1962 Ford Consul Capri

The Capri was a two-door coupé version of the Ford Classic saloon created to be a full range model to take Ford into the new decade. Designed by Charles Thompson it sported sweeping lines, a large boot space and a pillarless coupé roof. The Consul Capri included Ford Classic De-Luxe features, including four headlights, variable speed wipers, 9.5in front disc brakes, dimming dashboard lights and a cigar lighter.

Initially fitted with a 1340cc 3 main bearing engine, the early cars were considered underpowered and suffered from premature crankshaft failure. Engine capacity was increased with vast improvement in August 1962 to the 1498cc engine as with the car offered for sale today.

The Ford Consul Capri is increasingly rare having been produced for only a handful of years in modest numbers. This 1962 model is a very solid rust free example with a story to tell. It's previous keeper painstakingly recommissioned and restored the car with care to it's original specification. Having been purchased from the Metropolitan Police after a period of incarceration after it's part in a high profile armed robbery, like us, he felt the history of the car too good to miss. Whilst serving it's sentence, the Police had partially stripped and boxed the parts of the car, though thankfully had held the Consul in dry storage for a number of years untouched.

The condition of this car is fabulous, though not concours. Described by the vendor as a very honest example with all original panels, rear arches and sills, the generous boot space shows no evidence of damp, meaning the area where the spare wheel resides has not suffered with decay. Reported to be in excellent mechanical order with everything working as it should, the previous keeper only ever used to take his Capri to local classic car events in Norfolk covering just 87 miles in four years. During this ownership, the car has been stored in a heated workshop being maintained and serviced by the owner and MoT'd regularly regardless of being used only sparingly. This Consul is now showing c55,000 miles which is believed to be correct, though sadly no service book has been kept.

The Ford Consul Capri is a great fun car - just right for the Summer, sporting the pillarless window feature and American styling without the hefty fuel bill! Further to this, as a 1962 car we look forward to seeing the new owner in the Pre-'63 car park at Goodwood this year!