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Hello all,
Another update that has taken nearly a year to come out, but what a year it has been.
The vast majority of the bodywork is now done, and the main shell is now in paint. The doors, wings, bonnet and rear door will be following soon.
The current plan is that the car will be on the road for next summer, which is perfectly achievable, funds permitting.
New photos have been added to the website.
Enjoy!
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
My god, it really has been a long time since I sent out an email update for the website, and again, an awful lot has happened since the last one.
The car is now a full rolling shell. It has axles with suspension front and back, and a full working set of brakes. The engine bay is also in paint!
And most recently, the gearbox and then engine have been completely overhauled, and are now in the car!
This really is a big set of mile-stones.
For anybody who has not been to the website and seen all the photos, I recommend taking a look.
I am now going to be taking a little break from the engine, and work on the bodywork whilst my funds recover.
Enjoy!
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Well it has been a long time since I sent out an email update for the website, and an awful lot has happened since the last one.
The engine and gearbox mounts are complete, with the addition of a new mid plate that mounts to the bulk head, and the engine and gearbox removed to continue working on the shell.
The new radiator arrived, and the front of the engine bay modified to mount it. It is now safely out of harm's way.
But the biggest move forwards is the fact that the roll cage has been built and installed, and the rear floor finished. The shell is now almost completely finished.
Lastly, I have nearly finished prepping the rear end, having made a custom rear anti roll bar, and put the rear brake calipers on the axle.
Currently I am in the middle of applying a coat of stone chip protection to the entire underside and inner arch areas, and will very soon be getting the underside into paint.
This project really is nearing the end, though there is still plenty to do. I hope to get another update out just a tad sooner.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Sorry its been such a long time since the last update, but I have got a few things done, even with a 2 month break over Christmas.
The engine and box are now in. The engine is supported by an engine plate, mounted to the chassis rails by a couple of poly bushes.
I have just finished the new custom gearbox crossmember, meaning the engine and box are completely supported. This is why I felt I was ready for the update.
Pics are available on the website.
Also, I have the new radiator on order. It is a 19x26" Northern Aluminium radiator from the states. As soon as I have it, I will begin the job of modifying the front panel to take it.
More to follow soon I hope. Keep your eye on the website.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
At last, the entire underside of the main floor pan is now mainly finished, stripped of underseal, treated with Kurust, primed with Hammerite primer, and painted matt black. All that is needed to finish it is the gearbox mounts and some underseal.
Also, I spotted that there were no seat belt fixing points on the transmission tunnel, as the original Cortina clips were on brackets on the seat runners, so I have fabricated and installed some new fixing points.
New pics can be found on page 6.
Next jobs on the list are to weld in the reinforement points for where the roll cage will meet the floor, to carefully take out the dash board to aid roll cage installation (carefully because I want to put it back afterwards), and offer up the engine and box and fabricate the mounts. Not sure yet what order these jobs will be done in though.
Lastly, I have trial fitted the handbrake cable, using the new brackets, and it fits perfectly.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Good news. I now have an engine. Its a bit tatty, but should provide a good starting point for a rebuild project. I haven't got a gearbox yet, but I am not letting that stop me working on the car.
The front cross rail for the rear chassis has now been modified to provide adequate clearance for the propshaft, but also to allow room for the exhaust pipes to be tucked up into the floor pan.
Pics of all this can be found on page 5.
Next thing to do is fabricate a new floor pan section to fill in the hole I now have. I am not entirely looking forward to this bit, as it means some rather fiddly sheet metal bending. Oh well, its got to be done.
I will send out another update as and when I get some more work done.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Sorry its been quite a while since the last update, but progress hasn't been particularly fast, and I decided to wait until this milestone before putting out an email.
The main panelwork is finished! The 2 door conversion is done. The only things that need doing to the main bodywork are cosmetic, and will be dealt with later.
The next phase of work will be finishing the floor and chassis, which will involve buying and offering up the new engine and gearbox. Hope to buy that soon. If you take a look at the latest pic, you will see that I have been removing more floor in preparation.
The plan is to recreate the floor with enough clearance for the new prop shaft, and also house two 3" exhaust pipes so that they aren't too exposed underneath.
I will send out another update as soon as I have more news.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Not too much to report for this month. The sill repair is done, and the drivers door and wing have been removed, sandblasted, primed, and are ready to go back on the car.
There are still a few small bits that I want to get done on the drivers side, and it would be nice to get the fillering as finished as possible, then the car will be coming out of the garage to be turned around.
For now, its onto a house DIY month, though I will probably sneak in enough time to get the door and wing back on and aligned.
As soon as I have some more done, I will put out another update.
Until then, bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Its out. The July issue of Classic Ford is out, and my article is in there, pages 68-70. To say that I am pleased in an understatement.
Picture of the magazine front cover
I will post some pics of the article in due course.
I have some house DIY to do this month, but as soon as that is out of the way, the work will continue.
The driver side metal work is nearly complete. Just a small repair to do on the sill, and then I will be turning the whole car round to start on the other side.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Just a quick update to let you all know, I have now had confirmation from Classic Ford magazine that the article will be going into the July issue, not June as first thought.
Hoping to get a bit more work done this month, though the house DIY will be dragging into this month a little.
Talk to you all soon.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Well, its the end of the month, so no more work on the Cortina till May now.
On the good side though, the last week has seen quite a lot of work being done on the inner skin for the rear quarter panel, with the return lip for the new rear window opening now complete.
Here is a few links to pics of the bulk of what has been done. Note, these pics don't show the upper section of the window opening return lip.
Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3
Next job is to finish off the inner skin for the upper b-pillar, and patch a hole on the top of the sill in the door opening. After that, the drivers side will be pretty much done, and I will turn the car around and start on the other side.
And or course, at some point I am still going to cut off the bottom of those suspension brackets.
As for the Classic Ford article, all is still set for it going into the June issue, so not long now.
Hope to get an update out in about a months time.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Well I have some amazing news, which a few of you may already be aware of. My car is going to be in the June issue of Classic Ford! The photo shoot was today.
I always hoped my car would get into a magazine, but I had always presumed it would be finished first.
I took the opportunity of taking some pics whilst the car was on the drive, which can be seen on the website, or via these links.
Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3
Pic 4
As a result, mostly due to tidying up ready for the visit, coupled with a slight overlap of house DIY, I have got virtually nothing done on the car so far this month, and next week I am on holiday, so nothing will get done then either.
Since the last update I have added a diagram showing the calculations I have done on the rear suspension setup, which plainly indicates that I do not need the lower holes on the chassis brackets. As a result, one of my first jobs will be to cut the brackets off level with the bottom of the chassis. Following on from there, I will be moving onto the panel work.
Hope to have some more updates for you soon, and don't forget to keep an eye out for the June issue of Classic Ford!
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Things have gone quite well this month. As planned, the new regime of one month on, one month off, has worked well, and I have got some good work done.
After finishing off the rear valance, I moved onto the drivers side quarter panel outer skin. The window return lip is now almost completely finished, and the quarter panel mostly staright.
The fillering is not completely finished, and there are several low spots, but time has run out for this month, so a layer of primer was applied to keep it all safe until I get a chance to come back to it. Pics can be seen on the website.
The primer I am using is Hammerite No.1 Rust Beater. It not only treats any rust residue left on the panels, but also acts as an anti-corrosive, and has extremely good adhesion.
I have also altered the MK3 Cortina feature links from the front page, and added numerous new pics of Mark's van.
Its now onto the house DIY for February, but come March, I'll be back on the Cortina again.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Sorry its been such a long time since the last update, but nothing had been done on the car since April until earlier this week.
The reason being, I had house DIY commitments that got in the way. Sure there was time in between, but not enough to get a flow of work going, and the motivation just dried up.
This year is going to be different. My wife and I have come to an agreement. One month on the Cortina, one on the house, alternating, so that I can get a good flow of work going.
The first week was spent clearing the garage, but work has now re-started on the car, starting with the re-attachment of the rear valance, which has been missing for about 5 years now. Pics can be found on page 4.
Also, within days of starting the clearing of the garage, I had my first accident. Doing well eh? I managed to pinch the fingerprint area of my left little finger whilst re-assembling a coil-over.
This crushed the area completely flat, and then I had to tear the flat lump out to get free. Ouch! Theres a pic if you're interedted on the new accidents page, though the pic isn't that good.
Work should now pick up speed, and hopefully so should the updates. Heres hoping for a good year.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
As promised, work has restarted on the Cortina. Not a huge amount has been done, but I thought I would take this opportunity to put out an email, firstly as an introduction to a new member to the update list, and secondly to point out a few new things on the site.
Work wise, the recent focus has been on getting the rear chassis cross rail, original chassis stubs, rear inner valence, and rear lower corners tidied up and in primer. Most of this has been done, and pics will be posted as soon as it is finished.
Site wise, the links page has been updated, a new pic of the fully assembled rear end has been added, and a Gear Ratio Calculator page has been added. Try it out. If you have any problems or questions with it, just let me know.
I am not sure how much will get done in the next month or so, as we are started constuction of a new conservatory on Tuesday, but be assured, I intend to get out to the garage at least once a week.
I can see this year being a good one.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Wow, its been a while since I did an update. Well, just to let you know, I haven't given up, and this year is going to see some real progress.
Not much has happened over the winter, partially due to DIY commitments, but mostly due to my complete lack of motivation and enthusiasm during those cold winter evenings.
But all that is over. Spring, and the longer warmer days, is on its way.
This year will see the purchase and test installation of the new engine. The plan has changed slightly, and this is now going to be a 351W (5.7l) lump, which will be upgraded to 427W (7.0l) as soon as funds permit.
This year will also see the completion of the rear chassis, and hopefully the completion of the bodywork modifications. So, all in all, this should be a really good year.
I look forward to sending out more updates in the coming months, with plenty of good news and good pictures.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Well this email would have been sent out two weeks ago, but I have been sorting out a new computer. On the up side, its all good news.
The new hubs are finished, and one is already on the car. It is absolutely perfect, and brings the wheel in under the arch just as planned.
Pics of the hub being machined, and finished, can be found here. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of one on the car yet.
Also, I have now picked up the newly powder-coated rear suspension bars from Andy Robinson Race Cars, and hope to have the rear suspension reassembled within a week.
Not long till I have a rolling chassis again. As soon as I have the rear end rolling again, I am going to roll it out onto the drive, install the second front hub, and get a bunch of nice pics.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Sorry for the delay in sending out an update, but the turning of the new hubs has taken longer than expected, mostly due to the fact that my lathe was massively under spec'ed. You know your lathe isn't up to the job when you have to modify it to machine a piece of metal that large!
All that said, the lathe performed admirably, and I have now finished the first hub on the outside. It still requires centre boring to create the steps required to take the bearings and oil seal, and the five stud holes need putting in, but other than that it looks very nice.
Pics can be found here.
The next thing to do is to get the second lump of ally up to the same stage, at which point I will take the hubs to my Dad's companies workshop, where we will use his large lathe and mill to finish them off.
Next time I send out an update, I hope to have the hubs finished and on the car, and possibly also have the rear suspension reassembled.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
As promised, here is an update of how the first phase went on Sunday.
The plan was to add about 2deg of negative camber to the front suspension, pulling the tops of the wheel in by 1/2", and tucking them under the arches. This was to be done by cutting and shortening the top wishbones.
When it came to the job though, it turned out to be much much easier. What we did was modify the mounting holes in the top ball joint, shifting its position inwards by 1/4". This was done by plug welding and re-drilling the inner holes, and slotting the outer hole.
The outcome was a negative camber of 2.2deg, almost exactly as calculated.
On the downside, I taught myself a very painful lesson in being careful with a welder, as can be seen on this page.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Well some good news. I have actually got some work done on the Cortina. The chassis is nearly finished, just needs finishing where it joins the original rails at the rear bumper mounts, and I have moved the rear axle back into place. I am just waiting for the 4 link bars back from powder coating at Andy Robinson Race Cars, and then I will have a rolling chassis again.
Now onto the really interesting stuff. I have long known that the front wheels stuck out too far, and more recently decided that the front brake discs were too small at 260mm. Part of the solution is that on Sunday, with a little help from a friend, I will be whipping out the top wishbones and shortening them, adding 2deg of negative camber, and pulling the tops of the wheels in by 1/2". Next, in a couple of weeks time, and with the help of my Dad, I will be spinning up a pair of custom alloy hubs for the front, pulling the wheels in by another 1/2", and giving a flange for the new 298mm Wilwood discs to bolt to.
Also, just to fill the rear arches a bit better, and because I have now realised the axle was made a tad shorter than required, I will be adding a pair of 15mm spacers to the rear wheels, adding longer studs in the process.
I will endevour to post follow up reports with pictures after each phase.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Firstly, an announcement about the website. I now have a feature section, containing articles about a pair of 2 door MK3 Cortina estates.
I just couldn't resist the temptation of including two such similar cars. You can find the feature section linked from the front page.
Secondly, I have started working on the chassis. Its is not completely welded as promised, mostly thanks to a succession of illnesses, but the bulk of it is now cleaned and primed. I am hoping to get the rest of it finished next.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
At last I have got round to finishing the new 24mm antiroll bar!
Plans are to have the bar plated, rather than painted, to give it a nice shiney finish.
Pics can be seen here.
Next you hear from me, the chassis should be completely welded. Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Just a quick email to tell you all of the progression of the front suspension.
I have just taken posession of a 24mm diameter MK2 Granada anti-roll bar. The original was 18mm in diameter.
It needs some minor alterations to allow it to fit (the Granada had a slightly wider track), but will go in just fine, and should provide a significant improvement in the already good Cortina handling.
I will get some pics done of the alterations when I get enough time to do them.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Well its taken me over a month to get back in the garage since the baby was born, but at last I have had a bit of time to get some more work done.
The front suspension has now been modified, with the addition of new mounts, to convert to Avo Pro Race coilover units to match the rear.
I haven't taken any pics yet. I will wait until I have the coilover units in place. Currently I just have a set of dummy bars in place to hold the car at its normal ride height, regardless of weight on the front end.
Hope to get some more work done soon. Think I am going to invite the in-laws over to look after the wife and babe whilst I play in the garage. ;-)
Mike.
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As some of you may know already, I have now secured employment as of 1st September, so finances shouldn't be a problem.
Unfortunately, I have a new baby due 4th September, so work time is going to be severely limited for a number of months.
But don't worry, I will find a way to keep working.
As mentioned in my last email, I have bought an oxyacetylene setup to reweld the chassis seams, and oh boy does it work.
And what fun! Pics can now be seen on the website. There is still more to do, but it is progressing well.
Pics here.
More to come as and when I can find the time between nappy changes.
Mike.
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Hello all,
After a long time off, I have pulled myself together and started to work on the Cortina again.
I am still redundant, and therefore will not be doing any expensive work, but there is still plenty to do.
Both sills are now capped at the back, and I have started on the upper return lip for the rear side windows.
Pics here.
I have also bought myself an oxyacetelene setup, which just needs the bottles. I will pick those up as soon as I have some spare cash. I am going to be using it for some of the more fiddly bits, and to weld up the chassis properly, as I am not happy with the welds as they are. I don't think my little MIG was really up to it.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
Well today was a very exciting day for me. Today I picked up the modified axle and new suspension components from Andy Robinson Race Cars. Oh, I was like a kid in a candy shop.
I eventually tore myself away, and have now laid out the bits and taken a few pics for the website.
Pics here.
I will start on the installation tomorrow, providing nothing crops up, so expect another update within a week or two.
Bye for now,
Mike.
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Hello all,
As some of you ay already know, I have just finished welding the underside of the chassis rails, in preperation for the new axle and suspension to go in.
Getting the car into a suitable position to make welding underneath less difficult was fun in itself.
Pics here.
The axle has now been with Andy Robinson Race Car for just over 2 weeks. They originally estimated 2-3 weeks, so it shouldn't be long now till I can give you a really good update.
Chat to all soon,
Mike.
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Well, at last we have some real movement. Tomorrow I am taking the axle down to Andy Robinson Race Cars, and will be splashing out a load of money.
With any luck it should only be a few weeks, maybe a month, and then I will be able to pick up my narrowed, modifed axle, with a full professional adjustable 5 link rear suspension setup. Yes!
Then all I have to do is weld in the chassis plates and shock mounts, bolt in the axle, and hey presto, I have a rolling car.
OK, sure I don't have a job yet, and it is a wad of money, but if I need to relocate for a decent job oppertunity, a car that rolls will come in handy when moving.
I will get the site updated with pics as soon as I have the bits installed.
Mike.
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Hello all,
Just a little note to let you know that something is going to be happening with the Cortina at last.
Helen and I have come to the decision that, even though I have not got a new job yet, we are going to go ahead with getting the rear axle and suspension done.
The driving force behind this decision is that if we need to relocate for a new job, the Cortina is going to need to be rolling, which it isn't at the moment.
I will let you know when things have progressed.
Bye,
Mike.
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