Cars Of Our Youth.

I drove down to Oxford today to view a 1972 Ford Capri 1600 GT in exactly the same colour and spec as the model I owned in 1980 as an 18 year old.

What a fabulous and nostalgic day.

I’d forgotten how 70’s cars smelt......a cross between mustiness and petrol fumes I guess😆

The guy selling was a private dealer and so knowledgeable as well so the 160 mile round trip was well worth it for me.

It’s remarkable how these 70’s Ford’s are gaining in value as well, particularly Mark One Capri’s.

This chap paid £11k for it a few months ago and it’s now going for circa £20k and he’s only spent £1k servicing and refurbishing the wheels.

I paid £1095 for mine as a 7 year old car in 1980 when I was picking up just £32 a week👀

I traded mine for around £650 so if I’d just stored it it’d have been worth £20k now.

He reckons that certain Mark One Escorts like the Mexico and rally versions are fetching £100k😲😲

He says he’s so confident in Ford Capri values that he’s willing to write a note guaranteeing he’ll buy it back for what I pay now in 5 years time.

I’m sorely tempted as it was in mint condition with 41,000 miles done by the original owner.

Funny old world though when you think these were ten a penny back then.


You can see the car her and there’s a video from when he bought it at the bottom of this link.

I loved this car......the favourite from every car I’ve ever owned!


https://themarket.co.uk/listings/ford/capri-1600gt/b5f68b47-1d2e-4a05-8cce-e4ff59e4dfef

Take the plunge Mick and treat yourself, you work hard enjoy it.

Take the plunge Mick and treat yourself, you work hard enjoy it.

My first car was an MG 1300 Saloon. It had a walnut dashboard and leather seats and that handy little quarter light you could open and it would suck your fag smoke out while you were driving along. It cost me £260.00 and I drove it for 3 years, codging up the bodywork with Isopon and spray paint. I traded it in for a Ford Fiesta 950, my first brand new car. The dealership gave me £300.00 for it off the price of the Fiesta 950. I loved that MG though. Ditched the Ford Fiesta after two years.

First car was a 1959 Austin A35 Van
Then my highlight ... a maroon Triumph Herald convertible (bought £150 in circa 1969)
PS I did have a new Ford Capri Laser in 1986 (Black) ‘Company car’

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Prando

First car was a 1959 Austin A35 Van
Then my highlight ... a maroon Triumph Herald convertible (bought £150 in circa 1969)
PS I did have a new Ford Capri Laser in 1986 (Black) ‘Company car’

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Obviously management in 86 then Paul?😎

If I’d have asked for a Ford Capri when repping in 86 I’d have had my a r s e kicked by the MD 😆😆

Nice car Mick, if it is in the condition advertised and you keep it that way it will only appreciate in value, even in a recession top quality classics always go up in price. It is a safe bet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DaveP67 is back!

Nice car Mick, if it is in the condition advertised and you keep it that way it will only appreciate in value, even in a recession top quality classics always go up in price. It is a safe bet.

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This is part of my angst Dave.

The provenance of the car is amazing and even the invoice for its purchase in Sept 72 for £1465 is in the pack of paperwork.

I’m nowhere near as anal about stuff and in some ways I think the car deserves to go to someone who will continue to save all its invoices and such like.

Buying it won’t make me 18 again and I won’t be cruising Stourbridge with my best mate looking for crumpet😆


Then again.........😏

The car sold for £20,100 in the end.

The strange thing is that I’d set myself a bidding limit of £20,200 but at the last minute I decided not to bid.

You can’t recapture your youth alas.

Hopefully it’s gone to a real car nut who will give it all the love and attention it deserves on an ongoing basis.......I’m not like that with cars, it deserved better than me.

I texted the seller down in Oxford who made me so welcome when I went down to view on Thursday and I told him what a pleasure it had been to revisit my youth.

It actually reminded me of when I bumped into my 1981-82 girlfriend 35 years later for the first time.

I’d been gutted when she dumped me and had often wondered how life had treated her etc.

Meeting her again was pleasant but I felt absolutely nothing and realised that it would never have worked with us and that I was so lucky to have met my lovely wife.

I felt the same about my 4 1/2 year old X5 after seeing my first car love on Thursday😆

Memories are great and best left in the past.