1979 Ford Capri FIA Group 1

Original 1979 Capri 3.0S built in 2003 and first raced in 2004. Reshelled / rebuilt in today's 'Esso' form for the 2005 season

Over 100 starts (2005-11) in Group One/Pre-83 (Classic Touring Car Race Club and 70's Groove Baby series

Class winner/ joint 2nd overall in 2006. Won its class in CTCRC Pre-83 in 2015. Gerry Marshal Trophy at Goodwood Members Meeting in 2015, 8th/30 and 4th/28

Now regularly invited to the Members Meeting to contest the Gerry Marshall. Last two years co-driven by Emanuele Pirro at one point running 4th

260bhp JW Developments engine recently tuned and set-up at Tim Adams Dyno, Capri Group-One gearbox with Hewland internals, Atlas axle with 3.44 LSD, Leda two-way front and newly developed two-way rear shocks

Full FIA Homologation Papers and ready for any UK or European event where it could be very competitive in the right hands!

This Capri started life in 1979 as a V6 3.0S and was purchased by our vendor in 2001, prior to building it as a race car in 2003. It was first raced in 2004 and during that first season, he soon realised that the bodyshell was a little less stiff than it could have been so the decision was taken to re-shell and rebuild the car ready for the 2005 season. It was finished in a smart White, Red and Blue colour scheme and presented with those distinctive 'Esso' graphics that were to become so recognisable over the coming years.

Between 2005 and 2011, the 'Esso' car made over 100 starts in Group One-Pre-83 events including Julius Thurgood's popular 70's “Groove Baby” series and the Classic Touring Car Race Club Group 1 Touring Car Championship. In 2006, after a full season's racing at nearly every U.K. circuit, the car won its class and finished joint second overall in the championship accumulating some 120 points against another 10-12 hard fighting regulars in its class.

This well-prepared racing saloon has served our vendor well, battling hard for many years with numerous wins and podium finishes right up to and including 2015 when it won its class in CTCRC Pre-83 and had its first taste of the infamous Goodwood Members Meeting where it started 8th/30 in the qualifying race and 4th/28 in the main one-hour duel. Since then, this well-known Capri has been invited back to Goodwood each year to compete with the best of Europe's 70s/80's Group One Touring Cars and for the last two years our vendor has co-driven with the very talented Emanuele Pirro and finished both times. In 2017, the car was running in fourth place at one point with Emanuele at the wheel and eventually finished 14th with a fastest lap of 1.31.6.

In the 2018 two-driver race, there were problems due to the snowy conditions on Saturday, but the car still managed to finish mid-field. In Sunday's race, with our vendor at the wheel for the reverse grid, the Capri started in 5th place, went straight up to 2nd by the end of the first lap, only to be met by the safety car. There is some excellent footage on YouTube 'Goodwood 76MM- Crazy Capri Battle'

The car is currently fitted with a 260bhp JW Developments engine which was recently been tuned and set up at Tim Adams Dyno, a Group-one gearbox with Hewland internals, an Atlas axle with 3.44 LSD, Leda two-way front and, newly developed for this year, two-way rear shocks.

This remarkably successful little Capri racer has its FIA homologation papers (FIA/MSA Historic Technical Passport. Period: 1-1977-1981, FIA Class: CT35 GBR) and is ready for any UK or European event where it will almost certainly be very competitive in the right hands.