1970 Mk2 Ford Cortina Wagon - No progress, more distractions

Started chopping away some of the existing metal today, the front wing and bumper being the first off.The bumper is quite manky so I can't decide if to leave it off or find another when I need one


Impressively the inner wing and rail isn't too bad, a little scabby but no major work. Dissapointingly the A pillar is more crispy than I would have hoped but it's all accessible and easy to shape correctly to let in the new metal and the very top of the bulkhead has crumbled away.


Will need to replace/repair this section as well, the valance is shot but I think repair will suffice for the closing panel(will possibly fabricate that in heavier gauge to accommodate the replacement radiator and oil cooler set up.


Hopefully I'll whip the door off tomorrow and cut out all the old and tack a new piece in place so fingers crossed.

Best of luck with this one - rotary wagon...... definite winnar

Got round to whipping out the old suspension and steering in readiness for the capri rack conversion last weekend



The 'new' parts waiting to go in(thanks to scaryoldcortina with these)


With the struts out I thought I'd have a look at the tops from the underneath, with the wings showing signs of been plated in the past I was fearing the worst but I've been very surprised...


Trimmed the original engine mounts off the crossmember since firstly they're in the way and secondly I won't need them since I'm mounting the engine off the chassis rails.

Need to get some 4mm plate and fabricate up new mounts since this sits in a different position to the original, hope to use at least one original mount with the new brackets

Just checking out the position(thanks to Hellblue off BSC for the primary dimension)


Still having a few problems with the struts(top mounts won't line up!) but have decided to convert over to coilover adjustable struts and eccentric tops to provide the adjustability in the system. Whether I go adj. TCAs I'm not sure yet, very tempted but then it's all about the cash.

More pics when I get it mounted up and start connecting the steering up.

Later!

Well after what feels like an eternity(well nearly 2 years since the last post) of lost inspiration due to a whole heap of stuff that masquerades as real life I'm back to actually enjoying working on cars again

Went back in the garage finally starting clearing the curse word out the way and found the cortina where I left and decided to pull my finger out. Last time out the intial mountings for the cross member were too far forward, so I moved these back a couple of inches, only to find the column was then nowhere near, so a different approach was need. Couple of trips to the local breakers(thankfully still a walk around!) unearthed a suitable(with a little modification) alternative to the capri column - from all things a Fiat Punto. Mocking it up fitted perfect but I've decided to remove the adjustability feature - there just isn't room - and now I need to find a local machinist to turn down the steering shaft to weld in the bottom to meet the escort UJ on the rack itself!

Once the steering is in place then I can get an engine/box offered up and off the garage floor and stop falling over it! After that I can think about sorting the bodywork once again - but so much is needed sadly.

Also readying myself to start modifying the hubs to take Sierra vented disc - originally was going a four pot route but money now dictates a combination of Sierra discs and Mondeo calipers hidden behind Citroen Picasso 4 stud wheels(15") painted cream with chromed hub caps and trim rings

So question anybody know any small jobbing machine shops in the Scunthorpe/Doncaster/Grimsby areas to help sort the bits needed.

Will get back to putting some pictures up over the weekend which demonstrates a bit better how I'm doing it all!

Nice estate! Keep up the good work - look forward to seeing it progress!

Loving the Mazda Engine idea!

Can't believe this thread is over 4 years old now and there's so little progress(major mojo losses - but at least I never throw the towel in).Plans remain for the Mazda lump(just need a mega cheap donor to come up when I have the cash and either driveable or near enough to drag back to I'm towers)

There been another addition to distract me a bargain camper van - 1995 Renault Trafic Autosleeper. Came up for a price just too good to turn down whilst on holiday last year, the owners of the holiday cottage were upgrading their old unit and were selling private - it needed some work(welding and the most of the doors weren't great at opening otherwise a proper camper) for the money I could part it out or rebody the innards cost effectively.
Only 2 other problems, I couldn't get it until November and it was on the Isle of Man.





So on the 6th I found myself heading out to Morecambe on late trains and then Heysham ferry port for the 2am trip to Douglas, Operation Camper Caper, so in a trains/ferry/bus and then a 2.5 mile walk I, to put this in sat-nav parlance "reached my destination".

After crossing the previous owners palms with a suitable amount of silver the keys, documents and most importantly van were all mine - now just the simple matter of a 160/170 mile trip home.....

And sadly for all you roadtrip fans it behaved faultlessly - the biggest problem was of my own making, I elected to keep off the motorways as I wasn't sure how quick it would go when once I opened the van up it pulled remarkably well - slightly whiney fan and the radio didn't work but otherwise fantastic. It even nearly got home on the half tank of fuel it came with(did just drop £10 in about 10 miles from home.

As it wasn't a planned buy, but rarely do such things come up with great timing I pulled it into the yard and then worked on sorting a new daily. Dark nights, wet weekends played their part and it just got left until the last couple of weeks.



Am thinking webbing may be the way to support the foam going forward as I cannot find any fabric configuration close to what is the original materials - any thoughts/assistance would be greatly appreciated.

So then finally I got round to having a proper look at the corrosion, I'd been lucky a flick around body parts unearthed a s/h front crossmember for fair money and I knew they existing one was bad, but until I pulled it off(thankfully it's a bolt on unit, something that wasn't obvious until I starting stripping things back).


Which I thinks shows the extent of the problem - but fortunately easily fixed..

Elsewher, and mainly around the RH front corner an incredible amount of surface rust, sure the odd hole but nothing too heavy....

Sadly things went down hill from then.... I hooked off the outer wing which revealed a rotten panel which led to the inner wheel arch and more holes . All reasonably accessible with a welding torch but after the elation of earlier in the day a very disappointing end.

Perhaps a rethink is in order.....

Good news then! Cortina estates are undeniably cool, glad you got some help to work on it

Thread bookmarked, waiting for the next instalment! Haha

Hows this going? Have you pulled the MX5 to bits yet?