1970 Ford Capri RS2600

During March 1970 the RS2600 made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, albeit with a mock up fuel injection system. It wasn't until September the same year that the first fuel injected RS2600 left the Niehl assembly line in Cologne, Germany. The RS was easily recognisable as it had no bumpers, two vents in the front panel and sported Richard Grant road wheels, - the lightweight versions of the car used Minilites - it also had a pair of rectangular wing badges reading RS2600 and an RS roundel on the boot lid. These cars had the front cross member re-drilled for negative camber and were fitted with uprated brake pads and linings supplied by Ferodo, competition front springs, single leaf rear springs and Bilstein shock absorbers all-round.

Inside, as with the lightweights, Scheel sports seats were used though these were now reclining and the rear seats were of bench design trimmed in the same heavy cord material. A Springall deep dish steering wheel was used but there was no centre console, which was widely used on the Mk1 Capri's. Externally the RS2600 gained chrome quarter bumpers with the front ones incorporating the indicators, but the two vents in the front panel were now deleted, wheels were now the RS 4-spoke items similar in design to those of the Mk1 RS Escorts but 6 inches in width. Twin Cibié headlamps also adorned these cars. Performance figures for the RS2600 were very impressive with 2,637cc producing 150bhp at 5,800rpm which was sufficient to propel the RS2600 from 0-62mph in 8.6secs and on to a top speed of 124mph.

The Capri RS2600 offered here today has a very interesting story to tell, and according to our vendor,it could very well be an important piece of Ford Motor Company history. It is believed that this car could have been a development car forming one of three prototype RS2600's, however, despite there being significant evidence to suggest that is the case, there are a number of questions that remain unanswered, so there is currently insufficient proof to make that claim for certain.During March 1970 the RS2600 made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, albeit with a mock up fuel injection system. It wasn't until September the same year that the first fuel injected RS2600 left the Niehl assembly line in Cologne, Germany. The RS was easily recognisable as it had no bumpers, two vents in the front panel and sported Richard Grant road wheels, - the lightweight versions used Minilites - a pair of rectangular wing badges reading RS2600 and an RS roundel on the boot lid. These cars had the front cross member re-drilled for negative camber and were fitted with uprated brake pads and linings supplied by Ferodo, competition front springs, single leaf rear springs and Bilstein shock absorbers all-round.

Inside, as with the lightweights, Scheel sports seats were used though these were now reclining and the rear seats were of bench design trimmed in the same heavy cord material. A Springall deep dish steering wheel was used but no centre console, which was widely used on the Mk1 Capri's. Externally the RS2600 gained chrome quarter bumpers with the front ones incorporating the indicators, but the two vents in the front panel were now deleted, wheels were now the RS 4-spoke items similar in design to those of the Mk1 RS Escorts but 6 inches in width. Twin Cibié headlamps also adorned these cars. Performance figures for the RS2600 were very impressive with 2,637cc producing 150bhp at 5,800rpm which was sufficient to propel the RS2600 from 0-62mph in 8.6secs and on to a top speed of 124mph.

The Capri RS2600 offered here today has a very interesting story to tell, and according to our vendor, could very well be an important piece of Ford Motor Company history. It is believed that this car could have been a development car forming one of three prototype RS2600's, however, despite there being significant evidence to suggest that is the case, there are a number of questions that remain unanswered, so there is currently insufficient proof to make that claim for certain.

Not unusually, this car started life as a German built 2.3GT but was bored out to 2637cc with long-throw crankshaft to achieve the required performance. When discovered by our vendor in 2010 it required restoration.The block in the car was numbered beginning "QZA' which was a correct RS2600 designation. The tale goes that three prototype cars were taken from 2.3 GT production line and used by Ford to evolve the RS2600. Our car was first licensed "K-MR 198', and the original log book shows the first owner as one Heinz-Otto Schmitter on July 10th 1970.

Correspondence among the history file by an owner named Roger King in 2009 suggests that Schmitter was a Ford Motor Company employee, although we cannot ascertain evidence to this effect. Research conducted by King suggests that the chassis is that of a German 2300GT, however, the log book shows the car to have been modified at the factory in June 1970 with all the updates to full RS2600 specification, before being sold with the correct QZA engine fitted as per the description from our vendor when acquired in 2012 pre-restoration.

An engineer by trade, Roger King of Brackley had intended to restore this car, but that challenge was instead eventually undertaken by our vendor to an exacting standard. Whether this car is a development car or not, one thing is for certain - it truly is special to behold. The QZA engine which was fitted in the car could not be retained for a crack in the block which had seen the car laid up a handful of years before could not be repaired. A replacement 2300 engine, bored to 2600 specification was sourced, and the restoration began in earnest. The result is really special and this car could now comfortably enhance any serious collection. Many thousands of pounds have been spent to accurately and sympathetically restore the detail of the day right down to the dashboard instruments and headlight arrangement.

Fully road legal with MoT to August 2013 and a history file sufficient to keep the most dedicated motor historian busy, this exceptional RS2600 specified Capri is once again factory fresh, and ready to be enjoyed.