Mk3GXL

looking good Chris, I do love the colour too..

Well done Chris, that's a lot of work done in a short time. I've not been on here for ages so nearly missed all this. I doubt to many people would have taken that on so well done and good work there too Love the colour choice, I'd always fancied one in that colour but always seem to end up with blue ones

Barmy Chris, you've only had it 5 minutes.. lol Maybe I should buy it back and keep it with it's sister :D

I think a one piece prop shaft will sort out the problem The prop shaft currently fitted to yours is, or should be, mint. It has a new rubber coupling, new centre mounting, new UJ's and was balanced but the vibration was still there. It comes through the centre mounting and, I now believe, is because of the angle of the 2 piece. One thing I was told and have done was to space the mounting out with washers and this did make a difference. I have a similar or worse problem with the GT so am thinking 1 single piece prop is the way forward with that car. Incidentally, both our cars have the original axles but neither have the pinion plates mentioned, don't know why but they don't which is a pain with my GT as I'm sure the pinion is at the wrong angle.

The car had new door rubbers all round back in 2006 so my guess would be the heater box seals and maybe the gasket under the fusebox ? The windscreen was refitted but without any of the putty stuff that some use. I'd never intended it to get wet so never bothered :ph34r: :D

The prop shaft on Chris's GXL has had a new rubber coupling, new UJ's and centre bearing and was balanced. The vibration Chris is referring to is through the centre bearing mounting. The very early built Mk3 Cortina's have a different mounting and centre bearing so, I think, the only way to stop this vibration is, as Chris said, is to do away with the centre mounting by replacing it with a single straight prop shaft. Not sure if you've done this yet Chris ?

lol... I was thinking more about it deteriorating or something breaking, it's just not your normal Mk3 and is a little rare. If something happened to it you would be hard pushed to find another in that colour/engine/year combination... And, you'd be gutted

Really surprised you've taken the rare GXL out to do doughnuts in the snow Chris ....

:rofl: I think it had only cover 64000 miles since new so 500 miles in, what 6 weeks, is a lot for it :-)

Lol... Have you really... I think in the last 2 years I only managed a total of about 50 miles if that. :-)

Never had a problem with that although I think it was the original one. Had a spare ready but never needed it. Mind you, your using it now whereas I drove it once in a while. :-)

Oh... what caused that then Chris ?

And this picture will need to be recreated at a show in the future

No, haven't been on here for some time.. also not sure how to post pictures of here now since photobucket messed it all up Arh.. sorted. I found these on the Northern Ireland Capri club site when a former owner had it

Should be collecting the Capri this weekend

Glad you sorted the trim out, you ended up drilling new holes then ? Wasn't just an alignment issue with the wing then ?

I think the one peice prop could be the answer, didn't think of it, always thought it was the centre bearing or that it needed balancing. That was until I had all that done and it was still the same. As for the rear brakes, there must be something not right with the rear brakes as that handbrake always as had a lot of travel. Works fine, just got to pull it up.... I did wonder if the shoes were right as they were bought for a 9 inch drum 2lt as they kept sending me the shoes for an 8 inch drum. I wondered if there was a difference from a later 2lt Cortina rear shoes to the early one as my GT handbrake is fine and that still has the original shoes. Unless anything has seized in the last year, the cylinders etc.. are fine. I did have 2 different old school mechanics look at the rear brakes but they couldn't find what caused it either

That's the first time that cars got wet in years :unsure: :ph34r: The prop shaft itself it fine and, as I said had new couplings, centre bearings and a rubber coupling. It was also balanced but, I agree, worth trying a one piece so as to take the centre mounting out of the equation as the vibration seemed to be from that area.

Are yours definitely 5.5J though as Gibby2000 turned out to be 5J mk1 Capri wheels

Yes, the parts book and brochures from 1971 all state mk3 GT and GXL had 5.5J rostyle with a standard tyre size 175R13 and an optional 185/70R13

Yes, I'd be interested in them, assuming they're the correct ones. Would like some pictures though first. I'll PM you my email and you can send them direct if it's easier ?

:winner: Thanks for the offer but a little to much for me as I'm not fussed about the tyres as I've got some new Uniroyal's lined up already

The 5J rostyle are Mk1 Capri. The 5.5J are Mk3 Cortina but the are not the deep dish

Since it's looking a bit doubtful about the 5.5J steel slotted type wheels, plan B is some Rostyle wheels. Ideally the Mk3 type but beginning to get a little concerned I've not got any of the right wheels. It's currently on a set of sport wheels which are definitely wrongfor a Jan 71 car. Anyone got anything ?

And it still have most of the original bits including the key, which is a rarity in itself, and the handbooks