FORD CORTINA TC-TF
1972-1982
BODY & CHASSIS
Avoiding a rusty Cortina is the best strategy however help is available provided a car doesn’t have serious structural problems. New panels are available from suppliers in the UK but at $500 and upwards plus freight they might not represent value against local ‘refurbished’ items starting at $200. Check window surrounds, the floors and inner sills for seriously costly rust then the rest. Spare lights, indicator lenses, the correct grille for your model and even body embellishments appear almost everywhere and prices seem very reasonable. Replacing bumpers could mean delving in to the used market or spending $350 plus freight (each) to source new ones from the UK.
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
Six-cylinder, ‘iron head’ Falcon motors are simple and generally reliable. They can of course be modified and tuned to deliver considerably improved performance and lend themselves to turbocharging. Even a worn motor can be repaired cheaply or replaced if too much is needed. If it’s good and some extra performance is your aim, a set of extractors, replacement carburettor and cylinder head modification can all be accomplished for $3000 or so. Make your normal checks for exhaust smoke, oil in the water or vice versa, lubricant and coolant leaks, but if you find any don’t be put off. The Borg-Warner gearboxes and auto tranny are durable as well.
SUSPENSION & BRAKES
Plenty has been written about how hard life was for the front end of sixcylinder Cortinas. Some have been deliberately lowered, others are just suffering from sagging springs and struts in need of renewal. If it thumps, rattles or bounces there will be money to be spent, however anything that needs to be replaced will be available and not particularly costly. Brakes can be an issue with wheels quite randomly locking under only moderate pedal pressure. Nosedive under braking and wandering on uneven surfaces are traits of these cars and you can spend a lot trying to eradicate problems that were there in the design phase.
INTERIOR & ELECTRICS
If a Ghia is suffering with worn, torn or shabby trim the rest needs to be exceptional – and usually won’t be – in order to justify any kind of significant money. Correct seat trim seems in short supply but perhaps if you need it, a roll of Falcon material from the same period would do the job. UK suppliers have new door trims, hood lining and carpets but shop around because one set of door cards was $900 before considering freight, GST or Customs costs. Electrical items including instruments crop up frequently in on-line sales sites and a new starter motor can cost anywhere from $170-400.