Ford Cortina Mk 1 LHD to RHD

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Ian M in France said:
I still think the 1600E was the best off the production line cortina ford ever made, hope you get time to get that fixed up, what is it like for rust?
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I did a lot of repairs to it, sills, floors, rear wing, boot floor, spare wheel and tool well, front wings, headlamp panels, slam panel, front valance, front wings etc etc. That was 20 yrs ago, not been on the road since, things got in the way. I've never been happy with parts of it mainly the innerwing strut tops. Managed to get two brand new ford innerwings about 18 yrs ago and I'm seriously thinking of stripping off all the panels, shot blasting it again and redoing it with the new innerwings.
Big job but then it would be near perfect.
I've had it since 1981 and it looked great but the next mot showed fibreglass bodges everywhere and stripping it out to repair revealed even more and it hasn't been on the road since.
Now I've got a decent workshop I'm hoping to start it soonish but I might do the 1946 Morris 8E first as it'll be quicker.
I paid £500 for the pair of cortina innerwings , they are going for £1500 each now!
 
Dribble....
Screenshot_20200925-220633~2.png
 
Ian M in France said:
I still think the 1600E was the best off the production line cortina ford ever made, hope you get time to get that fixed up, what is it like for rust?
Click to expand...
I hear a lot of ex owners say this but for me the mkII was the worst of the cortina's. I never owned the 1600e but I did own 3 other mkII's and I disliked all of them. For me the mk3 was the best in terms of everything closely followed by the mk4 although if I could choose to own one, it would be the 1500 GT MkI, I loved that car and I can hardly believe the prices of them now.

Col
 
The mk111 was never good, weak body shell, wallowed all over the road and had a tendency to swap ends on corners and roundabouts.( every one carried bags of sand in the boot to try and keep the rear on the ground ). Ford had real trouble with the pinto engine(oil spray bar leading to worn cam and sounding like a machine gun ,if the car broke down and was given a suspended tow the roof would crease and u could then not open the doors A smaller copy of an American ford.
 
Couldn't find one so bought a mint Series 2A. Now found one so have to sell the 2A to finance it.
Hey ho................
 
Thanks. Had a look at that one, bit too untidy.
So, at last, bought a 1965 Mk1 GT from southern France. No rot, still shiny underneath. It is LHD so will be looking to convert. If anyone has done this or has links please let me know.

Looks like a mk2 steering box might fit too, again anyone done this?

Photos when I get it home, just hope Devon won't rust it away before my eyes!?!?
 
From what i can remember with out pulling mine out of the garage, the peddle box should swap over as it just bolts throw the bulk head with a few holes drilled and you master cylinders bolt to that, you will have to cut out the hole for the steering column you may well be able to swap the steering drop mount to the other side, the column with out looking i cant say but may well be ok to use
the wiring loom may well just unplug and turn upside down but may have to swap the indicator wires round so it flashes the right side the cars are so basic unlike modern stuff which would be a nightmare to do
hope that is of some help:)
 
Many thanks, the bit that concerns me is the speedo mounting and column mounts and whether the glove box lid covers the hole so to speak!!

Early digging suggests the steering box is handed but a mk2 might fit and is much cheaper.

Might ask for some photos but there is a badly converted shell on ebay now which shows basically what you have described as being the work.

I think as the paint is very good, the wipers can stay as they are!!
 
andyfreelandy said:
Many thanks, the bit that concerns me is the speedo mounting and column mounts and whether the glove box lid covers the hole so to speak!!

Early digging suggests the steering box is handed but a mk2 might fit and is much cheaper.

Might ask for some photos but there is a badly converted shell on ebay now which shows basically what you have described as being the work.

I think as the paint is very good, the wipers can stay as they are!!
Click to expand...

Unsure if you get the correct sweep if wipers are left as LHD. May leave an unwiped section in your vision when driving
 
andyfreelandy said:
@brianp38dse is yours converted or a RHD for comparison?? Thanks
Click to expand...

Mine has always been rhd it was first sold by Bellamys ford in london i still have the dealer plate that went on the door sill plate, it looks like the steering box is handed.
The actual dash is different as the instrument switches go through it to then place the cowl on the front held by the benzals but i am sure some thing could be made up to mount of the glove box inner
 
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