UPPING THE ANTE

With his Dad and Grandad both huge Capri fans, Tom Aspinall had no choice but to get one, too. And with his 2.8i Special now sorted, he would have it any other way.

- Jon Cass

For as long as he can remember, Capris have played a huge part of Tom Aspinall’s life. In fact, his family connection with Ford’s respected icon stems way back before this 29-year-old was born. As we’ll find out, it’s no surprise that Tom has continued the family’s tradition and is now the proud owner of this 2.8i stunner.

“My Grandad, Derrick always had a love for the cars of his youth,“ Tom explains, “not just Fords though he did have a particular soft spot for the Capri.” In his lifetime, Derrick owned three examples, a black JPS limited edition and a Venetian red automatic 2-litre Ghia among them. “It was the red Ghia I have fond early memories of,” Tom smiles. “I remember being picked up in it every Saturday and taken to my grandparents’ house while my parents worked, I absolutely loved the thing, how it looked, how it sounded and the people that would stop and talk to my Grandad at every opportunity.”

Tom’s Dad, Neil ended up buying the Ghia from his Dad when he first met Tom’s Mum and continued to care for the car as it always had been. “When my Mum became pregnant with me, my Dad decided a Capri wasn’t going to be so practical and decided it had to go,” Tom recalls. “It didn’t go far though and it was sold to one of his mates in 1990.” A few years rolled by and the Capri was sold once again back to Tom’s Grandad and it was that period of the car’s life and indeed Tom’s life that holds those precious memories. “It continued to be driven right up until 2001 then ended up being parked up in my Grandad’s garage for over a decade,” Tom tells us. “In 2014 he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and we knew we had to recommission the Capri so he could enjoy it again while he still could.”