Unclejake

Thankyou Wikipedia Essex V4 was a V4 engine from Ford Motor Company made at the plant in Essex. The engine was available in two capacities, 1663cc and 1996cc, differing only in stroke. This engine was used on the Ford Corsair, Capri Mk I, Consul/Granada Mk I, Ford Zephyr 4 Mk IV and certain models of the Ford Transit van. It was related to the Essex V6 engine which, with two extra cylinders, offered a displacement of 2,5 litres and 3.0 litres

Not Granada, that was v6 Granada was a car mate. They used the Essex and Pinto engines I think (but I could well be wrong)

Alloy nuts? I haven't seen them except for in metric.

^^^ Yup - trew. The Pinto name breaks with the other unofficial convnvention of naming the Ford motors of the era after the place of manufacture. The pre-crossflow was just that but the 1300 and 1600 crossflows became known as the Kent motors, the 3ltr V6 The Essex and the 2.8 V6 the Colone (sp?) after the locations of the plants they were supossedly made in. I can't remember what the horrible liitle 2 ltr V4 was called right now.........they came out in the Ford Taunus, Capri, Corsair and Transit van's from memory. Has anyone got a photo of the Transit Van that Ford poked ontop of a F1 car?

I'm thinking of changing the mighty Cortina to a metric stud or has anyone come across alloy wheel nuts in imperial threads? Unsprung weight is my enemy.

To be honest I lost my head a bit when doing the Merc. It started as a quick backyard re-spray as it is my wife's car and she didn't like the original green but it ended up as a concourse attempt. I tried to talk her into silver so I didn't need to get the body as good but she had her cold heart set on black. I found a few recent repairs done by The Surgery - multipule plates riveted together and then tack welded to make up the sills etc. so I had to take the entire thing back to bare steel to sort it properly. Then I got retarded and started sourcing the correct Mercedes fabrics from all over the globe, and Mercedes stamped radiator hoses etc. Then I found myself spending nights and nights on end lying on my back trying to replicate the correct factory underseal texture. Oh - then I set it on fire by accident and burnt out the hoodlining and some of the roof (don't drink and weld) so I had to start again. I think it is better than new now but I still have to finish the doors. The doors that are on it were done very very quickly for a mate's wedding. After that I lost the will to live and we worked on the Anglia for a while and now I am not touching any cars until June. The Mercedes doors will be a winter project and by then I might have become sane again - but probably not. The really dumb thing is that neither of our oldschool cars are actually worth much comparted to what has gone into them. A mercedes is a good car to restore as just about everything is still available from Mercedes. The bad bit is that unless you choose your project model very carefully you will waste 80% of the money you pour into it as not many classic Mercedes are worth more than about $15k ATM. Regards, UJ

Amazing car Filthy One. What's the next project?

Hey V8Pete, I am glad we joined up here as now I can call you a cunt and not get banned Ha ha ha ha This place rocks. =D>

I will be seeing him next weekend so shall tell him so. He is a good bastard and has an old school ride himself so doesn't fall down hard on the lads unless they are being really dumb. Small world mate. I'll get some photos up soon.

Ahh - I should have looked at your profile. A cop I know in your area was following a bagged out blue W111 down the road about 20 months ago that he seriously doubted was legal. He rang me to see if I wanted any bits off it if he pulled it over... Lol..... lucky I said no eh! (true story) Good work dude. Seriously cool.

Holy Sh1t!!! I love it. I will post some pics of the W111 I have been working on soon but I am no where near as brave as you so ours is sort of standard. Did your car come from Whangarei?

Chur Boes (sniggers) Hopefully I will remember all the questions: The engine and box are painted in Hammerite using a brush and then as the paint tacks off I 'stab' it with the bristles. Hammerite handles the heat everywhere except immediately above the exhaust ports. The suspension is essentially standard (Pre65 rules) but has been thoroughly reconditioned and has heavier front springs and shocks (all adustable) and lighter rear springs and shocks with a Watts linkage. The engine has most everything sone to it that is Pre65 legal (except a down port head). It would take an hour to write it all down so if there is anything specific you want to know sing out and I would be happy to pass on any knowledge. I have not raced the car for a couple of years - other priorities have got in the way. The Mercedes is a W111 Fintail (which has been one of the above priorities) and I will get some photos up of that later this week - I restored it myself but had a race engine builder do the motor. Thanks again for the kind words - I should be out again mid 2008.

Only slow ones. Circa 1.25 Manfield, 1.16 Puke and I guess around the 1.55-1.57 at the Taupo A1 track but I have not tried her out there yet. I hope to do about two seconds better at all tracks in early 2008. This is such a neat forum - thanks so much

Thanks Dudes. She is a Pre65 car so we have to use the 1500 pre-crossflow as the 1600 motors didn't show up until after 1965. The photos of the Cortina a a bit old as a fair bit of energy has gone into getting the Anglia ready for a good friend over the last seven months. I am 're-visiting' the Cortina engine this month and more changes are in the wind. I have to spend quite a lot of coin to get a tiny bit faster but it appears I enjoy building them more than I enjoy driving them I am a retard but at least it leaves me less money to spend on P.

Westcort - Turning the motor over on the starter motor usually gives you a fairly random pulse on the timing light in my limited expeirence. The pluse is usually around about where you want it on the degree wheel but half the time it just isn't there at all. Having only just cruised into this thread I am now wondering why you think your cam timing is out. Can timing too far in one direction will simply move your power in the rev range - as you have not been able to drive the car yet you probably do not know what it runs like. Letting a new engine idle for more that the absolute minumum time is not the best idea as the rings don't get a chance to bed in. If you can stand the agony of waiting it might be a good idea to get the exhaust system on the car and get it driveable - then start messing with it and find all your vacuum leaks etc . Good luck mate - there is not much quite as satisfying as building your own car

Let's hope the starter isn't not turning because a valve is now imbedded in a piston . Having said that I think Pintos are non-interference engines so perhaps that is not possible I don't dial in my own camshafts so I won't give any advice except to trun the motor over by hand again before you try the starter motor - just incase. Regards, UJ