The Cortina restoration.
 

As some of you know, I'm on with a Ford Cortina MK3 2000E restoration. As my eyesight has been holding me back, the work is slow but over recent days I've been back at it. In the past few weeks I built a vapour blaster to help with all of my car projects, money well spent I can tell you. I had an uphill task with the gearbox until recently, either it will cost a fortune and be full of pattern parts or I'll get the right bits. In the end I have now got everything for it and all genuine Ford items and so, the gearbox build is go, it's a C3 autobox and I've never built one before now. I hand polished the bell housing to remove the chips and scratches from 45 years of use, it'll tone down and then I'll coat it in etch lacquer to protect it from oxidising again. I'm sure that many of us have had to clean alloy at some point and found it tedious, that's where the vapour blaster comes in, you soda blast it first to a dull but clean finish and the vapour hone it.

Wow that looks amazing..What a finish:drool4::cool:

Stunning. That is certainly a good job well done.

Amazing work :bowdown:. Love MK3 Cortinas, terrific looking cars :drool4:

Cliff

Having had the same engine and box in a trike years ago, I could only dream of having a finish like that on them.

I never achieved that level of cleanliness, a superb job Mike, hats off to you.

A few years ago a mate had a lovely 2000E Estate with only 40k on the clock he picked up from Ebay, we fitted a 5 speed box from a Sierra, power steering from a MK4 2.3 and some slightly stiffer shocks. It truly transformed it, he drove it a lot and at a show he was offered a crazy amount for it by a Ford fanatic. The guy who bought it was even willing to transfer the money on the spot and drive him home.

He has regretted selling it ever since and has been trying to find a replacement. He was looking at a MK4 2.3 Ghia recently but there was a lot of rust in places that would cost a lot to repair.

Can you provide a "how to build a vapour blaster" and the chemicals needed etc.

Thanks,

Kev

Yes.
 

I can do that, the best part is that there aren't any chemicals used in the process. It cost me around £170 to build it and then there's the grit media on top which was £32 delivered. If anyone is a bit practical they can build one, the only point is that a decent compressor is needed to power one, mine is a 200 litre one and just manages to cope. I'll put some pictures together and post it up.

Thanks Saga. I take it that the medium used is soda?

kev

An Update.
 

I've almost completed the C3 gearbox rebuild for the Cortina, it was much easier than I thought it would be but I hit a small snag, the selector shaft is pitted where it comes through the oil seal and so, I'm going to turn down a new shaft on a lathe or it will seep oil past the seal. I'm happy with it so far and can't wait to finish the car.