|
|||
Road Test TC6 Contd
Warning lights are provided at each end of the face-level air vents above the facia for the seat belts and brake system respectively.
Incidentally, on the subject of brakes, those of the Cortina are fully up to performance requirements – being both powerful and progressive. No problems at all were experienced during driving. But during the session at the drag strip we completely lost the anchors on both cars.
It happened like this: we were recording top-gear acceleration figures on the 200 – acceleration to 70 mph, then braking normally to about 10 mph to turn round for returns. After this phase was completed we parked the car and repeated the procedure with the 250.
About 10 minutes later we were back in the 200 and found that the brake pedal went straight to the floor. The same thing happened with the 250 after it stood awhile. We let them sit for a half-hour, then recovered sufficient pedal, by pumping, to drive home in safety. In answer to our query, a brake specialist said – and we quote – “Don’t blame the car. The brake fluid’s at fault.”
By stopping immediately after successive [but not necessarily hard] braking, heat from the breaks had been transferred to the hydraulic system – causing the fluid to boil. The effect was just the same as having air in the pipes. And, similarly, proper pedal was restored by bleeding the system.
We don’t hold the failure against the Cortina Six as such, but the episode certainly serves as a warning against letting any car rest immediately after the brakes have been used. Always allow some distance for cooling-down before parking.
Anyway, in respect of cooling-down [or warming-up] its occupants, the Cortina is well equipped for the job. The facia vents can supply copious streams of fresh air and output can be boosted by the fan, the switch for which is mounted beside the simplified heater/vent controls.
The previous foot-operated windscreen washer pump has been replaced by an electric system with a switch on the facia. There’s also a panel light switch which slides vertically to adjust illumination intensity. The dip switch, as before, is combined with the directional-flasher stalk on the steering column. Also on the column, the choke control is out of sight, and maybe out of mind. A warning light would be welcome.
Like the front seats, the rear bench is very comfortable and will accept two or three. Legroom varies from good to only fair depending on how far the front occupants stretch out.
The headlights are powerful and fully in keeping with the car’s cruising performance. But not so the horns; not on the test cars anyway. A more penetrating and authoritative note is essential.
And that’s how we see the Cortina Six. It has a few [fixable] flaws but the overall package is remarkably successful and appealing in the ways that count. We don’t doubt that its future is assured not only as a particularly good car but also as a deserving best seller.
Ford, too, has reason to thank the General for you know what.
Distinguishing the luxury Cortina XLE from other models are the standard vinyl roof, wheel cover, grille emblem, body side moldings, cloth seats, oil pressure gauge, tacho, carpet on door trims, console and rubber inserts on front and rear bumpers. Standard engine is the 250 CID six with T-bar automatic transmission.
Technical Details
Make: Ford
Model: TC Cortina Six
Body Type: Four-door sedan
Price: $3035 [base]
Options: 200 + 250 – reclining buckets $30, vinyl roof $66, radio $94, electric aerial $23, laminated windscreen $51, heated rear window $40, radial ply tyres $53, heavy duty battery $6, four speed gearbox $155, 250ci engine $75.
Weight: [kerb] 2550 [2580]
Fuel Consumption:
Overall - 18.9 to 26.4 mpg
Cruising- 20 to 30 mpg
Test Conditions:
Weather conditions - fine, warm
Surface – Castlereagh Drag Strip
Load – Two persons
Fuel – Super
Speedometer Error:
Indicated mph - 30 40 50 60 70 80
Actual mph - 30 39 49 58 67 78
Maximum Speeds:
Speedometer indication, fastest run – 180 [190] kph
112 [118] mph
Acceleration [through gears]: [250 in brackets]
0-30mph 4.0 [3.5] sec
0-40mph 6.4 [5.5] sec
0-50mph 8.7 [7.9] sec
0-60mph 11.7 [11.0] sec
0-70mph 16.2 [15.2] sec
0-80mph 21.8 [19.9] sec
Standing Quarter Mile:
Fastest run – 18.0 [17.4] sec
Average all runs – 18.2 [17.5] sec
Specifications:
Engine: Cylinders – Six in line
Bore and stroke – 83.6 x 79.5 mm, 3.68 x 3.13 in.
[83.6 x 99.3 mm, 3.68 x 3.91 in.]
Cubic capacity – 3280 [4100] cc, 200 [250] cu in.
Compression ratio – 9.1 to 1 [9.3 to 1]
Valves – OHV
Carburettor – Single throat down draught
Fuel pump – Mechanical
Oil filter – Full flow
Power at rpm – 130 [155] bhp at 4600 [4000] rpm
Torque at rpm – 190 [240] ib/ft at 2000 [1600] rpm
Transmission:
Type – Manual three speed [four speed] all syncromesh
Clutch – Single dry plate, 9.5 in. Diameter, cable operated
Gear lever location – Floor
Final dive ratio – 2.92:1 [2.76;1]
Chassis and Running Gear:
Construction – Unitary
Suspension front – Independent, wishbones, coil springs
Suspension rear – Live axle, locating links, coil springs
Shock absorbers – Telescopic front and rear
Steering type – Rack and pinion
Turns lock to lock – 3.7
Turning circle – 32 ft [9.74m]
Steering wheel diameter – Oval 14.2 x 15 in.
Brakes type – Discs front, drums rear
Dimensions – Discs 248.9mm, 9.8 in. Diam,
Drums 228.6mm, 9.0 in. Diam
Dimensions:
Wheel base – [2578 mm] 101.5 in.
Track front – [1422 mm] 56.0 in.
Track rear – [1422 mm] 56.0 in.
Length – [4267 mm] 168.0 in.
Width – [1706 mm] 67.2 in.
Height – [1300 mm] 52.4 in.
Fuel tank capacity – [54.5 litres] 12 gallons
Tyres:
Size – 175 x 13
Pressures – 28 front/26 rear psi
Make on test car – Goodyear Power Cushion [Olympic GT]
Ground Clearance:
Registered – [162.5mm 6.4 in.]
How they engineered it
Much more than just
an engine swap job was involved in Falconising, and Australianising, the Cortina...
as this in-depth outline of the mechanical and structural changes explains.
Ford Australia’s involvement with the Cortina entered a new and far reaching phase with the development of the six cylinder version. Previously the Cortina was almost identical to the British car and did not incorporate any substantial amount of local engineering. And unfortunately, for the owners and Ford, it doesn’t have a good reliability record. The inception of the six-cylinder program entailed a power train unique to the local model and required a complete reappraisal of the Cortina’s engineering to meet new objectives. Thus the Six has been redesigned to measure up to the same durability levels as the Falcon and Fairlane. These standards are a full 25 percent higher than for the British four-cylinder car and, importantly, apply equally to both the four- and six-cylinder editions of the now-Australian Cortina.
Engineering occupied 13 month’s with 100,000 durability-test miles being accumulated at Ford’s You Yang’s proving ground in Victoria. Eight prototypes, including two wagons, were involved. Durability mileage concentrated on rough roadwork with three of the vehicles devoted to this aspect to check body structure rigidity and the suspension. Another two were allotted to general highway type durability mileage. Two more served for engineering tests, while the eighth was used mainly for brake development. Apart from the obvious sharing of engine and driveline, other Falcon parts such as heater core, sun visors, seats, master cylinder, windshield washers, horns, headlights and gearshift mechanism have been adapted to the Cortina.
EXTERNAL CHANGES: The Six is distinguished by a new grille with twin headlights, a bonnet with a power bulge to clear the larger engines, and appropriate badges on the front fenders. To ensure adequate cooling of the six, the front skirt panel below the bumper has an extra air intake opening of 30 square inches. This panel is common to both the Four and Six models.
BODY/CHASSIS: The Australian body/chassis unit has reinforced side rails and center pillar. Also reinforced by means of thicker material and additional welding is the cross member which carries the engine front mounts and front suspension. A tubular cross member has been added under the transmission. The most obvious changes are in the engine compartment which has been lengthened to accommodate the six-cylinder engine – this being about nine inches longer and two inches taller than the two litre ohc four. At the front is a new radiator support panel which enables the radiator of the six-cylinder car to be mounted three inches forward of the position in the four-cylinder model. The four-cylinder car uses the same support panel, but with the radiator mounted in its usual location. The firewall panels behind the engine are also new. Made from thicker metal [increased from 0.035 to 0.048 inch], the panels allow for the greater length of the six-cylinder engine and increased transmission width. The panels also incorporate additional reinforcing channels. A different front floor panel is used to provide clearance for the six-cylinder transmission.
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION: Though the six-cylinder engines are essentially the same as used in the Falcon, detail changes have been necessary to adapt them to the Cortina. A different sump is fitted, for example, with the main oil reservoir at the rear so as to provide clearance at the front for the cross member. For the same reason the oil pump has a new body which is a half inch shorter than that of the Falcon. Because of the new sump, the dipstick has been moved rearward, as has the oil pump pick-up screen. The oil filler tube, at the front of the rocker cover, is shortened to clear the bonnet. The radiator in the Four is the same downflow unit previously fitted. The Six has a crossflow unit, the dimensions of which are the same in all instances, though the number of fins per inch differs according to the engine capacity and transmission type. The spacer behind the radiator fan is shortened 0.058 inch to minimise engine overall length. Front engine mounts for the Six are derived from the Capri V6.
DRIVELINE: Both the 200 and 250 sixes have the 9.5 inch clutch formerly specified only in the 250 Falcon. Unlike the Falcon, the clutch in the Cortina is operated by cable. Basic transmission for the L and XL sixes is a three-speed manual unit which differs from Falcon application only having floor mounted stickshift. The shift mechanism incorporates a transverse rotating shaft with two keys, one of which actuates the shift rods to the gearbox while the other combines with a lock-out plate to prevent inadvertent selection of reverse gear. The four-speed floorshift box, optional except when bench front seat is specified, is taken straight from the Falcon GT. Also available only with floorshift, the optional automatic transmission, too, is basically the Falcon unit with minor recalibrations to suit the Cortina. The Cortina Six uses a modified Falcon one-piece tailshaft. A similar shaft is scheduled for the Four now that repositioning of the engine and rear axle has made replacement of the two-piece shaft a feasible change. The rear axle assembly on all Six and new series Four Cortinas is derived from the Falcon unit. The housings and axles are shorter than in the Falcon, and suitable brackets are provided to meet Cortina four-link rear suspension. Though axle ratios of 2.92:1 and 2.76:1 are specified for the 200 and 250 Cortina Six respectively, alternative [lower] ratios from the Falcon range could be fitted – along with the limited-slip assembly – if required.
BRAKES: Brakes on the sedan are as before, but width of the rear drums on the wagons is increased from 1.75 to 2.25 inches. On all models the master cylinder is borrowed from the Falcon and has an integral dual-circuit failure switch, the purpose of which is to seal off hydraulic fluid supply either to the front or rear brakes, as the case may be, if one develops a leak. A brake warning light on the facia is automatically activated when the ignition is on. If the light illuminates when the engine is running, failure in part of the hydraulic system is indicated.
SUSPENSION: Most major components of the suspension remain unchanged but there are many detail revisions. Static height has been increased by about 0.5 and 0.75 inch at the front and rear respectively; to the same height as provided by the former Country Ride option suspension which is discontinued.
In the interests of ride and comfort the Six has softer spring rates than the Four.
RATE
Front Rear
FOUR 268.9 lb/in. 240 lb/in.
SIX 228.0 lb/in. 219 lb/in.
CAPACITY [mean]
Front Rear
FOUR 1117 lb 1120 ib
SIX 1261 lb 1327 lb
Front and rear dampers are calibrated to suit. In the Six, the anti-roll bar is reshaped to clear the engine and its diameter is 1.0 mm larger than that of the Four. To reduce the transmission of suspension and road shock to the cabin, larger diameter bushes are fitted at the rear upper arms, front suspension upper arm inner pivots and front suspension lower arms. Falcon type bump rubbers are fitted to the front suspension.
STEERING: Steering ball studs are forged instead of being the case hardened type formerly used. Suspension geometry is the same as in the Four except that the Six has 1.5 degrees caster instead of 3.5 degrees. This reduces the static load at the steering wheel to the same 32 pounds as the Four.
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
Front Rear
FOUR 54.6% 45.4%
SIX 55.8% 44.2%
And that’s it, to prove that under the skin the Cortina is very much a re-engineered car.
Article submitted by Matthew Woolard (June 2000)
BuySellCortina 'Uniting the Cortina world'