Mk1 capri comanche

[Herbie]

I've got a mk1 Capri. It's been dry stored for 30 years. Totally original. It was my wife's late Grandads who bought it from new. He said it had a Comanche conversion from new. When he bought the car from Ford it was sent to a company who did this conversion before he took delivery of it.

I'm after any details on this conversion, so I can check it is an original Comanche, also what exactly was a Comanche Capri?

All I know is it is a 3.0ltr mk1. It's in great condition for its age, although I fear the engine has seized from being stood so long. He parked it up 30 years ago as he said the engine was playing up... He never got around to fixing it!

 

Any info would be gratefully received

[over_head_cam]

The Comanche was to the Capri what Savage was to the Cortina. It's a Jeff Uren special. Even if the engine is seized it's probably worth saving as it is, for it's time quite special, breathed on to about 190 bhp I think. Quite a rare car

[Herbie]

Thank you... Would you know if there is any way of me confirming the car is a Comanche? I only have her Grandads word on it at the moment, although a very honest straight man I would love to know exactly what was the spec of these Comanches.

[Herbie]

There was an old chap who owned a local garage who raced an E type Jag some years ago. He'd regularly ask about the car saying it was faster than his race car back in the day, and it was only a road car. Yet her grandad would never sell it as he said it was something special.

[marky4]

Sound like a great rare car

[over_head_cam]

There should be an identification plate under the bonnet :thumbs up:

[Vista]

Capriaddict on here knows a thing or two about these. I'll point him this way

[Herbie]

Much appreciated

[Danish]

AFAIK, Uren swapped the 2 litre Pinto for a 3 litre Essex to make the Savage Cortina go faster. What did they do to make a Comanche faster than a standard 3 litre Capri?

[Vista]

Mk2 Cortinas never came with a Pinto, they were introduced with the mk3.

[Danish]

Mk2 Cortinas never came with a Pinto, they were introduced with the mk3.

 

I didn't say they did     I was thinking of the Mk3 Cortina Savage...

[Veemax]

hopefully hopefully hopefully if grandad bought it new, somewhere there is some invoices / paperwork from the ford dealer about the car an the conversion?

 

reckon you hit the jackpot with this one, any pics for us all?

 

Pete...

[Herbie]

I'll take a few..

She needs restoring but is very solid in all the right places. Hasn't turned a wheel in 30 years!

The in laws are trying to source any invoices etc, but he ran a big building firm and paperwork wasn't his forté... So probably nowt will turn up.

 

Is there anyone I could phone that may have records of what cars where converted by Reg etc?

If somebody told me spec of a Comanche I could check what's on the car.

[herb capri]

There was one in Torquay,that I knew of that got sold to a chap in Plymouth.it had roller rockers set up,huge valves and a brutal cam and i think steel timing,special pistons and aholley carb,the manifolds were bigger than normal and dowel pinned,i know the chap was not able to afford the engine bits and really messed it up just turning it over dry the rockers ground a d broke up,so a quick check is recommended before trying to turn it over.

the car was sold to a Dutch Capri nut and exported,as far as i know the Comanche was made to the buyers budget and the more you spent the more you got!

there were some 14 wheels and big brakes and Avery strong panhard and coilover rear set up i had not seen before there was no spare well in the boot std tank but electric fuel set up

I don't remember much of the interior other than a pair of schiel seats and rear cage.

it was a hell of a bit of kit,but as i said i don't think that there was many done and I would be very surprised if there was a standard Comanche as such it was too much of a special to ever had been duplicated in full.

the car would have cost more than twice original cost,and what had been added god knows.

hope that helps,but have a look at the rocker's first

mike

[Herbie]

Cheers.. It's a start! I'll check out soon as I get a chance

[Herbie]

Found this article in issue 1 of Classic Ford.

The car looks identical to our Capri other than colour. It's quite a basic run down of the spec.

As I'm not a Capri expert, if I was to photograph various parts of the car would anyone be able to tell me if they differ from standard? I'm not familiar with Capris in the standard form

[capriwolf]

hi if your going 2 sell /let me know/ thanks/ you can contact me on 07926169657 as im looking for a mk1

[Vista]

Bumping of a very old thread but as a Guest has just reported the below, I wondered if the OP ever got an answer to his question and restored the car?

Quote

The comanche had a weslake cam and 3inch bore twin pipe exhaust, I used to own one