Capri 2.0S

Classic Fords restored: What sort of person rebuilds a 10-year-old Capri, then after storing it for 20 years, undertakes a complete nutand-bolt restoration to make it perfect? A person like Andrew Harwood.

- Mike Renaut

We’re used to seeing high-standard modern restorations at Classic Ford with those ‘far better than it left the factory’ levels of perfection. But hardly anyone was doing them back in 1989 when Andrew Harwood starting dismantling his perfectly decent 1979 Capri 2.0S. A car barely a decade old with under 30,000 miles. “I’d seen the Capri for sale in 1986,” remembers Andrew, “as the second owner became ill so his son was selling it. Although I’d played about with a Mini, this Capri was the first car I’d driven on the road — it was my pride and joy and I used it every day. It was perfect until I had a little scrape that required a new offside front wing and rear wheelarch.” Andrew bought the required panels — which of course were easily available from any Ford dealer back then — and began stripping the car in 1989. Bear in mind at this point Andrew had already been driving around the country displaying the Capri in various car shows. “It was extremely clean and presentable. I’d stripped and cleaned the underneath, and it still had good paint. But I’m a perfectionist — it had to be absolutely right.”

“I’ll admit I got carried away,” laughs Andrew. “It was a refresh rather than a restoration because I didn’t touch the mechanical side of things, but it still ended up a bare shell ready for a complete respray. I bought lots of new parts including bumpers and lights.”

Blistering pace