My Old Ford History....

[Jimbonic]

I think I might have covered some of this "history" in my introduction (Howdy from Surbiton - sorry not worked out how to link to other topics!). But, anyway, I thought I'd throw in a few photos to add some, erm, colour to that intro...

Unfortunately, I don't have any (or haven't found any) photos of my first ford (Mk1 Cortina 1500 Estate) or my '55 Mk1 Consul. But, I do have a few of some of the others. So, here we go....

I bought the Mk1 Cortina estate when I was 15, which gave me time to do it up and get it road legal for when I passed my test. My dad and I GT'd that with 28/36 DGV (I think), a fast road cam, GT head, GT manifold, Lotus Cortina rims. Looovely. But, rusty as hell - that fell apart in a couple of years.

Second of my Fords was a lovely white 1600E; lowered a bit on 170lb springs and standard leaf springs, tuned a bit (32 DCD (I think), fast road cam, bit of head work). Really enjoyed this car...

So, while I had the 'E to blast round the roads of NW Norfolk, I fancied something altogether, erm, slower! I found a pair of sit-up-and-begs (one Pop, one Anglia) in a fellas garden / garage. The Anglia was a bit of a basket case, but had a few useful spares for the Popular, which came in what can only be described as honest, original condition! It came with most of its components stored inside the car. But, with a little persuasion (plugs, points, condenser, new battery and a tow down the road), it fired up and became an absolute hoot to rock around in - and I mean literally rock around! Having nailed all of the bits into most of the right places, it was treated to a pretty special hand-paint and stayed in completely standard form until it was sold a year or two later (I was off to university and this was not practical student transport!). I think it is still knocking around somewhere...

Before:

After (and that's my brother's 1300E in the background):

The 1600E stayed on as my student transport, blasting around Uxbridge and the surrounding areas, including the obligatory Chelsea cruise. That was until it, basically, just fell apart - rotted away underneath and ended up in Ford heaven. To think they didn't seem worth saving back then! It was 1988.... But, I managed to stay on the straight and narrow with a 1955 Mk1 Ford Consul - lovely green , with green interior, 3-speed column change, visor over the windscreen and headlamps, lowered on whitewalls, blue dots, Raymond Mays cylinder head and tubular manifold (pretty much straight through exhaust, too, which was popular with the neighbours when I rocked up past midnight!). I can't really remember what happened to that. I think I sold it or swapped it.

And, apart from a quick foray into kit car racing with a Pinto-engined Dutton Melos (they are not meant to be racing cars!), I have sinned and not partaken of old Fords until my present jalopy: the Mk2 1300 Cortina Deluxe. I plan to keep the Cortina and slow-build it. I'll keep it pretty standard for now. But, I suspect, plans will move....

The Dutton:

And the present project 1300 Cortina....

[Monza]

Funny how those of us born mid 60's ish seem to have a very similar story of
"first cars" in the 80's!! Ford after ford with other marques inbetween....
Love it [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Jimbonic]

Ha Ha! Yeah!

Oh, just remembered I had an aubergine 1600E around 2000 until my wife reminded me she needed a car that would start EVERY day, not just when it wanted to!

[TheGentlemanMaker]

My first car was a 1971 Cortina 1600 Super so I know your pain. I learned to drive and passed my test in it after just one formal lesson.  Yes, the 1980s when the local papers were full of Fords for pocket money. Buy one, break it, buy another.

That 1300 is amazingly nice.

[D-FENS]

On 28/02/2019 at 18:10, Jimbonic said:

I think I might have covered some of this "history" in my introduction (Howdy from Surbiton - sorry not worked out how to link to other topics!). But, anyway, I thought I'd throw in a few photos to add some, erm, colour to that intro...

Unfortunately, I don't have any (or haven't found any) photos of my first ford (Mk1 Cortina 1500 Estate) or my '55 Mk1 Consul. But, I do have a few of some of the others. So, here we go....

I bought the Mk1 Cortina estate when I was 15, which gave me time to do it up and get it road legal for when I passed my test. My dad and I GT'd that with 28/36 DGV (I think), a fast road cam, GT head, GT manifold, Lotus Cortina rims. Looovely. But, rusty as hell - that fell apart in a couple of years.

Second of my Fords was a lovely white 1600E; lowered a bit on 170lb springs and standard leaf springs, tuned a bit (32 DCD (I think), fast road cam, bit of head work). Really enjoyed this car...

So, while I had the 'E to blast round the roads of NW Norfolk, I fancied something altogether, erm, slower! I found a pair of sit-up-and-begs (one Pop, one Anglia) in a fellas garden / garage. The Anglia was a bit of a basket case, but had a few useful spares for the Popular, which came in what can only be described as honest, original condition! It came with most of its components stored inside the car. But, with a little persuasion (plugs, points, condenser, new battery and a tow down the road), it fired up and became an absolute hoot to rock around in - and I mean literally rock around! Having nailed all of the bits into most of the right places, it was treated to a pretty special hand-paint and stayed in completely standard form until it was sold a year or two later (I was off to university and this was not practical student transport!). I think it is still knocking around somewhere...

Before:

After (and that's my brother's 1300E in the background):

The 1600E stayed on as my student transport, blasting around Uxbridge and the surrounding areas, including the obligatory Chelsea cruise. That was until it, basically, just fell apart - rotted away underneath and ended up in Ford heaven. To think they didn't seem worth saving back then! It was 1988.... But, I managed to stay on the straight and narrow with a 1955 Mk1 Ford Consul - lovely green , with green interior, 3-speed column change, visor over the windscreen and headlamps, lowered on whitewalls, blue dots, Raymond Mays cylinder head and tubular manifold (pretty much straight through exhaust, too, which was popular with the neighbours when I rocked up past midnight!). I can't really remember what happened to that. I think I sold it or swapped it.

And, apart from a quick foray into kit car racing with a Pinto-engined Dutton Melos (they are not meant to be racing cars!), I have sinned and not partaken of old Fords until my present jalopy: the Mk2 1300 Cortina Deluxe. I plan to keep the Cortina and slow-build it. I'll keep it pretty standard for now. But, I suspect, plans will move....

The Dutton:

And the present project 1300 Cortina....

Hello mate did you go to Brunel university in Uxbridge . I started working on the Brunel maintenance team in 1989 and i am still there . If you haven't been back to have a look you wouldn't recognise it . It has probably quadrupled in size both in buildings and student numbers .Love the 1300 Cortina .

[eeb43]

you must have bought the white 1600e from andy buck!