The 1970s and early 1980s were a wild time for touring car racing. The Group 5 category had few restrictions, spawning some iconic ‘Super Silhouette’ race cars based loosely on production models. Extra-wide box flares were the flavor of the day.
In the years since Group 5, countless replicas have been built for the road and track. This Ford Capri build, spearheaded by Johannes Döll from the German YouTube channel Holyhall, is one such creation.
Inspired by the Group 5 Zakspeed Ford Capri, Holyhall’s car has gone from being a rust bucket to a tube-framed, super-wide silhouette-style work of automotive art, complete with modern touches throughout.
The first thing that strikes you about the Holyhall Capri is its sheer width. Using the factory windshield as a reference point, you can see where the original MkIII Capri ends and where the Zakspeed-inspired wide bodywork starts. The front glass is one of only a few original Ford parts still intact.
The aftermarket body panels used in the build are faithful UK-made replicas of those used on the original Zakspeed Group 5 car, designed to fit a production Capri. To properly recreate the race car’s front-end look though, a section of the fenders had to be cut off so the headlights could be pushed outwards. Now, the outer lamps sit half outside the hood line, while air intakes in place of the inner lamps help to cool the brakes – a feature seen in some Group 5 Capris.
The story with the rear end gets even wilder. To set the car apart from other Group 5 Capri replicas, the fiberglass rear fenders were lengthened beyond the trunk, effectively creating a longtail. Furthermore, a custom wing based on the original Group 5 design was fabricated to extend right out to the rear fenders.
The Zakspeed Ford Capri was an aerodynamic pioneer during the Group 5 era; it was one of the first touring cars to use a rear diffuser to reduce underbody air pressure. For the Holyhall Capri, an aluminum diffuser completes the longtail.
However, that’s not the standout feature of the rear end. Check out the full-width custom light bar, which replaces the original Capri taillights to bring a futuristic aesthetic to the overall design. It totally works.
The Capri sits on custom center-lock Rotiform Motorsport wheels, 17-inch at the front and 20-inch at the rear. The staggered setup stays true to the original race car, but is enlarged in diameter on both axles. Yokohama Advan slicks feature at all four corners.
Although Group 5 cars bore a visual resemblance to their roadgoing counterparts, the race cars featured such extensive chassis alterations that they can’t be compared. In creating this replica, the build team referenced images of the original Zakspeed Capri to reverse-engineer the required modifications. Custom tube framing replaces most of the Capri’s original unibody chassis, with only the bonnet, roof, doors, window frames, trunk lid and partial pillars remaining. According to Group 5 ‘Special Production Cars’ regulations, these are the parts that must be retained.
A complete E90 BMW 3 Series rear subframe assembly is mounted in the back of the tube chassis. The suspension, however, is of a custom push-rod design with the H&R coilovers visible through the rear screen. The rear end is lifted by about 40 millimeters, mimicking the stance of the original race car.
The other E90 suspension components used throughout the build – both in the rear and front – have been overhauled, with all linkages replaced with adjustable equivalents from BMW specialist 55Parts.
It was a shame that I couldn’t capture what resides under the skin during the To Hell event where I shot the car, because this is where the custom chassis and suspension work is most visible. Powering the Capri is a naturally aspirated Chevrolet LS1 from a C5 Corvette, mated to a BMW 6-speed manual gearbox via a PMC Motorsport adapter. The 350hp GM V8 provides the Capri with presence, performance and reliability without extensive modifications required to fit it.
The interior is full custom, the first thing that catches your eye being the raw aluminum drag-spec seats. Aluminum dominates the interior and is used for the custom floor, door cards, dashboard, and side panels.
The CNC-machined short shifter from HSpeed looks utterly beautiful.
Beyond the sheer work that’s gone into the car, I admire Holyhall’s construction method. No corners were cut, with the build process resembling what it would take to build a bespoke touring car, much like the Group 5 Zakspeed Capri this replica pays homage to.
Everything from the tube-frame chassis to fitting and reshaping the fiberglass body, and exterior paint was all done in-house at Holyhall, with outside help only being called upon for specialized tasks.
I was amazed at what I saw in front of me at the To Hell show, but watching the build process on YouTube while writing this piece gave me another level of appreciation for what Johannes Döll and Holyhall have created.
Steve Edward
Instagram: stevedwrd
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