LOT 601
1978 FORD CAPRI 3.0 S
VHK 494S is arguably the most historically significant MK3 Capri. Believed to be a pre-production Mk3 – a MK2 pulled from the production line – and accepted to be the only Mk3 Capri ever produced in this colour (Peppermint Sea Green.) The car was first owned by Ford Motor Company and loaned to Autocar for their long-term test fleet. VHK 494S was a regular in the motoring press from 1978 to 1982. The car was sold to John Miles, ex Lotus F1 driver and, at that time, motoring journalist with Autocar. John used the car as a demonstrator of the WM Developments 3.2S – a car designed to challenge Ford’s own X-pack products through ‘optimisation’. The standard 3.0 Essex was bored out to 3.1 and crank ‘blanks’ machined to give an increase in stroke – the result giving a cubic capacity of 3200. This was coupled to a rear axle from the Gordon Spice racing Capri’s (Spa spec). The car featured in several articles, both in comparison with X-pack Capri’s and as a mule for John Miles’ experiments with suspension and body-kits. VHK 494S is explicitly credited as the basis from which the Tickford Capri was developed. John has also explicitly cited the car, and his research with it, as the reason he was recruited to Lotus as a chassis engineer. In May 1987, in an article celebrating the Capri as it neared the end of production, John describes ‘his 3.2’ as a ‘jewel’, and his favourite Capri as ‘it responded well to mods.’
1 1 2 TH E N EC CLAS S I C M OTOR SH OW SA LE 2 0 15
Registration: VHK 494S Chassis Number: GAECTE02030 Engine Number: Not Specified No Reserve
In August of that year VHK 494S appeared on the front cover of the Capri Club International magazine having suffered a failure of the fuel union into the carbuerttor and a subsequent engine bay fire which apparently rendered the car a write-off. The rebuild appears to have been straightforward and VHK 494S was ‘formally’ invited to be displayed at the club’s ’Winter Convention’ in 1989. In the late 90s the car was given a truly comprehensive restoration; the car again featured in two extensive spreads fully documenting the rebuild and the efforts made to preserve the car and its character. In 1999 John Miles and VHK 494S were reunited at Lotus (Hethel) VHK 494S remains a stunning car. The restoration is approaching 20 years old and the car has covered around 5000 miles on the road so is by no means concourse. That said, the only faults are some micro blistering to the paint on the tailgate and the diff sings a little through 50 mph. Anecdotally, when the restorer commented to John in 1999 that the back axle was a little noisy, John’s reply was that it had always been like that and was everything was perfectly in order! As a fitting tribute, Corgi are releasing a model of VHK 494S at the end of October. VHK 494S has always been a real favourite in the Ford world and this is an opportunity to own a piece of ‘fast Ford’ history that has been substantially and publically documented.
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