Oh how I want this car!!
So i'm approaching middle age, is it a good idea to buy a car that I drove in my youth.
Will it be ecomomical motoring with a smile on my face or is it a money pit?
Have any backroomers done something simular.
The car in question
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4636...1
Yes it's a Cortina but I don't care!
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Go for it, let your heart rule your head, we are all allowed to have some fun from time to time.
Chances are it won't be economical, it will be costly to maintain and you will discover how much cars have developed in the last couple of decades!
Slightly different reasons but last year a friend bought an original XR2 off ebay as he had one in his youth. Only kept it a couple of months, he struggled with the basicness of it, the lack of PAS, the noise intrusion and believe it or not, the handling of it which was not on par with modern "normal" cars!
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My dad had his mid-life crisis and bought a Daewoo.
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My dad had his mid-life crisis>>
LOL! spot on!
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> THERE IS SOME MINOR RUST ON BOTTOM OF WINDSREEN PILLOW
You'll need to KIP that at bay! Best way is to sand it DOWN first then DO VET the metal before applying some primer and top coat.
I expect the engine is well BEDDED in by now too.
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Just had a scout round the classic Ford section on Ebay following from your link. DO ANY OF THE SELLERS HAVE A cAPsLOcK kEY THAT WORKS?
The amount of cliches, poor grammar and spelling mistakes makes you wonder whether half the sellers ever went to school!
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The amount of cliches, poor grammar and spelling mistakes makes you wonder whether half the sellers ever went to school!
Isn't this par for the course now? They're probably just continuing with the standard to which they've been taught.
--
L\'escargot.
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I had a 2.3 GL on a W as a co. car, oversteer on every roundabout! BUt it went well & was quite pleasant to drive.
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My experience:
always wanted a mid 1960s Lotus Elan. Never could afford it/had kids etc.
When I could I bought one when I was 51 and the car was 32 years old.Great fun. Kept for 2 years and ot it out of my system. Then sold it: SWMBO found it too low.
I think I'd like an HRG now:-)
madf
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Not exactly a babe magnet is it!
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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The only thing i'm gonna say is that it's metallic dog poo brown.
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OOh it brings back memories of short snappy gear changes, tail out over steer, and my early 20s youth. Go for it for a few hundred quid. You'll find out how good you current car really is!
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Sold our Elan S1 when a rather pregnant SWMBO pointed out she could no longer fit behind the steering wheel. Never did understand why she thought an Austin Somerset best started on the handle was no real substitute -- a carrycot fitted brilliantly on the floor behind the front seats! Being responsible I later bought a Plus 2 instead from a 40s something lady who was finding it difficult to get into.
In response to the original questioner, go for whatever you fancy. I have actually managed to own or drive most of the cars I admired back in my schooldays in the late 60s, except for a Bristol and the holidaying Iso Rivolta found parked in town one lunchtime. In fact, I don't think I ever saw one again. The Bristol is still a possibility but the Iso will be stratosperically out of my league by now, I suppose.
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Is it a good idea to rekindle my youth?
Yes and definitely the earlier the better ,before all of us comes to a stage where a jumpstart(as opposed to a mere rekindling may be needed!)
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As my midlife crisis grows ever deeper i've actually bid on this car, now i've been outbid so lets see what happens.
As a babe magnet i couldn't really care less.
Adams right it is a lovely colour.
Love the brown 'chatsworth' interior too and I still think that the interior material quality is on par of several car on sale now. Todays Engine technology may be light years ahead of this OHV lump but has material quality really moved on 25 years?
IMO no.
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Not surprising two posters have mentioned 'oversteer' - the 1600 would have it's tail out as soon as look at you if you were too quick on the accelerator leaving a corner on a damp road. I drove a 2.3 for a couple of days in about 1982 and on that brief acquaintance decided that any throttle use other than in a dead straight line needed some care, despite the fact that it must have had all of 100bhp. By today's standards of course they would be very light, probably not much over a tonne.
I honestly don't think this made cars of that era more dangerous per se - people will either drive near their, or the car's, limits or they won't. In fact if you want to explore the limits of handling these cars are much are arguably more fun than any of today's, and you're probably only doing 35mph as you wrestle with the opposite lock.
If you don't come to your senses and do decide to bid again follow the ebay mantra 'bid once, bid late, bid your maximum'. None of the bidders so far is a pro ebayer or they wouldn't be bidding with 5 days to go, you're more likely to buy it for what you are prepared to pay if you can time your bid seconds before the auction closes. Good luck!
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Imagos,
by all means rekindle your lost youth but, how can I put this, IT'S A CORTINA!
What's wrong with, as suggested elsewhere, an Elan, or maybe a TR4a/5/6 or just about anything so long as it isn't a Cortina? An old BMW, before they became Big Motor for... maybe a classic Lancia or Alfa?
I think I'm gonna cry.
JH
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Yes, all the time.
Nearly bought a 1.3 two door Cortina four years ago.
I own my old BMW 3 series on a g plate, which rarely gets used.
Own a daft RHD Spanish spec Defender.
Now starteted buying vinyl records.....
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how can I put this, IT'S A CORTINA!
>>
Well my first car was a Red MK4 1977 2.0 Ghia then moved on to a MK5 1980 2.0 GL all when I was 18/19/20 so i't's part of my history.
I absolutly loved them. They were highly cherished an immaculate. Many of my friends had them too so lot's to talk about a the local burgur van. Remember getting so annoyed when one of my friends turns up in a silver crusader which made my GL look rather sad with its plain light blue trim. Also spent hours at local breakers trawling over MK4's searching for various bits.
Loved Cortina's ever since and will continue to do so.
An Elan or TR, Lancia whatever has no signifigance whatsoever to me. No interest at all.
Like a favourite record it reminds you of a time in your life.
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Everyone has to have owned a Cortina sometime. Mine was a GT, when the ultimate was to own a Lotus Cortina, with those low lines and green/yellow badge.
In those days the contents of the engine bay also consisted of recognisable components.
Oz (as was)
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Looks like a tidy Ford Cortina. Personally I never aspired to own a Cortina of any kind in the past and so I have no nostalgic feelings towards them. In fact, throughout my 34 years of driving somehow I never got to drive any kind of Cortina, Sierra or even Mondeo!!!
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Correction, I did drive a Mondeo once!!!
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Correction, I did drive a Mondeo once!!!
What not even a TDccDDCCCiiiiiiii ?
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There's a Sierra for sale in Practical Classics this month. When cars you remember as new appear in Classics magazines, you know you're getting old...
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If anyone wants a cheap one my brother will be selling a Sierra 2.0 GT in the not too distant future.
And it will be cheap.
Very Cheap!
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Buy it now!! I did the same as you 2 years ago, and bought a 1982 2.8 Granada ghia auto and it's been excellent - cheap to run (except petrol I suppose), spares easy to get hold of and it's very easy to work on and super reliable. My engine is almost identical to the 2.3 Cologne unit as in the Cortina. I've joined a club, drove it to many shows (one was in Germany last year, convoy of 10 Granadas from UK, great fun!) and had a great laugh. The car attracts a lot of attention - you can pop out to the local shop for something and be there 20 minutes as someone often has something to say about it.
I only spent £500 on mine and it's one of the best things I ever did, it's not 'mint', but so what. I bet the tina would do 30mpg if driven sensibly. My 2.8 auto does 20 - 26 mpg, but the V6 sounds lovely. Mine also has the brown chatsworth interior and it is in excellent shape and very comfortable. I certainly prefer the drive to modern cars. I'm 27 (car is almost as old as me), but always liked the look of the big Grannies from an early age and now I got one - got to have the TRX rims and driving + fog lamps of course!
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I might consider, ok desire, a Mk1 granda 3.0litre. I want to be just like Jack Regan.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I might consider, ok desire, a Mk1 granda 3.0litre. I want to be just like Jack Regan.
About 10 years ago our neighbour passed away leaving his wife to dispose of his Mk1 Granada 3.0 Ghia. She wanted to get rid quick so let a scrap man have it for £30, it was a bit tatty but seemed to be roadworthy; I got back from Uni a week later and was quite gutted, I'd have given her £50 for it! It was metallic dark brown but I quite fancied it in my skint post-Uni days. It was an auto, but the V6 still sounded pretty mean!
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I would view before bidding though and have a careful look at the following parts (it's built in a very similar way to my 1982 Granada)
1. A posts - check by windscreen - it can rot from the top part of the wheel arch - there are no arch liners like modern cars and you need to regularly hose out the trapped mud = trapped moisture = corrosion. I presume this is where he talks about windscreen 'pillow'!
2. Sills, especially the inner sills just before the rear wheels, a very common rot point on Granadas, look right underneath and feel inner sill for firmness
3. Check jacking points and chassis rails/outriggers carefully - the ones right behind the front wheels can rot badly.
4. Wheelarches on all old Fords rust - mainly cosmetic, but could be dear to sort properly. Mine need cutting out and replacing properly, but a bit of filler will do for now...
5. Check boot floor/spare wheel well
6. Scuttle panel under front/rear windows - not sure about Cortina's, but panel under rear window rots for fun at the ends on Granadas - mine uncommonly is fine though??
7. Inner wings, check carefully, esp. around battery tray and have a good poke around under the wings. Also on Granadas the area around the bulkhead mounted fusebox can be a problem for rot - don't know where it is on a Cortina but check it out.
8. Front valance could well be a bit scabby - often subjected to stones/salt etc. Panels usually available fairly cheap but cosmetic.
9. Engine should be very reliable if looked after properly - regular tappet adjustment is necessary to keep them quiet, but easy to do. Pay close attention to coolant system and I would flush and change the pump/thermostat asap for piece of mind. All parts easily available and very cheap and easy DIY job. Regular oil changes are also a must, but dead easy.
10. Other bit liks exhausts, fuel pumps, brake pads, shocks, wheel bearings etc. are readily available and cheap. Certain panels for Granada's can be a bit hard to get i.e. wings, but pattern parts do become available.
Seems a lot above, but a cared for example should prove to be extremely durable and reliable. Do not buy one with extensive structural rot or anything that looks neglected in any way. The ebay one looks good, but have a close look at the windscreen pillar. Join a club though, you can usually be a member without a car and they could help get you sorted with a fine motor if you don't bid on Ebay....
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My first car was a 1977 (S reg) Cortina 2.0S, in a bronze colour and nice wood trim (I love wood trim), bought in approximately 1992.
Paid £200 for it off an elderly gent, and the car was surprisingly quick, esp. compared to my fathers 1.6L S reg Cortina he had at the time!
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