Random # 21: Ford Capri
Is this circa-1992 Ford Capri a classic car? UMPH is going to jump right in with a resounding yes! Why? Arguments about the wisdom of having recycled one of Ford's greatest ever British-made car's names aside, this Mazda 323 / Ford Laser-based rag-top is now more than twenty years old. A Barchetta version with an optional detachable hard-top and after-market wheels. Their age alone therefore goes some way to establishing Aussie-built Capris' classic status. However, that's not all there is to these occasionally maligned convertibles ; despite suffering in comparison to Mazda's MX5, they were in fact a very nicely styled package making use of a well-sorted mechanical platform. Other than the wheels, this particular car was all original and in excellent condition. It's a pity that the reputation of some of the earlier examples - prone to roof leaks, in particular - carried on to later versions, even though those problems were...