EARLY CAPRI FINDS NEW HOME
It was interesting to see your August feature on Fast Fords. The RS 3100 is not quite a wolf in sheep’s clothing, more a ram in wolf’s clothing. I had an RS 3100 for 47 years. But it was a surprise purchase…
Visiting Ford AVO on business in 1975, we spotted an RS 3100 parked in a corner. “It’s for disposal,” I was told, “do you want to buy it?” Yes please. The car not having been registered, they realised it didn’t have a chassis plate. So they fitted one with a BFCRK chassis number, rather than the production BBECND ones. “Can’t be a genuine 3100,” said a few cognoscenti when they saw it.
KVV 648P was the first RS 3100, built in early 1972 by AVO for press photos, the workshop manual and demos. That was nearly two years before the late 1973 Halewood production run. It became my sole transport for five years and 70,000 miles. Realising it was unique, I kept it entirely original then stored it on stands for 40 years, resurrecting it only last year. I used it a few times, but cars have moved on and I didn’t enjoy driving it as much as I recalled. So it was sold at auction for a record price: one owner, mechanically perfect, unique and totally original.
To say the ride is hard is an understatement – okay for the ’70s or the track, but not for today’s potholed UK roads. Like all Capris, the handling is a bit understeery and the leaf-spring rubber mounts are too soft, which gives it a slightly uncertain rear. Broadspeed fixed that later in its GXL-based Bullit specials, by softening the front anti-roll bar and fitting solid rear spring mounts. I drove a few while helping Ralph Broad run Broadspeed in the late ’70s, but that’s another story!
As you state, the engine was very much standard Essex V6, bored to just over three litres for the 3.5-litre ETCC class. A triple-Weber option was available, but its main effect was on fuel economy (and noise) rather than pace. Standard performance on the road was relaxed, rarely needing more than 3000rpm to dispose of traffic, but the gearing was short. Leaping off the line at traffic lights it still beats most – except Teslas! – but 80mph is a buzzy 4000rpm.
KVV is rust-free because I had it Ziebarted and, following my 1960s racing experience, it was always run on Shell Rotella, a high-additive oil. After 40 years in storage it turned over freely and was generally wear-free. It wouldn’t start on ’80s petrol, but with fresh fuel i
