Web Pick – Zakspeed Group 5 Capri Chassis ZAK-G5C 001/81
Oosh… classic racing Fords don’t come much better than the iconic Zakspeed Group 5 Capri!
From 1977 the DRM rules allowed Group 5 cars to be admitted into the series. These were in essence a “silhouette” formula, where only limited parts of the original car were required, spawning some amazing machinery, many of which were more powerful than the F1 cars of that period.
One of the key players in this magnificent period were the German motorsport team Zakspeed, who initially entered the Gp.5 series in 1977 with the Mk2 Escort with good success. However, they wanted to be outright contenders and to do this a much bigger hammer was required to take on the Porsche 935 head-to-head…
Built at Zakspeed from 80 metres of aluminium tubing, the aerodynamics developed in the wind tunnel at Aachen University, and featuring a new turbo BDA engine of 1427cc capacity, the first Zakspeed Turbo Capri was born. Late in the 1978 season, the Turbo Capri was entered, driven by regular driver Hans Heyer, in that familiar “Mampe” livery which had adorned the Escorts of previous years. Although there were reliability issues at first, it was obvious early on that this car had what it would take to win the championship, and before the year was out Heyer took his first win at the Nurburgring in the Capri.
Chassis ZAK-G5C 001/81 which is being offered for sale here was the last Capri built by Zakspeed in period, and is one of only two Capris which featured a full-length underfloor venturi tunnel with flexible side skirts, sealing the underside of the car to the track and giving the cars a massive increase in downforce. Confirmed by Zakspeed that this chassis was raced both in the Wurth livery driven by Claus Ludwig and probably the most famous Liqui Moly aka “The 935 Killer” livery driven by Manfred Winkelhock.
This car has been owned by Zakspeed most of its life, and was completely restored by them in the white and red Wurth livery, later purchased from Zakspeed by an avid collector in New Zealand where it has been shown to “kiwi” fans and used sparingly at demonstration events.
ZAK-G5C 001/81 is immaculately presented and ready to race, or it would be right at home in any high-end collection or museum.
These cars rarely if ever are offered for sale, and this iconic Capri must surely be one of the most famous in the world?
Listed on Racecarsdirect.com >> HERE
