Tony Lanfranchi driving a Ford Capri (merged)

[rscapriman]

Hi all, I'm looking for information/photos of Tony lanfranchi driving a blue Mk1 Ford Capri Reg No SEV 315M, probably 1974/5.
many thanks RScapriman

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by rscapriman

Hi all, I'm looking for information/photos of Tony lanfranchi driving a blue Mk1 Ford Capri Reg No SEV 315M, probably 1974/5.
many thanks RScapriman

Hi and welcome!

Do you know what series this was in? British Saloon Car Championship or more likely prodsaloons?

[GBRM]

I'd be suprised as he was technically a BMW driver in those years but there could've been a one off or even a celebrity race at one of the MCD tracks.

[Andy Clegg]

I can't remember anything about a Ford Capri in his book.

[Peter Mallett]

A quick google brings us this from the 1975 British Production Saloon Car Championship:

http://motorsportwinners.com/2011/11...-mcdbrdcbrscc/

20. Brands Hatch, Nov 2-Class A: Brian Rice (GB)-Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Class B: Tony Lanfranchi (GB)-Ford Capri 3000GT

Now, pictures anybody?

BTW, the Moskvich ran a BMW derived engine, which is why he generally drove it in his winning years.

[Andy Clegg]

I checked the book last night. In 1974 Tony was driving the BMW's, and in 1975 I was going to say the Hemicuda in the BTCC and the Mazda RX3 in Production Saloons. It didn't mention a Capri.

[paulSenna]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

A quick google brings us this from the 1975 British Production Saloon Car Championship:

http://motorsportwinners.com/2011/11...-mcdbrdcbrscc/

20. Brands Hatch, Nov 2-Class A: Brian Rice (GB)-Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Class B: Tony Lanfranchi (GB)-Ford Capri 3000GT

I think it may have been a one off drive in Ivan Dutton's Capri.

[Peter Mallett]

Even so, now that we have the meeting perhaps we can get some pics?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Even so, now that we have the meeting perhaps we can get some pics?

Here, here!

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by Andy Clegg

I can't remember anything about a Ford Capri in his book.

Doesn't suprise me - my late father's book (Only Here For The Beer) was incredibly bad on detail in hindsight and I don't expect "Down The Hatch" to be any different.

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

A quick google brings us this from the 1975 British Production Saloon Car Championship:

http://motorsportwinners.com/2011/11/production-saloon-car-championship-mcdbrdcbrscc/

20. Brands Hatch, Nov 2-Class A: Brian Rice (GB)-Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Class B: Tony Lanfranchi (GB)-Ford Capri 3000GT

Now, pictures anybody?

BTW, the Moskvich ran a BMW derived engine, which is why he generally drove it in his winning years.

Interesting page, will take some time to read.

Originally Posted by paulSenna

I think it may have been a one off drive in Ivan Dutton's Capri.

There's a Mk3 Capri in New Zealand that is supposedly an ex-Gerry Marshall car but it was built by Ivan Dutton - maybe this car; I have photos of it now.

[rscapriman]

Thank you very much guys for all of your replies, very interesting does anyone know where i might find some photos of this car wether being driven by Tony Lanfranchi or Ivan Dutton.
I have found out that this car was sold to a gentleman who used it for rallying in the Chester area, If indeed it was works prepared is there any way of finding out any more details ie its Chassis Number? the reason I am interested is after seeing photos of this car during its rallying life there are many items on the car that lead me to believe it could have been a RS3100.
As Registrar for these car in the Ford RS Owners Club i am very keen to find out.
Thanks once again for all of your help RScapriman

[Peter Mallett]

Hmm,

Not sure the RS3100 was homologated for the prod saloons, the 3000GT was. As you know the RS3100 was a homologation special so that Ford could use the duck tail and larger engine for the Cologne Group 2 cars.

Also if pictures do survive I would have thought that by 1975 it would have been a MkII GT.

[rscapriman]

Hi Peter, I have several pics of the car during its rallying days definitely Mk1 also unlike 3000GT it sports RS3100 front wings, quad headlamps, no chrome to gutter all of these point to an RS3100.
In 1976 it was entered in the Cambrian Rally as a 3000GT, but in the 1978 Cambrian rally it was entered as an RS3100 also strangely enough the following 4 Reg No,s SEV 316,317,318 & 319M are all RS3100,s.
I am certainly not saying for one minute that it was a genuine RS3100 but I cannot understand why Ford would have went to the trouble of fitting RS wings, quad headlamps etc to a 3000GT to be used for prod racing.
Regards Len.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by rscapriman

Hi Peter, I have several pics of the car during its rallying days definitely Mk1 also unlike 3000GT it sports RS3100 front wings, quad headlamps, no chrome to gutter all of these point to an RS3100.
In 1976 it was entered in the Cambrian Rally as a 3000GT, but in the 1978 Cambrian rally it was entered as an RS3100 also strangely enough the following 4 Reg No,s SEV 316,317,318 & 319M are all RS3100,s.
I am certainly not saying for one minute that it was a genuine RS3100 but I cannot understand why Ford would have went to the trouble of fitting RS wings, quad headlamps etc to a 3000GT to be used for prod racing.
Regards Len.

No nor me, I suspect someone else fitted those then.

Ivan Dutton definitely ran a mk 1 3-litre in prodsaloons and the ocassional BTCC round in 1974. Presumably it was sold on to someone else who took it rallying though.

[Peter Mallett]

Interesting. Are those front wings the vented square arches or the rounded arches? If the latter then it wasn't an RS3100 in works clothing. The previous RS2300 and 2600 ran in Group 2 with the rounded arches. They tested the duck tail on an RS2600 in late '72 (ish) but the works 3100 ran the full kit with the rads and coolers in the wheel arches.

Could really do with some pictures. Also I don't think the Lanfranchi Capri would run with arches so as chunterer says, the kit would have been added for rallying by another owner.

[Sarnie]

Here's the line-up from the 2nd Nov 75 Brands meeting, happened to have the program.
Doesn't list Tony Lanfranchi so maybe as paulSenna mentions, a late swap into Ivan Dutton's Capri.

[Peter Mallett]

Hi Simon. Long time no hear. That programme brings back a few memories. Bob Ridgard of Ridgard seats fame is still around in historics.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[Sarnie]

Hi Peter, still getting mine ready, lots to do. You not out in the Capri much these days ?
Simon

[Peter Mallett]

I'll be out in it at Silverstone in June then Oulton August and Spa September. About as much as I can do at the moment.

[Sarnie]

Thats a lot more than me think it will be next year for me. Would love to do Spa again.

[Andy Clegg]

This is Marc Smith's Capri at Lodge Corner, Oulton in 1975.

[rscapriman]

Hi Peter and chunterer, sorry for any confusion I may have caused, when I mentioned that SEV had RS3100 front wings I actually meant it had roadgoing RS wings which were slighlty flared very similar to the flared front wing of the escort Rs2000 and Mexico Mk1.
These items were unique to RS2600,s and RS3100,s and it would seem unlikey given the age of the car that they would have been changed, even if the car had suffered damage and originally had standard front wings fitted then given the fact that the standard wings would have far easier to source and cheaper i would suspect they would use these as a replacement.
Another strange thing is the colour of the car, several people that I have spoken to describe the car as being powder blue which I have assumed is Olympic Blue a colour used on the RS3100 but I have never seen another Mk1 capri of any model in this colour!!
The plot thickens, I know that the program that Sarnie has very kindly listed states that Ivan Duttons car was 2994cc as were all Mk1 and indeed Mk2/3 3 litre Capri's but assuming this is the same car is it possible that a RS3100 could have slipped through the nets after all they were all badged 3000GT there was nothing on the car anywhere to say it was 3100?
Thank you all very much for your help it really is appreciated Len.

[Peter Mallett]

Hmm, the plot thickens.

[Andy Clegg]

I think I've a video of the 1975 Avon Tour of Britain. Would Ivan Dutton have entered that?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by rscapriman

Hi Peter and chunterer, sorry for any confusion I may have caused, when I mentioned that SEV had RS3100 front wings I actually meant it had roadgoing RS wings which were slighlty flared very similar to the flared front wing of the escort Rs2000 and Mexico Mk1.
These items were unique to RS2600,s and RS3100,s and it would seem unlikey given the age of the car that they would have been changed, even if the car had suffered damage and originally had standard front wings fitted then given the fact that the standard wings would have far easier to source and cheaper i would suspect they would use these as a replacement.
Another strange thing is the colour of the car, several people that I have spoken to describe the car as being powder blue which I have assumed is Olympic Blue a colour used on the RS3100 but I have never seen another Mk1 capri of any model in this colour!!
The plot thickens, I know that the program that Sarnie has very kindly listed states that Ivan Duttons car was 2994cc as were all Mk1 and indeed Mk2/3 3 litre Capri's but assuming this is the same car is it possible that a RS3100 could have slipped through the nets after all they were all badged 3000GT there was nothing on the car anywhere to say it was 3100?
Thank you all very much for your help it really is appreciated Len.

To be quite honest, I don't think that any of the other Capri drivers would have sat back and allowed an RS3100 in as a 3000GT, they were well versed into looking at far more things than just the wing badge!
I suppose that it's possible that the car originally came via Ford (as you say, the registration number was within the RS3100 sequence), often pre-production (or at least, not normal) cars found their way onto the tracks as they couldn't really be made into 'real' road cars. It's even possible (I suppose) that the car could have been a 3000GT mocked up to look like an RS, just for photographic reasons, but again, if the car had RS wings fitted when it was prodsalooned, someone would have taken exception to the fact I'm sure...