If you want a silky-smooth wave of torque that flows uninterrupted, get yourself an old-school Cadillac and enjoy having someone else drive for you. When it comes to our track cars, we want violence with a purpose. We want a show…the tires digging in while simultaneously trying to stay hooked to anything, the front end to come up, and all of the engine noise. It’s a drug for us. There’s your standard launch at the line, and then there’s the machine that makes the simple task of launching off of the Tree so interesting that it’s like a slap to the face…you weren’t expecting it but somehow, that’s exactly what you needed.
John Puckett’s 1983 Capri is one evil little Fox. Underhood is an Aluminator force-fed by a YSI supercharger and it’s still ripping gears…you can say automatics work all you want at the strip, and you’re right, but Puckett and his Capri will give you a second thought as to which is more fun to drive. Our money? We’d rip that shifter around without a second guess!
Grrrrr!
Why wasn’t the Fox Body Mustang built in Britain as its small size and the range of British Ford motors (Mustang Cosworth anybody?) would have given good fuel economy. Plus there would have always been a V8 option for the true petrol heads. It could have been circuit raced and even rallied and would have been better than even the Sierra Cosworth.
GM guy here, but that is one cool machine. I have always had much love for the Capri.