP sticker. There is a list of the 11 cars that were fitted with the later 3000E capri running gear. A check of the chassis number confirmed that this car is one of the 11, though not technically one of the Stillwell sold cars.
This discovery changed my plans for the car, as it deserves to be put back to stock. A lot of its original parts were removed and swapped for race items, notable parts missing were
Engine - "D port" matching number engine not in car nor in collection of parts
Wheels - Special long slot Rostyles no longer fitted * 2 were found in the collection and a lead on where the other 2 may be
Front seats - swapped for race seat, original High back buckets missing (car has B2 trim, original cloth rear seat is present)
Left front guard and bonnet - Fibreglass items, orange V6 bonnet in spares but pin holes in wrong location for '72
Tail lights - converted to early Skyline lights, holes chopped to accomodate them, replacement panel section found in spares
The original gearbox is a 3 rod side link same as regular V6's but have the later ratios. There are 3 boxes in the spares pile Im hoping that one of them is the correct box. Worst case scenario I can get the gear set from a later type 5 internal link capri box from the UK. The car has a T5 5 speed fitted with a small section cut out of the stick hole in the tunnel to allow for the further throw, we have spare tunnels so that can be easily fixed.
Diff should be a 3.09 its unknown whats in the car currently, although I'm reliably informed that the centre gears have been welded. This presents no problem as I have a spare spider gear set and 3.09 gears are easy to get.
Trim is surprisingly good, the dash cluster is a custom item but its original clocks and pad are still there, as is the console and door trims. I have ordered new carpet and am on the hunt for a pair of high back seats.
Body is actually very sound. A pillars no drama and almost no rust. Whatever caused the guard to require replacement did not mess up the front which is a bonus.
The car was delivered in "Delete" option form ie no stripes, no blackout on the bonnet, and the GT badge located where the XL is usually seen instead of over the wheelarch. The seller is the documented second owner of the car having owned it since 1983. I have a photo of it pre race car conversion for reference, which is handy.
I have had a great deal of interest in the car with several expressions of interest to buy it. I will hold off on selling as I want to follow up a few leads to recover any missing items, but you know me, if someone absolutely positively has to have it then it can go allowing me to concentrate on the other car that came with it, a 1970 Silver fox GT V6 (but thats another story).
First 2 photos are how it was in 1982 when it was bought by its (now former) owner. The second 2 are "as found" last week
Stay tuned for the next thrilling installment