1974 Ford Capri MK1 1600 XL
(Featured on 4th December 2013)
Make: Ford
Model: Capri
Year: 1974
Registration: 0KF 42M
Mileage: 6,000
Sellers original description:
A once in a life time opportunity to acquire what is almost certainly the lowest mileage best original condition 1974 Ford Capri MK I 1600 XL available anywhere - worldwide.
Just 6,000 genuine miles from new supported by service history.
An exemplary example has the added benefit of a rare and desirable factory fitted vinyl roof and dealer applied Ziebart rust proofing treatment from new.
Owned by the same family - Husband, wife then son from new until this year.
Always garaged and scarcely used at all but kept maintained and serviced.
Remarkably rust free retaining all of its originally fitted panels & glass and the majority of its factory applied paint finish.
Absolutely exceptional in every way and presented in show winning condition.
Quite simply mind blowing!
Following the runaway success of the Mustang in the early 60’s Ford desperately needed to produce a European equivalent to appeal to the younger customer in the emerging coupe market.
By 1964 Ford styling and design studios in America and Europe were drawing up the first ideas for "Project Colt". By the beginning of 1966 the new car was being shown as full size mockups to "clinics" in London, Cologne, Milan and other European cities. The Colt, owing to copyright issues with by the Japanese Car manufacture, became the Capri and was launched in the U.K to great acclaim in 1969.
‘Ford Capri: the car you always promised yourself’
An instant hit the Mk1 Capri soon became the ‘must have’ car of the early seventies.
Available in various engine and trim combinations, starting with the L model, the most desired were, of course, the 1600 engined cars.
In the autumn of 1972, to keep The Capri ahead of its up and coming rivals from other manufacturers a face lift version was introduced with many upgrades. The face lift car received new and more comfortable suspension, rectangular headlights, enlarged tail-lights and new seats. The Kent engines were replaced by the Ford Pinto engine.
The following year, 1973, saw the highest sales total the Capri ever attained, at 233,000 vehicles, and by August The millionth Capri was sold.
Capri’s remain extremely popular and desirable today with the Mk1’s the most sought after. It is almost forty years since the last one left the Halewood production line.
Time has taken its toll and very few original unrestored Mk1’s now remain.
Completely unmolested examples are very rare. One in standard specification, as it was when it left the factory, very rare indeed. To find an unrestored original car though that has been owned by the same family for four decades - now that would be a tall order. One with all of this and that had covered just six thousand miles from new well that surely would be completely impossible...........
............Wouldn't it?
OKF 42M
On the 17 January 1974 The first owner of OKF 42M, at the time in his late sixties, travelled the 4 or so miles from his home in an affluent suburb of Liverpool to Ford dealers J Blake (Blakes) & Co Ltd, Hardman Street in the City Centre.
The purpose of his visit was to order a new car before his pending retirement as a Director of his own company. His accountant had told him that there would be a tax advantage in having the new car invoiced to the company, although it could still be registered in his private name. There was no part exchange to trade in as the owner intended to keep his current company car for everyday use. The new car was to be very much used only for 'high days and holidays'
The owner had studied the sales brochure (copy in the file) in great detail prior to his visit to Blakes. He had already decided that his new car should be a Capri. He had come to the conclusion that a 1300 OHV would not be powerful enough, a 2000 too powerful and thirsty.
The new to the MK1 facelift Ford Pinto 1600 OHC seemed the perfect choice. As for model. The L was too basic, he wanted some comfort, the GT would be fantastic - if only he were 20 years younger! The XL seemed to fit the bill exactly.
The minute he saw OKF 42M on display in Blakes showroom he knew that it was the car for him. Finished in diamond white the car looked resplendent with a factory fitted black vinyl roof to match the interior.
A deal was done there and then (copy of the hand written order form in the file) a 10% discount for no P/Ex was negotiated and the owner took very wise precaution of investing £38 in one of the new to the market full Ziebart Rust proofing treatments. Probably the most astute £38 he ever spent as once again decades on it is plain to see just how well these early rustproof treatments have worked in keeping rust at bay.
Ziebart was a revolutionary process that injected the box sections and cavities of a vehicle and then sprayed the whole underside, in the boot and under the bonnet with sealant. The process was then guaranteed not to rust through from the inside for a period of 10 years or 100,000 miles. Ziebart preferred, as in this case, to treat the vehicle prior to first registration but in any event would only give their full guarantee to vehicles that were treated before they were 3 months old or before they covered 3,000 miles (they knew that after this time/mileage the damage was already done and all they were doing was just sealing it in and helping it spread). OKF 42M was treated on the 22nd January 1974 (14 recorded miles) and issued with a full guarantee (now expired of course) a copy of which is in the history file.
According to the invoice from the supplying dealer the only other extra was a locking petrol cap £1.67 and 4 gallons of fuel £1.65.
The first owner collected OKF 42M on the 1st February 1974 which was also the date of first registration. This will mean that the car was almost certainly manufactured in 1973 so should be able to be classed as Road Tax exempt when the laws change for next year.
OKF 42M was its owners absolute pride and joy. As we say it was never intended to be a car for daily use and as it happened the owner content with the tax benefits the car had earned pretty much confined it to the double integral garage at his home, using it even less than he had at first intended. On the odd occasion it was used it was never for more than local runs. The owner never left OKF 42M out overnight and rarely used it in the wet.
This Capri has been maintained and cared for without regard to cost; if anything needed attention it was done but with such little use in its early days that was not very much at all.
On the 22 March 1985, according to a copy of the original log book in the file, ownership of OKF 42M transferred to the fist owner's wife at the same address. I week later a full service and MOT was carried out according to the copy of the invoice in the file the mileage then was just 3,943.
The first owners wife had no intention of using OKF 42M any more frequently than her husband had but she had every intention of caring for it in the same way that he had. In fact 4 years after the above service another invoice is present in the file dated April 1989. To recover the car from the owners address and strip seized brakes check all over and MOT when this was carried out the mileage had advanced by just 1,000 to 4,991.
In the following 7 years the car covered just 53 miles.
An invoice is present dated 31st may 1996 for again recovering the car a full overhaul of the brakes was carried out the mileage is recorded at 5,044. Six months later and another 16 miles recovered from the home address once more for new cam belt, water pump brake master cylinder etc mileage 5,060.
OKF 42M by now was effectively laid up in dry storage but a familiar pattern was being established. Another 8 years (2004) another 13 miles (5,073) and another invoice from the same garage to recover the car from the home address, service, change the cam belt again, free off the brakes repair leaking carburettor and MOT.
In 2005 the copy of the V5C shows ownership to be transferred to the owners son who at the time was in his mid fifties.
In 2006 an invoice shows the discs being replaced at 5,145 the clutch assembly being replaced 6 months later at 5,247 miles. Invoices after this date are now in the sons name and there is one for MOT's and or services (all stating recorded mileages) for most years up until May of this year when the mileage is recorded on an invoice at 6,176.
Also present in the file are old VOSA MOT's. The last dated August 2012 has the mileage incorrectly recorded by the Halfords tester at 61,623 when of course it was actually 6,162 - an easy mistake to make at quick glance on a forty year old car. A new 12 month MOT will be issued by auction end and obviously the mileage will be recorded correctly on that one which by the time it's done should be 6,484 or thereabouts.
Ownership of OKF 42M then was Husband, wife then son from new. It stayed in the care of the original owners son up until very recently when it was acquired, with us in mind, by a Mk III Capri enthusiast who is a longstanding client of ours. When he contacted us and told us of the car we jumped at the chance to own it as it is, of course, exactly the type of vehicle that we strive so hard to find.
OKF 42M is certainly the lowest mileage best original condition MK1 Capri 1600 XL available for sale anywhere - worldwide.
A show stealer if ever we saw one!
BODYWORK:
Finished in Diamond white, the colour really suits this Capri so well, set off by the contrasting factory fitted and excellent condition black vinyl roof and the original factory semi gloss black paint to the lower body.
The vast majority of the paint finish is that applied in the factory when new.
When we first saw OKF 42M we noticed though that the colour to both front wings is slightly different to the rest of the car. Must have had new front wings we thought as most Mk1's (in fact every one that we've seen) have.
Checking under the bonnet the Ziebart treatment that covered all of the panels (this was part of the process) seemed to be original and undisturbed but was quite thick on the inner wing lips so we could not see the spot welds beneath it.
It is our policy to remove Ziebart from the engine bay whenever we acquire a car that has the treatment. Whereas it does its job so well the black under the bonnet looked extremely unsightly when it was applied new but after a few decades it always really does look hideous! It is a job we absolutely hate but one when done that rewards the effort.
When we removed the Ziebart from the inner wing lips we were amazed to discover that both wings were in fact the factory originals. Both still had their factory welds and even more surprising both still had their original date of manufacture clearly stamped into them, the off side is dated 12 11 73 the nearside 16 11 73. All of the panels then are the factory fitted originals and the wings have not been changed.
It would seem that the reason for the front wings being a slightly different colour was due to a couple of scrapes against the garage door many years ago when ownership transferred to the first owners wife. As a result of these and in order to prevent further mishaps the local garage was instructed to fit door mirrors to both sides.
We have just had our body shop remove the mirrors and make good as door mirrors were never an option on the MK1 Capri and the eighties style none genuine Ford parts looked out of place on such a factory correct specification car.
We also had the Ziebart treatment removed from the front and rear valances as this too looked unsightly the paint surface was damaged a little during removal. We have painted both these areas to correct the damage and carried out a couple more minor localised blow ins to correct other blemishes to the paint finish.
OFK 42M is remarkably rust free for a forty year old Capri, due no doubt to the Ziebart treatment carried out before it was ever used on the roads. We have been over the entire body and we can find no areas whatsoever where body filler has ever been used.
Overall the body and paint work is superb for a car that is four decades old and retains a good lustre. There is the odd mark, blemish and stone chip to the surface finish here and there which have been attended to with a touch up brush over the years.
Door boot and bonnet shuts are in fantastic condition.
No welding has ever been carried out and none is required.
The chrome work is in good original condition although a little pitted in places, the front bumper is slightly distorted to the off side.
All rubbers are excellent.
The original supplying dealer’s number plate and rear window sticker remain.
All the factory fitted Ford stamped glass remains.
The correct factory finish semi gloss black to the lower doors and sills remains and has never been redone.
INTERIOR:
Finished in black the interior contrasts extremely well with the exterior and can only be described as exemplary by far the best we have ever seen on a Mk1 Capri and just as you would expect for a car that has only travelled 6,000 miles from new.
A factory option, thankfully not taken, in 1974 was cloth inserts to the seat facings. The standard full vinyl facings to the bucket seats hold their shape and wear much better than cloth; they also give the car a far more classic look and feel.
The seats, carpets, drivers heel mat, door cards, headlining, dash, rear trim, rear parcel shelf are all unmarked.
Period radio with rear shelf speaker that has never been screwed down so no holes - the wire feeds through standard grommet hole.
The floors under the carpets are in absolutely superb condition; please let us have an email address if you would like us to send some pictures.
IN THE BOOT:
The spare wheel well (Ziebarted) and boot floor is in excellent unwelded condition.
There is a spare wheel with original tyre.
Correct boot mat.
Unused jack and wheel brace still in their original sacking bag.
UNDER THE BONNET:
As we have said this whole area was coated in black Ziebart sealant. We have removed the majority although some does still remain in the especially in the important areas. again some surface damage occurred to some of the paint finish in removal and this has been made good by our body shop, including the underside of the bonnet, or touched in with a brush.
On the whole though very clean and presents as only a low mileage vehicle can.
Original stickers in place.
newish battery
ON THE ROAD
OFK 42M Starts on the button with manual choke.
No untoward noises or smoke.
Everything is tight and this is as close you will ever get to what it would have been like to drive a Mk1 Capri back early seventies when they were new.
Just such a joy to drive you can tell straight away that this is an exceptionally low mileage well maintained car.
The gears change up and down as they should everything tested works.
there will be a new MOT by auction end and our mechanic has just changed the cam belt as a precaution.
All 5 Pirelli Cinturato's are the originals fitted on the production line 39 years ago - a must if you are going to show the car, they probably still have 1974 air in them! They show very little signs of wear, after all they have only covered 6,000 miles, and even the side walls don't look to bad at all with no obvious major cracking as often seen with tyres of this age. However given how old they are of course you should have them professionally checked before driving at speed or any distance.
HISTORY FILE
1. Copy of the original log book
2. Page 2 with the new keeper section of the current V5C our client sent the first page to Swansea this week in error so you will need to apply for a V5C in your name using a form V62 which we will supply.
3. service invoices from 1985 to May this year all with mileages.
4. Current M.O.T valid until June 2014
5. Original hand written order form dated 17.1.1974.
6. original invoice
7. Ziebart warrantee
8. original brochure
9. Blakes supplying dealer tax disc holder
10. spare set of keys.
SUMMARY:
It is a safe bet that you will never again get an opportunity to own such an original, extraordinary low mileage, effectively 1 family owned Mk1 Capri.
This car will be of interest to enthusiasts, collectors and most certainly investors.
It is perfectly useable on a daily basis, should you so desire.
It has huge show winning potential and is a once in a life time investment opportunity.
OFK 42M is a truly remarkable and beautiful Mk1 facelift 1600 XL Capri.
It is totally original and unmolested and it has covered a genuine 6,480 miles from new.
Photos:
