CAPRI 3.0S
This 3.0S kept evading Jarrod Swain but now he’s got his hands on it, and he’s made it better than new.
What’s finer than a Mk3 3-litre S? One that’s been carefully upgraded with era-correct mods, that’s what.
Every model of Capri made by Ford has been on someone’s wishlist, but the Mk3 3.0S has for many been the one to have.
A certain TV series from four decades ago would probably explain the 3.0S’s ongoing popularity. Even today The Professionals is a much-talked-about programme unlike other ITV detective shows of the era such as Dempsey & Makepeace. And who can remember the cars that appeared in that? The Professionals was the perfect advert for the Capri if ever there was one and it still plays its part today.
Jarrod Swain has been a huge Capri fan since he was in his teens, he made it a priority to be owning and driving one when he was 17. And we’re not just talking a base model with a spoiler and go-faster stripes, this had to be the real deal, a 3-litre Ghia — not quite an S, but almost. And this was back in 1984, just a year after the last series of The Professionals was first aired. “I’ve owned many Capris since then,” Jarrod recalls, “my passion for them has never disappeared, I’m still a fan as now as much as I was back then.”
As time went by and Capris became a rarer sight on our roads, Jarrod began to take his surviving examples to shows. “As you’d expect I always had a good look around all the other Capris at these shows and got to know these cars and some of the owners well,” Jarrod remembers. “There was a certain 1980 silver 3.0S that used to stand out from the pack and I always kept a look out for it.” It was apparent this car had been well cared for and its owner meticulously kept it in good order, there was little chance it would ever appear for sale.
Then in 2009 to Jarrod’s disbelief, that very Capri he’d always lusted after appeared in a classified advert. “I was surprised when it
came up for sale, but annoyingly I was too late and the car had just been sold,” Jarrod explains, “I’d missed my chance.” Another four years passed and incredibly a familiar 3.0S reappeared in the classifieds once again.
“I saw the advert straight away and was determined not to miss out this time, so I acted immediately,” Jarrod smiles. “I struck a deal with the vendor over the phone, hoping the car was still as good as when I’d last seen it.” There was a slight downside, the Capri had travelled further away from home and Jarrod had to fly to Orkney to collect his latest purchase. “The sale went smoothly, and I then embarked on a mammoth 13-hour drive through the night back home to Staffordshire in the Capri,” he recalls.
Once home, Jarrod began to take a closer look at his new-found purchase and was relieved to find the bodywork was just as immaculate as he remembered. “It’s a genuine 60,000-mile car, it’s never been welded and it still has all its original panels,” he points out. “It had been resprayed to a very high standard around 20 years ago and it still looks fresh today.” With no rust or bodywork issues to rectify, this left Jarrod in a position to put his own stamp on the car which he planned to do right from the start. “My inspiration comes from Chip Foose in the USA,” Jarrod explains, “he modifies his cars to appear stock but also to look like they’re on steroids, which to my eyes is no bad thing.”
Big bore
The Essex engine had already been highly modified which was one of the car’s main attractions for Jarrod. Bored and stroked to 3300cc with 10:1 Powermax pistons, big
“GETTING THE CAR HOME INVOLVED A 13 HOUR DRIVE THROUGH THE NIGHT”
valve heads and a V65 cam meant a lot of the hard work had already been done. Sadly, the twin-carb set-up and home-made air filter were letting the side down and Jarrod soon replaced these with a set of triple Weber 42DCNFs and brand-new K&N air filters — a vast improvement.
“I then removed the strut brace and incorrect power steering reservoir and replaced these along with the radiator, battery, rocker covers, gaskets, leads, distributor and coil,” Jarrod explains. “The work was carried out by John Wade, my engine guru.” The 3.3-litre V6 also now benefits from Lumenition ignition while the combination of big-bore exhaust manifolds and Janspeed system provide that unmistakeable V6 soundtrack.
“The result after all these changes produces a lot more torque and the bay looks so much better,” Jarrod adds. The figures are now a very impressive 225 bhp and 200 lb.ft torque — little surprise that Jarrod is happy with the result!
Stronger gears
To cope with the extra grunt a modified BGH Geartech Type-9 gearbox has been installed along with a RS500 clutch kit and 3.44:1 diff complete with LSD. “It still had the original gearknob which I wasn’t happy with, but Burton Power supplied a five-speed replica with the correct H-pattern,” Jarrod points out, “It’s little details like these that make all the difference.”
To cope with that extra power, you won’t be surprised to hear the brakes have received a significant upgrade too. Volvo four-pot callipers with 300 mm crossdrilled discs and
EBC pads now cope with the task at hand up front while Cosworth rear discs and callipers take care of the rear.
The stance of this Capri was another huge appeal and that’s thanks to the Leda coil-overs along with the 2.8i single leaf springs with axle location kit at the rear. It’s also been polybushed all round with adjustable mounts, decambered and benefits from an anti-dive kit.
“The 8x15 RFX alloys that came with the car sat perfectly under the arches, but I just didn’t like the style,” Jarrod explains. “I’ve always liked the look of RS four spokes, so
I handed the old rims to Image wheels and they replicated the exact measurements on a unique set of 15 inch RS four-spokes.” This way it meant Jarrod was guaranteed to retain that perfect stance along with his favoured wheel design!
This just left Jarrod with the task of completing the car’s details and aesthetics to his preferences. “I’ve always liked the look of a sunroof deflector and I managed to track down one of these then I began looking at a slightly more aggressive rear spoiler, nothing too extreme,” Jarrod explains. “I settled on a single-blade X-pack spoiler which is slightly larger than the original — it’s a subtle difference that only those with a keen eye would notice.”
In check
As expected, the interior of the Capri complete with its Carla check upholstery was in good condition when it arrived, though it wasn’t perfect. Jarrod managed to source a replacement carpet from a friend and while the seats were removed, a local upholsterer replaced the foam and they now look just like new. “I wasn’t too keen on the standard 3.0S steering wheel, so I made the decision to swap this for a rarer RS wheel,” Jarrod adds.
Despite arriving with rust-free and immaculate bodywork which is rare for any Capri project, Jarrod still had a huge task on his hands to ensure this car became exactly how he’d always envisaged. It may have taken many years to get here, but Jarrod now finally owns what he would describe as his perfect Capri.
“THE CAR HAS SUBTLE TWEAKS ONLY THOSE WITH A KEEN EYE WILL NOTICE”