To break or not to break...

[Caz]

Mornin' all, please could I have some opinions.

I bought a mk2 cortina 1300 deluxe (the one in my sig) last year and payed well over the odds, being rather green

It needs quite a bit of welding and has no interior, and I don't really want to throw good money after bad. Obviously I dont want to give up on the car but I'm just worried about spending lots of £ and hours on a car that isn't worth much anyway.

Can anyone give any arguments for or against breaking it?

[lotusless]

Depends how bad it is really m8, anything (almost ) can be done can you weld ? are the rear wheel tubs gone ? i know they are prone to that + they can cost loads to put right. If its just the usual jacking points and bits of chassis i say dont break it but thats easy for me to say. mk2's are doing well price wise so if the car is a bit much for you could you not re-sell it ? did you want another opinion on the car ? if you do and put your rough location i'm sure some nice person on here would take a look at it + give you more of an idea. Hope you get it sorted soon

[Caz]

It's not really that bad, the rear wheel tubs look like they have been done to a reasonable standard not too long ago and actually the chassis and jacking points seem OK! The bit that put the wind up me is the rotten roof gutters and A-pillars, but I should probably just man up and get on with trying to fix it!

Thanks Lotusless I think you've convinced me to persevere. I'm getting the hang of welding, and it would be good practice if nothing else.

I'm near Hull but there don't seem to be many osfs around here, unless they're all garaged!

Thanks for the advice

[Ale06]

IMHO not all is money.

Maybe you should think in an owner who really loves the model.

Why don't you offer it in www.buysellcortina.co.uk ?

Could you post some pictures of your car please?

Cheers.

Alejandro

[Caz]

 

That's the state it's in. The engine is out now though.

 

TBH I do actually like the fact that it's a more unusual mk2 being a pre-crossflow 1300, and you're right, it's not all about the money

[Jiffer]

At the end of the day it's all down to you, cortinas are never going to fetch the money escorts will, me I love the damm things and have spent thousands on mine, think of the bigger picture, it might take years to do and I will guarantee you will have times when you physically dispise the damm thing but in the end you will have a car that is cooler then a cool thing on a cool day and you can say I did that, if I can help get in touch I love the idea of another mk2 cortina on the road

[frankthefencer]

Seriously listen. I am a bit 'green' to the oldskool scene. I bought my mk2 escort at a little bit of an inflated price. I have since had it glass blasted back to bare metal then have sorted the shell out to a sensible standard. When it is done I will smile. Priceless. Oldskoolfords like oldskool cars like oldskool bikes in my opinion are not a financial decision. You either run with it of ditch it. I am so passionate about my car and think you will be with yours. Love it,restore it and enjoy it. Keep an eye on the money by all means but savour the moment you put every nut and bolt on it . You will reap the rewards when you have finished it. Enjoy and good luck.

[Caz]

Thanks for the encouragement guys

Yeah I'm going to stick with it, after all I bought it because I absolutely love cortinas, and I bet it will be a lot more satisfying when it's done than buying a pristine finished car.

Thanks for the help, I just went off the rails for a bit!

[zetecmk2]

just do it.....sod the money!!!

being a "non gt/lotus/e/savage" is sometimes a bonus!

my 1300 de-luxe

[123escorts]

hi mate it is harder if your doing it alone to keep motivated i know... get on a few forums and see if you can find people near you that are into old fords as well not to come and help maybe but just to talk to or meet and be around/go out in other old fords....it will keep you goin. as for the welding dont look at the whole car do one part at a time start at a corner and work around the car a section at a time then before you know it there will be more solid metal than rot....dosent matter how long it takes... keep at it fella.

[stuartp]

when you get it solid and if it's looking as good as it doesin the pics in your sig then you will have one of the coolest cars on the road - gotta be worth it!

[Caz]

Thanks fellas!

Hope to get it done by CF show 2014. I would say 2013 but I'm a pretty slow worker!

[Andy44Boz]

glad it sounds like you're gonna keep going on it! One of the worst points is when you've just stripped it down and can see all that was previously hidden. Idid just that on my 105e, but you read any mag feature and it seams even the hardcore restorers often hit that same point. I'd do just what 123escorts said,and if there's any structural bits your unsure of ask or get help.

I'm no bodywork specialist and deffo don't have a show winner but with minimal hand tools and a sheet of steel I made up A pillars,wing repair sections and even a door skin.it took I bit of time, but now I can say I've done it ( and it saved me a fortune) and I love it what it turns heads

[SteveL]

My mk1 was a shell that needs floors, chassis ,arches ,front back valances,wing repairs

no interior engine was a v8 ,i have battered most of the hard work .So much cash and so many days just staring at her ,The days i nearly quit are regular ,The forums with like minded ford nuts kept me plugging away ,There's Not much left to do now.Take a break to recoup relax and remotivate yourself .If your car ends up looking like your sig ,Its going to be worth the hard work

[deltamal]

An old Ford is an going thing! I've had mine for 14 years now and got it about right,

but there is always something else to change or improve! I think that's the fun of

owning an old Ford got two of them now so twice the fun! (and frustration!)

[BaileyMex]

Trust me mate we ALL have moments where we feel like throwing in the towel,

 

But if you can stick with it and do a bit here and there when you can, the end result will give you a huge Grin, the sort of grin you simply don't get with a modern car

[Caz]

So glad I asked on here before I did anything drastic, It's reassuring to know that everyone has these wobbles.

I've well and truly got my interest in the car back - by coincidence I found the advert that the third owner (I'm the fifth, the fourth owner did a load of bodges to get it through an MOT) put on turbosport when he was selling the car and he is sending me photos of the work he did and has told me some of the history of the car.

I like a bit of history

He said he it had a few old MOTs with it when he sold it but they must have got lost along the way