1975 TD Cortina Project

[corty1980]

This is my new project which I picked up a few days ago. Its a 1975 TD Ford Cortina with a precrossflow six in it.

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[Twentyover]

What's the plan? Crossflow, SOHC, DOHC,or V8? Weren't 'tinas Oz only by 75?

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Looks like she has some multicolor going on..

[corty1980]

Twentyover going to stick with the 6 cylinder but will update it so it wont be keeping the precrossflow it has now or using a crossflow. Will most likely go with a fuel injected six from one of the Falcons we have in Oz but not sure which on yet. Might even stick a turbo on it to get it really going, but it all depends on what my engineer says. So first Iam going to sort out the body which will take some time, and then I can decide on the engine.

Frenchblue72 sure does have some multicolor going on, The car had been started to be restored by previous owner and thats how I got the car, Which I only picked up on the 26th May 2012. The pictures are how I got the car. I have done a little work in the few days that I have had it. I have removed the interior, the front and rear bars. Removed the front and rear glass. Removed the wiring loom. Will be removing the engine/gearbox on the weekend and also will remove the petrol tank. Once that is done I will decide what to tackle next. Will try and post here as often as possible.

[corty1980]

Did some more work on the corty today, took out the petrol tank and surprise, surprise found some holes in the boot floor :(

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Then started to remove part of the sill on the drivers side and found a surprise. Not only had the other sill rusted, but also the inner sill :(

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[Kenova]

It looks like you have your work cut out for you.
Are these panels available, or will you need to fabricate your own panels?

Ken

[ent72olds]

Well...I will be watching this one! You guys down under usually do some pretty sick stuff! I have to admit, though(IMO), this is one "ugly duckling". I think that's what makes it appealing......:hmm:

[corty1980]

Kenova I definatly do have alot of work to do on this car. As for available panels we dont have much in Australia, not as lucky as guy with muscle cars in the states. What panels I need I will have to try and source from England or make myself.

ent72olds I do agree with you that at this stage it is an ugly duckling, but when you have so few cars to choose from you have to take what you can get sometimes.

Did some more work on the car today and it was another day of discovering more rust. Ok the rust in the sill was a little worse than I thought, had to cut more of the sill. Some of the inner sill and part of the floor where the inner sill meets the floor will need to be cut out and replaced. Oh well thats what you get with a car thats nearly 40 years old I suppose.

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[Kenova]

I can't help but think this Ugly Duckling has been surfing or caught up in a flood or two. It's not like you use a lot of salt on the roads down there.

Ken

[corty1980]

It must have imported the rust from England, as the panels came from England but the car was assembled in Australia. Either that or the lack of rust proofing they had on the cars back in the day.

[LeighP]

Nah, thats just how Cortinas roll.....they rust, like nearly every English car does. You'd think a country that has snow and rain like the UK would know how to build cars that don't rust...nope!

You know...what'd be a cool powerplant for that Cortina? Wait till you can score a wrecked current model Falcon with the EcoBoost direct injection turbo 2 litre engine....they go pretty well, and it'd fit in there real easy. Improve the weight balance as well!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[corty1980]

Leigh Iam going to stick with a six for the corty from either an EL Falcon or maybe even an AU Falcon. Might even stick a snail on it to give it a kick in the guts : lol
Its going to be manual thats for sure no auto for me. Going to upgraded suspension and brakes etc. Basically going to keep the old style lines with updated drivetrain.

[LeighP]

If you can score one, grab an AU+ VCT Tickford engine. I had one in my 99 Fairlane and with a set of headers, that thing was a really sweet engine.

[corty1980]

If you can score one, grab an AU+ VCT Tickford engine. I had one in my 99 Fairlane and with a set of headers, that thing was a really sweet engine.

Eactly, thats what my daily driver is an AU XR6 with VCT and IRS rear end.

[corty1980]

Well I ordered a replacement Quarter Panel from the UK. The postage ended up being more than the part :(

[corty1980]

Ok I got the motor/gearbox out of the corty today :) Though did have a bit of a disaster, had the end of the gearbox where the tailshaft goes covered with a bag and what happens it splits. I think in the end it leaked all the oil out, not happy jan :(

Anyhow here are some more pics with a clean engine bay, well not clean empty : lol :)

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[LeighP]

Reminds me of my youth....lol, XA Falcons with 250ci sixes in them. Look forward to seeing that VCT 6 in there.

[corty1980]

Today I continued on the rust repairs on the corty. I managed to remove the drivers side inner sill, the jacking point which had a big hole behind it. Also had to remove a small section of the floor next to the inner sill as it had a few pin holes in it. A fair bit of it look seedy so ended up removing more than needed, just to be safe.

The Jackingpoint all cleaned up, looks fine doesnt it, or does it !!!

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What was hidding behind the jacking point

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Sill and Inner Sill removed

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Edge of the floor next to the inner sill removed

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[LeighP]

Hate to see what'd happen jacking on that point....a sinking feeling and some bent steel I'd have to bet.

[ent72olds]

Keep at it! I love the "Ugly Duckling".....like I said, that's what makes this project bad ass! It is different! :lurk:

[corty1980]

ent72olds dont think you would see many cortinas in the states thats for sure. Iam sure that you did get some mk1 & mk2 models in the states but not sure about the latter models like the TC, TD, TE & TF. I got the floor edge section welded into the corty today and also got the inner sill section sorted. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I can get the inner sill and outer sill section welded into place. Once this is done I can move onto the bootfloor and repair that.

Floor edge welded into place

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Inner sill temporarily in place

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[corty1980]

Ok I didnt get heaps done on the corty this weekend as I only spent about 6 hours on it as Iam still recovering from the flu. But I did manage to get the inner sill welded in and cleaned up. Also replaced the bottom section of the A piller and managed to get the outer sill ready. I had to modify the outer sill slightly as the one I had got from rare spares wasnt exactly the same as the origional, but wasnt really a big deal. Once all this was done I put the out sill on the car and atm is just clamped into place. Will need to do some adjustment and it will be ready to be welded back in place.

Outter Sill Modified

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Outter Sill Clamped onto the car, still need to be adjusted

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[corty1980]

Ok I finally got the sill all welded into place and finished up today. I then started on the passengers side quarter panel, which surprise, surprise ended up being worse than it looked. Initially I thought I maybe able to just patch up the hole in the quarter. But due to what looks like rust in the bottom wher the other and inner quarter join at the bottom Iam going to have to replace the quarter panel.

New sill welded into place and finished

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Passengers side quarter panel to be repaired

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[corty1980]

Started working on the passengers side quarter panel. Initially I was going to replace the whole bottom section, but have since decided not to do that. Seems the lower back panel has been repaired, and it looks like part of it has been replaced as where the quarter panel and lower back panel overlap it has been welded and ground flush.

Part of the Quarter Panel cut out, will also have to repair the inner quarter panel at the bottom due to rust :(

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Some damage to the Lower Backpanel

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[corty1980]

Iam glad that I got the car cheap, at this stage the cost of shipping for replacement panels from england is going to be more than I paid for the car. It could be worse, I could have paid alot more for the car and found myself in the same situation. I was watching a video on youtube the other day and a guy mentioned harad car panel for replacement parts for capri, cortina etc. Has anyone heard of them, tried to google them without any luck. Guy sounded Kiwi so assume he was in New Zealand.

Started removing some more rust today, this time it is the passengers side outer/inner sill. Decided that Iam going the replace the complete inner/outter sill instead of patching it in a few spots. I have got to the point where Iam not going to do any more untill the parts arrive from England.


Removal Of Left Hand Side Outer Sill

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[corty1980]

As Iam waiting for the inner/outer left side sill to arrive from England, I decided to start on something else today. I managed to paint strip the roof and surprise, surprise I found more rust. The good part, if you could call it good is that its surface rust only, but heavy surface rust Could be worse, it could have rusted through.

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[corty1980]

Finally got the inner/outer sill from England and have started to replace it. Word of warning on the inner sill is that it isnt the full length. As a result of having removed the sill before I got the replacement I ended up having to make up a replacement rear section. Not really a major drama as it wont be seen in the end. Here are some more progress pics, managed to get the inner sill in and welded in this weekend.

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[corty1980]

I managed to get the outer sill placed onto the car and partially welded in today. Unfortunatly I ran out of gas for my mig and wont be able to finish it this weekend, bugga :( Looks like I will have to finish that next weekend. Then it will be onto the passengers side full quarter once the panel arrives from the UK. Fingers crossed it doesnt get damaged in transit. Anyhow a few pics of the sill in place.

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[CruizinKev]

good work so far! :cheers:

[corty1980]

It has been a while since my last post and things have been coming along slowly. I have managed to get the sill that I was working on all finished up :) Since then I have been getting the doors to line up better, which they are now. Also had my brother inlaw come over to help me to get the bootlid to fit, and its fits nicely now, no big gaps. Also decided to remove the stock rods that the bootlid used and will use struts instead. Also cut out the bootfloor as the rust was worse than I initially thought.

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[corty1980]

Ok so nothing much has been happening of late on the corty due to me waiting on replacement panels which are coming from England. Though I did decide that Iam wanting to use struts on both the bonnet and boot. cant start on the boot as yet, will need to repair that before that is started on. So I decided to do the ones for the bonnet. Here are a few pics of how they came out.

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[corty1980]

I finally have all the panels I need to repair the bootfloor

So I started cleaning up the bootfloor and getting it ready to receive all the new panels. I will endup temporarily fixing the panels with clamps and rivets to make sure everything is right before I weld the panels into place.

Passengers side panel inplace, held with a few pop rivets and a clamp

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[AusMarty]

SWEET.

I love Corties.

And to the guy who said something about 1975.
We've had them here in Oz since the Mark I.


And.. The only cool thing that we actually made for ourselves was the XA-XC Coupe and the HG-HJ Monaro.

America has much cooler stuff.

MAKE IT AWESOME.
Please.

Corties with the XA GT Facelift always look cool.

[corty1980]

Not a happy person atm, I unwrapped the rear lower apron which I got from England and what did I find ? Damn panel had been damaged, great thats all I need is to have to repair a new panel. Now I have that off my chest I only got a little done over the weekend. I managed to get the drivers side bootfloor panel temporarily put in place, just pop riveted it down in a few spots. Once Iam happy with how everything goes it will be welded into place.

Drivers side bootfloor section

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[Glenn]

You sure have your hands full with repairs and your doing a good job with them to.

[corty1980]

I sure do Glenn and Iam hoping to have all the rust repairs done within the next 6 months, though being summer now in Australia and working in a tin garage isnt going to make it easy. Did a few hours work on the cortina today and managed to partially mock up the bootfloor. I decided to get some mdf and use that as a template before I get the steel, just incase I make a mistake. Its ends up being alot cheaper to stuff up mdf than the steel. I just got some 3mm thick mdf sheets and have pretty much got it sorted out, just a few minor touches to be made. Anyhow here are a few pics of what I got done today.

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[corty1980]

It has been a while since my last post. Just a quick update today. I managed to get the bootfloor temporarily tacked into place this morning.
Putting the bead into the bootfloor for extra strength, which involved me having to modify the roller so that I could work with a large sheet.

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Floor tacked into place. I will still need to finish welding it in.

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Closer look at the beads

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[Glenn]

Well done mate!

What suspension mods have you planned?

[corty1980]

Well done mate!

What suspension mods have you planned?


Not sure at this moment, I would like to have IRS in the rear like in my Falcon. In the picture of me putting in the beads its the white car infront, a 2001 AU Series 2 XR6 Falcon. I cant use that IRS as its a fair bit wider than the Cortina. Perhaphs go with a JAG IRS. Once I have all the body work done I will decide what the suspension and running gear will be. Motor wise it will be a 6 cylinder from a Falcon, may put a snail on it. Also its going to be manual, has to be manual not auto for me.

[Aussie:]

Good project model. I liked the TE & TF's more.
Couldn't you find one that wasn't in the ocean :) man that has some holes.

[corty1980]

Good project model. I liked the TE & TF's more.
Couldn't you find one that wasn't in the ocean :) man that has some holes.


Aussie I had a TE before which I owned for about 14 years. Its getting hard to find really good examples. This one I didnt think it was that bad, only thought I had to fix a hole in a quarter and a sill, and a few holes in the bootfloor. Once I started stripping it down I realised it was alot worse than I first thought. Atleast I got the car real cheap.

[corty1980]

Havnt posted here for almost 2 years due to the project having to be put on hold :( Not sure when Iam going to start again as Iam trying to source replacement panels.

[Stilettoman]

Back in 1968-69 I won a lot of autocross trophies with a 1967 Cortina GT, bought it after a rollover, almost new, put on a new roof and started tinkering with the suspension. I never touched the motor, which was rated at 100 hp, but I consistently beat several local Lotus Cortinas. It was really a fun car to drive.

Your car looks to me like a really good candidate for an RB20DE or DET. They are cheap here, so I assume they are easy to find in Oz. I am just starting to work on a web site, only put three car projects on the site so far, but you might like to look at my 84 Savannah project here: stilettoman.info

Would a Skyline, Sylvia or Leopard rear suspension fit for width? We just put one in a 68 Mustang, shown elsewhere on this forum. I think something with a cradle is easier to deal with, even if you have to modify the chassis to make it fit.

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Ben

[corty1980]

Well it's not getting a RB20DE or DET, what ever running gear it gets it will be FORD. Looking at a inline 6 from a Falcon most likely and our falcons came with a turbo inline 6 so that maybe a option. Or maybe even an eco boost 4 cylinder could be an option. As for the rear end perhaphs an IRS from a Falcon also may do the job. Though none of this is going to happen until the body is ready, so going to be a while.

[corty1980]

Well its been a long long time since I did any work on the corty and doesnt look like anything is going to happen on it anytime soon. Still trying to source some replacement panels and due to health reasons Iam going to have to get someone else to do the metal work :( So no idea when this will happen, and not happy that I wont be able to do the work myself.