TC Cortina - Am I really insane?

[blue fairy]

Hi everyone.

It has been a long while since I posted here, but I have some questions which need quick replies.
Hopefully some of you might be able to help me.

I drive an AU II Futura, which I dislike with a passion. It is boring, slow and doesn't give me much joy unless it is screaming.

I am thinking of selling the Falcon and buying a TC Cortina. This means the Cortina would become my daily driver.

My concerns are the following:

Headlights - Surely there must be something that can be done to make them much brighter? I love the visibility with the AU.

Power Steering - This wasn't an option with the TC's from my understanding. Is it possible to have it done? I love power steering. How difficult would this be and how expensive? Would it be worthwhile having done in a Cortina?

Air Conditioning - I know this can be fixed with an under-dash unit. How effective are these?

Brakes - I love the brakes on modern cars. Really love them. The cortinas I have driven are always spongy. Can this be improved? Cost and difficulty details are also welcome.

Power - I'm worried about the decrease in power.

So, it seems like I have a few issues, most of these I think can be resolved. What I'm after is as much information about the TC Cortina and its abilities to be used as a daily driver.

Thanks for your help,
Kye

[robs_ls1]

Originally Posted by blue fairy

I drive an AU II Futura, which I dislike with a passion. It is boring, slow and doesn't give me much joy unless it is screaming.

What makes you think that a TC Cortina will be fast & exciting? :

Originally Posted by blue fairy

What I'm after is as much information about the TC Cortina and its abilities to be used as a daily driver.

They were a capable car back in the 70's and 80's. But these days, you can't even buy leaded fuel anymore.

They didn't even have electronic ignition, so the timing would retard itself as the rubbing block on the contact points wore away. This meant that you would have to get the engine tuned every 6 to 12 months, which would make it start easier and go better. On top of that, fuel systems were relatively rudimentary and nowhere near as efficient as they are today. You'd have to let the engine warm up before it'd go anywhere. They didn't have airbags. They barely had seatbelts. They were under-braked, under-tyred, under-powered, and, coming from an AU, I think you'll be disappointed.

IMO, modern cars are much better dynamically, and much easier to live with.

If you really want excitement, buy an FPV or HSV. :

If you want a hobby car, go ahead and buy one. Cars from the 1970's and early 1980's just aren't practical enough to serve as daily drivers anymore. But that's just my opinion. Flame all you like, it ain't gonna change.

[Scott]

IMO, drive your AU to the TC and test drive it. The first few hundred metres should kill your nostalgia bug. I think you would really regret taking on such an oldy for a daily driver. Now a weekender with some serious poke I could understand

[protd]

Originally Posted by robs_ls1

What makes you think that a TC Cortina will be fast & exciting? :

They were a capable car back in the 70's and 80's. But these days, you can't even buy leaded fuel anymore.

They didn't even have electronic ignition, so the timing would retard itself as the rubbing block on the contact points wore away. This meant that you would have to get the engine tuned every 6 to 12 months, which would make it start easier and go better. On top of that, fuel systems were relatively rudimentary and nowhere near as efficient as they are today. You'd have to let the engine warm up before it'd go anywhere. They didn't have airbags. They barely had seatbelts. They were under-braked, under-tyred, under-powered, and, coming from an AU, I think you'll be disappointed.

IMO, modern cars are much better dynamically, and much easier to live with.

If you really want excitement, buy an FPV or HSV. :

If you want a hobby car, go ahead and buy one. Cars from the 1970's and early 1980's just aren't practical enough to serve as daily drivers anymore. But that's just my opinion. Flame all you like, it ain't gonna change.

i can say i disagree with everything that has been said here, yes a bog stock cortina will be crap but with a bit of work it will out perform the bucket of crap au in every aspect...

engine you'd want a six or if your keen a 8, but i gather your going down the six cylinder route, now a mild 250 in a cortina will eat your au for breakfast..
what stopping you fitting a ba turbo'd 6 if you like, there are many options here

brakes hoppers stoppers do a kit for them or you can do what i did and source your own gear.. mine is 4 wheel discs, slotted and drilled rotors all round with twin piston fronts and xf rear calipers, so thats braking taken care of..

air con can be easily made to fit and the under dash units work well remember this is 2007 and some one could do a integrated system for it..

power steer is another thing that could easily be fitted if you needed it, but to be honest the rack and pinion in cortina's is pretty good and i dont think it's needed..

how much you spend depends on how much you can do yourself...

we have a au111 xr8 ute and i would drive my cortina any day over the over rated gutless bucket of crap xr8... but then again my cortina is not your average cortina...

dont get disillusioned by remarks from people who dont have any idea of what you can do to a cortina, it's sounds like you have a good plan go with it and you wont look back....

here's a pic of my cortina,

[EA2BA]

I miss my TC Cortina still, was a 1973 4cyl 2L that went hard and fast, would love to buy another one and really do it up, I think it was a damn fine car.

[robs_ls1]

Originally Posted by protd

we have a au111 xr8 ute and i would drive my cortina any day over the over rated gutless bucket of crap xr8...

So why don't you? : You would, but... :

How many kilometres per litre does your Cortina get? :yeees:

[protd]

Originally Posted by robs_ls1

So why don't you? :

How many kilometres per litre does your Cortina get? :yeees:

who gives a toss about the fuel, if i wanna drive it i'll happily pay for fuel for the car... and who's saying i wont drive it once it's all up and running, if you have read any of the other threads you would no it's not going yet:the_finge

dont get sooky because i dont agree with your statments... :

[Scott]

Take a chill pill, each to their own. A question was asked and is being answered, no need to get all "sooky".

[robs_ls1]

Originally Posted by protd

who gives a toss about the fuel, if i wanna drive it i'll happily pay for fuel for the car...

Yes, because yours is clearly a project car. This person was asking about a daily driver. There is a huge difference.

Originally Posted by protd

dont get sooky because i dont agree with your statments...

Huh? I'm just rebutting your arguments.

[protd]

OK fair enough, but if you read my post i clearly mention a turbo'd xr engine for it, which will give the fuel economy so many thrive and enough power to keep most happy, i think that an injected 6 from a BA in stock form makes around 240 claimed kw, now with a inter cooler and some decent boost that cortina now becomes a 11 sec daily driver with economy to match today's cars, i also gave a solution to the braking problem of a 30 year old car....

i also stated that of course a stock cortina is crap... the only argument you rebutted was my intention of use for my car, which once it is running i WILL drive as much as time allows and it was not built for fuel economy obviously....

and to clear things up i was not having a go at your first post i was simply saying i disagreed with it.. _2:

[robs_ls1]

Originally Posted by protd

OK fair enough, but if you read my post i clearly mention a turbo'd xr engine for it, which will give the fuel economy so many thrive and enough power to keep most happy, i think that an injected 6 from a BA in stock form makes around 240 claimed kw, now with a inter cooler and some decent boost that cortina now becomes a 11 sec daily driver with economy to match today's cars, i also gave a solution to the braking problem of a 30 year old car....

All good points. You can make a TC (or any old car really) into a daily driver by bolting a new engine in and putting bigger brakes on. BUT, how much work is involved? I might be wrong, but I don't think it'd be a simple "drop it in & do up the bolts" exercise. Especially with the electronics and additional wiring required by modern engines.

The nearly 35 year old chassis (which was originally engineered for a 1.3 litre 4 cylinder engine, BTW) would probably not handle the torque and power of a modern engine without some pretty radical re-inforcement.

By the time you go to all that trouble and expense, you've spent more than the price of a brand new XR6T. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, if it's your hobby. But again, the OP was asking about a daily driver, not a project car.

Originally Posted by protd

the only argument you rebutted was my intention of use for my car, which once it is running i WILL drive as much as time allows and it was not built for fuel economy obviously....

I have no doubt that you will drive it as often as you can, but will you be:
- carting the kids to & from school/sports in it?
- driving to & from work in it?
- loading up the family with suitcases & driving it for hundreds of kilometres to get to your Christmas holiday destination?
- leaving it outside in the rain?
- using it as a shopping trolley?
- taking pets to the vet?

All of these situations (and more) are what a practical daily driver is used for, and what I believe the OP is looking for.

Your Cortina looks too good to use for any of these things, and I'm sure you built it with other purposes in mind. :

Originally Posted by protd

and to clear things up i was not having a go at your first post i was simply saying i disagreed with it.. _2:

I realise that, mate. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's all just a bit of friendly banter.

[protd]

mm maybe your right but from what i got from the post, was he wanted to improve on or change 1: the lights 2: the air con 3: the steering :4 the engine 5: the brakes

all of which i gave reasonable answers for, i also said a mild 250 cross flow, the inclusion of the BA engine was just thrown in as a option...

personaly if the guy thinks a stock cortina is going to be better than a modern car he has rocks in his head, also cortina came from the factory with 250's fitted aswell so the engineering required to fit the later model engines is minimum, the only real problem you will come across is the wiring for the computer..

your right the cost could be expensive and depending on what work could be done by the owner could well and truly blow out..

as for my car, i wont drive in the rain 600+ hp makes that not pleasant

i wont take animals in it thats what Utes are for

i will take my kids to school/sports in it if they wanted to go for a spin

we dont drive on our holidays we fly, but yea i wont drive it more than a couple of hundred Kay's both ways

shopping my wife does that no man Worth his weight goes shopping..lol

I'd drive it to work if i was a office johnny but being a builder i just dont think i could carry tool boxes and gear on the roof..ha ha

but yes i see your points, my car is for my pleasure not for my daily use... :

[blue fairy]

Hi guys and thank you for your responses so far.

This guy is actually a girl. Didn't the avatar give it away? ;)

You have all made points that have given me more to think about. The idea is to put a 250 cross flow in it with a 4spd manual gearbox, underdash air conditioning and better brakes.
As for driving it every day, it sounds like a good idea - now. At the time when I am broken down on the side of the road at 10pm in the rain, I'm not so sure.

I also need to look into fuel economy for it in more detail.

Anything else you can think of putting in here will be greatly appreciated. I've googled until my eyes feel like they are ready to either bleed or pop, but the best advice comes from the people who know or drive the cars.

Kye

[EA2BA]

Originally Posted by blue fairy

Hi guys and thank you for your responses so far.

This guy is actually a girl. Didn't the avatar give it away? ;)

Kye

It takes all type to make the world go round, never assume :ymca:

good luck with your decision.

I should have the wheels test in my gregories for the TC cortina at home if you want a scan of it.

[blue fairy]

I'd love that.

[RSgerry]

The 4.1 litre car should be quick enough for you, but I honestly dont know how they perform against an AU. I believe there are some really good aftermarket air conditioners available for older cars now. I am not sure if the TC had air con as an option, but I think some did come with it. I am not sure if it would fit, but maybe try looking at getting air from a later model car, TE / TF. Handling on older Cortinas was always a bit dodgy. New shocks, springs and nolathene bushes all round should tighten things up and make it more driveable. Brakes could be a bit tricky. There is a limit to what you can fit behind 13 inch wheels. You may need to get bigger wheels to be able to upgrade your brakes. However, I dont know what bolt on options are available. You could go vented discs up front and some softer pads.

I love the TC / TD Cortinas. There is really something about the shape that appeals to me. However, remember that it will not drive as nicely as the AU. I have an RS that will eat our SP23, but it is a much more 'difficult' car to drive. How about keeping the AU and buying a TC project car? As long as the shell is solid, the oily bits can be added later.

[EviLkarL]

I Drive my TC Cortina Daily, its travelled over 40,000 miles in the past 5 years with very few problems. I think I've changed the wheel bearings, rack and rotors in 5 years and these were the original 73 parts swaped out.

I have the 2V in mine now also and I can tell you, no AU is going to bother me at a set of traffic lights. The car cruises on 100kmh at 2500 rpm all day long and I have taken her up and down the brisbane highways from the border to Noosa with economy and ease.

If your the sort of person that can distinguish the difference between using a shifter and a spanner in a tight bolt, then maybe stick to the later model cars, because owning an older model car does require that you have a complete set of tools at hand, but if like me and many others that posted above, you are a true lover of the 70's era of cars, they will reward you with allot of pressure. Yes I drive a 6 cylinder TC Cortina daily and if I don't pull myself away from the average 3-4 people tha daily want to stop and chat with me about my fine kit, I'd never get any work done. Lots of cool Cortina stories everyday which usually start with either
1. My Dad had one of these...
2. My mate had one of these...
3. I had one of these when i was...

[corty80]

Hey Blue fairy,

whats to say you are not going to be stuck on the side of the road at 10pm in the rain in a newer car? Atleast with an older car you have less things that can go wrong and if it does will be easier/cheaper in most cases to fix. I have a TE cortina which I have owned for 12 years which I love, though I wouldnt mind airconditioning in it. As for powersteering it does make an improvement but isnt really necessary unless the car has been lowered with larger rims and low profile tyres. Does get a little harder then but really only in tight spots. Put it this way you wont have to pay to goto the gym. Must admit the standard breaks arnt the best, but this can be fixed. Overall it really depends what you will be using the car for, if you are going to be hauling around kids etc not the best car, but if it is just going to be yourself and perhaps another person then its fine.