Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership finalists 2024

Stuart is well-known in Capri circles, having owned many examples of ‘the car you always promised yourself’. Back in 2019 he sold his award-winning Mk 1 to buy the one you see here, and it was the beginning of a lot of work.

“I bought it from a private collection and it had covered just 41,000 miles having been off the road for ten years. The last MOT was in 2010, and to say it needed work was something of an understatement. The extent of the corrosion was far worse than I thought.”

In fact, it meant that almost every panel needed attention, and the rot wasn’t just confined to the bodywork. Items such as the fuel tank and exhaust system were in a bad way, too, so those would need to be replaced. Many hours were spent putting things right, and once a new windscreen was fitted it was ready to be resprayed in the original colour of Glacier Blue.

Once that had been done Stuart could concentrate on the mechanicals, and as well as rebuilding the 2.0-litre engine he also gave the suspension and brakes a thorough overhaul, fitting new parts where necessary.

The work took eighteen months to complete, but his efforts had really paid off. The stunning coupe has been featured in Classic Ford magazine and won a number of awards, including a first place in his local club show. We can certainly understand why it has received so much attention, and for Capri fans this one is a real treat.

The stylish Capri made its debut in January 1969 and five years later the first model was replaced by the Mk II. The third generation like the car here arrived in 1978 and continued in production until 1986.