The New E-Statesman. Not Alan B'Stard/Piers Fletcher Dervish..

[Semi-C]

As hinted at in the News 24 thread almost a fortnight ago I had been wooed by a phone call from a friend that went something like this;

 

Them: "I've found you an estate car, it's better now than your one was 6 years ago. If you want it I'll buy it for you and you can come and get it at the weekend?"

 

Me: "...What time are you about Saturday then..."

 

With absolutely no intention, I had acquired a(nother) car. As I was arranging transport down to Upminster for myself to collect my new beau I received the first pics of what I had blindly agreed to buy...

 

 

 

BANG ON!

 

Saturday came and it was good. My pal ferried me down to Upminster post haste & we were soon at my friends yard.

No sooner were we through the gates when I was met with this

 

 

I was smitten. It's a 1971 2000 L, in the same hue as my old 2000E which was a big hit with my Lass. It's blue inside, currently sporting the wrong seats but it came with the originals so, as soon as they are cleaned up, it'll be wearing them again. A few giffer-esque additions inside (and out, I'm looking at you RAC badge and spot lamps) aside, it's a fairly original example. Sure it's been painted and patched but I wouldn't be surprised if it's 56k mileage is true (I reckon it would've dissolved by now if it had done more!)

 

So, monies exchanged, we hit the road home. After a fuel up of course

 

 

Didnae miss a beat on the trip back to B.S.E (apart from the oil warning light coming on and causing me to pap my grundies. Diagnosis: grubby terminal, a quick clean and normal service resumed) and didn't nom through too much Gas, praise the Type 9.

 

So there it is, Kim threer....

[DS20]

That is FANTASTIC  

[skattrd]

That is lovely.

[HMC]

Lovely old thing. Something about the estate style that really exaggerates the coke bottle styling, looks great. I'm used to a confusing array of letters to translate what options these have, this sounds like it doesn't have any!

[Skizzer]

BIG YES.  That's ace, including the spotlights.

[eddyramrod]

What Skizzer said.  Gorgeous.

[Cavcraft]

Absolutely love it and very jealous.

[danthecapriman]

Very nice! Ford's estates always did look good IMHO!

 

What's the body and underside like? Looks pretty good in the pics.

[saucedoctor]

I say! Top bombing.

[DVee8]

     :-D :-D

[Bren]

Why did the 'tina estate never get the shitty fake wood on both flanks like its american contemporaries?

[vulgalour]

Oh but they did, just only on the early cars.  When you get to ones this late you had to make do with a full vinyl roof to trap the rust instead.

 

 

That is a properly lovely thing, even the giffer mods are somewhat flattering to it.

[AnthonyG]

Lovely, a real survivor too as I imagine L spec was a proper 'sales traveller' job.

 

Although I guess 'standard' was what you gave the blokes you wanted to resign. I have a leaflet for a fleet spec Avenger, proper grim with cross-plys, rubber mats and 1250cc of raw power.

 

Who owns the red 2dr GT - your mate?

[oman5]

It's reggie perrin's car! Just gorgeous.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Lovely ! Was it as expensive as I suspect it was ?

[Semi-C]

Thank y'all kindly, it feels good to be back in a Cortina.

 

For the *customizerz among us I thought I'd furnish you with some candid "improvement" pics.

 

'ere y'are..

 

 

That's after a wash, at work.

 

 

If you look really closely, you can just make out some auxillary gauges installed by a previous custodian.

 

 

I'm still yet to figure out what the R/H/S switch does...

 

 

"eeee got Tungsten Iodine night lighterers"

 

 

A terrible picture of my furry air freshener (fnarr fnarr, grirk grirk...) Does anybody else remember these things? You used to stick a pin in their hat and *release the scent. Mine's long lost his aroma sadly. Tink I've a couple of spare ones somewhere, if they float your dangly tat boat then drop me a PM.

 

Anyhow, there y'are.

T.T.F.N.

[trigger]

Excellent! My friend worked on this last week (HiQ in BSE) and another mate spotted out in Bury a few days ago, I didn't know it belonged to someone on here! I'm going to have to come and take a look i think!

[Semi-C]

Excellent! My friend worked on this last week (HiQ in BSE) and another mate spotted out in Bury a few days ago, I didn't know it belonged to someone on here! I'm going to have to come and take a look i think!

 

Cheers like! You're more than welcome to come check it out whenever you're in the locale, I'd be all over a Cortina based mingle.

[nacho man]

That Rev counter arrangement is OUTRAGEOUSLY amazing.

[Bren]

I expect the grille to be cleaned with autosol and a toothbrush every Sunday.

[danthecapriman]

I really like this! It looks fab!

 

Looking at them now they just look so nice and stylish, yet they were everywhere. Back 'in the day' everyone had a cool stylish car. Then look at their modern equivalents. What happened to car design and styling? Cars, even run of the mill normal everyday cars used to be stylish and nice to look at and sit in. They all just look totally shit nowadays!

 

A few of our neighbours had these when they were just old bangers and they were still really good looking even in that state. I never disliked Cortina's or got bored of them, they were always one of favourite cars!

 

I'm really very jealous!

[dollywobbler]

Fabulous. I love the DIY rear wiper. Remember when you used to see loads of cars with those? 

[Semi-C]

Fabulous. I love the DIY rear wiper. Remember when you used to see loads of cars with those? 

 

Congratulations, you have identified the function of my mystery auxillary pod rocker switch!

 

Fank you four that.

[AnthonyG]

I thought that was stock - I'm sure Mk4's had them?

[Steviemillar]

Fantastic catch, big thumbs up from this corner

[Semi-C]

I thought that was stock - I'm sure Mk4's had them?

Collect me if I'm wong but not all Mk3's had rear wipers from t'factory. I think early models/pre facelifts didn't have them out of the box but I believe some later models did have rear wash-wipe, 2000E's for example.

Maybe..

[MarvinsMom]

that is a thing of beauty.

 

i'd forgotten that ford used a coke bottle back wing on the 'tina estate as well as on the escorts...

 

and the additions are both outrageous and right, some how.

 

the rear washer was i suppose something that you got on the 2000e or the gxl, but not on the l or xl models.

[Semi-C]

Morning,

 

Seeing as there was a break in the gloom over the weekend, I thought I would set about fiddling with my Cortina.

Priority one for me was replacing the soggy engine rubbers currently sported by it. They had Salvador Dali levels of flex and were in danger of allowing the gear knob to put both front door windows through.

 

Sooo, out with the lifting equpment

 

 

Rubbers swapped, the result was akin to a Curate's egg. Gone was the flailing gear stick, here in it's place are fairly intrusive vibrations at various points in the rev range. Knackers.

Turns out the fresh rubbers have raised the engine sufficiently enough as to engage temporary exhaust-body-crossmember contact. I have a solution to this problem that involves replacing the serpentine centre section with a straighter length. Can't happen quick enough!

 

Other things what got did were:

Reinstating the two wiring loom plugs in their locating holes in the bulkhead (Heat gun and fairy liquid)

Obtained a set of mats.

 

That's all folks

 

[Semi-C]

G'day, been a while since last I wrote here, what a relief I hear you cry...

 

And what have we to report then

 

 

Due to my inexcusable ineptitude I have taken no pictures of what has been done but here is a list:

 

Changed grotty oil pressure switch,

Changed oil & filter,

Swapped the points ignition setup for a trick H&H electronic ignition setup,

Changed Campbellt

 

 

I said cambelt.

 

After attaching all teh bits and things, I thought it would be shrewd to take it to a pro and get it set up properly. So that's what I did.

 

Got myself along to Revivals 59 in Thriplow.

 

http://www.revivals59.com/

 

Cannot recommend them highly enough, super knowledgeable, talked you through what was happening in a language you could understand and the result was a car that came off the rollers feeling transformed. More betterer fast performance and an already noticeable reduction in fuel consumption, Whoopah!

 

 

Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-That's all folks

[Semi-C]

I was cleaning out my nest and I found...this thread.

 

Seeing as it's been a bit since I've posted, I'll brief you on how things have progressed.

 

 

This stolen photograph (taker unknown, sorry) from SF15 is the last evidence of the estate's viability. It took Shitefest in its stride and relished the tousings it received.

Apres that it was back to daily use until the MOT expired.

A change of career found me bereft of time so the Cortina had to settle with parking in the corner of anywhere safe. Today, that ended.

 

 

Despite the unsecured drivers seat, it still drives mega and tore up the back of Dan's Transit.

 

Isn't that right Mr Gimlet?

 

A short drive through the Suffolk wilderness and we're home.

 

 

This "flurry" of activity was prompted by an idea about getting this back in service and a look at what that'll take.

 

 

...that's enough reality for now.

 

Expect progress on the resurrection to be slow and updates rarer than an undercooked episode of Eldorado.