I worked for Basil from 76 to 91 and owned an Escort Perana and Capri Perana during that time - on a point of fact Basil Green Motors was located in Edenvale a town to the east of Johannesburg - I sold the Granada Perana which was also used by local traffic police as a pursuit car and the Escort Perana which retained the original motor but had a changed intake manifold to accomadate two twin choke Weber carburettos and was an even match for the VW Golf Gti which was the benchmark small pocket rocket at the time
These Capris should have been shipped out with the Buick/Rover aluminum V8 that weighs the same as an 1100cc 4 banger! And BW T50 all synchro aluminum 5 speed...
That was my dream car living in South Africa in the 70s. I am still here, but the exciting cars of those days are not. And certainly not close to the “affordable” price they were then. Kudos to Basil and Ford and of course this channel for sharing this proud piece of South African motoring history. Thank you
I own a yellow Perana Capri serial number BG158 from 1971. I have owned it from 1989 in SA and brought it to the UK when I moved back here. We have an owners group here of about 11 members.
The U.S. 302 Ford was the grandpa motor. Only old people bought such a tiny engine...able to claim they had a normal 8 cylinder...but without any power. Virtually all Mustangs, Cougars, and Torino's were, at the MINIMUM 351's.
Excellent video loved it, I grew up in the town that Basil had his skunk works. We used to see these and later the Sierra XR8 tearing up the main street all the time. Basil was a mate of a family member, he was a total gentleman.
I had a '78 Mercury Capri when I was 17. I only owned it for 4 hours. I was washing it in my driveway and hadn't taken the for sale sign out of the window and a guy stopped and offered me $400 more than I just paid for it, I handed him the keys and said nice doing business with you. That extra $400 in 1982 is like $1300 today so I went and bought the '76 Cobra II I had my eye on!
No such thing as a “78 mercury capri”. It was built by ford of Europe in England, shipped over here to North America, and sold simply as the “capri”, with no ford or mercury badging. The ACTUAL Mercury capri was sold from 1979-86, as the partner to the fox-body mustang.
@@Jett-Crash The owner's manual said 1978 Mercury Capri big as shit right on the cover, and a dealer badge from the Lincoln Mercury dealer where it was bought new, and the title said 1978 mercury Capri.
@@burkean I was thrilled about the upgrade! The Cobra II came with a 302 V-8, 4 speed and the cool appearance package. Mine was white with blue stripes. The Capri had the 2.8 V-6 and was kind of plain for a 17-year-old rock-n-roll kid with a lust for speed!
I am from Germany and a friend of mine has one. I built him a 347 roller cam Stroker last year and after the first test drive it was clear that the next thing we have to do is make sure the rear axle stays in the car. It smokes the tires in fourth gear at 120 km/h.....
As a South African car guy of course I've heard of the Ford Capri Perana V8, even had the privilege to take a spin in one some years ago. Basil Green was truly an insane inventor and they are respected by South African car lovers.
A number of Perana V8 Capris made it to New Zealand, and were really competitive on the race track. Some are still competing in Classic events to this day. They look and sound fantastic.
There are still a few I see around. Saw a lot when I was a kid growing up. One sold recently at auction for a good price here in South Africa. It was still in mint condition. Car culture in South Africa is a big thing and some of the backyard projects I see here are mind blowing. Loved the vid, local is always lekker.
Being born in '86 in South Africa, I missed growing up in the hayday of South African one offs. But I never miss a chance to watch a video of these legends, like the Perana, or the Chevy Firenza Can Am, or the Sierra XR8
Born in Cape Town in 82, I only ever heard the legends. Apparently they issued a challenge that if you could sit in the passenger seat and light a cigarette between launch and 100km/h (62mph) you could have the car for free. As the story goes, this was never achieved. All this was of course with a professional racing driver at the wheel doing a straight line launch. Honestly I don't know how true all this is, but it sure built the hype!
Thank you for this excellent video. I'm a Saffa myself and homologation was a motorhead's wet dream here in South Africa in the 70s and 80s. Here are some of the more famous one's other than the Peranas. Ford Cortina mk3 XLE Big 6 Ford Cortina mk4 XR6 Interceptor Ford Sierra XR8 Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0 Opel Kadett Superboss BMW 333i And my personal favourite, the Chevrolet Firenza Can-Am
My Dad had both the 3L V6 and the V8 Perana but I only really remember the interior of the V8 as a young kid....I remember a story my Dad told me once, on holiday we were heading to "Badplaas" and he hit 245km/h with the Perana, he loved that car! what a machine
Those XR8 Sierras aren't talked about nearly enough. I got a donor chassis XR4i for my Capri from a bloke who as far as I know owns the only XR8 in NZ.
Back in the late seventies and early eighties, my sister and her husband had two in yellow , and in 2022 I had the pleasure of being involved with a complete rebuild of number 29 , peri peri red , matching numbers . Lots of work done on it to get it back to original .her in South Africa , you might see one or two at the piston and ring monthly meet up. Beautiful cars .
As a former South African I was very much aware of the Basil Green cars. My first car was a 1969 Ford Anglia Super (1200) a beautiful, magic little car, standard except for wider tyres. I currently, proudly, own a 3.0 liter Sapphire V6, standard except for Recaro bucket front seats - had to do it because in New Zealand I could never get Warrants of Fitness with those crappy Ford front seat, back rest adjusters. Love my 1991 Sapphire, only 160,000 on the clock., she'll probably outlast me!
Awesome information! I had a 74 Mercury Capri in California. It had a 2.8L V6 German-made motor. I absolutely loved that car! To hear the international history is of the Capri and to hear of a V8 version is dope!
They were great on the track and I loved watching them many times at Kyalami racing circuit. I remember them having many a battle with the Vauxhall Firenza's that had also been modified to take a V8. Great days and fantastic racing. As a youngster I wanted one so badly but the price was way out of a mere mechanic's reach. I ended up with a rare Ford Granada 3.0 two door coupe, which I also loved. Sky blue with a white vinyl roof and side pipes of course. Being an automatic, it sounded like a Rhino in mating season. Happy days indeed.(The Granada you show at 1:45 is the American Granada and not the one that we had in South Africa.)
@@cousinjack2841 Indeed. I had an Alfa Junior that I gave away to a mate, who crashed it. Now I see how rare and expensive they are and I'm kicking myself.
@@MarkoVukovic0 I feel your pain. Don't even get me started on all the Ford Fairmont GT's that you could pick up here for next to nothing back in the day. All ended up on the scrap heap. I try not to think about it.
Years ago in Canada I was lucky enough to meet an old Can-Am driver who had one of these, and took me on a wild ride around a (closed) airport. That car was a screamer!
Awesome video I had the privilage of meeting Basil Green on a few occasions and chatted about the Capri , he once metioned the Ford America had commisioned a build and had it flown State side with him to go over the build and desighn what an aweosme man
So well researched and presented! Thumbs up! Basil Green's Perana brand was legendary in Joburg at that time. The Capri V8 was just awesome and stood out. Fans could pick them out anywhere, mainly in yellow or that peri-peri red, if that's the right description. I see only a few mentions here about weekends at Kyalami outside Johannesburg, and the epic battles between the Capri Peranas , Cortina Peranas and the thundering Ford Fairmont GTs. Davids and Goliaths trading places on the straights, the curves, chicanes, the hill and corners, lap by lap! I had the good fortune to drive my friend's Cortina Perana around the streets of Joburg many times. The airport road was a good stretch to put foot. The gearbox needed attention from time to time due to all the shenanigans. It satisfied my testosterone-filled need for speed! What a terrific car the Cortina was in any format. All Fords actually. My father had many Ford company cars from a V8 500, to a Taunus with a 'saxomatic clutch' (semi-automatic). My wife drove a peppy 1600 Cortina. Ford at its best in that era. I also had a V6 Cortina XLE as a company vehicle in '79 '80. The Essex V6 was so satisfying!
When i was a teenager i had a buddy who came back from California with a V6 4speed Capri and that dude was a little monster!! He was smoking Camaros and Mustangs in the mid 80's!!!
I bought a brand new 1971 Capri 1600 in New Jersey. After about five years we moved to Miami, Florida and discovered autocross. I never modified the engine or suspension, simply learned how to drive it to the max. I have a photo of the Capri with over 100 trophies that my wife and I won with the Capri. The most prestigious trophy was a "Turtle" from the Bay Bottom Crawl autocross in the Florida Keys. I didn't get a Turtle until the year after my wife won hers. We loved out driving the Mustangs, Camaros, 'Cuda's,,,,etc. Can't image the thrill of competing in a Perana. Thank you for the video.
Ford of Germany did a similar thing. They called it the MAKO, and from what I can tell, they dropped a Boss 302 in it, mated to a top loader 4 speed. I personally laid my hand on one in 1990 and have pictures of it as well.
It was a Swiss engineer by the name of Helmut May who was behind the German Mako projects. It was not the initiative of Ford Cologne, although their racing department had many noteworthy achievements in the sixties and seventies.
@HLife719 Seems my German friends were misinformed. Actually, the MAKO I saw had Swiss Kennzeichen if I remember correctly. I'd have to go back and look at the pictures to be sure.
@@HLife719 That's not correct. The founder of MAKO was Gerd Knözinger from Rösrath near Cologne. I think you mean Michael May, a swiss engineer, he developed the turbo conversions for the Ford Cologne V6 engines, but has nothing to do with MAKO.
The Capri Perana was also available in the 1600 GT shell called the Perana R pack.Very rare cars.I saw 2 in in my life, one blue one from Cape Town and a Gold one from Johannesburg .They were even lighter than the 3000 GT shells.The Mk 2 green and gold Cortina Perana in the video is my car. Basil made Perana versions of the Mk 1 Escorts,the Mk 3 Excorts,the Mk 2 and Mk 3 Cortina,s, Ford Sierra and Sapphire,s.The Capri was the best known one.
As a youngster in S.A I was hitchhiking from a city called Pietersburg in those days to Pretoria. Just outside a town named Groblersdal I was kindly picked up by a young chap in one of these Capri Peranas...and he stated that he was "in a hurry." My first order of business after being dropped in Pretoria was to scout around....frantically. For a clean pair of skants... 😆😉
We lived in Edenvale when I was a kid. Our house was two blocks away from Basil Green Motors (our house was in Voortrekker Avenue). Now and then went over to see what cars they were working on. Now thinking about it, Basil Green (or his mechanics) did not mind us having a look. All this was before 1974 when we moved. Those Gunston V8 Peranas were great racing cars.
Thanks for the excellent story. As a young South African, these cars were local legends in their time, along with the localized BMW 745i and Alfa Romeo GTV 3.0. There was also the Ford Granada Parana V8 but as you mentioned, it was never raced, being larger, heavier and usually automatic. Your story revealed much about the Basil Green cars that I did not know, so thanks again!
Great cars were locally modified in South Africa helped by a vibrant motor industry and racing culture. BMW 530 / 333i / Ford Sierra XR8 / Alfa GTV 3.0 / 😅great times for racing cars
I am a 73 year old South African and yes we drove these cars. I did however later own a 302 fastback Mustang with a Holly carb and manual Hurst gearbox which eas lots of fun. I beleive it was a 66 or 67 year model.
Got to work with what you got but $5,000 was very pricey then. My 1970 Corvette convertible cost new less than that and has 300 HP, 4 wheel discs, 15" × 8" wheels, and independent front & rear suspension with posi, plus near 50-50 weight distribution.
I remember these well. Actually knew a guy who owned one. My brother worked for the Green company many years later building the SA version of Shelby's Cobra. We also had the 3 litre Alfa GTV built here in SA. And an insane V8 Chev Firenza Can Am - that could leave tyre marks on the road when you shifted down at almost 100 miles per hour and floored it. A time never to be seen again in South Africa.
South Africa got Aussie Falcons, Holdens and Valiants. Sometimes they assembled some 'alternative' models as well. HT Holden Monaros with different front guards, cornerlights and quad headlights. I beleieve some utes also had the same front as well. They got Fairmont GTs, a local variation on a Falcon GT still using the 351C. How sports they got with Valiants I dont know. Soe where 318. Base cars had slant 6s unlike the hemi 6 here in Oz. AMC also sold some cars The GM variation of the Peranna was a 302 powered Vauxhall Firenza. A car like the XU1 based on a Viva. From what I understand though the suspension was still Vauxhall unlike th heavily modified shells used on LC LJ 6 cyl cars. So not probably my idea of a car. And yes I raced an XU1 with a Chev for many years. Even then not a great car. But light and fast and the cage and partial spaceframe helped tie it together. Mk2 Cortina and the Capri are the same underneath, the Capri is a Cortina in drag! People have fitted V8s too them as well. Windsor yes but never a Cleveland lump. The V6 Capris had bigger calipers and fatter rotors, the same as an XU1. Yes a 10" rotor and these days very tiny,, but ok for the period. Toranas also had 13" wheels. As did the Firenza which I hoped they upgraded the brakes on,, the Viva had tiny brakes and callipers. There was no end of 308 LC LJs built. Some by GM dealers, many by hotrodders. With all the right bits it is a days work to fit one. Plus exhaust fabrication! You picked various accescory mounts from variouis models and they bolted in. Offset the rack a little to the right and jobs done. Chevs are harder as the starter is in the way. Eventually I used a narrowed LH Torana rack with a better angle in that cleared the starter and was one uni joint [LH part] in the column. These days you can buy kits to put the starter on the otherside [as was the Holden] making the job a lot easier
There’s no such thing as a 1977 mercury capri. They were simply sold as the Capri from 1970-78. The first MERCURY capri was sold from 1979-86, and was a variant of the fox-body mustang.
My dad bought a 1977 Mercury Capri 2.8 with the Rally Cat package brand new and he handed it down to me. He bought it from the local Lincoln Mercury dealer. In USA at least in 76 and 77 Lincoln Mercury sold the Capri’s. It was one of my favorite cars. The front bucket seats were comfortable and it had versatile fold down independent back seats.
Love these cars, I was born in '73 and learned to drive in V4 variant in around '87. Before my 16th birthday I had the pleasure of driving one of the Capri Piranhas. It would have been more enjoyable had I been more experienced and licensed to drive on the public roads at the time. Basil is an absolute legend in South Africa. My wife had a heavily modified and tuned Golf II GTI that was done by Basil in the 90's. She was hijacked at gunpoint and the car was stolen, I don't think she ever got it back.
Well researched and presented. The police in South Africa used the V8 Capris as their chase cars in speed traps. They were fitted out with VASCAR speed detection units. ( personal knowledge- caught three times) The Grenada that you show in the preamble is an American Grenada, the South African Grenada was similar in shape to the Cortina.
Australia here. We had plenty of English Ford Capri's here in the 70's. Most were 4 cylinders but some were V6's. We soon discovered there was plenty of room under that long bonnet for the narrow Windsor type V8 engine. The more popular Cleveland V8 was a wider engine, some guys could make that work. I used a 302 Windsor out of an old '70 Fairlane hooked up to a Ford toploader gearbox in the '70 model Capri I built. I needed to get an engineering certificate to put it on the road. She was a very fast car.
&johnkauppi7078 That woulda been entertaining!!! Never seen a Capri with an 8, but ibdid have a mate chuck a 302 & 4 slot in a TE cortina... That fuckin flew !!!! Same bloke also had a shorty land cruiser, about a 78 model, also 302, while his brother had one with a Holden 308...
@@robertthomas3777 Balanced? No, it was front heavy, not excessively, but I got used to it. Power steering would have been helpful. Stiffer front springs and sway bars front and rear were fitted with heavy duty shocks. Keeping the standard diff was a mistake as they were too weak for that engine, which was 225 hp. I live in the country so I did very little town driving in it. It was excellent on the highway.
My first car was a 72 Capri 2000 4 cylinder. I rebuilt it modified it and chromed every engine part I could take off. Learned to be a car guy and now I’m on my 8th Corvette.
The European (IIRC made in Britain) Capris were famous for already rusting in the brochure. I live in a country by the North Sea branch of the Atlantic and with a dominant wind direction from over sea, the air can be a bit silt. These cars depreciated faster than the acceleration of gravity. While ford had a plant in Germany and these were better, the UK plant did much worse in the rust department. Either because of steel or of protection or both. Even French or Italian cars were better at the time and after Audi stated to anodise their A-something, the French and Italians solved the rust issues pragmatically before the USAnian brands manufactured in Europe. So my hope is that a warmer, dryer, climate and/or better steel helped you in SA enjoy these cars better, longer.
@@jpdj2715 'Famous for already rusting in the brochure', lol. Here in Cape Town, I've had a '85 Ford Cortina pick up (bakkie) manufactured by Samcor with a 1.6 Kent engine for 12 years with only a few small spots of rust when I bought her. She is garaged and since then virtually no further rust has developed. Probably a combination of better steel and the drier climate as you say. I continually get offers for her, but I won't be selling.
I'm 70 and my favorite car of my life was a red 1972 2600 Capri (US specs) I had friends who were putting V8s into MGBs, Corvairs etc and were always pushing me to put drop a 289 or 302 into my Capri. I never did that, but always wanted to. Maybe in another lifetime. Thanks for this vid, it was like seeing pics of an old girlfriend who I adored at the same time as my Capri.
@@davidgalea6113 - you are incorrect there... The Granada Perana was also sold through Ford dealerships with full factory warranty. I should know, I got one.
I had a ‘76 with the 2.8 v6 and 4 spd manual back in the mid 90’s….that lil car was soooo much fun to drive and was actually pretty damn quick……it was apple green with a black vinyl top and black interior with black BBS wheels with the polished lip….very slick looking car, oh and it had the pop up moonroof!!!
I had a 76 Ghia, i put headers and full dual exhaust, 350 CFM Holley carb and 14x6 ARE wheels with 215/60 tires. i adjusted the rockers to the point where the car was smooth as glass. I had the dual action sunroof in mine.
Neighbor behind me in Witfield, if you're from the East Rand you know where that is, has one in Peri Peri Red and I'm sure is a numbers matching one too. Revs it up and blasts around town from time to time. He's also got a 60's fastback Mustang and an Escort Mexico and RS. He's a rebuilder of Classic Fords. Has a shell of one sort or another every other weekend parked in his driveway.
As a Belgian, I admit I never heard of it. All we heard about South Africa was about its Apartheid regime, diamonds, the 747's of SAA, Gordon Winter's book about the BOSS, Nelson Mandela and that's about it. But of course, the normal Capri's were well present on Belgian roads in far more colors (sandy brown, light green, blue...) and on racetracks as those from Spa and Zolder. Always loved the looks, that pinchline curbing around the back wheel, the two air intakes, the Escort like front grill, the rounded window behind the B pillar... Such a nice design. Although it had even better performances, I was less pleased with the looks of the Mk 2 Capri.
Two mates had the Granada Peranas. One was an auto and the other was manual. The one mate went on to buy the BMW 745i, also an SA creation that did well on the track in spite of it's size. My dream is the SA Alfa GTV6 3.0L.
@@SvenTvikingthey were available in the U.S. with the 2.8. A cousin owned one I rode in many times. Also remember it was smog exempt, ‘75 & earlier in California
I did hear of them, a friend of mine wanted to import one into Belgium in the seventies. It did not work so he bought one from a racing team in Germany with a special 2,8L. He drove that for many years and still has the car.
Was a young man 21 yrs old. Saw the capri perana and gave a 30% deposit on car. Had 30 days to come up with balance. No one in my family wanted to so I lost out on this beaut. Red and black trim. Absolute love at first site!!
Always liked the Capri, back in the 70's as all my friends and I were getting our licenses a friend had one of these before I bought my first car and I loved the ride and feel. Ended up buying a VW 411 as my first car which was a lot of fun to drive but never looked as good as a Capri. I'd definitely love one of these today for a weekender.
My best friend had a Capri all through high school. What a car and what an insane driver my bud turned out with that nimble thing at his feet and hands. Lucky we never died, and the car was a big part of that.
Being a Brit and into performance Fords of this era the name Basil Green is right up there with names such as Cosworth and Lotus. However, something of note, the clip you have of the Ford Granada, is of a US Granada, not the European model, they were completely different cars. Something else to note, the 2.0 Pinto fitted to the Escorts would later become the basis for the Legendary Sierra and Escort Cosworths of the 80's and 90's
Basil Green and Carroll Shelby were the only 2 outlets to ever make and sell Ford factory backed cars ever. BG made the V8 Granadas before the Capris. The Capri was a homologation race car. The race cars were sponsored by Gunston cigarettes and painted a Burnt orange colour. That colour was the most popular in the road cars also. They didn't use Aussie Ford parts. Ford supplied BG with fully built cars. He then swapped the original V6 from the Capri into the Cortina. And the Cortina's 1600 engine and transmission were sold back to Ford and to the public also. Those rims are "Rostyles". About that same time, GM also released a much rarer homologation race car for the street. Only 100 ever built. The Chev Firenza Can-Am. That was a small Euro car fitted with a modified Corvette 357. P.s... Change the flag on the thumbnail. It should rightfully be the old flag.
Apparently they did use a diff from Aus Ford that was stronger. A well-known marque expert confirmed this. Also. the Chevy CanAm used the DZ 302 from the Z28 Camaro, not the 327.
Two points. The colour was *_"SHUTTER",_* a mixture of sh*t and butter. The other point, I'm sure that the CanAm was fitted with a *_302 Small Block Chev(Camaro) motor._* Never knew Chev had a 357? I do know about the 327, 350 *_Mouse_* and the 400 ci *_Supermouse_* "Small Blocks" and other mix and match variations.
When i was in Germany some GI's took a Capri and built a tube frame and widened the body then put a 4 wheel set up with a 351 4v Cleveland. Those guys went rally racing, man that thing was a BEAST!
I remember seeing a yellow Piranha doing a road rally in the very early 2000's- was so far ahead in the classic car class that it was starting to place outright amongst the late model Evo's and 911's... Truely impressive cars with lots of potential
These cars were legends to every boy growing up in SA. We could only afford the 1600 mk1s that we bored out to max and fitted flat pistons and the biggest valves that could be fitted on the heads and a twin choke Weber carb. If we were lucky and found side draughts we fitted those. T🎉he v6 cars never touched us on a short sprint.
My dad had a yellow '73 2300cc 4cyl. and my step-brother had a brown '74 2600cc V6 from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. They were a blast! Probably not too safe if a truck hits you though.
In the interest of accuracy. The early (1971-73) U.S. version Capri was fitted with either the anemic 1.6 litre four, or later 2.0 litre OHC. The 2.3 or (Lima) motors were standard fare from 1974 onward. If it was a V6 car, the early units were 2.6 litres with siamesed exhaust ports. The 1974
Cars like this make me proud to be a South African. I was born in Edenvale in Joburg, pretty close to Basil Green Motors. I've seen 3 in the UK (I live there now), plus a Sierra XR8, which I believe shares the same motor.
My Mom had a Capri in the late 1970s. She did a motor swap herself (I helped with passing spanners), fitting the 1600 'Sport' motor from an Escort Mk1. My Uncle sprayed it British racing green with black bonnet stripes and wheels. The guy she sold it to sprayed it all white, but I've never seen that car again in my hood. I'd love to find that car today or at least another Capri.
Basil ( another Basil! )van Rooyen made a proposal to General Motors to market a vehicle similar to the Basil Green Ford Capri V8. Developed their Vauxhall Firenza, using a 302 cid Camaro V8 engine and running gear. Vauxhall Firenza Can-Am!
I converted six Mk1 and Mk2 Transits between the mid seventies and the mid eighties to use the three litre essex motor and using the diesel grill (back in the days when juice was 35 pence A GALLON and twenty cigarettes were 21 pence !) , the first one I did I used the standard transit single wheeler rear axle which had a slightly lower ratio crown wheel to compliment the wheezy 2Ltr V4 it originally came with, it was a beast at traffic lights back in the day but screamed its nuts off at seventy flat out and the fuel milage was a joke, I DID buy a borg warner overdrive unit for it but was never able graft it onto the 2000 rocket box I had on every one after that I used the diesel diff and that made them night and day better. acceleration was still quite good but they would top 90 all day long, and even better - when driven a bit more judiciously actually returned quite good fuel consumption. I wanted to use a twin wheeler axle on the last one and fit twelve inch wide rims.....but in those days it was nearly impossible to come across the right wheels so sadly I never did.
During the same time the Ford Cosworth from the UK became legendary. As a South African we only wanted to drive a UK Ford. Being born in 76 my dad drove a Ford Granada 3l V6 and raced stock cars in a modified Studebaker with number 23 on the side. I remember at the age of 6 or 7 being at the oval track every Saturday and eating the same meal before every race. Sadly he passed away when I was 8 he passed away at the tender age of 42.
Glad I was one of the few that recommended these cars for an episode. Back In the 70s before I knew about the Perana i wanted to do a 302 swap on a Capris.
I converted two here in California back in the late 90’s. The second had willwood brakes and a whole host of suspension upgrades. On track it was a mustang and corvette eater. I’d blast past those guys in corners (they’d keep up ok on the straights) but just couldn’t hang with me for long. Back in the paddock they’d come over, every track day, “what do you have in that thing?!” I’d show ‘em and they marvel. 😎
Bail Green is a racing driver, Fords. He also had a filling station in Pietermsritzburg. A great, smart guy. I know the garage. Vetri South African Indian 🙏🇿🇦🙏
As kids growing up in South Africa in the 70's we knew these cars to be something special...
I worked for Basil from 76 to 91 and owned an Escort Perana and Capri Perana during that time - on a point of fact Basil Green Motors was located in Edenvale a town to the east of Johannesburg - I sold the Granada Perana which was also used by local traffic police as a pursuit car and the Escort Perana which retained the original motor but had a changed intake manifold to accomadate two twin choke Weber carburettos and was an even match for the VW Golf Gti which was the benchmark small pocket rocket at the time
That's amazing!
Was that the XR3 shape Escort, Peter?
@@Titchify - that's correct - I should have clarified
I was doing v6 and v8 conversions in the UK late 70.s, went to work for VW in Edenvale near Johannesburg and working for Basil Greene at weekends.
sure
These Capris should have been shipped out with the Buick/Rover aluminum V8 that weighs the same as an 1100cc 4 banger! And BW T50 all synchro aluminum 5 speed...
That was my dream car living in South Africa in the 70s. I am still here, but the exciting cars of those days are not. And certainly not close to the “affordable” price they were then. Kudos to Basil and Ford and of course this channel for sharing this proud piece of South African motoring history. Thank you
Theres like hundreds of them in Kaapstad
@@dawie4853 V8 Peranas? I think not. Maybe 1600 and Maybe 3.0L?
I own a yellow Perana Capri serial number BG158 from 1971. I have owned it from 1989 in SA and brought it to the UK when I moved back here. We have an owners group here of about 11 members.
The 302 Ford was the grandpa motor. Only old people bought such a tiny engine...able to claim they had a normal 8 cylinder...but without any power..
@@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf believe me a 5.0 in a small weightless car. its dam fast at its time
As an South African I remembered these cars, as an unique and very special machine. Never knew the history, thank you for creating thiis video.
The U.S. 302 Ford was the grandpa motor. Only old people bought such a tiny engine...able to claim they had a normal 8 cylinder...but without any power. Virtually all Mustangs, Cougars, and Torino's were, at the MINIMUM 351's.
Excellent video loved it, I grew up in the town that Basil had his skunk works. We used to see these and later the Sierra XR8 tearing up the main street all the time. Basil was a mate of a family member, he was a total gentleman.
Those XR8's were beautiful beasts!
I had a '78 Mercury Capri when I was 17. I only owned it for 4 hours. I was washing it in my driveway and hadn't taken the for sale sign out of the window and a guy stopped and offered me $400 more than I just paid for it, I handed him the keys and said nice doing business with you. That extra $400 in 1982 is like $1300 today so I went and bought the '76 Cobra II I had my eye on!
No such thing as a “78 mercury capri”. It was built by ford of Europe in England, shipped over here to North America, and sold simply as the “capri”, with no ford or mercury badging. The ACTUAL Mercury capri was sold from 1979-86, as the partner to the fox-body mustang.
@@Jett-Crash The owner's manual said 1978 Mercury Capri big as shit right on the cover, and a dealer badge from the Lincoln Mercury dealer where it was bought new, and the title said 1978 mercury Capri.
@@SuperMickey57 100% Correct. Had an older one in 1978, I think it was a 72 . It had the V6 very much a Mercury. 😊
Was that a good trade?
Wasn't a Capri a better car than a (stock) Cobra II?
@@burkean I was thrilled about the upgrade! The Cobra II came with a 302 V-8, 4 speed and the cool appearance package.
Mine was white with blue stripes. The Capri had the 2.8 V-6 and was kind of plain for a 17-year-old rock-n-roll kid with a lust for speed!
I am from Germany and a friend of mine has one. I built him a 347 roller cam Stroker last year and after the first test drive it was clear that the next thing we have to do is make sure the rear axle stays in the car. It smokes the tires in fourth gear at 120 km/h.....
@@holger5401 I never had a rear end issue with my 327 Chevy Capri, and I BEAT on it
Gaaaay
As a South African car guy of course I've heard of the Ford Capri Perana V8, even had the privilege to take a spin in one some years ago. Basil Green was truly an insane inventor and they are respected by South African car lovers.
Bs. 1st time anyone ever heard the name lol
A number of Perana V8 Capris made it to New Zealand, and were really competitive on the race track. Some are still competing in Classic events to this day. They look and sound fantastic.
There are still a few I see around. Saw a lot when I was a kid growing up. One sold recently at auction for a good price here in South Africa. It was still in mint condition. Car culture in South Africa is a big thing and some of the backyard projects I see here are mind blowing. Loved the vid, local is always lekker.
We could do almost anything with a car, not restrictions, i used to do various water cooled engines in Kombis.
Being born in '86 in South Africa, I missed growing up in the hayday of South African one offs. But I never miss a chance to watch a video of these legends, like the Perana, or the Chevy Firenza Can Am, or the Sierra XR8
From South Africa and grew up watching these race. They sounded absolutely awesome.
I’m from Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The Capri V8 Perana and Cortina XR8 Interceptor were legends!!!
Born in Cape Town in 82, I only ever heard the legends. Apparently they issued a challenge that if you could sit in the passenger seat and light a cigarette between launch and 100km/h (62mph) you could have the car for free. As the story goes, this was never achieved. All this was of course with a professional racing driver at the wheel doing a straight line launch. Honestly I don't know how true all this is, but it sure built the hype!
Thank you for this excellent video. I'm a Saffa myself and homologation was a motorhead's wet dream here in South Africa in the 70s and 80s. Here are some of the more famous one's other than the Peranas.
Ford Cortina mk3 XLE Big 6
Ford Cortina mk4 XR6 Interceptor
Ford Sierra XR8
Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0
Opel Kadett Superboss
BMW 333i
And my personal favourite, the Chevrolet Firenza Can-Am
Where is the Holden Manaro GTS V8 they and the Perana and the Can-AM were sworn enemies on the track.
Can Am was a jet!
@@carlbotha1289 I saw one on a used car lot here in So.California! $12,000 in 1998, $23,000 in todays dollars!
Those Can-Ams were something else.
@@GlosterSA I don't remember us getting the Holden Monaro GTS. But chuffed to know that it did make it to our shores. Thank you.
My Dad had both the 3L V6 and the V8 Perana but I only really remember the interior of the V8 as a young kid....I remember a story my Dad told me once, on holiday we were heading to "Badplaas" and he hit 245km/h with the Perana, he loved that car! what a machine
I lived in Joburg from 70 to 75 and had one of these , it was yellow, wish I still had it.
Nope; never heard. Briefly owner a V6 Capri in USA. Felt solid and torquey. loved it.
imagine how good it would feel with a GM 3800 SERIES 2 V6. with its 1" decked heads it would fit nicely in that capri. 200 bhp and gobs of torque.
I had 1800 ..2 door datsun it was their tiger swooped up
south africa made some great cars
What cars does ZA make today-? ANC shit!
Agree. Remember the XR8 Sierra from the 80’s. The good old days when ingenuity was a thing and we just got on with it.
Those XR8 Sierras aren't talked about nearly enough.
I got a donor chassis XR4i for my Capri from a bloke who as far as I know owns the only XR8 in NZ.
The one that stands out - well, for me at least, was the BMW 745i with the normally aspirated M88 engine from the E28 M5.
@@markdebeer1252 ...and the BMW E12 530 that Eddie Keizan and Alain Laviopierre raced in 1976.
...and the BMW E30 333i.
Back in the late seventies and early eighties, my sister and her husband had two in yellow , and in 2022 I had the pleasure of being involved with a complete rebuild of number 29 , peri peri red , matching numbers . Lots of work done on it to get it back to original .her in South Africa , you might see one or two at the piston and ring monthly meet up. Beautiful cars .
I'd love to see one. Where is that meetup, in Jhb?
@@MarkoVukovic0 Look up the Piston Ring motor club. My father was a member in the 1980s.
It's in Modderfontein, close to Edenvale. I think it's the third Sunday of every month. The correct name of the event is called the piston ring.
@@lanceanthonyrickson Thanks, dude. I'm in Slaapstad. Need to make a trip that side.
As a former South African I was very much aware of the Basil Green cars. My first car was a 1969 Ford Anglia Super (1200) a beautiful, magic little car, standard except for wider tyres. I currently, proudly, own a 3.0 liter Sapphire V6, standard except for Recaro bucket front seats - had to do it because in New Zealand I could never get Warrants of Fitness with those crappy Ford front seat, back rest adjusters. Love my 1991 Sapphire, only 160,000 on the clock., she'll probably outlast me!
Awesome information! I had a 74 Mercury Capri in California. It had a 2.8L V6 German-made motor. I absolutely loved that car! To hear the international history is of the Capri and to hear of a V8 version is dope!
They were great on the track and I loved watching them many times at Kyalami racing circuit. I remember them having many a battle with the Vauxhall Firenza's that had also been modified to take a V8. Great days and fantastic racing. As a youngster I wanted one so badly but the price was way out of a mere mechanic's reach. I ended up with a rare Ford Granada 3.0 two door coupe, which I also loved. Sky blue with a white vinyl roof and side pipes of course. Being an automatic, it sounded like a Rhino in mating season. Happy days indeed.(The Granada you show at 1:45 is the American Granada and not the one that we had in South Africa.)
The 3.0 Granada coupe was just gorgeous to me. I had a good laugh at "sounded like a Rhino in mating season" 🤣. Do you still have this beast?
@@MarkoVukovic0 I only wish that I did. Hindsight is a perfect science eh?
@@cousinjack2841 Indeed. I had an Alfa Junior that I gave away to a mate, who crashed it. Now I see how rare and expensive they are and I'm kicking myself.
@@MarkoVukovic0 I feel your pain. Don't even get me started on all the Ford Fairmont GT's that you could pick up here for next to nothing back in the day. All ended up on the scrap heap. I try not to think about it.
@@cousinjack2841 Yes, so true 🙈
Years ago in Canada I was lucky enough to meet an old Can-Am driver who had one of these, and took me on a wild ride around a (closed) airport. That car was a screamer!
Awesome video I had the privilage of meeting Basil Green on a few occasions and chatted about the Capri , he once metioned the Ford America had commisioned a build and had it flown State side with him to go over the build and desighn what an aweosme man
So well researched and presented! Thumbs up! Basil Green's Perana brand was legendary in Joburg at that time. The Capri V8 was just awesome and stood out. Fans could pick them out anywhere, mainly in yellow or that peri-peri red, if that's the right description. I see only a few mentions here about weekends at Kyalami outside Johannesburg, and the epic battles between the Capri Peranas , Cortina Peranas and the thundering Ford Fairmont GTs. Davids and Goliaths trading places on the straights, the curves, chicanes, the hill and corners, lap by lap! I had the good fortune to drive my friend's Cortina Perana around the streets of Joburg many times. The airport road was a good stretch to put foot. The gearbox needed attention from time to time due to all the shenanigans. It satisfied my testosterone-filled need for speed! What a terrific car the Cortina was in any format. All Fords actually. My father had many Ford company cars from a V8 500, to a Taunus with a 'saxomatic clutch' (semi-automatic). My wife drove a peppy 1600 Cortina. Ford at its best in that era. I also had a V6 Cortina XLE as a company vehicle in '79 '80. The Essex V6 was so satisfying!
When i was a teenager i had a buddy who came back from California with a V6 4speed Capri and that dude was a little monster!! He was smoking Camaros and Mustangs in the mid 80's!!!
I bought a brand new 1971 Capri 1600 in New Jersey. After about five years we moved to Miami, Florida and discovered autocross. I never modified the engine or suspension, simply learned how to drive it to the max. I have a photo of the Capri with over 100 trophies that my wife and I won with the Capri. The most prestigious trophy was a "Turtle" from the Bay Bottom Crawl autocross in the Florida Keys. I didn't get a Turtle until the year after my wife won hers. We loved out driving the Mustangs, Camaros, 'Cuda's,,,,etc. Can't image the thrill of competing in a Perana. Thank you for the video.
Ford of Germany did a similar thing. They called it the MAKO, and from what I can tell, they dropped a Boss 302 in it, mated to a top loader 4 speed.
I personally laid my hand on one in 1990 and have pictures of it as well.
It was a Swiss engineer by the name of Helmut May who was behind the German Mako projects. It was not the initiative of Ford Cologne, although their racing department had many noteworthy achievements in the sixties and seventies.
@HLife719 Seems my German friends were misinformed. Actually, the MAKO I saw had Swiss Kennzeichen if I remember correctly. I'd have to go back and look at the pictures to be sure.
@@HLife719 That's not correct. The founder of MAKO was Gerd Knözinger from Rösrath near Cologne. I think you mean Michael May, a swiss engineer, he developed the turbo conversions for the Ford Cologne V6 engines, but has nothing to do with MAKO.
@ You’re right! My memory failed me. 😁
The Capri Perana was also available in the 1600 GT shell called the Perana R pack.Very rare cars.I saw 2 in in my life, one blue one from Cape Town and a Gold one from Johannesburg .They were even lighter than the 3000 GT shells.The Mk 2 green and gold Cortina Perana in the video is my car. Basil made Perana versions of the Mk 1 Escorts,the Mk 3 Excorts,the Mk 2 and Mk 3 Cortina,s, Ford Sierra and Sapphire,s.The Capri was the best known one.
As a youngster in S.A I was hitchhiking from a city called Pietersburg in those days to Pretoria. Just outside a town named Groblersdal I was kindly picked up by a young chap in one of these Capri Peranas...and he stated that he was "in a hurry." My first order of business after being dropped in Pretoria was to scout around....frantically. For a clean pair of skants... 😆😉
😂😮😅For the uninformed... "Skants".. Was a type of underwear.. Worn..he obviously shat himself.. Scuse the French h.. 😜😎
We lived in Edenvale when I was a kid. Our house was two blocks away from Basil Green Motors (our house was in Voortrekker Avenue). Now and then went over to see what cars they were working on. Now thinking about it, Basil Green (or his mechanics) did not mind us having a look. All this was before 1974 when we moved. Those Gunston V8 Peranas were great racing cars.
Thanks for the excellent story. As a young South African, these cars were local legends in their time, along with the localized BMW 745i and Alfa Romeo GTV 3.0. There was also the Ford Granada Parana V8 but as you mentioned, it was never raced, being larger, heavier and usually automatic. Your story revealed much about the Basil Green cars that I did not know, so thanks again!
Great cars were locally modified in South Africa helped by a vibrant motor industry and racing culture. BMW 530 / 333i / Ford Sierra XR8 / Alfa GTV 3.0 / 😅great times for racing cars
I am a 73 year old South African and yes we drove these cars. I did however later own a 302 fastback Mustang with a Holly carb and manual Hurst gearbox which eas lots of fun. I beleive it was a 66 or 67 year model.
Lots of people dropped V8's into these Capris in Australia back in the day. It was a bit like the V8 Vega thing in the States.
And Cortinas
Got to work with what you got but $5,000 was very pricey then. My 1970 Corvette convertible cost new less than that and has 300 HP, 4 wheel discs, 15" × 8" wheels, and independent front & rear suspension with posi, plus near 50-50 weight distribution.
I remember these well. Actually knew a guy who owned one. My brother worked for the Green company many years later building the SA version of Shelby's Cobra. We also had the 3 litre Alfa GTV built here in SA. And an insane V8 Chev Firenza Can Am - that could leave tyre marks on the road when you shifted down at almost 100 miles per hour and floored it. A time never to be seen again in South Africa.
Those were the days, indeed. Remember also the Sierra XR8?
@@MarkoVukovic0 I do. One of them gave my 325iS a good run for money.
@@hendrikdebruin4012 Ooh, that was also a lovely beast. That straight six was sublime.
@@MarkoVukovic0 Mine was a Schnitzer 2.7 version. I surely miss that car. But at least I have memories.
@@hendrikdebruin4012 Fantastic car, glad you have the memories.
I think it's safe to say anyone who knew Ford in South Africa then knew Basil Green
My dad owned a similar South African marvel, the Ford Sierra 5L conversion, the XR8. I drove it when I was a teenager. Made a lot of v8 noise!
Good video. I owned and loved a V6 Capri years ago and now wish I had kept it. Always thought a V8 would be a natural upgrade.
You should see what they do with Mark 1 Capri's in Australia then- V8 swapping them is very common here
South Africa got Aussie Falcons, Holdens and Valiants. Sometimes they assembled some 'alternative' models as well. HT Holden Monaros with different front guards, cornerlights and quad headlights. I beleieve some utes also had the same front as well.
They got Fairmont GTs, a local variation on a Falcon GT still using the 351C.
How sports they got with Valiants I dont know. Soe where 318. Base cars had slant 6s unlike the hemi 6 here in Oz.
AMC also sold some cars
The GM variation of the Peranna was a 302 powered Vauxhall Firenza. A car like the XU1 based on a Viva.
From what I understand though the suspension was still Vauxhall unlike th heavily modified shells used on LC LJ 6 cyl cars. So not probably my idea of a car. And yes I raced an XU1 with a Chev for many years. Even then not a great car. But light and fast and the cage and partial spaceframe helped tie it together.
Mk2 Cortina and the Capri are the same underneath, the Capri is a Cortina in drag! People have fitted V8s too them as well. Windsor yes but never a Cleveland lump.
The V6 Capris had bigger calipers and fatter rotors, the same as an XU1. Yes a 10" rotor and these days very tiny,, but ok for the period. Toranas also had 13" wheels. As did the Firenza which I hoped they upgraded the brakes on,, the Viva had tiny brakes and callipers.
There was no end of 308 LC LJs built. Some by GM dealers, many by hotrodders. With all the right bits it is a days work to fit one. Plus exhaust fabrication!
You picked various accescory mounts from variouis models and they bolted in. Offset the rack a little to the right and jobs done. Chevs are harder as the starter is in the way. Eventually I used a narrowed LH Torana rack with a better angle in that cleared the starter and was one uni joint [LH part] in the column.
These days you can buy kits to put the starter on the otherside [as was the Holden] making the job a lot easier
I am from South Africa. These were very sought after cars and still are. Recently one was sold at auction for $100 000.
Thanks for the great content.
thanks mate
Loved my 1977 USA Mercury capri ghia 2.8 liter , loads of fun!
There’s no such thing as a 1977 mercury capri. They were simply sold as the Capri from 1970-78. The first MERCURY capri was sold from 1979-86, and was a variant of the fox-body mustang.
My dad bought a 1977 Mercury Capri 2.8 with the Rally Cat package brand new and he handed it down to me. He bought it from the local Lincoln Mercury dealer. In USA at least in 76 and 77 Lincoln Mercury sold the Capri’s. It was one of my favorite cars. The front bucket seats were comfortable and it had versatile fold down independent back seats.
Love these cars, I was born in '73 and learned to drive in V4 variant in around '87. Before my 16th birthday I had the pleasure of driving one of the Capri Piranhas. It would have been more enjoyable had I been more experienced and licensed to drive on the public roads at the time. Basil is an absolute legend in South Africa. My wife had a heavily modified and tuned Golf II GTI that was done by Basil in the 90's. She was hijacked at gunpoint and the car was stolen, I don't think she ever got it back.
Well researched and presented. The police in South Africa used the V8 Capris as their chase cars in speed traps. They were fitted out with VASCAR speed detection units. ( personal knowledge- caught three times) The Grenada that you show in the preamble is an American Grenada, the South African Grenada was similar in shape to the Cortina.
Yar spotted that too ..!!
Australia here. We had plenty of English Ford Capri's here in the 70's. Most were 4 cylinders but some were V6's. We soon discovered there was plenty of room under that long bonnet for the narrow Windsor type V8 engine. The more popular Cleveland V8 was a wider engine, some guys could make that work.
I used a 302 Windsor out of an old '70 Fairlane hooked up to a Ford toploader gearbox in the '70 model Capri I built. I needed to get an engineering certificate to put it on the road. She was a very fast car.
&johnkauppi7078 That woulda been entertaining!!! Never seen a Capri with an 8, but ibdid have a mate chuck a 302 & 4 slot in a TE cortina... That fuckin flew !!!! Same bloke also had a shorty land cruiser, about a 78 model, also 302, while his brother had one with a Holden 308...
How did it handle? Was it balanced?
@@robertthomas3777 Balanced? No, it was front heavy, not excessively, but I got used to it. Power steering would have been helpful. Stiffer front springs and sway bars front and rear were fitted with heavy duty shocks. Keeping the standard diff was a mistake as they were too weak for that engine, which was 225 hp. I live in the country so I did very little town driving in it. It was excellent on the highway.
I heard a bag of cement in the boot sorted the handling abit, maybe a bag and a half with a v8?
@simonbilling2796 That was supposed to be a standard fix to the light rear end on Utes (either Ford or Holden).
My first car was a 72 Capri 2000 4 cylinder. I rebuilt it modified it and chromed every engine part I could take off. Learned to be a car guy and now I’m on my 8th Corvette.
South Africa did not have to rely on European dealers as Ford's have been produced in South Africa since the 1920's.
We have our own Ford factory.
The European (IIRC made in Britain) Capris were famous for already rusting in the brochure. I live in a country by the North Sea branch of the Atlantic and with a dominant wind direction from over sea, the air can be a bit silt. These cars depreciated faster than the acceleration of gravity. While ford had a plant in Germany and these were better, the UK plant did much worse in the rust department. Either because of steel or of protection or both.
Even French or Italian cars were better at the time and after Audi stated to anodise their A-something, the French and Italians solved the rust issues pragmatically before the USAnian brands manufactured in Europe.
So my hope is that a warmer, dryer, climate and/or better steel helped you in SA enjoy these cars better, longer.
@jpdj2715 We some rust issues. But mostly on the coast. Nothing like I've seen on UK car restoration videos.
Also we don't salt our roads in winter.
@@jpdj2715 'Famous for already rusting in the brochure', lol. Here in Cape Town, I've had a '85 Ford Cortina pick up (bakkie) manufactured by Samcor with a 1.6 Kent engine for 12 years with only a few small spots of rust when I bought her. She is garaged and since then virtually no further rust has developed. Probably a combination of better steel and the drier climate as you say. I continually get offers for her, but I won't be selling.
I'm 70 and my favorite car of my life was a red 1972 2600 Capri (US specs) I had friends who were putting V8s into MGBs, Corvairs etc and were always pushing me to put drop a 289 or 302 into my Capri. I never did that, but always wanted to. Maybe in another lifetime. Thanks for this vid, it was like seeing pics of an old girlfriend who I adored at the same time as my Capri.
You missed the granada mk1 parana.
Talk about the savage escorts/cortinas next please.
They are cool but the capri was the only officially ford endorsed perana. The others had there stock engines removed and swapped.
He mentioned Granada briefly but showed footage of an American Granada which were different.
@@powder4360 the granada were an integral part of the ford parana project so should've been mentioned more
@@davidgalea6113 - you are incorrect there... The Granada Perana was also sold through Ford dealerships with full factory warranty. I should know, I got one.
I owned a 1975 Granada parana Gia one of the best Cars I ever owned serial 1057
I had a ‘76 with the 2.8 v6 and 4 spd manual back in the mid 90’s….that lil car was soooo much fun to drive and was actually pretty damn quick……it was apple green with a black vinyl top and black interior with black BBS wheels with the polished lip….very slick looking car, oh and it had the pop up moonroof!!!
I had a 76 Ghia, i put headers and full dual exhaust, 350 CFM Holley carb and 14x6 ARE wheels with 215/60 tires. i adjusted the rockers to the point where the car was smooth as glass. I had the dual action sunroof in mine.
ALSO, take a look at the Chevy Can-Am
As a South African I’ve definitely heard of this car, loved it!
Neighbor behind me in Witfield, if you're from the East Rand you know where that is, has one in Peri Peri Red and I'm sure is a numbers matching one too. Revs it up and blasts around town from time to time. He's also got a 60's fastback Mustang and an Escort Mexico and RS. He's a rebuilder of Classic Fords. Has a shell of one sort or another every other weekend parked in his driveway.
As a Belgian, I admit I never heard of it. All we heard about South Africa was about its Apartheid regime, diamonds, the 747's of SAA, Gordon Winter's book about the BOSS, Nelson Mandela and that's about it. But of course, the normal Capri's were well present on Belgian roads in far more colors (sandy brown, light green, blue...) and on racetracks as those from Spa and Zolder. Always loved the looks, that pinchline curbing around the back wheel, the two air intakes, the Escort like front grill, the rounded window behind the B pillar... Such a nice design. Although it had even better performances, I was less pleased with the looks of the Mk 2 Capri.
Two mates had the Granada Peranas. One was an auto and the other was manual. The one mate went on to buy the BMW 745i, also an SA creation that did well on the track in spite of it's size. My dream is the SA Alfa GTV6 3.0L.
Loved my 1973 USA Capri with 2.8 liter Cologne V6
Yes! I had a 74 Ghia edition with that same engine. It was a great car.
Yes! I had a 74 Ghia edition with that same engine. It was a great car.
That was a great car/engine combination!
73? Think not. The 2.8 was a mk3 Capri.
@@SvenTvikingthey were available in the U.S. with the 2.8. A cousin owned one I rode in many times. Also remember it was smog exempt, ‘75 & earlier in California
I did hear of them, a friend of mine wanted to import one into Belgium in the seventies. It did not work so he bought one from a racing team in Germany with a special 2,8L. He drove that for many years and still has the car.
Was a young man 21 yrs old. Saw the capri perana and gave a 30% deposit on car. Had 30 days to come up with balance. No one in my family wanted to so I lost out on this beaut. Red and black trim.
Absolute love at first site!!
The 60-degree Windsor V8 fitted in well. I saw one at Perth Motorplex about 20 years ago. White with two tone blue stripes.
90 degree.
Proud owner of my Ford Capri Perana . Some of these engine bay photos is my car’s. 😊
Always liked the Capri, back in the 70's as all my friends and I were getting our licenses a friend had one of these before I bought my first car and I loved the ride and feel. Ended up buying a VW 411 as my first car which was a lot of fun to drive but never looked as good as a Capri. I'd definitely love one of these today for a weekender.
Mercury Capri was the best looking sport coupe ever, Drove a chocolate brown 1972 2600 v6! Car had great torque with that engine! I loved that car!!!
There is already a South African Carroll Shelby - his name is Gordan Murray
Has everyone forgotten Willie Meissner who was also a magician when talking about performance Fords
My best friend had a Capri all through high school. What a car and what an insane driver my bud turned out with that nimble thing at his feet and hands. Lucky we never died, and the car was a big part of that.
Being a Brit and into performance Fords of this era the name Basil Green is right up there with names such as Cosworth and Lotus. However, something of note, the clip you have of the Ford Granada, is of a US Granada, not the European model, they were completely different cars. Something else to note, the 2.0 Pinto fitted to the Escorts would later become the basis for the Legendary Sierra and Escort Cosworths of the 80's and 90's
Basil Green and Carroll Shelby were the only 2 outlets to ever make and sell Ford factory backed cars ever.
BG made the V8 Granadas before the Capris. The Capri was a homologation race car. The race cars were sponsored by Gunston cigarettes and painted a Burnt orange colour. That colour was the most popular in the road cars also. They didn't use Aussie Ford parts.
Ford supplied BG with fully built cars. He then swapped the original V6 from the Capri into the Cortina. And the Cortina's 1600 engine and transmission were sold back to Ford and to the public also. Those rims are "Rostyles".
About that same time, GM also released a much rarer homologation race car for the street. Only 100 ever built. The Chev Firenza Can-Am. That was a small Euro car fitted with a modified Corvette 357.
P.s... Change the flag on the thumbnail. It should rightfully be the old flag.
Apparently they did use a diff from Aus Ford that was stronger. A well-known marque expert confirmed this. Also. the Chevy CanAm used the DZ 302 from the Z28 Camaro, not the 327.
Two points. The colour was *_"SHUTTER",_* a mixture of sh*t and butter. The other point, I'm sure that the CanAm was fitted with a *_302 Small Block Chev(Camaro) motor._* Never knew Chev had a 357? I do know about the 327, 350 *_Mouse_* and the 400 ci *_Supermouse_* "Small Blocks" and other mix and match variations.
Never heard of it but as an Australian I'm chuffed they used a Ford Australia rear end. What a beast!!
True, but they used the diff out of the XW Falcon not the XB as the video claimed.👍
My dad owned a similar South African marvel, the Ford Sierra 5L conversion.
I remember the well, I live in South Africa. Basil Green was known all over because of his amazing innovations. Thanks for the video
I've loved the look of the Mercury Capri since I was a kid. Opel Manta too.
My uncle restored one here in SA years ago. Then sold it to a museum for a lot of money. Beautiful car.
When i was in Germany some GI's took a Capri and built a tube frame and widened the body then put a 4 wheel set up with a 351 4v Cleveland. Those guys went rally racing, man that thing was a BEAST!
Yes I've heard of the Perana they are a Ford legend.
I remember seeing a yellow Piranha doing a road rally in the very early 2000's- was so far ahead in the classic car class that it was starting to place outright amongst the late model Evo's and 911's... Truely impressive cars with lots of potential
These cars were legends to every boy growing up in SA. We could only afford the 1600 mk1s that we bored out to max and fitted flat pistons and the biggest valves that could be fitted on the heads and a twin choke Weber carb. If we were lucky and found side draughts we fitted those. T🎉he v6 cars never touched us on a short sprint.
My dad had a yellow '73 2300cc 4cyl. and my step-brother had a brown '74 2600cc V6 from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. They were a blast! Probably not too safe if a truck hits you though.
In the interest of accuracy. The early (1971-73) U.S. version Capri was fitted with either the anemic 1.6 litre four, or later 2.0 litre OHC. The 2.3 or (Lima) motors were standard fare from 1974 onward. If it was a V6 car, the early units were 2.6 litres with siamesed exhaust ports. The 1974
I vividly remember in the 80s as a teenager seeing a Cortina MK 3 with a V8 cruising around town, "5.0" emblems proudly displayed on the fenders
Never heard about this before. Huge thank you for the video!
I grew up in this era. And there is still one Capri Perana in stock original condition owned by an acquaintance. He is VERY proud of this car.
Thanks for showing.. Never heard of the cars, but look just great
Loved my Escort XR3 Piranha, my dad had a Cortina XR6 Interceptor ❤
First time hearing about it. Thanks
They tried to run one of these at the speedway in Aus back in the '70s .The body wouldnt let it run.
@@dilligaf2818 why's that?
@@AB-C1 Probably did not comply with ADR
My uncle owned a v6 capri in yellow and as well as the red v8 capri perana and an XR8 cosworth,and I was so lucky to experience this as a 90's kid
Never heard of the V8 Capri. Very cool!
Cars like this make me proud to be a South African. I was born in Edenvale in Joburg, pretty close to Basil Green Motors. I've seen 3 in the UK (I live there now), plus a Sierra XR8, which I believe shares the same motor.
My Mom had a Capri in the late 1970s. She did a motor swap herself (I helped with passing spanners), fitting the 1600 'Sport' motor from an Escort Mk1. My Uncle sprayed it British racing green with black bonnet stripes and wheels. The guy she sold it to sprayed it all white, but I've never seen that car again in my hood. I'd love to find that car today or at least another Capri.
Yep one was a barn find here in New Zealand, guy didnt realize he had a genuine Parana until the ID plate was found under the carpet.
Basil ( another Basil! )van Rooyen made a proposal to General Motors to market a vehicle similar to the Basil Green Ford Capri V8. Developed their Vauxhall Firenza, using a 302 cid Camaro V8 engine and running gear. Vauxhall Firenza Can-Am!
I converted six Mk1 and Mk2 Transits between the mid seventies and the mid eighties to use the three litre essex motor and using the diesel grill (back in the days when juice was 35 pence A GALLON and twenty cigarettes were 21 pence !) , the first one I did I used the standard transit single wheeler rear axle which had a slightly lower ratio crown wheel to compliment the wheezy 2Ltr V4 it originally came with, it was a beast at traffic lights back in the day but screamed its nuts off at seventy flat out and the fuel milage was a joke, I DID buy a borg warner overdrive unit for it but was never able graft it onto the 2000 rocket box I had on every one after that I used the diesel diff and that made them night and day better. acceleration was still quite good but they would top 90 all day long, and even better - when driven a bit more judiciously actually returned quite good fuel consumption. I wanted to use a twin wheeler axle on the last one and fit twelve inch wide rims.....but in those days it was nearly impossible to come across the right wheels so sadly I never did.
During the same time the Ford Cosworth from the UK became legendary. As a South African we only wanted to drive a UK Ford. Being born in 76 my dad drove a Ford Granada 3l V6 and raced stock cars in a modified Studebaker with number 23 on the side. I remember at the age of 6 or 7 being at the oval track every Saturday and eating the same meal before every race. Sadly he passed away when I was 8 he passed away at the tender age of 42.
Glad I was one of the few that recommended these cars for an episode. Back In the 70s before I knew about the Perana i wanted to do a 302 swap on a Capris.
There used to be a yellow one in Somerset, UK, back in the late 80's. It had presence, great car.
I converted two here in California back in the late 90’s. The second had willwood brakes and a whole host of suspension upgrades. On track it was a mustang and corvette eater. I’d blast past those guys in corners (they’d keep up ok on the straights) but just couldn’t hang with me for long. Back in the paddock they’d come over, every track day, “what do you have in that thing?!” I’d show ‘em and they marvel. 😎
Bail Green is a racing driver, Fords. He also had a filling station in Pietermsritzburg. A great, smart guy. I know the garage. Vetri South African Indian 🙏🇿🇦🙏
♥️♥️🇿🇦🇿🇦
Had 4 capris back in the 80s but was too young to have the skills to put a v8 in one. These cars look amazing with fat tires and flares.
63years old and have never heard of this model Capri@! thanks for the info, always loved the early model Capris here in Australia, cheers Dx
I always wanted one of these! They're so rare now, that they are simply unaffordable. Most ended up spontaneously hugging trees.