1968 Mk2 Cortina - Zetec turbo - Update! It drives at last!
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1968 Mk2 Cortina - Zetec turbo - Update! It drives at last!
Cut and paste from another forum...
Well, here's my project and a bit about it.
I'd always liked Mk2 Cortinas ever since I laid eyes on Puddy's Pro Touring YB powered Lotus, that was converted to LHD so it could run the exhaust inside to gain ground clearance. (You may have seen it at Classic Ford 2010 on our stand.)
Anyway, I bit the bullet and decided to buy a Cortina to call my own.
I did look at a few clean standard examples, but as I always planned to modify it extensively, I looked for something that was structurally sound, and ideally had a few things done to it already to make my life easier as everything would be changing over time.
I didn't have to look far.
Previous Staff Writer Gareth had bought this Cortina and not done much with it except let it run out of MoT. So I made a call and even though I'd never seen the car I paid for it and had it low loaded down from Newcastle to London, to Ignition Advantages who gave the car a clean bill of health.
It sailed through an MoT after some washer jets were fitted, so I got insured and took my first ever drive in a Cortina!
As it was fully stripped inside with only a pair of bucket seats and some very hard suspension it was quite an experience, but I love stripped out cars and enjoyed it!
It needed a little paint and wasn't 100% mint but it was solid and a good base for what I wanted.
I loved driving the car and put some miles on it taking it to shows and using it where I could at weekends. However, it needed modifying as the car was quite well known in the scene I wanted it to be more 'mine', so I started picking up bits.
First was wheels. The thing was I loved the look of the wheels that were on it, but knew I had to change them. That's when I came across some very rare split rim versions of the same wheel. These will be made wider and change in colour before they are on the car though.
Next up was the cage. I 'd seen the great work done by Alan Dent at Alachi who makes suspension and sterring parts as well as building race cars. I asked if he could do me a cage to suit the engine and power I had in mind, as I'd been warned Mk2 Cortinas don't take power well without shell bracing. And the cage in there left a lot to be desired.
So Alan made me this blinding cage that I'm over the moon with. It's braced down into the boot floor and ties into the shell in about 15 places.
Alan's work is fantastic and it's totally transformed the way the car drives (as you can imagine) but in more than one way.
More to come soon!
Well, here's my project and a bit about it.
I'd always liked Mk2 Cortinas ever since I laid eyes on Puddy's Pro Touring YB powered Lotus, that was converted to LHD so it could run the exhaust inside to gain ground clearance. (You may have seen it at Classic Ford 2010 on our stand.)
Anyway, I bit the bullet and decided to buy a Cortina to call my own.
I did look at a few clean standard examples, but as I always planned to modify it extensively, I looked for something that was structurally sound, and ideally had a few things done to it already to make my life easier as everything would be changing over time.
I didn't have to look far.
Previous Staff Writer Gareth had bought this Cortina and not done much with it except let it run out of MoT. So I made a call and even though I'd never seen the car I paid for it and had it low loaded down from Newcastle to London, to Ignition Advantages who gave the car a clean bill of health.
It sailed through an MoT after some washer jets were fitted, so I got insured and took my first ever drive in a Cortina!
As it was fully stripped inside with only a pair of bucket seats and some very hard suspension it was quite an experience, but I love stripped out cars and enjoyed it!
It needed a little paint and wasn't 100% mint but it was solid and a good base for what I wanted.
I loved driving the car and put some miles on it taking it to shows and using it where I could at weekends. However, it needed modifying as the car was quite well known in the scene I wanted it to be more 'mine', so I started picking up bits.
First was wheels. The thing was I loved the look of the wheels that were on it, but knew I had to change them. That's when I came across some very rare split rim versions of the same wheel. These will be made wider and change in colour before they are on the car though.
Next up was the cage. I 'd seen the great work done by Alan Dent at Alachi who makes suspension and sterring parts as well as building race cars. I asked if he could do me a cage to suit the engine and power I had in mind, as I'd been warned Mk2 Cortinas don't take power well without shell bracing. And the cage in there left a lot to be desired.
So Alan made me this blinding cage that I'm over the moon with. It's braced down into the boot floor and ties into the shell in about 15 places.
Alan's work is fantastic and it's totally transformed the way the car drives (as you can imagine) but in more than one way.
More to come soon!
Last edited by XRT_si; Jun 17, 2013 at 03:51 PM.
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Wheels back, cage painted and tried the manifold and turbo set up; makes the turbo look HUGE! Also changing engine spec quite dramatically after a chat with Deveil Developments today 
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Well yesterday the Pinto started knocking 
So limped it to Devil Devlopments and pulled it out
Need a few bits now so a shopping list has been made. I'm going to get it running on a standard Zetec clutch/flywheel and Type 9 box first of all, then get the T5 and Atlas fitted up at a later date so I can iron out any floors. It will then be all pulled out and the engine bay blinged up in a nice subtle shade of Orange more than likely.
Also tried a rim on the car, again these are being painted first
So limped it to Devil Devlopments and pulled it out
Need a few bits now so a shopping list has been made. I'm going to get it running on a standard Zetec clutch/flywheel and Type 9 box first of all, then get the T5 and Atlas fitted up at a later date so I can iron out any floors. It will then be all pulled out and the engine bay blinged up in a nice subtle shade of Orange more than likely.
Also tried a rim on the car, again these are being painted first
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Hopefully sorted an intercooler with all this free space (for once!!)
Anyway this week the engine went from this:
To this:
Won't be too long now if I can find a starter motor that will fit and sort out a couple of other bits.
Anyway this week the engine went from this:
To this:
Won't be too long now if I can find a starter motor that will fit and sort out a couple of other bits.
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Well after doing a 'Neil Davies' spec and spending a few nights and days working on the car it started for then first time last night
Some pics: Clearance is a little tight! Hid wiring, and gave it some paint too.
Some pics: Clearance is a little tight! Hid wiring, and gave it some paint too.
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Well I spent some mad hours at Devil Development's unit and got the car up and running just in the nick of time for the Classic Ford show. Here's a few pics and the power graph
And the graph of the power it made so far
And the graph of the power it made so far
Last edited by XRT_si; Apr 12, 2012 at 10:32 AM.
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Obviously the engine was thrown into the bay just to get it running for last year's shows. Which happily it made! But after that the car was torn apart and we did it all again properly, so this is where it's up to now, although Classic Ford show is looming once again!
So off to Ben and Jo at BB Motorsport:
Wearing its new split rims:
So off to Ben and Jo at BB Motorsport:
Wearing its new split rims:
Last edited by XRT_si; Apr 12, 2012 at 10:52 AM.
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Fabrication work for new tunnel and floors by Ben Szanto and Jo of BB Motorsport:
New intercooler, engine bay and front panel work:
And new axle going in...
New intercooler, engine bay and front panel work:
And new axle going in...
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How the car stands at the moment:
Going to town on the engine bay this time as well. Colin at Prestige Coachworks (who built the awesome Saxon Cortina) is doing the work.
Going to town on the engine bay this time as well. Colin at Prestige Coachworks (who built the awesome Saxon Cortina) is doing the work.
Last edited by XRT_si; Apr 13, 2012 at 09:23 AM.
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Terry - Right now it's not looking good as I'm running out of time and got loads on, but it will be there regardless, whether that's in primer on the back of the low loader! To be fair, CF is such a busy show for us I wouldn't have time to run it anyway!
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Cheers
Wondered how you were getting on mate. I know how it is Keep me posted when it's near 
Manifold was built by Simpson and is a lovely bit of kit. I'm on Omex.
Keep me posted when it's near Manifold was built by Simpson and is a lovely bit of kit. I'm on Omex.
