CLASSICS CHATTER AUCTION UPDATES: 1974 FORD CAPRI UREN STAMPEDE - Bicester Classic Motoring Auction Centre Bicester Heritage, Buckingham Road, Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 5HA Sunday 24th June 2018

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TODAY WE FEATURE

Bicester Classic Motoring Auction Centre

Bicester Heritage, Buckingham Road, Bicester
Oxfordshire OX26 5HA
Sunday 24th June 2018

1974 FORD CAPRI UREN STAMPEDE
Colour: White and Blue
Registration Number: TTW 865N
Chassis No: GAECPU01693
Engine size: 5,000 cc
Engine No.: CF024F302
Estimate: £39,000 - £44,000

Jeff Uren, racer, designer and architect, was responsible for much of Ford’s Saloon car success in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
His professional racing debut came in 1958, finishing sixth overall in the first year of the British Saloon Car Championship driving an Anglia. The following year, he won the Championship outright, this time in a hot Zephyr. Ford spotted the talent straight away, Uren soon heading up Ford’s Competition Department, hanging up his own racing boots in 1964.
Relationships were made at Ford which were to stand him in good stead later in life. A keen designer and entrepreneur, he used his contacts to acquire vehicles directly from Ford and breath fire into them. These were sold with Ford’s blessing through his company ‘Race Proved Performance and Racing Equipment’ – ‘Race Proved’ as it was better known, his most famous models being the tuned Essex V6 engined Cortina Savage and the BOSS G-Code powered Capri, as on offer today.
The next stage of the story starts in Spring 1974 when a Ford Management employee gave way to temptation and ticked the Ford Capri II 3.0-litre Automatic box on the company car form. Costing a heady £30/month for a fully-expensed car (less fuel), they knew that they would be choosing another within just a few months so hey, why not push the boat out just this once.
The order went live, prompting the Cologne/Koln factory (code GA) to commence work. Just a week or so later the completed car arrived in Dagenham where it was PDi’d and registered with its Chelmsford (TW) number.
In an altogether different part of London during early May 1975, the wealthy son of a Greek shipping broker, Stamos Fafalios, was working out how to replace his Vauxhall Magnum 2300 and rather liked the Savage Cortinas he had seen about. Correspondence with Uren on file shows how a spec developed, the car chosen being the BOSS G-Code-powered Stampede, the conversion cost of £2,950 being just £356 less than the price of a brand new Capri II Auto on which it was based!
Uren was able to source the aforementioned Ford Management Car which he was able to access as if he were a franchised dealer (receipt on file). Work commenced and the conversion duly completed in the quoted 10-12 weeks. The car then was sent off to 'custom paint gods' Mech Spray in Rochester, whose work included the multi-award winning ‘French Connection’ hot rod. They customised the paintwork in the distinctive (and classical ‘70s) scheme that is still on the car today. Listed as Frost Grape Pearl, Teardrops and patterns in yellow and blue Meranos (fish scale), topped off with a coat of Mirra Flake and then lacquer.
Still in business today, the car was returned to them for cavity wax injection in 1976 and again in 2014 and 2016 for an under bonnet refresh.
It was featured in Hot Car in 1977, the car topping 140mph at Goodwood on its stock 3.09:1 Atlas rear end and again in a six-page feature in Classic and Sports Car in November 2014.
By 1978, it had covered 20,480 miles, at which point Mr Fafalios bought himself a new Lamborghini which took over daily duties, the Stampede being put away in storage. After a period off-road, it was comprehensively recommissioned in 2005 by an ex-Race Proved engineer. It was used sparingly and put away once more in 2010 – eventually entering the hands of the vendor in 2014.
The bodywork is completely original and superb, with just a few very minor blemishes and no rot – commensurate with a car with just 20K on the clock. The new owner decided that he was not happy with the engine as there was a slight ticking noise when warm so, during the 2015 season, the unit was removed and given the full treatment.
Ford only produced 10,000 G-Code BOSS engines for homologation which were predominantly used for Trans Am racing. As a consequence, they are now very hard to find, highly desirable and differ from the standard Windsor unit in just about every respect. They have been known to change hands for over £20,000 on their own.
Thankfully, the main components of this unit were in good shape, the decision being made to custom machine components such as pistons to minimise the need to ‘over-machine’ the block to take standard components.
Peter Knight Racing Services were tasked with the job and a detailed analysis of what they found is on file. The block was line-bored, heads trued, all carefully managed to maintain exact chamber capacity.
New lightweight valves and special seats and guides were fitted, the whole unit being carefully ‘blueprinted’ and balanced during the build. In summary, the build included Diamond Racing forged pistons, Billet rods, Melling high volume oil pump, mild comp cam with solid lifters and uprated pushrods and roller rockers….
After running in on the dyno, 384bhp at 6,250rpm at the flywheel was measured, the engine is safe to 7,000 rpm!
So here we have one of just eight cars built to Stampede specification by Race Proved, and the only MkII Capri to have received the treatment. Sold with Ford’s blessing, it has covered just 22,000 miles from new, has a comprehensive history back to day one, is in stunning original condition, has a fully rebuilt, genuine and rare G-Code BOSS engine and as for the classic Mech Spray paint job, well we love it. What a show car, but also one with plenty of go thanks to 384bhp!

With RS3100s, Peranas and Broadspeed Bullets selling for well over £50,000 these days, and a mint, low mileage 3.0 Capri in standard spec easily breaching £20,000, this fabulous and important survivor look something of a steal at the suggested guide price.