Dan's Crapi project.

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Danthecapriman
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

Next batch of updates then,

In the dashboard pic up the page I’ve got the cars aftermarket radio back in. This is a period Radiomobile set, not original of course but it’s been fitted to this car so long it’s something I wanted to keep. Problem is, it’s in a bit of a state. It’s very worn and dirty and it doesn’t work properly anymore.
So I had a look around for a solution and settled on this:
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It’s still a Radiomobile set, but it’s a better version than my old one. It’s also been completely reconditioned inside and out and it’s also had a little modification. There’s an extra wire on this set which is a connector for an iPod/mp3 etc player to connect to the radio and play through it!
It’s not fitted yet but I’ll get in later once most of the work is complete.

Next was to start connecting up the cables for the bonnet release, clutch, choke and throttle. The speedo cable went in with the dash instruments.
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The new throttle cable turned out to be wrong. It’s a fair bit longer than my original one and the end was different. So I’ve cleaned up the original and after a check over it’s actually in perfect condition so it’s being reused. The choke cable is poor though so I’ll need a new one later, it works for now though.
Clutch cable is new, and fits fine after some adjustment. The old one had gone stiff in its sheathing.
88 Volvo 740 2.3GLE
74 Ford Capri 1.6L
73 Mercury Marquis Brougham 7.0 V8
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

And to bring things pretty much up to date,
I got a bit fed up of poking around doing the dash/front end so had a change and started sorting out the boot area.

First thing to try to get done was fit the tailgate gas rams. Mine are the early bolt on style, new ones came from the Capri club, they rebuild them on exchange basis but they look like new afterwards. These attach at one end directly to the tailgate and at the other is a bracket which bolts to the shell on the inside of each rear quarter panel then the gas ram bolts to this bracket. One of them bolted in perfectly first try, the other however did not! One of the securing bolts goes into a captive nut in the rear quarter panel but it turned out the nut had fallen out and was long gone. It’s also impossible to get your hands to the back of this area to replace it! In the end I resorted to tapping a thread directly into the metal of the rear quarter frame and using a bigger bolt to do the job. It’s worked fine and you won’t see it as it’s under one of the trim panels but I might try using a rivnut as suggested by someone else as a better long term solution.

After that was done and the gas rams back on the tailgate goes up and stays there! Which is a first for this car in many many years!
Then the rear section of the wiring loom was fed into place and the various spurs run to where they go. One of these is for the heated rear screen. There’s a spur runs up to one of the gas rams, plugs onto it then feeds through the ram (designed to be conductive and insulated from the shell) up to a short length of wire and onto the heated window itself. The wire had to be remade as the old one was fucked and also the wrong colour wire. I’ve also fitted new bungs and grommets as required to keep it tidy and weather proof.

Next the new tailgate rubber seal went on. This was insanely tight over the lip around the tailgate opening so I had to (carefully!) knock it on with a rubber mallet. I’ve left the ends too long for now just so the seal can settle into place and in case of any shrinkage. Last thing you want is a gap forming. I’ve put a thin smear of Vaseline around it too to stop sticking.

Lastly I’ve clipped the loom down with the metal securing tangs and put the little original plastic covers over the tangs too. The rear lights were trial fitted but I need to make some new seals as they’re no longer available new.
Once happy things fitted ok I removed them and sprayed the two rear quarters inside with Dynax S50 cavity wax followed by a few sheets of the sound deadening stuff. The inside of the rear panel (where the number plate fits) was treated the same way. Once the wax dries and I’ve cleaned off the over spray I’ll thread the wiring back through permanently.
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I’m off work for two weeks now so, weather dependent, I’ll be able to press on with this. All the nuts and bolts for the lights, number plate etc etc are either new or have sat soaking in rust remover before being painted with etch primer and satin black paint, so it can all be fitted up now.

Finally, the rear lights. My original ones were a bit past it, the seals were missing so had been sealed with household sealant and the lenses are starting to crack and cloud so I kept an eye out for some new old stock ones. As you can imagine, these are not exactly plentiful these days but eventually a genuine Ford new old stock pair did come up for sale in France so I bagged them!
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They’re absolutely mint and both boxed still too! They’re complete with lenses, backing bulb holders, screws and even unused 70’s Ford bulbs!
Should go on this car nicely!
88 Volvo 740 2.3GLE
74 Ford Capri 1.6L
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

Since I’ve comeback over here I’ll get this thread updated for those interested.

Last time I’d dug out the new rear lights, so they were fitted next. The only things not included with them were the body seal gaskets so I made a pair of new ones since they’re no longer available new. Fitting them is typically easy for such a car, just a couple of big screws hold them in. The nearside light was a bit of a pig to fit though as the rear lower panel is a brand new part and the hole for the light to fit through was a bit tight. Easily rectified though with a thick cloth and and a big hammer! Takes balls of steel to twat a freshly painted panel! All it needed was the edge of the light opening bending down a tiny bit to open the hole.
With that sorted I then fitted the two number plate lamps. These just poke through two little holes and bolt to the body, all I did here was make sure the entire rear panel cavity was well covered inside with cavity wax and I used a very thin bead of seam sealer around the lamps to stop water getting in, then tighten them up. The wiring inside was tucked into place and the original metal tangs bent over the loom to hold it all in place.
Last job here was to refit the original number plate!
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Looks lovely!!
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by SiC »

When do you think it'll be ready to go back on the road? Next year?
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

Attention was then turned to the front lights.
First thing to do was to drill a small hole for the lights earth wires, then remove the paint so there’s good contact to the body. Then I masked that off and sprayed the entire inside of the headlight bowls out with Dynax clear wax. This goes on in a beige-ish semi clear liquid but dries clear, which is perfect to retain that factory painted look. While I was at it I blasted the wax down all the seams and gaps in this area, just to try to protect everything as much as I could.
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Next was to start fitting the lights themselves.
Both front indicators are brand new, genuine parts. The original ones were filthy, faded and very tatty so I couldn’t refit them. The headlights, one was nos and fitted a few years ago, it was still in perfect condition so it was reused. The other was very old and in a right state so I bought another nos part off eBay to replace it.
The next issue was that because the whole front panel on my car was replaced during the bodywork stage it meant that none of the original fixing holes were there anymore so I had to start from scratch and mark everything out, trial fit it etc etc before drilling new holes and using new screws etc to fit them permanently.
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Having done all this one thing that I noticed was how poor the fit was between the indicators and edge of the wings. Having spoke to a few Capri people about this it is, believe it or not, completely normal! It seems to vary between car to car how good the fit is but none are perfect. I think it’s down to quality of the time and the quality of the pressings of the panels. It’s as good as I can get it so regardless, it’s got to stay like it!
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by DodgeRover »

Much much better than new already!
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

Here’s another Shot of the front showing the lights. From this angle you can’t tell there’s anything up with the indicators!
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Reinstalling the starter motor was next. No upgrades here! Original still works fine so stick with it!
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Then a few little odd bits, like the original battery leads etc. Cleaned up and reused.
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by fried onions »

Yes indeed. Looks minty-fresh. Good call with the Dynax wax, I really need to get some myself.
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

Back inside now. Interior lights. These were a pain in the arse to get to fit properly!
They’re non original generic replacements and are a gnats cock bigger than the originals which makes them a bastard to make them fit into the hole in the cars roof! They’re a bit shit inside the light itself too, just very cheap feeling and not as good as the original ones. Unfortunately though it’s all you can get now and my original ones were in a right state.
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A bit more of the dash and glovebox back in. The cars original indicator switch back in place and steering column shroud etc. The indicator switch is another item unique to these early low spec cars! A Capri with only a single stalk!
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Re: Dan's Crapi project.

Post by Danthecapriman »

To bring things more or less up to date then,

Time to get rid of the silver and blue flooring! Now the dash is pretty much all back in and the sound deadening pads is done too I’ve dug out my new carpet and underfelt kit. The carpet is pretty much the same as a factory one, but the underfelt is much thicker and more comprehensive. It comes pre cut into the approximate shapes but you do have to trial fit it and cut it accurately to fit snugly in the car.
I think your meant to leave it loose in the floorpans believe it or not, and let the carpet & retainers hold it down but it was just not staying in place when I fitted mine so I used some cheap spray carpet adhesive to glue it all down.
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Taking your time to measure, mark up and cut it all definitely pays off here! It’s a hideous shade of green but it looks pretty good I think!?
It’s also much nicer to sit and kneel on when working on the car. It should certainly keep the noise down too! For now the carpet is sat on loose to let it take shape and flatten out the creases from the packaging.

That’s as far as I got. It’s barely stopped pissing with rain since so I’ve pretty much given up for winter.
88 Volvo 740 2.3GLE
74 Ford Capri 1.6L
73 Mercury Marquis Brougham 7.0 V8
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