Bodywork & Paint Latest Topics

Question about this Recaro's

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 22:09:02 +0000

A little while ago, i found 2 front Recaro seats that came out of a 4 door Taunus TC2/Cortina mk4. I bought the pair for only 50 euros.
They have Taunus/Cortina runners welded under them. I first thought they originally came out of a Capri.

But if i compare pictures from Capri's with Recaro's they look different.
And as far as i know, Recaro's from the 70's for Ford always had fishnet headrests...

Im starting to think they come from another car brand. I think it might be from a BMW E21 if i Google about old Recaro seats.
There are no labels or anything to be found on this pair of seats.
Cortina/Taunus runners are welded under them.

But if you look at Recaro's for an E21, the knob for adjusting the back of the seat is different. The seats i have do have a Ford style turning knob.
So i am a bit confused...

What do you guys think?

Where to put lift supports on a Mk3

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:25:23 +0000

Just wondering if anyone can advise the best place to put car lift supports when raising a Mk3 on a car lift? I have bought a midrise lift and thinking maybe under the chassis rails?.....I don't like the idea of lifting under the sills even though mine are new

Mk4 bumper bracket repair

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 15:49:58 +0000

Hi kids

As can be seen, the front bumper brackets from my car look like wet spaghetti - I guess the previous owner was a devotee of touch-parking?

Anywho, is does the one on the left look like they're supposed to? Or is the long straight bit at the back supposed to be at 90 degrees to the very front bit?

If anyone can share a piccy of unmangled brackets that would be much appreciated.

many thanks

Bonnet release cable

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 15:35:11 +0000

Hi, can you still get new cables for mk3,4 5 bonnet release or if not will a capri mk2/3 fit? Cheers

Door underside rubber strips front doors

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 13:01:38 +0000

Hi, ive just had the painted and the garage has managed to loose the two front door bottom seals firstly are they necessary and if so can you still get them or as anybody got a pair? Many thanks "Shorty"

Paint question.

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:08:25 +0000

How much would a respray for a Mk3 cost. I'm not looking for a 'Car SOS' or 'Hammonds Workshop' quality job. Just a good tidy up. Sort a couple of rusty patches that have appeared from sitting in the leaky garage and tidy up the flakey bits on some of the wheel arches? I have a renewed interest in the car since I got it running again.

Mk4 cortina front screen corners.

Thu, 29 May 2025 11:07:56 +0000

Hi, I'm after some replacement front corners for a mk5 estate. Will mk3 ones fit as Burton power or East Kent sell them?

Thanks in advance.

Wing rail rubbers

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 11:19:56 +0000

Hi does anybody have a pair for sale East Kent don't do them and Ebay are stupidly dear! Cheers Shorty

Cortina Mk4 C-Pillar Vent

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:43:23 +0000

Hi all

For a autumn/winter project, I thought I'd start the process of sorting out the ragged vinyl roof. Think I'm leaning towards removal & just painting it. I'm planning to do as much of the prep as possible, and then get it painted properly.

The main problem I have at the moment is I can't figure out for the life of me how the plastic grills on the C pillar detach. Does anyone know?

Cheers

Dashboard rattle

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 13:21:02 +0000

Hi all,

I have a dashboard on my 75 Cortina that has all kinds of rattles and buzzing sounds that I can't seem to find the source of that is slowly driving me crazy.

I've taken out the instrument cluster and glovebox but still can't find it. They seem to be coming from near the air vents and the around the heater controls but i can't find anything loose. Does anyone know what the fix is?

I've sorted the vibrations from around the gearbox by changing the mount back to the Ford one but this problem remains

Thanks for any replies :)

Mk4 front windscreen weather stripping chrome piece

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:39:46 +0000

My car is finally going into paint after the cowl rust was repaired. One thing im wondering is that the chrome on the weatherstripping on the windshield. Is the chrome piece a part of the weatherstripping itself that comes like that when buying the weatherstripping or something that is put later on top of the full black weatherstripping? I have no clue how the pre glue era old windscreens were attached to the car but i heard that the chrome piece squeezes the weatherstipping onto the glass and the frame and keeps it there or something like that? How was this done from the factory, was it also something like this that was later put on top of the full black weatherstripping?

Mk3,4,5 estate rear panel clips

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 14:46:09 +0000

Hi, has anybody got any spare or does anybody know where I can get any? I've got a photo but don't know how to upload!

Mk5 external door mouldings clips

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 17:05:24 +0000

Hi, can anybody advise me where I can buy some moulding clips for the mk5.

I've looked at Capri ones but been told they don't fit and cant find any on interweb. I'm after 12. Cheers Paul.

MK 3/4/5 wing bolts

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:53:13 +0000

Has anybody any idea what size the coach screws and washers are that fasten the wings on the M3/4 and 5s are? I am wanting to replace all mine with new ones when i restore the 2.0S and my MK5 2.0Ghia

Maurice

LHD Cortina mk1 was the VIN number stamped anywhere on the chassis?

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:45:55 +0000

Hello, a friend of mine has a 1966 lhd cortina mk1 with 1.2 engine. The car failed belgian inspection because "they couldnt find the vin number as a stamping on the chassis". Did Ford really not stamp any on the chassis? There is a plate with VIN number on it but the belgian inspection people for some reason are so fixated about the VIN to be also stamped on the chassis itself. He also said this below

"Haynes claims there's a VIN plate after Jan 1965 but it doesn't say if it replaces the VIN stamping around the strut tower and it seems like the Antwerp importer just slapped on an additional tag with the VIN on there instead of having the strut area stamping"

Would ford help him with stamping the VIN number somewhere on the chassis? Apperantly it needs to be "stamped by an official entity" which is ford themselves.

Broken wiper.....(now fixed)

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:58:36 +0000

....linkage on my MK5. Is the MK2 Granada the same?

Front valance/wings

Sat, 31 May 2025 09:07:58 +0000

Hi all

Hope you're all enjoying the good weather and getting your Cortinas outside!

Bit of a dumb question, how are the wings joined to the valance? Is it just some kind of sealant? Am asking because the join between the valance and the wings is a bit scrappy on my mk 4 and I want to tidy it up a bit.

Cheers

Jim

Why some of the Mk4 Cortinas have fully open air inlet section under the front bumper meanwhile some other mk4s dont?

Tue, 27 May 2025 23:02:42 +0000

Mine doesnt have the full opening, its like in the first picture below. But looking at pictures of other cars some of them have the air intake running the entire width of the car and not just a small section under the licence plate as it can be seen in the second picture below. Im wondering which models came with which style? Did it depend on the trim level of the car or the engine? (mine is lowest trim base model not even the L version, i think the car in the first picture is also base model and in second picture its ghia trim)

Heater box refit

Fri, 16 May 2025 09:08:33 +0000

Hi all

I've just done a heatbox refurb on my mk4, so hopefully will get some heat in the cabin, not that I need it right with this lovely weather .

I have some new replacement foam gaskets for the underneath of the box, but do they also need any kind of paste sealant, or do the gaskets fit dry? Also, does the back need any kind of seal, foam or paste sealant? Looks like door draught excluder foam tape would probably do it, but I'm curious as to what is recommended?

Cheers

Jim

Front chassis rail rotten around leading crossmember bush

Sun, 11 May 2025 13:55:14 +0000

Hiya, as per the pics my 1979 mk4 front chassis rail has rusted around the leading bush mount.

Does anyone sell this as a replacement part? I'd prefer to chop it all out rather than try to repair, as I expect the tube for the bush is weakened as well.

Or does anyone have a breaker they could chop that bit off for me, assuming it's not equally rotten.

Thanks

Front windscreen

Sat, 10 May 2025 13:47:23 +0000

Hi, Will a mk3 front screen fit a mk5 estate car? Any advise would be grateful. Cheers Paul.

What's the purpose of these "indents" in the chassis rail?

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 11:53:30 +0000

Having removed the inner and outer lower valance I can get a good look at these indents/cut-outs in the chassis rail.

Are they to ventilate, so any moisture in the chassis rails gets blown out by air being forced through when driving?

Thanks

Windscreen fitting

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 23:18:19 +0000

What thickness string would you recommend for putting a windscreen back in a mk2 Cortina . What technique is best for getting it back in place , I have already taken it out and cleaned it up . A previous owner had used some sort of sealer all around it and it was a right mess to clean it off .

Mk5 estate rear windows.

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 16:33:45 +0000

Hi, I'm wanting to remove the rear windows in a mk5 estate does anybody know how without breaking them as they are like rocking horse s**t to get hold of!

Rust repair - where to start?

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 10:38:18 +0000

Hi all

Although my Mk 4 is very solid with no serious rust, there are bubbles here and there.

I'm a complete noob with this sort of thing (though I recall repairing the door on my Opel Manta in the 90s and msking a pigs ear of it), so could anyone give me an overview of how I should tackle it? I'm not really sure where to begin!