Capri capers

Just what was Ford’s caper when it imported 50 Capri RS3100s back in 1974? Was Australia simply a dumping ground for a model unwanted by UK buyers or did local racing chiefs have an ulterior motive?

Story: Paul Newby

Hindsight is a funny thing. Ask any touring car historian about the Ford Capri’s place in Australian motor racing and chances are that Bathurst class winner Bo Seton’s name pops up. Or the mighty Cologne Capri that Allan Moffat raced for a spell. But a Capri to take on Holden Torana’s SL/R 5000 and become Ford’s outright Bathurst challenger in 1974? As ‘The Castle’s’ Darryl Kerrigan once said, “tell him he’s dreaming…” Yet the authoritative Wheels magazine went to press with such a headline in July 1974. The cover had the Capri, a Daytona Yellow RS3100 emblazoned with the words; ‘Ford’s Bathurst Mystery Car!’ To understand how the Capri RS3100 could even be considered as an outright Bathurst contender, one needs to consider a series of developments at the time. Firstly, Ford had disbanded…

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Australian Muscle Car (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 79

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