A huge amount of time and money is spent on the former, with the top end of the classic car market obsessed about provenance, history and correctly aligned screw heads. But as the money becomes increasingly ridiculous the world of custom restorations, replicas, continuations and the like becomes more attractive, especially for those who want to actually treat their cars as more than an investment nest-egg.
What does this have to do with my attraction to a bright orange Ford Capri dressed in a wide-arched X Pack body kit? Well, inspired by the sight of Capris in the thick of the action in the Gerry Marshall Trophy race at the recent Members’ Meeting I was straight into the classifieds.
I’ll admit, beyond the obvious emotional appeal I know very little of any practical use about the Capri, which is always a dangerous combination. A cursory click around a few classifieds revealed they’re not quite as expensive as I’d assumed though, especially compared to the bonkers money being asked for old Escorts and other classic Fords. It’s all relative, of course, the sensible middle ground of £15,000-£20,000 for apparently good cars still a fair chunk of cash but offering up a reasonable selection.
This bright orange Mk2 3.0 S stood out from the crowd, for fairly obvious reasons. The very period paint colour, the X Pack body kit and the lovely pin-striping all shout 70s perfection to me but when I rang to find out more it turned out the car wasn’t what you’d call original. Restored 15 years ago, the 3.0 S shell was beyond repair and the car was built around a Ghia instead, to which this apparent factory X Pack kit was added. I may not be a Capri expert but I can appreciate a proper, period original X Pack 3.0 S would probably be worth rather more than the £15,000 this one is up for. Pays your money and all that.