ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
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Jun 10, 2008 21:39:48 GMT
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...Consul Capri Hooper. Or at least I'll know for sure if it's mine tomorrow. Now, I don't know a lot about them (Hoopers, that is, not Consul Capri's) but i have been reliably informed that there are less than 3 still in existance, which is pretty damn rare. I also know they had electric windows, custom interiors, custom paint and some other goodies. Thing is, I don't know a great deal else although I have found a blog about one which is quite interesting. Here's some pics fom said blog...    So, my question is this: If it can be saved (it's pretty damn rotten) should i restore it to Hooper spec (which could cost a God damn fortune) or should I just get it back on the road by any means (in a nice way, not bodged)? Oh, and does anyone know anything about them? |
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Jun 10, 2008 21:42:25 GMT
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never heard of hoopers, like everyone though, i do love a classic capri.
Wasnt the consul capri the one with the 105 type back? don't know alot about fords.
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Jun 10, 2008 21:46:22 GMT
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consul capri as above, consul classic with the 105e style back window, bot cortina based but much prettier, heavy though and prone to rot, I seem to remember Hooper did luxury conversions on quite a few different makes and models.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Jun 10, 2008 21:47:20 GMT
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I knew they existed, but I don't think I've ever seen one. Found this pic on Google:  Looks like some extra chrome trim, lights and stuff which, if it's missing, would be virtually impossible to replicate. Bl**dy gorgeous though....... |
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Rich G
Posted a lot
Keyboard Worrier
Posts: 1,059
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Jun 10, 2008 21:53:32 GMT
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Chris,
If you want to know about Consul Capris then PM Kev Rooney (Kapri on the NSRA site) as he's probably forgotten more than most will ever know about them. He's also the tech guru for the Capri club.
;D
Fat Richie
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Rob M
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,915
Club RR Member Number: 41
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I may have secured a....Rob M
@zeb
Club Retro Rides Member 41
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Jun 10, 2008 22:17:55 GMT
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I believe Hoopers were bespoke coachbuilders for high quality vehicles.....which seems to be confirmed as Ive just googled it and found, I think, the link to Wood and Pickett.
Mr Wood and Mr Pickett left Hoopers to go it alone back in 47.
What you have there, it would seem, is a bog standard car of its day retrimmed in and out by one of the best Coachbuilders about.
I do remember an article way, way back about Hooper trimmed Capris, probably very early Sreet Machine or Hot car.
I reckon the body work is immaterial, there is nothing that cant be put right, however, the interior, which is the masterpiece of the whole car, is going be critical.
Bottom line is, its super, super rare so its either a restoration or its left for posterity, like that car brought out of its tomb in the USA after 50 years, too gone to put right but too important to crush.
It would be bloody awful if this one got modified in anyway.
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kevfromwales
Posted a lot
the conrod's REALLY out the block now!
Posts: 3,909
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Jun 10, 2008 22:21:51 GMT
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URGENT!!
CHRIS, IF THIS CAR IS FROM A GUY CALLED DAVE FROM NORTH WALES PLEASE RING ME ASAP - 07963 946 747
cheers! - kev
edit - just read your post properly! - don't panic!! - I'd say go for the rotten one - I just know where one of the other 3 is!!
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Almost on the road: b11 sunny breadvan, e36 tds, 325i skidcar,
nearly there: ford f250 tathauler, suzuki alto, u11 bluey
not for a while: ford pop, 32 rails,
not in this lifetime: ruby, '29 hillman
''unfortanatly I'm quite old and scruffy and in need of some loving. my drive shaft needs a new boot....''
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kevfromwales
Posted a lot
the conrod's REALLY out the block now!
Posts: 3,909
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Jun 10, 2008 22:25:33 GMT
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just to add some more info, from racking my brains about dave's - think there's extra chrome, differnet tail-lights, his is on rostyles, and leather trim??
- kev
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Almost on the road: b11 sunny breadvan, e36 tds, 325i skidcar,
nearly there: ford f250 tathauler, suzuki alto, u11 bluey
not for a while: ford pop, 32 rails,
not in this lifetime: ruby, '29 hillman
''unfortanatly I'm quite old and scruffy and in need of some loving. my drive shaft needs a new boot....''
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Stu_B
Posted a lot
Investing in rust!
Posts: 1,266
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Jun 10, 2008 23:20:01 GMT
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 interesting!!! Would deffo make a great project, but probably best left as it is for the hooper connection to be important.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,843
Club RR Member Number: 174
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I may have secured a....stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Jun 10, 2008 23:37:15 GMT
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It needs returning to the road whatever you do with it. Tasteful period mods would be cool, an Allard blown 1500gt motor or something lol.
Can remember reading a garage scene feature in Street Machine about a Pro Street Mk3 Zephyr, which had been 3 doored by Hoopers. Was quite rare apparantley.
Matt
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Are you not getting rid of your capri 3.0 due to having no money to sort it out? I would expect a rusty one of these to be even trickier and more expensive to get sorted.
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1974 Lancia Beta Saloon
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1992 Rover 214 SEi 5-dr
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1994 Peugeot 205 'Junior' Diesel
1988 Volvo 760 Turbodiesel Saloon
1992 Talbot Express Autosleeper Rambler
2003 Renault Laguna SPEARS OR REAPERS
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mk14dr
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 4,472
Club RR Member Number: 85
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I may have secured a....mk14dr
@mk14dr
Club Retro Rides Member 85
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Yeah, Chris, like Mr xBx says /\, you've already got a rare capri, thats on the road, pretty quick and hard as hell. Unless its 99% of the way there, it'll quickly become a money-pit, what with a custom interior and the rarity of parts  Ya can't save 'em all after all  D |
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I say restore it to original. Hope you get it, would love to see that in the flesh.
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Corsa Apology Champion 2014.
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Definitely keep it Hooper'd. I guess reversible changes like mild lowering and some Lotus rims would be worth doing though.
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mercmad
Posted a lot
Flush Hard,it's a long way to McDonalds.
Posts: 1,740
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I wonder who was using the Hooper name? .
It was the body divison of Rolls Royce! Like Fisher at GM.
It was shut down in 1959 and the Rolls Royce and Bentley club have some archived material for Hooper Rollers( think Phantom Limo with HRH sitting in the back.. etc .)
A tremendous amount of material (documents, photos, specifications etc.) are in the custody of the Science Museum, Road Transport Collection, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD, England
But..Surprisingly little is known about the fact that almost the majority of Hooper material about the post-war period has become part of the Rippey-Rivers Collection of Hooper and Co. Carriages and Custom Automobiles at Denver Public Library, Western History Department, 1357 Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80203-2165, U.S.A.
so there you go ;D
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Many years ago I changed my driving style to cope with rising fuel prices; I have now reached the stage where I am contemplating keeping my eyes shut in order to lower wind resistance.
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as has been said it will cost a fortune to do right. I'd say anything that doesn't take away fronm its "Hooperness" is fair game and won't harm anyone. The flat caps won't like it if you change anything though. The trim, the interior, etc. are the important bits so I would restore all that how it should be and then do some nice period mods to it - lower it, 1500 GT with some go-go stuff. Probably a nice candy paint job and Lotus, Cosmic or Dunlop rims.
Gutting the interior and dechroming it would be a lost oportunity!
Mind you, any mods which retain the Hooper features could work . And that could mean a 302 with EFI, airbags and billet rims....
I'd possibly return it to stock though as I like to see the rarity value of low production stuff retained. You can cut up any Consul Capri if you wanted a modded one and have the same car effectively. Whereas rthere are only a tiny number of real Hoopers
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
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Are you not getting rid of your capri 3.0 due to having no money to sort it out? I would expect a rusty one of these to be even trickier and more expensive to get sorted. Well, that confirms my first desires...bite the bullet and keep it Hooper! And to answer your question Mr. X, no, I'm not selling the Capri because I can't afford it, I'm selling it for different reasons (of a personal, professional and family nature, which I'll not go into here). But, that said, i always said to my wife that when it sells I'm keeping some of the money for a project. I guess the timing is right in terms of the Hooper. Chris |
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mk14dr
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 4,472
Club RR Member Number: 85
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I may have secured a....mk14dr
@mk14dr
Club Retro Rides Member 85
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Are you not getting rid of your capri 3.0 due to having no money to sort it out? I would expect a rusty one of these to be even trickier and more expensive to get sorted. Well, that confirms my first desires...bite the bullet and keep it Hooper! And to answer your question Mr. X, no, I'm not selling the Capri because I can't afford it, I'm selling it for different reasons (of a personal, professional and family nature, which I'll not go into here). But, that said, I always said to my wife that when it sells I'm keeping some of the money for a project. I guess the timing is right in terms of the Hooper. Chris Fair enough, I'd kinda figured you'd have it all in hand I look forward to seeing your steed, what ever it happens to be come show season  D |
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It was the body divison of Rolls Royce! Like Fisher at GM. It might have become that right at the end, but Hooper was an independent coachbuilder, who amongst other things, built the bodies for the Docker Daimlers. They would certainly not have been able to undertake that project were they owned at that time by Rolls-Royce! It was Mulliner Park Ward (MPW) who became the in-house R-R coachbuilders  |
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Last Edit: Jun 11, 2008 8:40:50 GMT by Paul H
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mercmad
Posted a lot
Flush Hard,it's a long way to McDonalds.
Posts: 1,740
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Many years ago I changed my driving style to cope with rising fuel prices; I have now reached the stage where I am contemplating keeping my eyes shut in order to lower wind resistance.
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interesting!!!
