My Cortina.

For the most recent pics..click here.

As you will see this is not a cheque book restoration. Many jobs will only be done only when I get the time and the money. So please be patient, I have too. As you will notice my Cortina is definitely a working car averaging 7,000 miles a year.

click on pictures to enlarge.

28-07-97

Acquired Cortina for £650 from a gentleman in New Brighton, Merseyside.

28-07-97

Insured car with Footman James, cost being £91, fully comprehensive, with breakdown cover.

 

 

30-07-97

Repaired hole in top of fuel tank, replaced exhaust tailpipe, this was a very urgent job and as I couldn't source a Cortina tailpipe on the day so I used the tailpipe for a Austin Princess, it fitted perfectly and give the car a bit of a meatier grunt!.

04-08-97

Repaired leaks on front wing welds where they attach to the cars body, I used J.B. autoweld for this. Excellent for those very small niggling jobs.

08-09-97

Fitted new starter motor, door courtesy switches, car battery, and 'lights left on' alarm.

16-09-97

Fitted new steel fuelpipe, the old one was actually aquatic airpipe, not very safe!.

 

 

25-09-97

Welded 5 plates on various corroded body parts, welded on new jacking points on the front. Under body sealed with waxoyl. 2 new rubber engine mounts fitted and replaced missing anti-stone disk on driveshaft. Serviced

18-10-97

Replaced faulty instrument panel illumination switch, repaired faulty map light.

01-12-98

To overcome ignition problems all of the following were replaced-Spark Plugs, Distributor cap, points, HT Leads, condenser, rotor arm, engine manifold gasket, temperature housing gasket.

 

 

25-12-97

Got my fluffy dice and nodding 'Shaun the Sheep' as an Christmas present!!.

10-01-98

Re-sprayed very soiled back parcel shelf. Fitted new fuel and temperature gauge. Fitted new temperature sender. Fitted alarm and immobilizer.

14-02-98

Fitted soundproofing under all floor mats. Fitted new boot mat.

 

08-05-98

Fitted all new rubber hoses under bonnet. Welding done on front valance in preparation for M.O.T.

09-05-98

New brakes all round including disks,pads&shoes. Fitted new track rod ends,wheel hub bearings and rubber bush on steering idler

14-05-98

Jalopy passes our first M.O.T. together

 

 

25-07-98

Started preparing car for re-spray,see separate page for the adventure of my life!!!

02-08-98

Its finished,what do you think?

 

22-08-98

Bought and fitted brand new front bumper, underbody sealed and serviced.

10-09-98

finally got the car buffed, it makes all the difference!!, fitted new cadium type battery ordered specially from Halfords. (supposed to last 4 years, with 30% more starting power!!)

10-11-98

Bought and fitted chrome wing mirrors, still haven't got the headlining sorted out!!!

...after running my Cortina all winter without spending a penny on her it is now time to continue the rolling restoration, with a view to showing her this summer, read on.

07-03-99

Fitted a brand new rear bumper, although there was nothing wrong with the old one it was actually of a Mk2 Cortina. Fitted a heated rear windscreen, although not a period extra this was needed because my car is a 365 day car and I don't fancy another year of driving blind.

 

22-03-99

Overhauled my clutch master cylinder, new rubbers, wire brushed and new fluid.

22-04-99

Fitted new gearbox as a necessity.

10-05-99

Fitted polyurethane stud and bush draglinks to get through M.O.T.

11-05-99

Had to weld plate in drivers footwell, passed M.O.T.

05-06-99

Fitted new boot seal ,and, new (and very illusive) rear quarter chrome airflow vents.

06-06-99

Fitted new chrome rear view mirror, window weather seals, and sourced the original Ford 60's tax disk holder to go with my original tax disk, that I was saving for this very day.

18-08-99

Finally had my headlining done, also done were the sun-visors and rear quater pillars. Presige Auto Trim of Wigan did an excellent job. Unfortunately they smashed one of my opening quaterlights during the job.

Sorry that I've not kept up with these updates, but here's what I've done since August 1999.

New.......Door seals, quaterlight glass, heater inlet and outlet hose, indicator stalk chrome button, oil pressure switch, flasher unit, Serviced, Stainless Steel Exhaust (£144 from Roadrunner Exhausts of Devon), Removed heated rear screen elements, new electric fan, new bonnet cortina script.

 

Car sold in 2004

Main index

Title page

E-Mail me