1978 Ford Capri 3.0i Group 1

NZ Autocar

5 days ago

Mention the words 'Ford' and 'touring car', and most enthusiasts will likely think of the Falcon, Sierra or Escort. Few Kiwi fans recall the Ford Capri, the stylish coupe that some consider made Ford sexy during its tenure. It enjoyed a motorsport career that lasted the majority of its 18-year production run.
Originally homologated as a (relatively disastrous) 2.0-litre Group 1 car, it would be developed into a feisty V6 battler. First came the 2.6-litre in 1971, followed by the BMW-battling RS3100. Come 1977 and the Capri 3.0S debuted in Group 1 form. Compared with the previous Capri homologation specials, these were mild. Group 1 regulations were based around series production cars. Ford's presence in the British Saloon Car Championship (BSCC) was spearheaded by the Capri.
Gordon Spice would become synonymous with the Group 1 Ford Capri, winning 27 races and scoring six class victories between 1975 and 1980. Five of these were at the wheel of the Capri 3.0S, and four as a team owner. But he never won an outright championship thanks to the way the points were awarded.
However, in 1978, Spice would take one of his (and the Capri's) most famous victories. He stood atop the podium at Spa after a gruelling 24 hours, sharing his Belga-sponsored Capri with Teddy Pillette.
This car, built by CC Racing Developments, bears the chassis number CC-5. Headed by Dave Cook and Pete Clark, CC Racing Developments screwed together arguably the most competitive Capri 3.0S of the period. From 1977 through to 1982, they engineered between 20 and 25 cars. Most were destined for England. But Europe also provided a market for the CC Capris, quite likely off the back of the Spa successes.
The recipe for these cars was fairly simple, owing largely to Group 1 regulations. These dictated a production block, in this instance a 3.0 litre Essex V6. While the showroom version was hardly a performance unit, common opinion suggests that these engines were pumping out around 250-270hp. It's worth mentioning they also had to run induction consistent with the production car. In this instance, a two-barrel Weber carburettor, rendering that power level all the more impressive. The car's Type 5 four-speed gearbox was equipped with a Hewland gearset. An LSD was installed on the rear axle.
Suspension allowed more freedom. Adjustable platform front struts with spherical bearing top hats, and a modified leaf-sprung rear ensured trueness to production layout. Appropriate anti-roll bars were installed to retain a degree of body control, and the result was a low-slung stance that only improved the Mk3 Capri's svelte lines.
Key to the aesthetic were the 13-inch wheels. The production car rolled on 13s, ergo, so must the race car, albeit wider and shod in competition rubber. These wheels covered an RS3100-sourced vented front rotor grasped by Girling 16 calipers. At the rear, a rudimentary pair of drums.
The Spa 24 hour car gained a hefty tank bolted into the rear and quick-fill fuel caps neatly installed under an OEM flap. The flanks saw the installation of lights, to ensure the race numbers were visible in the pitch-black Belgian night. But otherwise, it's a straightforward, competitive Group 1 Capri.
The story of CC5 didn't end with its 1978 Spa win, however. As evidenced by the original sticker on the centre switch console, it'd run in England and Europe through until 1981. Drivers like Andy Rouse graced the interior – by all accounts, the car has done a lot of racing.
As the 1982 season dawned, so too did the Rover SD1. This marked the competitive end for the Capri, but instead of being mothballed, CC5 was spirited over to Asia alongside its stablemate CC7. The car would be raced at the Macau GP that year, without any notable success, and sold.
CC5's contemporary motorsport career would wind up in 1986. At this point the car was acquired by a Manxman named Barry Forth. An ex-motorcycle road racer, Forth operated a business named 'Road and Track Performance.' Catering to a wealthy Asian client base, the company specialised in motorsport preparation but, for whatever reason, the Capri was acquired as part of a deal, then mothballed.
Forth would eventually find his way to New Zealand, settling in Canterbury, and bringing a container or two with him. In one of those was the Capri, which would languish in captivity for some time before well-known Christchurch restoration specialist, Gary Wilkinson, came into the picture.
While at the Forth residence completing a bit of auto electrical wizardry, Wilkinson tells a story of Capri discovery. A chance glimpse through the open door of the container revealed the unmistakable Mk3 Capri silhouette. The real kicker though? The 'Gordon Spice Racing' sunstrip adorning the front screen. The car wore a fairly plain white coat of paint beneath a thick coat of dust. As a self-diagnosed Ford fanatic, Wilkinson couldn't help but delve further.
Closer investigation revealed the Essex V6 between the front struts. The tag in particular caught his eye, bearing the characters 'CC5.' This was where it was left, with Wilkinson finishing up his job and heading back to base where his research would begin.
A while later, a deal was made, and Wilkinson pumped up the tyres and rolled CC5 onto a trailer in May of 2018. He recalls his excitement at his initial discovery of the dual fuel fillers and the presence of the 1981 RAC 'advertising permit' stickers. Despite the typical chequered history and neglect that comes with old racing cars, the Capri was complete and authentic. Only the absence of the original Minilite wheels was noted, hardly much of a concern.
It'd be 18 months until work would begin on the car. Allan Scott, an ex-Walkinshaw engine development guru, assisted Wilkinson in making the right connections to verify authenticity and restore the car in a manner befitting its provenance.
Wilkinson's modus operandi when it comes to restoration is key to the end result. As he says, 'the devil is in the detail,' and it's not always about things being returned to better than new order. Race hardware was never 'perfect,' even in its heyday. Aesthetically, Wilkinson has been careful to retain a degree of original patina. The aforementioned center switch panel wears its age with pride. A trio of Smith's gauges in the dash display decades of telltale readings. The leather of the 'RS' emblazoned steering wheel evokes close-quartered racing in each of its cracks and nicks.
The engine and 'box are also original to the car, built in period by Neil Brown Engineering, a company still operating to this day. In the pursuit of power, Wilkinson experimented with some modern Holley carbs. But the original Weber left the engine builder and the dyno operator speechless. A forensic examination showed the carb had some bespoke modifications, an indication that in 1978 they knew exactly what they were doing. Within the rules? Who knows, but perhaps a clue as to how they got those Capris performing so well.
Overall, Wilkinson doesn't deem the restoration as being too difficult. Often, the tricky bit is sourcing components, which were generally discarded as the race car evolved. The originality of the Ford Capri meant that, by and large, refurbishment of existing components was the order of the day. Even after being stripped to a bare shell, it revealed an excellent base with virtually no rust. Upon confirming the car's provenance with Dave Cook, Wilkinson learned that the team put around 400 hours into each shell. Every two inches, the seams are hand brazed for stiffness.
It did however show signs of a repair in the front left. It's documented that in hour 17 or 18 of that 1978 Spa 24 hour race, Spice nailed the armco and lost his two and a half lap lead. The team would repair the damage, install a new strut, and absolutely send it to the finish. Pilette and Spice would peg back the leading BMW and take that historic win.
Wilkinson makes no bones that he's proud the car is presented 'as it ran' in period. No special upgrades or concession to modern trends. 'Just how it was' is his summation.
After a season competing among the Historic Touring Cars NZ grid, Wilkinson made the call to put the car up for sale. With such extensive provenance in the UK and Europe, keeping the car on Kiwi soil was always going to be a long shot.
The Ford Capri has since left our shores, landing in England. Its next track outing is fitting; competing in the Gordon Spice Trophy race. It's a new addition to the Goodwood Members Meeting, aimed at contemporary and period Group 1 specification touring cars. It's a full circle moment for the Capri, a genuine Gordon Spice machine racing for a trophy bearing the original racer's name. And it's something Wilkinson can be immensely proud of.