alec hafele

difficult as I'm not a plastic bumperfan but 1980s Cozzies were fun and I've noticed ealry XR3i etc a getting thinner on the grand so al in al I say yest to letting the '80s in

Very nice!

Looks like a good 'un, you did well there mate

Many thanks! I wonder if they are still around given last tax date of 2000. If anyone out there owns either car I still have the original purchase invoices for them

Back in the 1980s I purchased two brand new Capris. The first was a Capri Calypso 1.6 reg MJH166X delivered during August 1981, colour scheme was Graphite Grey over Stratos Silver. This was a daily drive for the commute to London. I sold it privately in August 1983 and used to see it running around in the Thatcham and Newbury areas for a couple of years. The second was a 1.6 LS reg A46XJH finished in black purchased in August 1983. I traded this one in to Nias of Newbury during 1988. I used to see it running around in the Thatcham area and someone had fitted it with a set of chrome wheels. Both cars were supplied by the now defunct Horncastle Ford garage on the Bath Road in Reading. I wonder if either car has survived or if they have gone to the great recycling plant in the sky

Ha! Ha! thanks chaps!

many thanks for all the good suggestions to my recent post. I don't want to sound thick but can anyone in the younger generation help me out. I get the idea of using an FM modulator to connect my i-Pod. and I have already replaced the speakers, Kickers in the front and Radiomobiles in the back. I have also decided to keep the original radio cassette. But one suggestion was to fit a further amp on the radio output. I've looked at these on the internet and must admit to be bamboozled by talk of RCAs, cross-overs etc. Can anyone explain to me in simple English what I need to look for when buying such an Amp?

Many thanks for the good ideas

Mant thanks for the ideas!

I am refurbing the dash on my 2.8i, fitting an uncracked dashtop etc and OSF members gave me some ace tips on brightening up the dash lighting. As I have the whole thing in bits at the moment I need to decide what to do about the radio/cassette. The radio works OK but the cassette deck is knacked. I'm not too worried about that as I use my i-Pod via a radio transmitter. However the amp in the radio is not too good by modern standards. I am loathed to cut the dash to fit a more modern set-up and would appreciate any advice on whether there is a way to fit a more modern unit without cutting or if the existing radio can be somehow upgraded. Also if anyone out there wants to flog an orginal radio cassete unti with a working cassette deck I would be interested. Cheers! Oh! by the way, I'm not looking for window popping ultra loud system!

Looks to me that the operating rod is not travelling far enough but I'm not too sure that just bleeding will do the trick. I would be inclined to replace the slave cylinder rubbers and see what happens. I had this problem on a MKII Consul a long time back and overhauling the clutch cylinders did the trick.

Many thanks for the tips!

Get a length of heater hose or use the existing if long enough and simply connect outlet to inlet. I did this several times to cars with knackred heater matrixs and on a Lada Nive in Syria when no other attempt to turn off the heater in 48C worked!

Anyone give me a clue please. I am refurbing the dash in my MKIII 2.8i. I am fitting an uncracked dash top doing a general clean up. I noticed that the dash lights even at full bright where pretty dim. While the dash is apart I've checked all the bulbs and they are OK. The dimmer swicth appears be OK. Any ideas how I can brighten things up a little?

Very nice

Nice one! Aint it funny looking at and engine bay with so little plumbing hanging around. Only thing I would do would be to get rid of the MKIV gunsight on the bonnet as it spoils the line

Very opulent, what colour is that?

Back in '85 I bought a Terracotta MKI from my neighbour and old chap in his 80s when his doc pulled his driving licence. My wife hated the colour but it slowly grew on us! Good find!

Nice one, must be one of the last MKI as it is S plate, great find!

always been a Ford fan. My first street legal car in 1967 was a 1953 E93A Popular. Started buying 100Es after that and first modified car was a 100E Squire Estate. Kept the flat 4 but decked the head, overbore with Hepolite pistons and converted crank to shell bearings, 4 branch manifold from Downton and a single solex carb of a 2.4 MKI Jag. 4 speed 105E box. Lowered 2 inches all round and 5.5J wheels. Those were the days! Not so easy to upgrade brakes in those days so used commercial rated fluid and drove in big boots!

takes me back to Wimbledon and Aldershot stadiums in the '70s raced bangers with the Dodge Boys but preferred Oxfords. Cambridges to Fords, but rememebr buying Z cars, Consuls etc fro couple of quid. I bought a '59 low line MkII Consul for a fiver with 8 months MOT and 3 months tax. I ran the car for 3 years as my daily driver!

Hi All, my name is Alec and the wife and myself have a 1985 Capri 2.8i Special. I retired last April and we both decided to have a project car. I have always been a petrol head and have owned nearly 200 cars since 1967 when I passed my test. Back in the '80s we had two new Capris, and '81 Calypso 1.6 and an '83 1.6 LS but in those days we couldn't afford a 2.0 S or a 2.8i. So the retirement project had to be the 2.8i. A few years back I suffered a back injury so I am afraid the car is bought and not built, however is has 63k genuine on the clock and has never been welded. I have all the paper history right back to the purchase invoice on 14/8/85. My intention is to keep the car as stock as possible and whilst it is almost up to concourse I intend to use year round, so no SORN or hiding in the garage over the winter. Anyway glad to be here Cheers Alec