Lot 690: 1963 FORD CLASSIC CAPRI DELUXE 116E TWO DOOR COUPE

Vehicle No. H37C252578J
Scarlet red with black and grey interior

Engine: four cylinders in line, overhead valves, 1,498cc, 60bhp at 4,600rpm; Gearbox: four speed manual; Suspension: front, independent coil springs, semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: discs to the front, drums to the rear. Right hand drive.

The Classic Capri made its entrance in 1961 as the two door coupe version of the Classic saloon. Mechanically the two cars were identical, built upon the same floorplan and sharing a 1,340cc power unit with four speed gearbox. Previous models had enjoyed success using styling ideas from across the Atlantic, and so Ford borrowed heavily from the latest Detroit fashions to endow the Capri with hooded quad headlights, body-length fins, a vast boot lid (with correspondingly large boot), and those famous stars in place of the grill. It seemed that a fine line had been crossed, however, and the public turned against the overly Americanised looks. Criticism was levelled at the car's leisurely performance and capacity was quickly upped to a 1,498cc unit giving 60bhp, but the Capri's image had already been damaged and it slipped out of production in 1964. However, while statistics suggest the Capri was unloved by the majority, its individual style earned a devoted following that continues to this day, and it held a kudos that saw the name revived just five years later on Ford's European "Mustang".

Just 7,500 or so of these 116Es were produced between 1962 and 1964, which makes this one of the rarest stand-alone models in Ford's history. For this reason alone, this car has well deserved its place in the Ramsgate museum, and this is all the more true considering how well-preserved it is. The odometer reads just 14,768 miles, which would seem to be corroborated by the excellent condition not just of the paintwork but also of the black and grey upholstered interior, highlighted to great effect by gold piping. This Capri has kept both its original handbook and its jack, and is sold with its V5 document.