Hello up there!

Hi guys, I am new to the forums obviously. I'm from way down in little old New Zealand. Just a young'un, but I have a great passion for hot rods and custom cars.

In the past, my old man and I have built a Shelby Cobra replica, powered buy a worked 302 Windsor, 5spd manual transmission, with Jaguar independant suspension all round.

My current project is a 1970 MK2 Ford Cortina, which isn't really a hot rod, but it's undergoing some long term customisation. The Cortina is a small British car, and mine was originally powered by a 1300cc 4cyl. However I am replacing that with a stroked 289. I have the engine, but it is yet to be rebuilt. It will also be backed by a 5spd manual transmission, and rear axle from a 90something Falcon.

I'm intending to go with a four link and colover setup for the rear end, which is a major reason I joined this site, to find out some more info about that. I have a few ideas and knowledge about the setup, but require some more specifics, so I will start a topic in the appropriate forum.

The front suspension is being replaced with tubular wishbones/A arms and coilovers, and a custom made cross member.

The firewall will be cut and transmission tunnel enlarged in order to get it all fitting in there properly. A half rollcage will be fitted as well. The car will be primarily for street use, and cruising to shows and events, end generally enjoying.

Those are the plans, and as I said, it's a long term project. I am a student, balancing studying and working, and I'm intending to get into a form of automotive engineering as my career, specifically in the hot rod and custom car scene, which is very big here for a relatively small country. I'm set on a fitter/turner, machinist, welder, fabricator extraordinare kind of job.

I have set up a small website to detail the build of this car, and probably future cars too. It's mostly full of ideas at the moment, but some real progress will start happening soon.

Anyway, you can find the site here.

I look forwards to meeting and chatting with some of you and finding out some more info.

welcome .. hotrodding is indeed a global condition .. plenty of folks here to help you

Welcome to the forums. As Hoss stated there many knowledgeable people on this site who share their expertise on every subject imaginable, so just ask away. Be sure to enclose pictures and good luck with your project. :)

welcome look like your going at it the right way

Thanks for the welcome guys. I have discovered some of the knowledge already, and it has been of great help so far. I look forward to seeing and hearing about other members' projects, and sharing the build of mine own with you all. This year should see quite a bit of work being done on it, and I'm looking to get underway with a few smaller bits and pieces soon, getting the cage in, fuel tank made, stuff like that, before the car goes to my old mans new workshop, where we'll compelte the major work.

So I'll see you all 'round the forum I guess!

Welcome pairodice!
How is the land down under. You guys would be having summer right now, is that correct? We all are suffering from the winter blues here right now, but Feb. is here so spring will be along soon! New Zealand may be a few small islands but your still home of the world's fastest indian! My brothers best friend in high school, built rally cars with his dad out of old ford cortinas, quite manuverable as I remember. Look foward to watching your builds. Steve.

Yep, it's summer right now, and it's indeed very temperate! And it looks to be for some time yet, which is good, I don't mind the warm weather, shorts and t shirts are much more comfortable, and it's great weather to be out cruising and going to car shows but it's not so good for the farmers!

Yeah, the Cortina is a fairly small, lightweight, rear wheel drive car, and fairly simple to work on too, so it would have made a pretty good rally car. They were quite a popular car during their day too, the cool car to have. That's pretty much why I chose one. One of the older students at school drove around in one, and I'd see it parked outside school every day, thought it was cool, and had to have one! But of course, it had to be V8 powered!