Capri 280 - COULD THIS BE A RINGER

[Andyonthejob]

HI all, just been for a very long drive today (9.5hrs round trip) to see a Capri 280 thats going up for auction this coming afternoon (24th)at Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions ...see dvca.co.uk The I.D. plates on the landing panel look to have been there forever (but the full landing panel looks to have been let in between the inner wings as the seam sealant is not standard) but the chassis number stamped in to the drivers side floor has been cut out and now has one stuck over the oblong hole left behind.Its ties in with the V5 - No suprise there! A wipe of seam sealer and some paint dont begin to hide it considering its not even stuck on straight and theres a fresh patch of underseal underneath which doesn`t even hide the edges of the hole !! Its not even a half hearted attempt to fit the new plate into the old hole and grind flush. And all thats aside from the fact that the car is far from straight having had a rear quarter replaced (badly) and the side of the hatch is still bent from that accident. Its had a new front end and looks to have been pulled straight presumably using a jig as there`s a crease on top of the n/s inner wing just forward of the strut top strenghtening plate where its been pulled straight. The bulkhead bulge covering the heater motor (don`t know its right name)looks to have been replaced which is where i`m guessing the engine gave it a clout in the front end impact. Also the o/s door pillar is full of filler near the skuttle panel and the the drivers door has had a clout and been pulled back out. I suppose it could be said that this is my tactic to put potential bidders off but my answer would be to go see for yourself. I`m just really hacked off that £50 in diesel. a day off on holiday and a bl00dy long drive could`ve been avoided. This car should not be offered for auction this afternoon (24th) They are fully aware of the chopped out chassis numbers now. It really is buyer beware in this case.

I`m gonna post this on a few Capri forums coz even if this ends up going to auction and is bought in good faith whilst thinking that they will have the proof of purchase at auction the new owners will have no rights to the car if it is indeed a ringer as the plod will try to find the true identity and it will be the property of the insurance company that made the original payout.

Andy

[MM77]

You have a shorter version????

[JAY PS]

Not a surprise is it ,many capris were rung in the day and no doubt there is still a few being done .

Any way you dont get bargains at car auctions these days ,if you really want one go and see a private sale

[evil knievel]

Any way you dont get bargains at car auctions these days ,if you really want one go and see a private sale

 

[escort21]

The creasing in front of the strut tops is factory, seen it many a time on capris, its how the panel was crapply pressed out, my mates got onewhich is creased badly

[samurai]

The creasing in front of the strut tops is factory, seen it many a time on capris, its how the panel was crapply pressed out, my mates got onewhich is creased badly

 

You get that on the escorts to

[Andyonthejob]

Sorry i`ll do the short version next time.

Yeah I know it goes on all the time with the old fords but hell, they`d not even tried to hide the fact !!

[Twinkle]

what did the auction people say when you pointed it out?

[Andyonthejob]

They said they`d contact the current owner - what good would that do ?? At the point I left to head back to Leeds I got the impression they still seemed to be going ahead as planned. It`s due to go under the hammer around 3pm today.

[rodney]

only real give away rrom what i read is you said theres a hole where the floor number should be and a peice stuck over?

 

the front panel could be be due to a smack as its a old car and would have had many reapairs as said ,

 

its just the floor number id be worried about,

 

was there a repair to the floor? , any signs of where the old number was?,.

[turnover]

probably been reshelled at some time

[caprinerd]

lokk twice if in dought walk away

[Andyonthejob]

No, dont think it was a reshell as we had the carpets up and bits of trim and rear quarter panels off. All looked to be the usual weak covering of paint you`d expect on the insides. I`m dead cert it was a genuine 280 just think probably not the one the V5 related to?

The front panel had been changed but the aluminium ID plate rivets had been there years so I think the landing panel complete with ID came off the original car the V5 belonged to.

[caprinerd]

do the chassis numbers match

[Andyonthejob]

Yes they did.