Classic Ford – August 2019

The original Mk2-style Carla check seats were

thankfully in great condition and just needed a clean.

The original 2-litre engine was in great shape, so all

Pinto fan, Daren’s done is service and carefully detail it.

Darren’s improved the 2.0S, while keeping its appeal.

August 2019 43

It’s been quite a Summer for Darren’s Capri,

as despite being finished and on the road for

a couple of years, 2019 has been the year

that it’s really made a splash — going down

a storm at both the Classic Ford Show and

Bromley Pageant. Darren loves driving it too,

and will happily jump in and head off to

events all over the UK — testament to just

how right Ford got the original S. Getting

out and about in the Capri is also gaining it

attention from some unlikely quarters —

with rap artist, Tino Kamal (below) clocking

the car and asking to use it in a recent music

video (watch it at http://www.classicfordmag.

co.uk). The director of the video has since

used it in another promo, so what’s next —

an appearance on Top Gear, perhaps? Let’s

hope no caravans are involved...

ON THE BIG (AND

LITTLE) SCREENS

FROM SHOW STAR TO VIDEO STAR

“I put my heart and soul into it,” he admits,
“and it was done on a very tight budget.
Fortunately, the shell was as good as I’d hoped
— the floors and chassis were solid, but I needed
to fabricate new sections for the rear three-
quarters, the bottoms of the doors and some
small repairs to the tips of the wings, too. Even
now, all of the panels are the originals —
confirmed to me at the Classic Ford Show when
someone came up to the car and started running
their fingers under the headlight panel!”

Fired paint
When it came to the paint, Darren’s rapid work
progress almost came unstuck. “I got let down
three times by painters and, running out of
patience, decided to do it myself. I put a tent up in
the garden and roped my next door neighbour,
Pawel, in to help. I wasn’t that keen on the original
Jupiter Red — I thought it was a bit dull — so
after looking around at some more modern cars
decided to go for Rouge Flamme, which is a
Renault shade. It’s a three-stage paint, so applying
it was a little more involved, and in fact the paint
was probably the hardest paint of the rebuild

— it was a real fight to do it outside. Worth it

though, as when the sun’s out, it really pops.”

As a finishing touch, with the brighter red,

Darren elected to fit a set of black S stripes and

decals in place of the original grey — bought

from DMB Graphics.

Darren hasn’t neglected the rest of the car

either, though has left the majority of the

running gear well alone, aside from stripping,

cleaning and repainting. “The engine and

gearbox have only done 70,000 miles and are in

superb condition, so aside from a service, and

adding the Burton Power cam cover and a

K&N, I’ve left them well alone. I couldn’t have

the suspension standard though, so I’ve lowered

it 3 inches all-round using a combination of

H&R springs up front and lowering blocks at

the rear, adding some GAZ dampers, too.”

For the wheels, again he decided a modern

upgrade was in order, sorting a set of JBW’s

15 inch four-spokes in black, which work a treat,

we reckon, while still keeping the essence of the

S, so to speak.

Being an early Mk3, Darren’s 2.0S is what is

known as a changeover car, which means it