1979 2-door LHD

[disco_monkey79 19]

Hello, as per the recent thread in the main chat page, I have FINALLY got myself a 2-door - I have wanted one since I was 15, and that was back in the last century...

 

Anywho, it was imported from Romania last year, so has the wheel on the wrong side. My daily drive is also LHD, so that doesn't bother me. I could look to converting the 'tina, but I probably won't bother.

 

As you are probably aware, cars in the historic tax class are ULEZ exempt. I live on the Kent coast, but most of my family are in South London, and will be in the extended ULEZ zone come August. Which was my justification for buying it.

 

Hopefully the piccies work. It looks rough, but a lot of the body rust are just surface scabs that should clean up OK. The nearside floor and sills are the worst bit, so I shall be addressing that on priority.

 

Unsurprisingly, the side skirts were hiding holes, but it isn't as bad as I feared behind them. On that subject, does anyone want the skirts? They'll need repairing but they are fibreglass, so would be easy enough to work with. I wouldn't trust them in the post, so are free to any BSC member who's willing to come and get them.

 

That spoiler looks like a Merc item to me, but feel free to correct me if it was actually a Ford option.

 

So, short-term plans are pulling the door and front wing, and welding, welding welding.  Then get the 1.6 to fire up (it currently just cranks).

 

Long term - I'd like to drop in a 2.8 cologne. My reading of the Historic tax regs suggests increasing CC of the same engine type (i.e. dropping in a 2.0 Pinto) or swapping to another engine that was an option at the time (i.e. the cologne V6) is permissible and still means it's eligible for Historic status. Please correct me, however, if I have got that all wrong.

 

Can any of you good people point me to a nice clear piccy of a standard rust-free floor plan? There have been repairs in the past that are obscuring what it should look like, and they had bolted the front seats in a peculiar way, presumably because the standard mounts had rotted.

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. the most important thing is the boss seems to like it

[disco_monkey79 19]

P.S. no idea why/when someone fitted mk5 wings/indicators - I aim to convert it back, as I prefer the older-style look, and the mk4 grille.

[sheffieldcortinacentre 704]

Ah yes saw this on eBay.

The spoiler is possibly a sierra ( non cosworth) MK3 Granada or MK1 mondeo,Floor looks pretty std.

A rhd conversion is not easy  ( one of the hardest , especially of the fords I've considered it a few times but concluded only worth it with a very tidy  2dr "S" or Ghia) requires complete removal/replacement of the top half of the bulkhead, scuttle & dash structure, heater box(all pipe work) loom plus most brackets , steering rack plus various other bits & pieces.

Really you need a rhd scraper to do it economically.

 As for mods go for it  the only thing the DVLA need to know is new eng number & cc.

[disco_monkey79 19]

Thanks - in that case I deffo won't bother converting it to rhd. 

 

Ah yes, now you have said it, it does look like the spoiler on my dad's old Sierra sapphire. I quite like it, TBH. It can stay, but the skirts are definitely not going back on. 

[consul315 180]

thanks for the pics! seems you ll have a lot to do, but at least you have a lovely companion, he looks a bit like mine! GOOD LUCK with the resto!

[sheffieldcortinacentre 704]

New boss little pest at moment 9 months old last one lived to be 19!

[disco_monkey79 19]

Quick update - new inner and outer sills are on. Now to address the a pillar.

 

The condition of it explains why the door was a bit droopy, but someone having replaced the top hinge pin with a bolt also didn't help... 

 

The inner wing is better than I expected, though there is a bodged repair to the wing rail that will need sorting. 

[GhiaMk4/5 207]

Well done for getting stuck in.

[disco_monkey79 19]

Thanks - I want to get the structural repairs done asap. Everything else can then be done as a rolling resto.

 

Does anyone have a nice clear picture of how the outer sill should end/tie in to the inner sill/wing (red circle)? The repair panel ends here, and this bit is/was rotten away on both sides of mine so I don't have a reference.

[Robbee 1]

Hi all

I’m new to this forum. I too have just purchased a 2 door mk4 although mine is a German Taunus. I am also replacing outer cills in the next few weeks but that might be too late for your reference. Anyway, I had a 2 door mk4 in the 90’s and loved it but had to seek it and vowed I would one day get it back. So, watch this space and I will start the project soon

[consul315 180]

maybe this helps:

 

http://abload.de/img/09_03_15-8wbksw.jpg

 

taken from this website:

 

http://www.taunus76.de/

 

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by consul315

[consul315 180]

and another one:

 

 

[J2S 150]

I'd you go on page 12 on my thread just below this you will see what goes there 

I made both sides on mine 

Just make sure you try wing on for the shape as this can push out the bottom witch them in turn bulges out the gap to door 

[disco_monkey79 19]

Thanks all for the replies,. I now know what I am aiming for!

 

You can buy the "end caps" for capri sills, but I couldn't see them for cortinas. However, I can now make my own.

 

Thanks again!

[J2S 150]

It's part of the door post the sill slides inside