1973 Ford Europe (U.S.A.: Lincoln-Mercury) Capri Mk I RS 2600

[Plastheniker]

Hi,

I was surprised to read recently that the European Ford Capri Mk I, sold in the U.S.A. as Lincoln-Mercury Capri, was the most successful import car on the U.S. Market during the early seventies.

Even today there is an American Capri club with an interesting site http://www.capriclub.com/featured_grm.htm

Possibly there is some interest for a model of the Capri in an American forum, too.

The choice for American Capri buyers was very limited because only 3 (?) of the numberless European versions of the Capri came to America.

The Ford Capri I RS 2600 was the top model of the whole Capri range. It was built in small numbers by Ford Cologne, therefore I am not sure if it was sold outside Germany. Ford England built a similar version with a different engine as RS 3100.

The RS 2600 was a reworked standard 2300. Among others it featured a larger crankshaft, a hotter camshaft, fuel injection, an extensively improved suspension, wide aluminum wheels, one separate exhaust system for each cylinder bank, a different interior.

The RS 2600 served as a homologation car for the extremely successful Ford works racing cars of those days. Officially rated at 150 PS (rather 180 PS as motor magazines estimated, 1 PS = appr. 1HP net) and rather light (1080 kg) it was a very fast car in the early seventies that could hardly be outperformed on German Autobahns (still no speed limit today). Though an RS 2600 cost more than twice as much as the cheapest standard Capri it was a bargain compared to other cars with similar performance.

The number of options was endless. If someone was willing to spend enough money he could order larger engines with up to 230 PS in wide lightweight bodies with plastic doors and lids and even plexiglass windows.

The durability of the RS 2600's drivetrain, however, was a disaster. Engines and transmissions used to explode after 5,000 to 10,000 km.

I built my model probably 25 years ago from a very simple Doyusha motorized toy model kit of an early (not 1973 as stated by Doyusha) Capri 2000 GT. The body was very nice, but it was virtually the only part of the kit I could use. Because of the battery box there was a flat one-piece interior and the glass parts were tinted deeply to conceal it. All other parts of the kit did not match the RS 2600.

I found making the windows and the rims a bit difficult in those days. Viewing the pictures I see some details for which I would find better solutions today. Nevertheless I hope the result looks acceptable even by today's standards.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Plastheniker

[Prince Ital Mike]

Beautiful!!!

[1 bad55 stan]

Thats pretty cool,i have been trying to get a mk1 capri for a while now(kitset) but are almost impossible to find.You have done a great job on this 1..

[Modelbuilder Mark]

That looks great! In 1984 I had a little green Capri, and that car was a BLAST to drive. Light, zippy, did not grip the road very well tho, so there was also some slip sliding especially in winter. My Dad was driving it and a lady ran a stop sign and t-boned it. She told my Dad she was sorry, her and her friend were talking about beans of all things. LOL

I have a rally style body that I was going to build into a modern Touring car at some point. Not sure the source, I have had it for ages.

[cobraman]

Very nice job !

[Rob Hall]

That turned out nice...didn't know there ever was a Mk I Capri kitted....the kits I've seen all seem to be the Mark II (IIRC, AMT and Monogram kitted them).

[realgone58]

Really cool! Looks much better without the big ugly bumpers they had on them here in the states.

[traditional]

Jurgen, you always do such a clean and nice job with your models, and this one, although 25 years old, looks like it was just done yesterday.

You also do gorgeous photography.

I was on a Baltic cruise last spring and one of my favorite tours was the city of Hamburg.....an absolutely beautiful city. I wish I'd known your name then....I'd have really enjoyed getting together with you for a couple of hours.....I'm always impressed with your models. Cheers, Cliff

[slusher]

Excellent build.

[peekay]

Beautiful! I doubt anyone else has ever corrected this kit.

[PappyD340]

Jurgen, you always do such a clean and nice job with your models, and this one, although 25 years old, looks like it was just done yesterday.

You also do gorgeous photography.

x2

[Zarana-X]

That came out very nice. I wanted a Capri pretty bad in the early 90's. I never got one, and they're almost extinct in the US, now.

[Dave Van]

Can't recall the last real Capri I saw state side.....nice model!

[mnwildpunk]

Very good job. I always liked this body and realgone58 is right they look much much better without those chunky u.s. bumpers.

[Dragline]

I learned to drive a manual in my Uncle Steve's 78/79 Capri. It was an olive green I think. I don't think I've seen another in almost 30 years.

Beautiful build.

Bob

[SSNJim]

Very nice - yours is the first one I've seen built. I've got one in my stash for a future project, so I know what you went through. For starters, there's no hood bulge and the body sides are quite slab-sided. I've heard that the kit was intended as a slot car. The model is a mix of early Capris - IIRC, it has the 71-72 side trim (where the twin indentations forward of the rear wheel are), but the 73-75 tail lights. What did you use for the interior and chassis?

I had a 1973 Capri from 1978-1982. What a fun car. 2 liter four cylinder, 4 speed, manual everything, no A/C. Only the 74 and later Capris had the big, body colored bumpers in the US. The 73 and earlier had nice, slim chrome bumpers.

Again, you did a nice job on the car. Thanks for showing it!

[SSNJim]

That turned out nice...didn't know there ever was a Mk I Capri kitted....the kits I've seen all seem to be the Mark II (IIRC, AMT and Monogram kitted them).

There was one other - an Academy Minicraft RS3100 in racing trim. It's another of those motorized kits, with a shallow interior, flat chassis and positionable steering.

Academy-Minicraft

http://www.scalemates.com/products/product.php?id=176588

Doyusha

http://www.scalemates.com/products/product.php?id=143019

[Duntov]

Ver well done!!!

[Helix]

Nice work Jurgen

[Chris White]

very nice work

[S. Svendsen]

Neat model. I've never seen one before of that year Capri.

Edited April 16, 2014 by S. Svendsen

[Dyno Davo]

Way cool. Ford Capri was a popular car in Oz. This is an awesome build

[Plastheniker]

Thanks for all comments!

Jurgen, you always do such a clean and nice job with your models, and this one, although 25 years old, looks like it was just done yesterday.

You also do gorgeous photography.

I was on a Baltic cruise last spring and one of my favorite tours was the city of Hamburg.....an absolutely beautiful city. I wish I'd known your name then....I'd have really enjoyed getting together with you for a couple of hours.....I'm always impressed with your models. Cheers, Cliff

Cliff, you really make me blush.

BTW I was amazed to read recently that Hamburg behind Berlin is the place that attracts the largest number of tourists, even more than Munich does. Indeed, Hamburg has some very nice spots. But even a Hamburg citizen who loves his hometown has to admit that Stockholm and most of all St. Peterburg are the real highlights of the Baltic area. I am sure you visited both and agree.

[Tom Geiger]

I've had this version a long time. From the "Nostalgic Heroes" series

1/24 scale, overall the body wasn't bad...

But there was no mention of this interior on the box!

[Tom Geiger]

And then I have this version that I bought the way you see it here. US version complete with the substantial bumpers!