This is one of the coolest cars we’ve featured! What’s not to love about a small wagon with a V8, 5-speed and massive sleeper potential? The Cortina everyone thinks of is the Lotus variety, which was fitted with a Lotus-designed twin-cam head on Ford’s inline four cylinder. That produced a nimble, high-revving and very successful race car. This is an entirely different approach: V8 power in a small car designed only for four cylinder engines.
The seller provides a lot of information below and it seems this is a well thought-out car with many upgrades to handle the engine swap and to upgrade the chassis in the process. The price is certainly not low here, but I don’t imagine you could build your own for less.
Click for Craigslist Ad
North San Diego, CA
$13,495
Posted by CG
There’s not much here to give away the upgrades. The 13-inch Libras are a great touch!
Interior looks like a great place to spend some time.
V8 doesn’t look too horribly out of place here.
Ad text:
1969 Cortina Estate/ Station Wagon. Originally a Deluxe, now with a 302 and 5-speed with GT suspension, brakes and gauges. Just added are 1600E wood door trims and rear badge. It remains mostly stock in its appearance so it is a ‘sleeper’. With the mild V8 and top of the line trim, it is the Cadillac of the marque. This car was built for my own use, and comes out of my collection of ten Cortinas. I deep raided my parts bin to make this one of the best.
The engine is date coded 1980 with an aluminum 2 barrel intake, 60’s Mustang fastback iron exhaust manifolds, and an ’84 Mustang GT crank and camshaft. Gobs of smooth torque is the result of this spec. The trans is a brand new, 1984 World Class T5, with a Pinto cable clutch upgrade. The 8″ rear axle is from a trusty Mustang II with 3.0 gears. Powering it all is a Delco alternator. Cooling duties are handled by a V8 three row radiator and a flex fan.
The front brakes are upped to the larger Cortina GT rotors and GT calipers with fresh pads. Once again that trusty Mustang II provided the rear drums which are the same size as GT. It was converted to a single master cylinder to clear the left valve cover.
The front suspension has ’67 GT coils, classic Koni adjustable inserts and RS bushings. The rear is stock Estate leaf springs with a tube shock conversion. The 13″ X 5″ ‘Libra’ rims came from a Capri, and are completely original and untouched.
The body was assembled in July of 1969 in Dagenham England. The V8 Estate amazingly still has most of its original factory Ermine White paint, but with the dings and scratches you would expect after nearly 45 years. It has had some professional repairs, and careful touchups to those dings. The original chrome has stood up well. 42,000 miles shows on the odometer, believed to be original and a SoCal car its whole life. Everything works on the car. All the glass and rubber are original with a nice windshield. NOS rear lamp lenses.
The interior has a fresh Acme carpet kit, with clean ’68 velour seats in the front. The folding rear seat is has its original vinyl. All the door panels and cargo area cards are in place in factory black. The dash is nice but slightly cracked in places. A wood rimmed Formula GT wheel has replaced the factory one (included). Recently added are GT gauges fronted by a GT wood grain dash insert.
This longroof weighs about 2400 pounds ready to drive. The stock weight of an Estate is about 2200. It represents the marriage of a lightweight English body shell and American grunt, ala Cobra and Tiger. That Small Block Ford gives this car remarkable driveablility and flexibility, and it must be driven to be appreciated. It is set up as a driver and would make a great commuter car, while you rock out to the period AM radio. Original owner’s manual and warranty card included.
Clear title, reflective plates.
A rare opportunity to own this unique car. I do not know of another V8 Mk II Estate anywhere.