BREATHTAKING FORD CAPRI Mk III 2.0 LASER JUST 4,000 (FOUR THOUSAND) Mls FROM NEW

PRESENTING

 

A once in a life time opportunity to acquire what is almost certainly the lowest mileage original un-restored 1985 Ford Capri 2. 0L Laser available anywhere - worldwide.

 

Just 4. 00 (four thousand) genuine miles from new supported by full dealer service history.

 

Desirable factory fitted 5 speed gear box.

 

 One owner from new.

 

Always garaged. scarcely used at all but kept maintained and dealer serviced.

 

 Remarkably rust free retaining all of its originally fitted panels and much of its factory applied paint finish.

 

Presented in show condition.

 

Quite simply mind blowing!

 

Following the runaway success of the Mustang in the early 60's Ford desperately needed to produce a European equivalent to appeal to the younger customer in the emerging coupe market.

By 1964 Ford styling and design studios in America and Europe were drawing up the first ideas for "Project Colt". By the beginning of 1966 the new car was being shown as full size mockups to "clinics" in London. Cologne. Milan and other European cities. The Colt. owing to copyright issues with by the Japanese Car manufacture. became the Capri and was launched in the U. K to great acclaim in 1969.

‘Ford Capri: the car you always promised yourself'

The mark III first appeared in March 1978 with the ‘S' range being by far the most popular until it was replaced in June 1984 by The Laser.

Available in 2 engine sizes. 1. 6 and 2. 0. L the Laser came with tinted windows. body coloured grill. bonnet lip and headlight bezels. The door mirrors were also colour coded. and the driver's side was remote control operated. They also had a rear spoiler. leather gear knob and steering wheel. 4 spoke RS alloy wheels fitted with 185/70 tyres. and a 4 speaker radio system. By the autumn of 1984 the laser was one of only two models of Capri still being produced for the U. K market.

Ford Capri's are now highly sought after with low mileage original condition examples becoming harder to find and consequently it is these cars that are now the most desirable.

 

It is almost forty years since the last one left the production line. Time has taken its toll and very few original un-restored examples now remain.

 

Completely unmolested examples are very rare. One in standard specification. as it was when it left the factory. very rare indeed. To find an un-restored original car though that has had just the one recorded owner - now that would be a tall order. One with all of this and that had covered just four thousand miles from new well that surely would be completely impossible.

. Wouldn't it? 

 

C450 SOY

On the first of August 1985 the first and only recorded owner of C450 SOY travelled the 5 or so miles from his home to Ford Main Dealers W. Harold Perry Ltd (Perrys) North Finchley. London. The purpose of his visit was collect his brand new Ford Capri 2. 0L Laser with 5 speed gear box.

 

The car had been ordered in early July but the owner. who was retired. had postponed deliver until the new "C" registration was issued on the 1st of August.

 

From the offset it was never the intention of the owner that C450 SOY would be a car for daily use. He had always been a Ford enthusiast and had always loved the sporting looks of the Capri. Knowing that production of the Capri was soon to come to an end he had decided to buy the car of his dreams. use it very infrequently and cherish it so that not only would it see him through the rest of his driving days but. he reckoned. be a wise investment too. As it turned out of course he was right!

 

A meticulous man the first owner kept C450 SOY garaged from new. The service book informed him that maintenance should be carried out only by a Ford Dealer so. in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions that is exactly what he did.

The first service which was free and normally due after a month or so at around 1. 00 miles was not carried out for 10 months and at just 370 miles by the supplying dealer.

 

The  service book shows Ford Dealer stamps confirming the low usage over the following years 884 miles by October 1986. 1. 50 by October 87 2. 82 by 1992 and so on with further stamps up until 3. 95 miles in April 1997.

 

Shortly after the 1997 service the aging owner now in ill health all but gave up driving and C450 SOY was laid up in the garage.

VOSA records show that the car was MOT'd in 2006 with a mileage of 3. 948. 2007 with 3. 71 and again in 2008 with 4. 01 miles.

 

According to a letter in the history file from the owner's sister her brother died in March 2009. C450 SOY was driven to her home in Manchester were it was kept garaged prior to disposal on behalf of the owners estate into a private collection. The owner's foresight had proved correct C450 SOY had indeed proved a worthwhile investment and. we would wager. will continue to remain so.

 

Today the V5C registration document shows just the original owner and previous registered keepers as none. The genuine mileage of this outstanding un-restored example of this iconic Ford which is such a credit to its owner is just 4. 60.

BODYWORK

 

C450 SOY retains all of its factory applied panels.

 

When we acquired it apart from some localised rectification in the distant past no paintwork had been carried out. There were no visible signs of corrosion in fact the whole the car seems remarkably rust free.

 

However as we often find with cars that have been bought new by retired owners. as they enter old age eye sight and coordination start to fail and no matter how much they cherish their cars scrapes and dings sadly become inevitable. C450 SOY was no exception.

 

Whereas there was no particular area that had anything more serious than a scrape were maybe the garage door had been clipped or dimple dents caused during storage or in car parks most of the side panels had a blemish of one sort or another.

 

Our body shop could have kept rectification to localised areas but maybe at the risk of a colour mismatch. It was decided. therefore. to repaint C450 SOY down both sides. Paint to the roof. bonnet and tailgate was left original.

 

The paint work now looks stunning with the old matching the new and both having a fantastic lustre.

 

There is the odd blemish on the original paint touched in with a touch up brush and a few dimple dents and light scratches remain.

 

The front bumper end cap fixing covers missing in the photos will be replaced with new original items before auction end.

 

The wheels are in outstanding condition and are fitted with Goodyear tyres. three of which would seem to be the fitted factory originals. They show very little signs of wear. after all they have only covered 4. 00 miles. and even the side walls don't look to bad at all but do have a little aged cracking. However given how old they are of course you should have them professionally checked before driving at speed or any distance.

 

Door. boot and bonnet shuts are all excellent.

 

Bumpers excellent.

 

Never undersealed the inner wheel arches and the underside. in the main. retain their factory applied finish and colour.

 

No structural welding has ever been carried out and none is required.

 

INTERIOR

 

As you would expect with such low mileage the interior is in exemplary  original condition and is totally unmolested with original radio and 4 speakers.

 

The seats are virtually unmarked. the backs look as though they have never been used. and not worn in the usual places.

 

The carpets are excellent.

 

The door cards and rest of trim are also in excellent condition.

 

Standard Ford Radio cassette.

 

Slide and tilt sunroof which works as it should.

 

Heater fan works on both speeds.

 

UNDER THE BONNET

 

Exceptionally clean with original stickers.

 

No sign of rust to the body or inner wings.

 

IN THE BOOT

 

Carpet and trim in exceptional condition.

 

The spare wheel with new tyre.

 

jack and wheel brace. unused

 

The metal bungs in the spare wheel well have been replaced with permanently fixed none standard alternatives.

 

The tail gate stays up even with the. slightly warped. parcel shelf attached.

 

ON THE ROAD

The car starts on the button with automatic choke.

 

There are no untoward noises or smoke

 

There is a 5 speed box and the gears change up and down as they should.

 

On the road the car drives like a dream. the engine sounds and behaves like a 4. 00 mile engine should. This will be as close as you could ever hope to get to driving a New Capri.

 

New MOT before auction end.

 

HISTORY FILE

 

1.    V5C (logbook)

2.    MOT August 2014

3.    Perrys document wallet

4.    ford document wallet as supplied with new cars containing Capri operating guide. service book. with 9 Ford dealer stamps. in correct clear plastic wallet. Ford audio guide. Ford Motorists guide. Ford accessories brochure.

5.    letter from the owners sister

6.    VOSA MOT print out

7.    last MOT 2008

8.    DVLA paperwork.

 

 

SUMMARY

 

It is a safe bet that you will never again get an opportunity to own such an original. extraordinary low mileage. 1 owner Mk III Capri Laser.

 

This car will be of interest to enthusiasts. collectors and most certainly investors.

 

It is perfectly useable on a daily basis. should you so desire.

 

It has huge show winning potential and is a once in a life time investment opportunity.

 

With just 4. 00 in almost 30 years. supported by main dealer history. C450 SOY is a truly remarkable and striking Mk III 2. 0 Laser Capri.

 

It has had the paintwork mentioned as a result of those minor dings and dents on the whole though it is totally original and unmolested.

 

VALUE

 

In today's market it is hard to imagine just where you could put a relatively small amount that would possibly give a better return than investing in this car. In any event we are certain that no other similar cost investment could give as much pleasure as C450 SOY will give you.

 

Only this week we noted a Mk III Capri with almost 10 times the mileage and none of its original paint on sale at £14. 00.

 

By comparison we would expect C450 SOY. with its lower mileage. to make in the region of £16. 00. it should certainly be worth that and more in the not too distant future.  

 

However our reserve is set way. way below the above figures - in fact thousands of pounds below. Almost unbelievably the reserve is set at a four. not a five figure sum - so you just could be very. very lucky!

 

VIEWING

 

We will. of course. be happy for serious buyers to view the car by appointment and with reasonable notice. although we will always do our best to accommodate. prior to auction end. However. please bear in mind the expected final price above.

 

If you are unsure of being able to acquire the relevant funds equal to the expected final price you should question. for both our sakes. whether you should come to view.

 

Please be sure that this is the vehicle that you want before you bid. If you have any doubt come and see it first or at the very least telephone. However. if you require someone else to sanction the purchase. i. e. your wife's permission. please get it before you come to view.

 

If you do want to view or ask for any more information please call David. on 07771 567567 or e-mail via ebay. We really are very approachable and welcome any questions about the vehicle.

 

ORIGINAL V RESTORED - OUR VIEW

 

We endeavour. on the whole. to offer original. genuine. exceptionally low mileage and unrestored cars from the 1970. and 1980. .

 

Almost all cars from this era have had a little paint rectification carried out at some time during their 20-40 years. However there is. of course. a huge difference between rectification of paint work and total vehicle restoration.

 

Paint rectification at the factory post production line or. indeed. by the supplying dealer was common in the 70's and 80's when most cars were sprayed by hand as opposed to today's automated processes. From time to time we will offer a car that has had some paint rectification for these reasons or perhaps to localised areas following parking mishaps etcetera.

 

Occasionally we may offer a car that has had rather more paint rectification although we will always endeavour to make this known in the description. It will be very rare however for us to offer a car that has had a full restoration. and only then if we have satisfied ourselves of the quality of the work.

 

It is becoming extremely difficult to obtain an unrestored 20-40 year old car. By and large they were just not built to last in the 70's and 80's. However. if you do find an original example that's survived the chances are that. if looked after. it should last for many more years. after all it will only have lasted this long because it will have had little use and been extraordinarily well cared for previously. The same. unfortunately. is far less likely to be able to be said for a car that has under gone renovation.

 

We think that you simply cannot beat a straight original example of any item. There is a school of thought that believes that if you take something apart and then put it back together you are just recreating that item in a false attempt to make it as it was in its former glory. and that no matter how well a vehicle has been restored it can only be original once.

 

Whereas we know that many restorations are done to the highest standards we believe that there are far more that are not. Who really knows what skulduggery may lie beneath a car that has possibly covered hundreds of thousands of miles then been restored at least one time or maybe even more than once! In our view if a car has required restoration then by default it must have become worn out. tired and have most probably been neglected.

 

It is interesting to note that of late we have sold some of our finest original quality cars to some of that particular Marques top and best known restorers - not for them to restore but for them to keep! Even they know. in their hearts. that one thing is for sure - a car that has been the subject of restoration. no matter how good will. almost with out exception. lack the spirit and soul of an original example and probably cost 3 times as much to complete and be worth less than half the an original example when done!

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

By Bidding on any item it will be deemed that you have read understood and accept these conditions.

 

ZERO RATED BIDDERS OR BIDDERS WITH A RATING OF LESS THAN 10. please read the conditions that apply to you below.

 

Contacts. location

The vehicle is in South West Oxfordshire. 15 minutes from the A34 at Oxford (M40 from London or Birmingham) or 20 minutes from Swindon East Junction of the M4.

Mobile 07771 567567

E-mail via ebay

Before you enter a bid

Please be sure that this is the vehicle that you want. that you are happy with and understand the description. that you understand the rules of ebay and that you have read these terms and conditions.

 

Description

We have included a full and honest description and photographs which many people will feel happy to buy from. The description endeavours to be as informative as practically possible but is not. obviously. meticulous with regard to every individual part or area of the vehicle and is intended to represent an overview and not a thorough condition assessment report.

 

Please remember that all vehicles deteriorate as soon as they leave the factory. just some to a lesser degree than others. This is not a new vehicle and common sense. giving consideration to its age and mileage. should prevail. Any references to condition should be taken in the context of age of vehicle.

 

If you require any further information regarding specific areas please just ask. BEFORE YOU BID.

 

We are a business selling on ebay it is important to us to maintain our good seller's reputation and ensure that our customers are completely satisfied. Therefore it is positively not in our interest to deliberately miss-describe the vehicle.

 

Finally so confident are we that our description is a fair representation of the vehicle that if. on collection. it is not and there are obvious serious imperfections or serious faults. not previously mentioned. we will not expect you to proceed. However please do not interpret this genuine good practice offer as a way out of not paying. or paying less for a vehicle that you have legally bought for the amount bid at the auction end.

Photographs

All photographs in the listing are taken by us using a digital camera. They are recent and are often taken just hours before the listing is posted. Other shots may be available please just ask and let us have an email address. All photographs are copyrighted and may not be used elsewhere without our express written permission.

Test drive

You will be able to take the vehicle on an accompanied test drive before you pay for it but will only be able to not proceed if you find a major mechanical fault that has not been mentioned in the description.

When you bid

By bidding you are agreeing and legally bound. if your bid is highest and the reserve is reached. to unconditionally buy the vehicle for the price that you have bid.

Negative. zero rated. international bidders or bidders with a score of less than 10 please call or e-mail before you bid with a landline number and address. We accept that just because you don't have a high score does not mean that you are not serious. but we do need to check you are real. that you clearly understand the rules and your intentions are good-you hear of some horrible tales!.

 

Far be it for us to tell you how to go about bidding. However. over the years we have had some bitterly disappointed bidders who placed there best and final bid just to late.

 

We understand why you might leave your bidding until the final few seconds however please at least make sure that you are signed in to your ebay account. one of our customers recently missed a car that he had searched for for years because when he went to bid he had been logged out and had not left himself time to re enter his password!

 

It may be to your advantage to take independent advice on the best way to bid. You are welcome to call 07771 567567 after the auction end should your bid not have been successful.

Reserve and buy it now price

As is the way with auctions. we will not normally divulge the reserve price or issue a buy it now price. if we do from time to time we will state so in the description.

 

In fairness to all bidders we will not end the auction early and let it run its course. except on the very rear occasion of the vehicle being advertised elsewhere.

 

Please. do not ask what the reserve is set at we really are unable to say any more about the reserve than we already have under the value section.

 

 

If you are the winner

The Successful bidder should contact us within 12 hours of auction end. Preferably  by email. via ebay. and by telephone 07771 567567.

 

An invoice will be issued for the full amount via ebay with instructions how to pay the deposit via Paypal.

 

All buyers must pay a £200 Deposit via Paypal or cash within 24 hours of end of auction.

Payment

In all cases the balances. after the £200 deposit above or any additional deposit below. must be paid within 7 days of auction end.

 

The total Balance to be paid by Cash U. K pounds on collection or bank transfer prior to collection. We will transfer the money back should we not proceed for misrepresentation reasons as outlined above.

 

If you are unable to provide the above we will require an additional deposit of 10% of the sale price paid in cash or via Paypal within 48 hours of the auction end. You will then be able to give us a personal cheque or bankers draft provided they are drawn on a U. K bank either of these will need to be cleared and funds drawn against them prior to the vehicle being released. Sorry there can be no exceptions and deposits are not refundable.

Collection

The vehicle must be collected within 7 days of auction end unless otherwise agreed. We will assist you with collection where we can and will email full directions on how to find us.

Please give us as much notice of required collection time and date as possible. If you are delayed its not normally a problem please just let us know. We would ask that you ring us when you are an hour or so away from us.

We reserve the right to charge for storage if the vehicle is not collected within 7 days of auction end.

We do check our vehicles over before sale but please remember that the vehicles we sell often are many years old and some of them have had none or very little recent use. Occasionally things can unexpectedly go wrong. Allow plenty of time for your journey. especially if you are catching a ferry and it may be a good idea to have AA or RAC cover. this is not a reflection on this particular car just good general advice for any older/classic car user.

 

We are happy to pickup the buyer from Oxford or Swindon Station; delivery of the vehicle or collection of the buyer from elsewhere may be possible at extra cost – just ask. We will always try to be flexible and help where we can

 

AIRPORTS. Provided that the reserve price has been met we do offer a collection service from Birmingham. Luton. Heathrow or Bristol Airports. subject to suitable times. We charge a nominal £25. 00 for this. For costs where the reserve has not been met or other locations please enquire.

 

Delivery. we do have a tow vehicle and are able to hire a trailer big enough for most cars. please enquire.

General

Non paying bidders will be reported to ebay and may be referred to an international debt collection agency.

 

The successful bidder should ensure that the vehicle is insured by them at auction end.

 

Bidders from outside the U. K. welcome but please call before bidding.

 

Descriptions. terms conditions and pictures used in this listing are copyrighted and my not be used without the authors express permission.

 

Items bought at auction do not have warranty.

 

You will not be disappointed with this vehicle so please start your bidding now- best of Luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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