Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 73 Location: Coventry, West Midlands.
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:05 pm Post subject: Ford Cortina MK2 1600 GT
Hello all....being a mobile mechanic can be enjoyable sometimes, seeing a poorly beast up and running correctly once more is always a feelgood state of mind . However, more and more cars arent cars these days, more like laptops on wheels , and without google search close by to sort out computer and ECU problems can be a nightmare and very frustrating ! But every now and again, something a little bit special comes my way and today was certainly a little bit special to say the least ....
A Ford Cortina 1600 GT....
Completely unmolested and virtually original..
A lovely beast indeed! It`s been off the road for 3 years due to one thing or another, and failed its MoT on tyres,clogged washers and brakes binding. No real surprise I guess, three stationery years will allow many things to seize up..so, to business!
Careful now! I looked for the slot in the rimbellisher to insert the screwdriver to prise (and catch! ) the hubcap.. jacked up and wheel removed..
A flat blade screw..normally cross point or torx these days, refreshing change!
Yep, pretty rusty in there. The shoes were good though and not contaminated..
The self adjuster was seized, but with a judicial application of God in a tin ( WD 40 ) and copperease grease on its threads, was soon as free as a bird..
The drum, not surprisingly, was pretty rusty and dirty ..
Better! Coarse sandpaper followed by wet and dry works wonders! A tickle up of the adjuster, wheel back on, exactly the same on the other side too..
Even after manually adjusting the rear brakes, the umbrella handbrake was coming out too far in my mind, so a little tightening of the cable was in order to take up the slack. Someone in the distant past had had the foresight to grease eveything up , so adjustment wasnt a problem..and imperial 7/16" ! No metric here, thank you!
A similar story on the front disc brakes too ( yes, discs..GT!..). The discs and pads were in pretty good shape, but the pistons were all but seized in the callipers, as were the pads. Patience , clean brake fluid application to the pistons under the rubber gaitors and a fair amount of easing them back, brake pedalling them out, easing back etc soon had all working smoothly once more. Copper grease on the pad backing, top and bottom too and all back together..
Dropping the jack, I had this lovely sight , and had a further look round the the old beast
Hiding! The original glass bowled fuel pump, remove the bowl, clean the mesh filter and refit....those were the days !
The strut tops were in very good condition and certainly wont need welding anytime soon. Well, job done, so....time for a test drive! DEFINITELY needed...who wouldnt want to have this view, sitting behind that wheel ?
I turned the key and she started instantly, off we went, gingerly avoiding potholes, getting the feel of her...and she went beautifully. I didnt push the old lady but even light pressure on the accelerator gave instant response, and it wouldnt surprise me if even now, 43 years after it was built, it would give many laptops a run for their money! Thanks for reading this indulgent rambling effort, next time it`ll probably be Bertie`s MoT, but a 25 mile run may be happening at the end of the month c/o the local sidevalve club...and he`s invited ! Catch you all soon....
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 476 Location: Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:30 pm Post subject:
I had an F reg 1967 1600E (my first car) that had the raised centre clocks I think they were inset lower down on E's and GT's from mid 1968 onwards _________________ If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off
A proper time warp.
Lovely.
I bet some modern cars wouldn't take standing idle for three years as well as that has. _________________ My running resto,a p5b Rover
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. However, more and more cars arent cars these days, more like laptops on wheels 
, and without google search close by to sort out computer and ECU problems can be a nightmare 
and very frustrating 
! But every now and again, something a little bit special comes my way and today was certainly a little bit special to say the least 
....
) the hubcap.. jacked up and wheel removed..
, clean brake fluid application to the pistons under the rubber gaitors and a fair amount of easing them back, brake pedalling them out, easing back etc soon had all working smoothly once more. Copper grease on the pad backing, top and bottom too and all back together..
, and had a further look round the the old beast
?
