WHAT TO LOOK FOR CHECK THE HISTORY RUST ISSUES HOW’S THE REAR END?

Capris were once very cheap and are now quite pricey. Combine that with high commonality of parts and the desirability of special editions and faked Capris are not unheard of. From late 1980 Ford put a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate in the offside footwell; earlier cars have it stamped into the offside inner wings, so make sure that these haven’t been defaced or welded over and that it matches the VIN in the V5 if you’re paying a limited edition price.

New sills, wheel arches, door skins, tail panels and rear three-quarter sections are available from Ex-Pressed Panels at £400-1000, but unused front wings, bonnets and front valances are rare and costly. There are few complex sections, however, so most bodyshops can tackle light rust fairly easily. Bonnets rust, as does the point where the A-post meets the edge of the footwell. Also check the rear ends of the sills, rear damper turrets, leaf spring mounts and the section above the fuel tank.

Sagging at the rear is common, but easily fixed by replacing the leaf springs. A rumbling sound from the rear suspension could be a worn wheel bearing or differential. Even though limited-slip differentials were standard equipment on 2.8 Injection Specials, not all will be fitted with them nowadays. These items are highly-prized by Escort MkII rally drivers, so some Capri owners sold them when their cars were worth less and retro-fitted the standard differential.