The Fahey Capri : From Le Mans to Levin and even Coronet Peak !!

[RSROGER]

I am not sure where to start, there is so much to tell and with Steves promoting I have decided to start a thread to document the career of this old war horse from one side of the world to the other. I will also post updates on progress of the restoration of this car that I have owned since 1986. I would love it to have been restored and been using it many years ago but life, a lot of motorsport and the restoration of another ex works Cologne Capri got in the way. Feed back, photos and any information or memories would be much appreciated. I will study Steves tips on attatching photos etc and with a bit of luck you may see some of it as purchased and progress at this point, if not i will just send them to you Steve and you can post them for me.

[Steve Holmes]

Fantastic Roger, its great to have you here. Will look forward to your updates, as and when time permits. Looks like you've already figured out how to post photos too!

And you say you're not sure where to start? At the beginning, where the car raced in Europe is part of its history I'd love to hear about too. Plus its brief time in Asia. Didn't Allan Moffat drive it there?

[RSROGER]

An early photo at Baypark, I really liked the car in Air New Zealand colours

[GD66]

Is that Ray Stone in the striped shirt in conference with Fahey behind the car ?

[bob homewood]

Yes I believe so

[RSROGER]

Yes I believe it is, he was involved in running the car for Paul during its first races in New Zealand, early 74. With Jims mustang behind perhaps following a practise session. The car is fitted with bumpers for the NZ regulations, and the fibreglass doors that it retains to this day, ( they were also a contentious issue with the competition and the car ran on occasions with steel doors fitted ).

[Steve Holmes]

That could well be the cars NZ debut meeting.

[Lee Tracey]

I am so looking forward to yjis thread. Would,nt say no to another thread on the other Capri either Roger ;)

Cheers
Lee

[kiwi285]

Hi Roger,

Looking forward to this thread developing and the background history being put into writing.

[kiwi285]

Any chance of getting Graeme to do a similiar thread and photos of the FVA Escort !!

[Jac Mac]

Do you want any info on this car while it was in OSCA/Inky T ownership, I had a bit to do with some of the mods involved with the V8 running gear etc...

[kiwi285]

Hell yes - as much as you can share with us.

Have you seen the photos of Inky Tulloch's Capri on the 'Capri photos' thread. It was taken at Pukekohe.

[RSROGER]

Hello Jack, yes I would definately like any info, storys, memories you have of fitting the Chev and engineering the car around that, it was an amazing Osca car with probably an unbeaten record of race and championship wins in OSCA. I spent many days glued to the fence at Ruapuna Teretonga and Levels in its hey day. Wish I had seen Inky muscle it up Coronet Peak, I have still got the repaired magnesium upright from an incident in that hillclimb one year. I am restoring the car back to its Cologne Capri 3.4 quad cam GAA cosworth form as it won the NZ saloon car championship in 1975, but it could have been restored to any era in its amazing Career in Europe, Asia and New Zealand, it has certainly done some stuff and had some serious bums in its origional scheel seat ( still in the car today). You dont have the origional 4 Pot ATE front callipers sitting in your shed do you Jack ?, the front brakes were updated at some stage and I am guessing it would have been when that big old hunk of detroit iron was shoe horned in.

[Jac Mac]

Quick answer to that, No, brakes were unchanged while I was involved with car [ from purchase thru the time it was Black/Gold & steel bros signage.
Now I have to work out how to make this site compatable with my typing speed, have tried a longer post twice & failed...miserably

[RSROGER]

I know what you are saying Jack, I typed my post three times last night and lost it twice, I need to progress past the two finger typing stage I think. What happened to your cortina did Rod by it off you, and is it the Kennard car that I believe Rod now has back again

[Jac Mac]

Yes, Rod had bought The MKIV Cortina back from Barry Search, but has since sold it to Anthony Prendergast from Ashburton who also has the MKII Cortina I built as well...last I heard was Steve Ross, Dunedin had the ex Kennard/Buckley MKIV.

Jim Murdoch [ ex G Begg w/shop in Drummond ] made the engine mounts for the V8 conversion on the Capri, balance of engine fit etc was done in mataura/gore. Car was raced initially with the Atlas diff, but after a couple of side brg failures in the LSD carrier I ended up with the job of building a full floating 9" assy. Used the Atlas unit as reference for pickup brackets etc & transferred rear brakes onto the new axle assy, retained BBS wheels & bolt pattern, ended up towing the car & trailer thru to Ruapuna to test as his lordship needed to shoot ducks, tested the car & all was OK bar a wheel tramp problem out of RH corners, that was traced to a dud Bilstein, so Inky had to tread lightly on the sunday race day. Also made up a new rack & fitted to car shortly after as old one had severe wear on straight ahead position, fitted rod end to intermediate shaft of steering column to control deflection under load, with that all fixed car went very well until the old Camaro motor cried enough at a local flying mile event,

[Shano]

In Air New Zealand colours, I think at the NZ Grand Prix meeting in January 1974. I had a long talk with Paul Fahey about the Capri at the Chris Amon day in February.

I had always admired the professionalism of his team and the quality preparation of his cars, from the Anglia through to the Capri. They were always exciting cars; my favourite would have to be the Paul Mann Escort. David vs Goliath always appealed.

Let's face it, the exciting saloon car racing of those years was all about beating Paul Fahey and, to use a modern cliche, he continually raised the bar.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/benderboat/Peter%20Suyvesant%20Meet%20Jan%2074/FaheyCapri.jpg

[Steve Holmes]

I know what you are saying Jack, I typed my post three times last night and lost it twice, I need to progress past the two finger typing stage I think. What happened to your cortina did Rod by it off you, and is it the Kennard car that I believe Rod now has back again

Guys. I'll see what i can do about creating more time for posting replies. One of the things I've always done on other forums when posting a long reply is to type it all out in Microsoft Word (or similar) then Copy and Paste it into the reply box on the forum when its all done. That way I didn't have to worry about timing out.

[RSROGER]

Great shot of the Capri at Pukekohe, I do not have that one. I have added a shot taken some months ago as the shell was nearing completion at Burkes Metal works. A massive amount of time and hence money has gone in to getting it to this stage. It has been a huge job to retain the origional shell and undo all the OSCA modifications. Guess who,s Escort that is sitting beside the Capri

[RSROGER]

I have got the hang of resizing these photos so here are some more

[Rod Grimwood]

Did it have BOAC on back guards when first here and Blue and White. Keep photos of rebuilds coming Roger, brilliant. What a top mans shed. And to have these cars being so lovingly resurrected.

[Rod Grimwood]

Sorry BOAC on front guards John W Andrews on back

[RSROGER]

Yes Rod it did, and quite a moment to have them sitting side by side. I know that both cars will recieve the top quality restorations that they so richly deserve and return to the track in fully competitive form. It is a great passion that we all hold for these cars and those amazing days of saloon car racing in NZ, it must reflect the effect that seeing these cars, and there charasmatic drivers hurling them thru the competition had on us in our much younger years.

[Steve Holmes]

I have got the hang of resizing these photos so here are some more

What great photos Roger! And two very special cars being brought back to life.

[faminz]

Paul pushing the Capri off track down that wee road at Manfeild...

[Steve Holmes]

Thats a really great photo Brett. Can anyone ID the cars behind the Capri?

[Rod Grimwood]

I think the Escort at back is the Blackberry car that had Frist (a soft drink) advertising down side of it. Notice guy pushing on right rear of Capri would end up in driving seat later.

[Steve Holmes]

Boy, thats well spotted Rod. Do you have any more info on the Blackberry Escort? I wondered if the Torana was Bryan Bate's?

[RSROGER]

I have had several chances to meet with Grant Walker lately, he has been in Christchurch several times while having an RS1800 BDA Escort built for rallying in Australia by Brent Buist at Palmside. He is a great guy and still passionate about his motorsport, he has many memories to share about the 76 and 77 seasons running the car here and in Australia. I will post a photo of the old girl in the bright swimming pool colours during part of that era, and I think also when Jody MacNamarra ran the car briefly.

[kiwi285]

Roger, fantastic to see the car coming back together and the FVA Escort in the background.

[Shano]

Couple more shots of those cars .. just coz I can't get enough of them. I hope their historical interest outweighs the lack of sharpness.

With the Halliday Escort giving it a big hurry up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/benderboat/Peter%20Suyvesant%20Meet%20Jan%2074/FaheyCapriHallidayEscort.jpg

MY personal favourite - the Escort.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/benderboat/Peter%20Suyvesant%20Meet%20Jan%2074/PaulFaheyEscortFVA.jpg

[Rod Grimwood]

Steve, think you are right with the Torana being Bates, it was a silvery blue if I remember.

[Steve Holmes]

Yeah thats right, can't see much of it in the shot, but there weren't that many of them. I wonder what happened to it.

[Steve Holmes]

Couple more shots of those cars .. just coz I can't get enough of them. I hope their historical interest outweighs the lack of sharpness.

With the Halliday Escort giving it a big hurry up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/benderboat/Peter%20Suyvesant%20Meet%20Jan%2074/FaheyCapriHallidayEscort.jpg



Fahey was struggling with a deflating tyre in this race, and only just managed to fend off Halliday.

[Rod Grimwood]

Couple of photos posted on Escort post Steve
Boy, thats well spotted Rod. Do you have any more info on the Blackberry Escort? I wondered if the Torana was Bryan Bate's?

[Steve Holmes]

Mike Feisst photo of the Capri when owned and raced by Inky Tulloch, as an OSCA racer, and fitted with a small block Chevy. Was on-sold to John Osborne after his own V8 Capri (ex Halliday brothers and Danny Lupp) had caught fire and burnt to the ground. Boy has this car led a colourful life!

638

[Bruce302]

Puke chicane coming onto the front straight. At last one of my own pics.

Bruce.

http://i51.tinypic.com/9rqdfp.jpg

[Bruce302]

One the grid at Puke next to the PDL I,

http://i52.tinypic.com/2rhny2s.jpg

[Bruce302]

Pukekohe Grid.

http://i56.tinypic.com/r1cv3r.jpg

[Steve Holmes]

Nice one Bruce, these are great.

[seaqnmac27]

HI guys, I know this is an odd question, however, I am in the process of repainting my ute, can someone tell me the exact colour of the dark blue on the Fahey Capri. I know it is not Ford Blue, as that is much lighter in colour. any help greatfully received.
Regards
Sean McBride

[rogered]

Yeah thats right, can't see much of it in the shot, but there weren't that many of them. I wonder what happened to it.

If you mean the torana. Ended up with Russel Due at Taihape for a long time. Ended its life bouncing off the fence fairly heavily at taupo (in front of the club rooms) gee, possibly around 1987 maybe.

[Rod Grimwood]

I was there Roger when that happened, and it was a big hit not a nice one at all. Those little esse's caught a few. It was the fence infront of clubrooms or if you went inside it was fence infront of pits, or if you were lucky you just missed the pit fence and across grass towards the microcharpa trees. It was around 86/87 as we were at all the meetings those years.

[TonyG]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Scanned%20Images/GrantWalkerCaprism.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Scanned%20Images/GrantWalkerCapri2sm.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Scanned%20Images/img033.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Scanned%20Images/img031.jpg

[Steve Holmes]

Nice photos Tony and some special cars in there. You can also just glimpse Red Dawsons DeKon Monza, the first DeKon Monza built.

[BMCBOY]

I have a couple of shots I took under the bonnet at Pukekohe once.

[Steve Holmes]

Ross, again, fantastic! With these sorts of posts, and the ones you posted yesterday on the DeKon 1001 Monza, I really look forward to what you're about to share next.

[SPman]

Updates?

[camaroman slp]

Hi Rodger can you tell us all how the rebuild is going on the capri.
I remember this car well when it raced at
Ruapuna - Timaru - Wigram -

When it reappears it would be so cool if you drove one Capri & your son drove the other nobody else has ever do that before.