One owner from new
1974 Ford Capri 'Stampede' V8 Coupé by Jeff Uren
Registration no. TTW 865N
Chassis no. WFOCXXGAECPU01693
Engine no. CF02F302

Inspired by the success of the Mustang 'pony car' in the USA, Ford introduced the Capri - 'The car you've always promised yourself' - to the European market in 1968. The Capri's imaginative fastback styling was a relatively new departure for the 'Blue Oval' but beneath the skin the car remained typically Ford, sharing engines, gearboxes and many other components with the rest of the range. The first major revision arrived in 1974 in the form of the Capri MkII, which benefited from a more practical hatchback body restyled along cleaner lines and devoid of the original's fussy detailing. The old V4 engines were dropped, the MkII options being 1.3 and 1.6-litre pushrod fours, 1.6 and 2.0-litre overhead-cam fours and the 3.0-litre pushrod V6.

Of course, what British and European enthusiasts most wanted was a V8-engined Capri but the only one officially sanctioned was the 'Perana', built exclusively for the South African market. That didn't stop enterprising individuals creating their own, that offered here being the work of ex-British Saloon Car Champion, the late Jeff Uren. Uren took the title in 1959 driving his own Ford Zephyr before joining the factory racing effort, serving as team manager before moving on to the works-supported Willment operation. Forever associated with tuned and modified Fords, Jeff Uren was responsible for the V6-engined Cortina Savage as well as the Capri Stampede.

The rare Stampede offered here was purchased new and built by Jeff Uren in 1975 using a new Ford 302ci (5.0-litre) V8 engine (gas-flowed and blueprinted) and a manual gearbox, while other noteworthy features include up-rated suspension, Lockheed 4-pot brake callipers, Cosmic alloy wheels and a factory-fitted sunroof. But what really catches the eye is the amazing 'chameleon' paintwork that changes colour depending on the illumination and has lost none of its sparkle over the last 40 years.

This Stampede has had only one owner from new, who has carefully stored the car, preserving it in outstandingly original condition. The recorded mileage of only 21,264 is warranted genuine. Accompanying documentation includes correspondence between Jeff Uren and the owner, and various magazine articles about the car. Offered with (copy) old-style logbook, current MoT and V5 document, 'TTW 865N' represents a possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of these legendary high-performance Capris, lovingly preserved and fully documented.