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| If there's one car that Tickford
will always be known for, it has to be the Capri. John Miles
During 1981 John Miles was employed as a
journalist writing on behalf of Autocar. At that
time he purchased a 3 litre Capri from Fords
press department and used this car as a test
vehicle for over 25,000 miles. He installed a
very modified 3.2 litre engine, and most
importantly modified and tweaked the suspension.
Miles was and continues today to be one of the
most knowledgeable people with regards to the
handling of the Ford Capri. John Miles saw the
Capri as a vehicle which, with minor changes,
would continue to live for decades. He, more than
anyone, was instrumental in pressuring Ford into
agreeing to assist in the manufacture of the
Tickford Turbo Capri.
John Miles, due to his involvement in
modifying the Capri’s suspension was (and
proved to be correct) aware that different or
alternative suspension settings could be improved
even further with a change of tyres. Contact was
made with Tom Northey (Pirelli) who at this time
was trying to attract publicity for the P7 tyre.
Discussions with Northey eventually led to
contact and various letters being exchanged with
Victor Gauntlett (Owner A.M). and Ford. A quote
by John Miles on the 25 September 1981, in a
letter to John Waddell Vice President P. Affers
Ford include ‘Considerable aerodynamic and
suspension modifications are envisaged, so that
the care may no longer be too easily recognisable
as a Ford’. More meetings with John Wadell,
Victor Gauntlett, Ton Northey and Bob Lutz
followed and in principal an agreement was
reached. It was proposed that Tickford would put
up half of the required amount required for
development of a prototype for assessment, some
£25-30,000 plus the price of a Capri 2.8i.! The
other half to be undertaken by a department of
Ford.
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| Rumour control has it that after
Ford’s withdrawal from the project, which
forced Tickford to ‘go it alone’ and
the sad demise of the 2.8T, Victor Gauntlett
wrote to John Miles a personal cheque for £3,000.
What commenced as an extremely exciting project
sadly ended on a sour note for many people
involved, more so for John Miles than most. The
fact that the Tickford Turbo Capri ever reached
the production stage was thanks to the
commitment, enthusiasm and dogged persistence of
a few people involved directly. A year after the
meeting (lunch) between Victor Gauntlett A.M.L.,
Bob Luty (Ford of Europe) and John Miles, the
running prototype appeared at the 1982 NEC Motor
Show.
The car received enthusiastic and exciting
revues and attracted much favourable attention.
The car which would cost around £14,000 was
capable of 140 mph and was lapping the Millbrook
Test Track at over this speed. In fact it was
taking an A.M. vantage to beat it from rest to
100 mph. Exhilarating acceleration 6.5 seconds to
60 mph, came with a rear disc conversion and
boasted 205 bhp, it was dressed with an extrovert
body kit and the option that one could order a
tailor made car.
Articles from the quarterly magazine are
available by clicking the following link or via
the main menu. Tickford Articles
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