1962 Ford Consul Capri

Because, well, just look at it! The 1962 Ford Consul Capri is a thoroughly clean example that’s modified to classic-car-show standards. It has swayed slightly from the original spec, but one can argue, this is how the Consul Capri deserved to look like in the first place. From its bright paint to the smooth lines, fins, and curves; from the pillarless doors to its proportionately positioned 2+2 cabin; from the reworked interior to the worn but possibly original steering wheel, there is a lot to take in, and certainly a lot to appreciate.

First registered in July 1962, it’s a low-mileage example having done just 25,000+ miles. Apart from its likeable condition and rarity is the fact that it just had two former keepers (excluding the vendor) from new. Some of the previous MoT certificates have been included; the last recorded MoT test was conducted in 2017 and it cleared that without advisories.

The car has a 2000 cc engine (not standard; never available on a Consul), and it was most definitely fitted before 1987 as the MoT records suggest. Another point worth noting is that the car did less than 500 miles in 1987 (that is after more than 25 years from when it was purchased), so there's a chance that the odometer was set to zero somewhere on the way. The current odometer reading is 25746 miles; the last MoT mileage isn’t too dissimilar and suggests that the car hasn’t run much in the last three years. More on that below.

With the Consul Classic, Ford adopted an Anglia-like rear window but on the Consul Capri, it was an entirely different story. So much so that although these two differ largely in the way the upper half of the car is appointed, the Classic and Capri look like totally different models. The credit for that goes not just to two doors and pillarless curved roof, but also how the long bonnet is complemented by the almost equally long boot. This car designed and assembled at Dagenham was grand, curvaceous, and not bereft of fins. Park it right next to any other well-known automobile from the era, and the Consul Capri will make its presence felt. Like it does today.

With the removal of the front bumper, the Consul Capri looks even more stylish. And further upping its style quotient is the two-tone paint; the bright yellow body is complemented by a white roof. There’s no rust or major damage on the car — you’ll just spot some age- and use-related marks on close inspection. And the chrome trims, mirrors, grille, etc., look pristine for the most part. It might’ve been unlike anything else Ford of Britain had on sale, but that didn’t stop the Consul Capri from being a visual delight. This example is one of the cleanest, if not the absolute best one out there.

The Consul Capri was referred to as the ‘first personal car from Ford of Britain’. And its cabin did make a statement, maybe not as prominent as the exterior, but still loud enough. The lack of pillars meant you’d get a great view of the cabin when you’re about to get in. And once inside, the view outside isn’t going to be obscured by an ungainly b-pillar, either. Of course, the sloping roof at the rear meant there was less headroom than in the conventional saloon, and the lack of direct access to the rear seats meant it wasn’t as easy to get in, either. But for all of that, you could pick up the Consul Classic instead.

This 1962 example has one of the freshest cabins you’d find in a car of this vintage. The individual seats at the front are reupholstered and look fresh out of the factory — Dagenham or not. The door cards, roof lining, rear bench, and carpet all seem to be fit and ready for decades of future use. The steering, in all likeliness, is an original unit or an early example and has considerable wear, which adds to the appeal. The dashboard seems to be redone as well, and with correct bits and bobs, it helps recreate what being inside a new Consul Capri must’ve been like.

While practicality takes a hit on the inside, the boot space makes up for it. It’s not as clean as the redone interior, but there’s still a lot of space, a full-sized spare wheel, and a lot of usable spares. A consumer journalist might point out that the boot lip is too high and the aperture might be a problem in placing large hardshell suitcases. Ignore their views; for the Consul Capri is way above that drivel.

Worth noting on the trip into the car’s cabin is the presence of a floor-mounted automatic gear selector. Which is, as you can guess, not standard. The Consul Capri was always criticised for its lack of power, especially in the pre-GT models, and even the GT didn’t have a 2-litre engine. This does, complete with an automatic gearbox. Engine swaps on the Consul Capris were a common affair, and with this, the Capri seems ready to meet modern motoring requirements. 

The body restored to a high standard looks to be free from rust and the underside appears to be coated to prevent corrosion. The choke isn’t connected, so cold starts do require a fair bit of pumping of the throttle, but it runs well when warmed up.

The 1962 Consul Capri has had three owners, the first one who purchased the car in July 1962 and had it under their name till 2010. The second owner had the car for nine years until 2019, which is when the current keeper (vendor) got it. Through the MoT data, it’s easy to infer that the car underwent some major work in 2010. It has since then cleared its MoT tests without any advisory. The latest test was in 2017.

The car’s recorded mileage (on the odometer) is 25746 miles, and this checks with the current MoT data. But if you look at its previous MoT slips (included in the gallery below), you’d find that in 1987, the car’s mileage was just 493 miles. It consistently increased to about 20,000 miles. In the last 10 years, the car hasn’t done more than 5,000 miles. Its actual mileage from new can’t be verified. There’s a chance that the odometer was set to zero right before 1987 or before 2010.

Ford might’ve not been able to achieve much in terms of sales success with the Consul Capri, considering only less than 20,000 of these were sold in the UK. It’s a classic that deserves a second chance now. It was an expensive car to produce, and its dismal performance on the sales front meant Ford didn’t keep it on the market for long. This makes it rare, even in its domestic market, Britain. This example isn’t just made beautiful on the outside, it has a well-made interior, and upgraded mechanicals. With a 2-litre engine and an automatic gearbox, the car is bound to be easier to live with.

A bit left-field, the Consul Capri is a mix of transatlantic fusion of design and engineering. And this clean, yellow and white 1962 example, at an estimated £12,500 - £20,000, will undoubtedly make for a happy sight.

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.