1966 Mk1 Cortina GT

4 minute(s) of a 210 minute read

That's a fascinating read, I didn't know much about the police spec lotus's (lotii? I'll stop now before I go full Alan Partridge).

I'll come onto the battery cable in due course, it is a larger cable for this application.

Despite being in Lockdown 2" Lock harder the body shop is still open and working, he works on his own and can't exactly work from home and was happy to finish off the Cortina's door fit and paint. As door fitting and panel gaps will be addressed as I had done what can only be described as amateurish.

I had spent a fair few hours hunched over the shut door furiously trying to tighten the nuts without moving the door in what I believed to be the correct position - only for it to either have not moved from it's previous position or worse catch on the body. To me it made sense to pay a little extra and get it right plus he will fit the door seals which will also alter positioning etc.

I had also chipped the paint in a few areas that needed fixing and again seeing as the door is being painted it makes sense to get all this sorted at the same time, paint is being sprayed and mixed to be fair.

The main task was to remove the gumpf in the Cortina, this mainly consisted of parts that I had intended to fit but haven't or rogue washers.

After frantically trying to get a trailer to come and collect the Cortina and deliver it 4 miles away I got one sorted - for a reasonable price, apparently the Cortina being approximately 600Kg was an issue for one company!

This left me looking/ feeling like Michael Caine at the end of the Italian Job where he is on the verge of ruin but has a great idea - all because I have all this to sort.

Eagle eyed people might be able to make out there is a lathe in there and something I need to get working again. It's a Myford M type that I have owned for 5 years now and was decommissioned about 3 years ago to make a bit more room whilst doing bodywork etc and never been touched since, the plan is to sort the belts out and refit the belt drive stuff and see if I have enough room to use it and walk between it and the Cortina. It's this sort of issue that keeps me motivated to stay thin!

The ladder has been despatched to my father as I haven't used it in the 5 years we've owned the house and was only removed to clean it, I'm tired of hitting my head on the damn thing! If I need it I know where it is.

I should have the Cortina back next week all things being well and I can then start doing more permanent jobs like fitting the headlining and glass.