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Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/9/23 11:35 a.m.
RichardNZ said:

I can say that the stalks are definitely different - shaped rather than tubular.

The @therealpinto is probably correct about them not being suitable for a Capri. Have a good weekend!

jimbbski
jimbbski SuperDork
11/9/23 5:24 p.m.

I have spend the past few years helping a friend get his Capri back on the road and running like it should. I'll post a few pics just for encouragement to get your car back on the road.  The next project is to install power steering. ing get my 

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/10/23 7:21 p.m.

Waiting on parts now, so I started on the wheel refinishing. One down.

amg_rx7 (Forum Supporter)
amg_rx7 (Forum Supporter) SuperDork
11/10/23 9:49 p.m.

Wow those wheels are tiny

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/10/23 10:19 p.m.
amg_rx7 (Forum Supporter) said:

Wow those wheels are tiny

Yup, 13x5 soon to have new Toyo 185/70-13, the factory size from the '70s.

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/11/23 8:52 p.m.

Back under the hood today. The manifold plugs for the EGR and air injection are on their way from Bel-Metric. Still on the wrong side of the country today, but should arrive late next week. The factory choke system is a hybrid water-electric combo. The water part is badly corroded and requires goofy plumbing. I want to convert to normal electric choke to eliminate the goofy plumbing, and was told that a kit for Weber 32/36 DGEV will fit the factory carb (which is more or less a Holley-branded Weber). I bought a kit on eBay that works well, after I reversed the bi-metallic spring so it moves the proper direction. Out of the box it went backwards, closing the choke as it warmed up!

I've removed a pile of unneeded vacuum hoses and related stuff, all that's left to do on that front is to get a plug for the thermostat housing to replace the vacuum port switchie thing. And I'm almost done building the EGR block-off plate for the carb spacer. All told, things are looking a lot simpler under the hood, and I hope to be ready to try to fire it up within the next week some time.

amg_rx7 (Forum Supporter)
amg_rx7 (Forum Supporter) SuperDork
11/12/23 1:50 a.m.

Need more piktors :)

jimbbski
jimbbski SuperDork
11/12/23 12:33 p.m.

In reply to Serial_car_restorer :

My first car was a '74 V6 Capri and I ended doing many of the things you're doing now, just 40 years after me.  If your keeping the car long term I'd suggest either converting to a pointless ignition kit for the stock dist. or upgrade to the later Ford Duraspark II ignition system found on mid to late 70's Mustang II's with the same V6 engine. I believe that Ford used that ignition system up to the early 80's on the Ford Ranger's with the V6 as well. 

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/12/23 8:24 p.m.

Pulled a rear wheel and brake drum off today, and confirmed that I need a hose, two cylinders and a set of shoes in the rear. Will be shopping for brake parts soon.

And as of today I think I've got everything taken care of after removing all the emissions gear, virtually none of it functional. (I believe the air pump is OK, so if anyone needs one, let me know. Fat chance, I realize. wink) Pulled a whole lot of hardware, and simplified the vacuum hoses to the bare minimum. Converting the choke to full electric also tidied up the heater hoses as well. The last step will be to plug the manifold ports once those parts arrive late next week. Still pretty grimy, but cleaning is a bit farther down the priority list. I need to know that it runs before I spend time degreasing.

The more I explore, the more it seems likely that the current odometer reading of 76k might just be correct. Nothing really looks bad enough for 176k...

Sarah Young
Sarah Young Copy & Design Editor
11/13/23 9:27 a.m.

Very cool project. I'm watching along.

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/13/23 6:30 p.m.

First baby tire and wheel is now back on the car.

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/15/23 7:43 p.m.
Serial_car_restorer said:

...so I figured my first task was the fan motor. One thing leads to another, of course. I got the fan box pulled, but the 50 year old cloth ducting pretty much all crumbled to dust. New duct tubing is now on the short list. I then tested the fan motor, it works fine. Further examination found the resistor pack was burnt out. I found and ordered an NOS resistor pack, and will service the fan motor while I have it out.

Forgot to follow up on this part. The NOS resistor pack arrived, and I put the fan box back together and tested it with the fan switch. It worked on all speeds, but had a horrible squeal on any speed other than the highest. I pulled it back out, but found that the squirrel cage was so badly rusted to the shaft that I couldn't get it apart to see if the motor bearings could be serviced. Gave up on that, located and ordered a Ford NOS motor and cage. That arrived yesterday, and after putting it all back together one more time, everything tests good. Getting closer to putting the dash back together now.

The needed manifold plugs and a big batch of brake parts should arrive before the end of the week. I plan to see if I can fire it up over the weekend, and then begin the brake overhaul.

RichardNZ
RichardNZ GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
11/16/23 1:53 a.m.

That's a lovely job on that wheel, wish mine had come out half as well when did the same thing back in the 70's smiley I know you're looking to keep it stock but there were 13 x 7 's on the Aussie aftermarket - they must have been stamped from thicker metal as they weighed nearly twice as much as a standard.

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/16/23 11:29 a.m.

In reply to RichardNZ :

Pretty hard to find street tires for 13x7 these days. Finding 185/70-13 in a semi-known brand was hard enough. 13x6 might have been nice, though...

clutchmaster
clutchmaster New Reader
11/16/23 4:09 p.m.

man! that engine bay picture (the OP's) brings back nightmares of throttle linkage. This pulls that, which pushes this, and then maybe something else moves after pivoting. I had a wood adapter made to fit a 500cfm 2bbl holley and put a cable on it. It ran much better.     

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/18/23 6:04 p.m.

Spent some time working on the Capri today. The rear brakes are now new—shoes, cylinders and hose. Haven't bled them yet, waiting until the front is also done and deciding whether the master cylinder needs replaced as well. (I'm thinking I probably will replace it, just because.)

The plugs for the emissions ports in the manifolds arrived yesterday, and they seem to be fine.

So I spent a little time checking the fuel pump (electric aftermarket), the new electric choke adjustment, and using my timing light to verify that I have spark. And since all 3 of those are present...

 

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/20/23 3:28 p.m.

Now that I know it runs, back to the brakes today. I will need to look at the fast idle cams and such on the carb, as someone had cranked the idle screw in to give about 2200 rpm, probably because it doesn't seem to want to run at less than 1500 or so. But that's not for today.

I moved to the RF brake this morning. All new or refreshed there as well—pads, hardware, caliper rebuild, new wheel bearings. As with the rear drums, the rotors are still great and mike out at virtually new thickness. Should have this side done later today, the caliper is the hard part and I finished it before lunch. Actually pretty pleased there, the pistons and caliper bores were gunked up as expected, but no real corrosion inside. Fairly easy cleanup and refresh.

Two of the three wheels have been restored and new tires installed, the third is in progress now.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter)
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/28/23 2:37 p.m.

following with great interest.  i've always loved these cars!

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
11/30/23 7:36 p.m.

The last of the brake parts (new master cylinder) arrived the other day, and I spent a couple hours this afternoon bench bleeding and then installing the master. Broke out my trusty Motiv bleeder and had at it. The front went fine, but the Motiv can't bleed those goofy daisy-chained rear brakes. So that will need to wait for my assistant (long-suffering wife) to be available.

All the wheels are re-finished, and the fresh tires installed. Hoping to have it drivable (somewhat) sometime next week.

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
12/1/23 6:41 p.m.

Got the rear brakes beld out today. Good, firm pedal with nice clear fluid from each bleeder. So that's two big safety items checked off now—new brakes from stem to stern, and new tires on all 4 corners. Will go back inside the car over the weekend, new vent ducting and re-install the reskinned dash pad.

JoeTR6
JoeTR6 SuperDork
12/1/23 8:08 p.m.

That cleaned up really well.  My parents had a silver '73 that died in the 70s.  Nice find.

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
12/2/23 8:57 p.m.

Temporarily re-installed the re-skinned dash pad and such today, after replacing the crumbling HVAC ducting. Only temporary because the dash pad will need to come back out when the windshield is pulled for paint.

Rodan
Rodan UltraDork
12/2/23 11:21 p.m.

Looking good!

You're blazing along... makes me feel bad that I haven't done anything with my Capri in months. cheeky

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
12/3/23 12:04 a.m.

I'm retired. Working in the garage keeps me out trouble... mostly.

Serial_car_restorer
Serial_car_restorer New Reader
12/4/23 7:15 p.m.

Another milestone—it moved under its own power today. Not far, and not ready for the road yet. But getting closer.

Even though I only drove it a block or so total, I still learned a few things. One is that the front strut inserts are totally hosed, the front bounces uncontrollably over any small dip. Another is that the brake pedal doesn't like to return when the clutch is depressed—I found that the clutch pedal bushings are not just bad, they are totally non-existent. And the engine refuses to run much below 1500 rpm or so, even when warmed. I suspect the idle circuit on the carb is totally clogged.

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