1964 Ford Cortina, tatty but loved... but sold

Checked the rocker clearance this weekend! It was pretty easy, I took my time and used the advice I was given here and there, and she runs very sweetly now

Here are a few pics of it at various times since I've had it (but couldn't be bothered to upload):
















Pics of the work:


familiar sight to many of you I'm sure


not enough space for the tools -> rad out



very good occasion to clean it at the same time, I did flush the system around september but this brown 'mud' didn't get out.


Lovely engine to work on, loads of space everywhere to put your spanners and all that when you're working


spark plugs - didn't change them. I know the fuel mixture is on the rich side, so I'll change them when I get a pro to tune the carb (which is in a distant future)

and at some point it went from


to this!


there you go






and for those who might notice, yes it's the same post as on the Cortina forum lazy boy!

That's a lovely old thing. I think if you paint the wheels body colour they will look a lot better. Failing that, see if you can find some lattice trims that go between the hub and the rim.

If a set of 13" Austin lattice trims (bought on here actually, but don't work for what I wanted) would work for you I'd be happy to send them to you for the price of postage. The trims have a bit of damage and wear so should fit well with the aged look of the car providing they fit on your wheels. Send me a PM if you're interested and we'll go from there

These are the trims.


This is probably the worst one of the set. They're very easy to bend back into shape, especially if you've got a wheel you can press them against.


They go on the wheel something like this. I really struggled to find a picture to demonstrate how they look and this picture shows a different set, but the same principle.

That's okay, thought I'd offer just in case The estate one is a lovely bit of kit, I think it was sold recently? I'm sure someone will be along shortly to say either way.

They're OK, the RH one works well but the LH one (driver's side) is missing a rivet so I don't use it. I have to change the rubber seal and grease them up a bit, but they're fine for now.
Thanks for the nice comment

Hi all!

First of all, I did make it the the Cortina's 50th birthday in Startford-on-Avon, nice little 2000-mile round trip. We stopped on the way in Beauvais (still in France), Bristol, Cardiff and Liverpool and there were some outstanding roads especially in Wales!
The car didn't even break down once, and I passed the 10,000-mile mark since I bought the car 17 months ago I was accompanied by my cousin and we slept in the car in Stratford, ghetto style, because accomodation isn't cheap and it was more fun that way.
Here are a few pics of cars on the way and in Stratford, I know they are curse word...


that was in Dover, they took the same ferry we took, awesome car


my dream car, driven by cool people! They liked the Cortina, we loved the Chimaera... One day I'll have one, that's for sure.


that was in Cardiff bay, there's a chap building this juge boat by himself, all DIY, and he's very nice! Gulls did like to curse word on the car though.


this was in the middle of Wales, somewhere near Lampeter I think, we stopped to take pictures and the owner came to talk to us, it was a very cool 'authentic' moment with the most 'authentic' Welsh guy! Heavy accent, shirtless but not the good kind of shirtless, but it was fun


Liverpool, car parked in front of the youth hostel on Mount Pleasant. Got a parking fine on it, didn't pay it. Fine read 'Colour : blue ; make/model : unspecified' hahaha


in Shrewsbury, Ford A ?


I heart TVRs.


If they can go low, I can go low!


The Lotus corner. Go pick one as your favourite. I couldn't.

The 'Tatty but loved' category competition:






Inspiring cars!




staticclub.caradisiac.com/1/voiture-ancienne/cortina-nationals-2012/photo/hd/465844465/25867516b7/cortina-nationals-2012-120820121357-img.jpg(/img]














Ron's car! The nicest guy ever

Jim Scott's car, cool guy as well and although it doesn't look like it, the car is used a lot!



Talk about mint!!








Cortina barbecue is for winners (drove all the way from the Czech Republic, too!)


Factory black estate is the only one in the world.


Oh yes.
































they look the same...

but slight difference




Tatty but loved again:











Not tatty enough if you ask me ;D

it doesn't get better than this:







White Tinas ftw!

I drove this: a genuine pre-Aeroflow GT! Thanks Marcel!!

Ooooh that noise



Tatty but loved once again:



VICTORY! Nice.



Blurry pic of 66 666,6 km!

Cool Russian car in Paris:
[img src="staticclub.caradisiac.com/1/voiture-ancienne/cortina-nationals-2012/photo/hd/465844465/2586885f16/cortina-nationals-2012-130820121439-img.jpg"]




All in all, a nice road-trip, only downside is that I did not find a gearbox (didn't look too hard though, was busy having fun) but I don't mind too much.

One thing that happened is that I've seen:
- that it's easy enough to lower a Cortina, and it looks immense;
- I can't make my car go faster because of French regulations;
- that although the Cortina is an early 60's American looking car, I don't see any lowrider theme.

Well, bags it is then. It is on*.




* when funds allow.

edit: pics sorted

Hi!
Awesome Road-Trip.....

I was there last year....i get a lot of Inspiration there.

Maybe i will get there in my own Cortina....but not even next year...

A great car you have.....

Cheers

Très chouette ta Cortina! Merci aux Français pour le lien retro mod. Je vais suivre tes post avec intérêt. La Cortina fait partie de mon passé, mon père en avait une à la fin des années '60 (1.5 GT), mais je ne m'en souviens pas. :-(

By the by, I shall soon ask what airbag setups could suit the rear suspension best. Front will be pretty easy as it's McPherson struts and I have a spare pair of struts to build while the normal ones stay on the car.

Isn't it going to be a problem that all bag systems are designed for 1500+ kg cars, while mine is 850kg?