1978 Ford Capri 3.0 Ghia

Whilst Bodie and Doyle chased the baddies in a Capri 3.0 S - those requiring a little more comfort and refinement chose the Ghia, like the one we have here. Whilst most Ghia spec Capris had a 3-speed automatic transmission, this is one of approximately 10% that had a factory-fitted 4-speed manual ‘box.

Built in Ford’s Cologne plant in September 1978, this Capri was sold by the unusually named Zebedee & Powney Ford dealers of Calne, Wiltshire to a Mrs Knox - landlady of the Sir Audley Arms in Chippenham - on 11 December the same year.

Whilst little else is known of Mrs Knox, she clearly loved her Capri and used it for nearly 30 years until late 2007 by when it had covered fewer than 58,000 miles. The story goes that a dealer who regularly drove past the car eventually stopped and persuaded her to sell.

Then, over an 18 month period, the dealer’s business - Car House 2000 near Wolverhampton - undertook an extensive restoration of the Capri, taking it back to factory condition and specification. The main mechanic on the car had apparently worked on the production line of earlier Capri models in the UK and knew them very well. It is understood that once finished, they kept the car in the showroom, as a nice collector’s piece and example of their work, but never took it on the roads or drove it. See the History Highlights for more detail of the restoration.

In early 2020, the current owner visited the dealership to view a Peugeot 205 1.9GTi but instead put in an offer on the Capri. Mid year he renewed the ignition and tweaked the mixture but otherwise has done nothing else with it beyond storing it properly - giving it a run up and a short drive now and again to keep it in working order.

Fans of corrosion, paint flaws and panel gaps might feel inclined to skip the next few sections as there will be very little to please them. Others, be advised that there are only so many ways to convey how amazing this car is!

The car is finished in gloriously simple Diamond White; that staple colour of ‘70s and ‘80s Fords that never tried to be anything other than it was. There’s no flake, no glitter, just a solid white and it is, needless to say, near perfect. The bodywork too is very straight and the panel fit and shut lines have been well fettled.

Around the car the trim is either black plastic or painted satin black and both appear in excellent condition. What these days might be called a “shadow-line trim pack” back then was just called black window frames and it probably marks the start of the black on white maximum contrast look which still appeals today.

The car sits on its original 13-inch Ford Ghia alloy wheels, which appear in excellent condition and are fitted with matching Goodyear GT2 tyres which look barely used.

We always welcome and encourage personal inspections on the cars sold through The Market and, despite its superb condition, this would be no exception. Use the ‘Contact Seller’ option to arrange a visit to our new Oxfordshire HQ or maybe a video call. We guarantee that you’ll be blown away by the quality of the restoration and current condition of this Capri. When we first saw it in the metal, we were surprised to learn that the restoration was completed nearly 12 years ago, it still looks so fresh.

Sitting inside this Capri is like visiting your favourite grandparent as a child of the ‘70s. The upholstery, door trims and carpets are a deliciously period chocolate colour, or perhaps more accurately a selection box of slightly different chocolates. All of it appears like new though and the seats are still really comfortable.

The dash and instruments are in very good order and the Philips Radio (with ‘Turnolock’ tuning memory) treats you to the period crackles and static of the full monophonic Medium Wave/Long Wave experience that FM put an end to a decade later. It also plays cassettes; pushing out marginally clearer music through stereo speakers flush-mounted in the doors.

Pretty much all equipment is manually operated and so, as far as we’ve been able to test, it all works fine. Many of you will remember that remote unlocking used to involve reaching across the car to pull up the knob to let your passenger in.

The windows and sunroof have hand-winders which feel a little stiff but perhaps we’ve forgotten that they were like that back in the day too. The driver’s door mirror has a small joystick inside the car; it would have been quite a novelty at the time not to have to get cold or wet winding down the window to adjust the mirror angle.

The carpets are plush and in a super condition, with rubber overmats in the front, and the headlining is clean and tidy, although slightly rough around the sunroof but this is only visible when it is open.

Lift the bonnet and you might wonder whether you’ve been out in the DeLorean that we’ve got coming soon to The Market. You’ve suddenly been transported back 42 years to the day that Wolfgang - or Wolfi to his Freunde - tightened up the last hose-clip before the Capri moved down Ford’s Cologne assembly line. All you can see is the Ford blue block, surrounded by new-looking black ancillaries, hoses and cables. The only thing with any kind of patination is the offside exhaust manifold which is original - the other having been renewed.

It might be a cliché but the undersides of this car are so clean that, gravity notwithstanding, you could eat your dinner off them. The underbody and mechanicals look factory-fresh; everything has been repaired, renewed, replaced, refurbished and anything else beginning with RE, it REally is amazing!

Opening the boot, the tailgate lifts nicely and is held strongly by the gas struts. The plastic parcel shelf hangs from cords and is in pristine condition without any of the unsightly holes where speakers were often retro-fitted. The carpets and lining are in excellent order and lifting the floor board reveals the jack and a full-size alloy spare wheel with the same barely used Goodyear rubber as the road wheels.

The car has a current MOT although only valid until 28 Jan 2021. However, it previously passed with no advisories and has only covered around 200 miles since, so it shouldn’t prove too much of a problem to get through. It’s now age-exempt of course but it’s worth getting its roadworthiness independently checked.

The car comes with a few MOT reports and invoices and the original dealer’s wallet containing owner’s manual, accessories leaflet and service booklet which shows nine stamps for servicing as follows:

Zebedee & Powney Ford Dealers

- May 1979 - 1,939

- Jan 1980 - 5,932

- Feb 1980 - 10,163 (poss 1981 but dated wrongly)

- Feb 1982 - 16,158

- May 1983 - 20,207

- Jun 1985 - 25,027

- Sep 1986 - 28,125

Richard Jeffery Auto Engineer

- Mar 1990 - 36,034

- Apr 1994 - 44,235

Between 2008 and 2009 Car House 2000 carried out an extensive restoration over 18 months, returning the Capri to its original condition (as outlined in a letter from them). Where original items could be salvaged they were refurbished and retained or otherwise replaced like for like. The only things not original factory-spec are the anti-corrosion treatment to the underside and the slightly wider diameter exhaust back boxes with chromed tips:

- Stripped down and bare metal respray

- All components refurbished, renewed or replaced

- Engine stripped and rebuilt with new gaskets

- Drivetrain: Gearbox, prop shaft and rear differential stripped and refurbished

- Suspension and brakes renewed

In June 2020, new ignition parts were bought and fitted: plugs, points and rotor arm.

Two more items of interest come with the car. The first is a small wallet containing the original owner’s AA membership certificates from 1980 and ‘81 along with keys to the AA’s emergency phone boxes - remember them?

The second is a framed photograph of the car surmounted by every single one of its tax discs with expiries from 1979 through to 2007 - what a treasure!

The Capri’s 3.0-litre Essex V6 starts from cold with just a little choke and a quick pump on the throttle. When it roars into life and starts to throb as it finds its idle, the torque from the engine rocks the car along its centreline giving the occupants a real sense of the power under the bonnet. Whilst we’ve not driven it far, the vendor reports that on his short maintenance runs it drove very well indeed and with the larger exhaust, sounded great too.

This rather rare manual MkIII Capri Ghia 3.0, which looks more like a ‘toolroom copy’ of a classic rather than a restoration, is as original as you’re likely to find and has to be one of the very best around. We estimate it will sell for between £23,000 and £30,000.

Whilst that might seem strong money for a late model Capri, you’d be hard pushed to find one in better shape. Fast Fords have long been desirable and prices of more recent RS and Cosworths have gone way beyond that price range, so in that company it represents something of a bargain.

Inspection is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.