Corf68

Mine arrived too the other day; very nice model. It is a real car - I don't remember the exact details as the box and info card are now up in my loft, the model is in my display case. It was a special order in black with cloud interior and the first owner was a company in the south. It then went to a private owner who added the gold decals and is now with another owner who has previously restored Mk3s to a very high standard, one of which featured in Practical Classics. Hope to see the real one someday; I've never seen a black one before,

Thank you Ghia Mk4/5 for the advice - very much appreciated: typical that on the week of collection, the weather is due to turn to rain. I'll try to get some photos up when done. Kind Regards.

Evening all, After many months of trying to decide on whether to put my 2000E in for some body repairs and re-spray, or sell her on, I finally decided to get the work done. She's very nearly complete and may be ready to collect this week; I've never had a car re-painted before, so I'd be really grateful for any advice on how to maintain the fresh paint. After all, given what it's costing me, the last thing I need is for things like white rain spots etc to appear in the fresh sunset red paint. What do you normally do with newly painted cars? I realise a good coat of wax polish is recommended, but how soon is it safe to wash the car and apply this please? The car is kept in my house's integral garage which has a decent air flow through gaps around the up and over door, but it gets hot in there on days like today and obviously cold during the winter. I had been using a Metex breathable car cover, but someone suggested covers shouldn't be used on fresh paint. I'm told by the classic body shop I'm using that they use a good quality lacquer and will apply an initial coat of wax polish. They seem to be a decent outfit, having previously all been employed by a well known classic Jaguar restorer in Bridgnorth before setting up on their own, so I'm hopeful of a good job. Any suggestions please? Many thanks.

Afternoon all, Having demolished my old garden shed this afternoon, I've found a few bits and pieces I'd forgotten all about. Two of these are as follows and, if they're of any use to anyone who wishes to collect from TF11, you're welcome to them - at no cost. The old steering rack from my 1974 2000E which was removed from the car last September. Needs rebuild, or refurb or something but I'm told it can be done; The old carburettor from same car. Again, needs work as it used to cause the car to cut out in standing traffic, junctions, traffic lights etc. Both were replaced last autumn, since when, touch wood, the car runs like a dream.

R reg - a very late example: very nice. I rarely fill mine these days but would go with £55 to £65 tops, but then my local fill up point is a rip off motorway service station on the M54. I use Shell V-Power with a dose of Miller Oil VSPe to protect against ethanol corrosion and as a lead substitute. She seems to like this mixture, performing well and doesn't pink at all.

I was either very lucky or very stupid (or probably both) when I collected both of the Mk3s I've owned, and I definitely wouldn't repeat the same again these days. Having next to no mechanical knowledge I set off alone in May 2005 from deepest Shropshire to just outside of Maidstone in Kent, clutching a bag full of fresh spondoolies with which to purchase a 1972 daytona yellow two door 2000GT. I made it down to London on the train, crossing from Euston to Victoria stations via the underground, still with quite a large amount of cash on me, and then another train out to West Malling near Maidstone. The car was duly purchased and the long drive home to the Shire commenced - 7 hours in total up the M20, M25 (Got lost in Potters Bar trying to find a garage selling lead replacement fuel which was still about back then), missed the junction for the M1 so onwards to the M40, M42, M6, M54 etc etc etc.... The car to its absolute credit didn't miss a beat, arriving home practically running on fumes. In October 2008, similar story though this time with the parents following in their car to pick up my newly purchased 1974 2000E auto from Leominster in Herefordshire - the first auto I had ever driven, and I passed my test in the late 1980s. After a quick tutorial in driving an auto by the vendor, I set off home which, luckily, was only an hour or so away this time. Again, this car also didn't miss a beat and that was despite it having been in storage as en exhibit in a Ford dealer's showroom in Leominster for many years. To this day, I still own this car. So like I said, I must have been very lucky and stupid at the same time on both counts. Good luck with your purchase and heed the words of the wise on these pages - their advice and guidance is invaluable.

Was that at Monmouth back in June? If so, it's a great looking car - lovely colour and condition.

Yes, that's right, they did.

Good idea - thank you.

TBH if you dont rinse where is the grease going to go? nowhere it'll just stay there and redry, even petol and diesel you have to rinse the greasy diesel off to leave clean stuff to dry clean, get an old kids pool and inflate the lower band when it's under the car and just wash it down, only thing to really avoid is the fuse box and dizz Yes, that makes sense - I didn't really consider that. Thanks for the advice; I think I'll try to get hold of some kind of bath thingy to place underneath.

Thank you all. :thumbup:

I'm not sure I'd trust myself spraying water about an engine bay - going on past experience, the car would probably never start again. Also, I have nowhere for it to run off other than all over the driveway.

Evening peeps, Is there such a thing as a heavy duty engine degreaser which doesn't require rinsing or hosing down of the engine bay to remove please? I can't seem to find anything on line. If so, does anyone have a product recommendation? I need something to remove the heavy oil deposits from my 2000E's engine block caused by recent leaks from the cam cover. Thank you.

Wow, thanks folks for all of the advice. I really appreciate your time and all of your words of wisdom. Many thanks. :thumbup:

Evening all, My 2000E has always leaked oil in varying quantities over the 8 years or so I've owned it. Having looked on line, I realise the Pinto engine tended to come from the factory with a built in oil leak, i.e. they're well known for leaking. Not being technically savvy in any way, shape or form, I am totally reliant on a local garage carrying out repairs when things go wrong. They had it in a couple of weeks ago to "fix the leak once and for all", and so today, I took it out for a shakedown run only to notice a strong smell of oil whilst driving home. I opened the bonnet back home and oil has sprayed itself all about the engine bay; so much so, that the tops of the spark plugs are now sitting in pools of oil and the driveway has a few fairly large deposits of oil sitting on it. The oil seems to be exiting from the head area. I need my garage to fix this issue once and for all and would really appreciate any advice or pointers that I could maybe pass on to them (although you'd think they would know, being professionals and all that). I've come across threads suggesting the use of only Ford OE gaskets and not pattern gaskets, and also suggestions that the head bolts mustn't be over torqued, whatever that may mean. Does anyone have any other suggestions that I could pass on to the garage to look for please? Many thanks.