1981 Ford Cortina

FORD CORTINA Mk. IV/V 1976 - 1982

The Ford Cortina Mk. IV/V was a range of front engine/rear-wheel drive five seaters available as a two or four door saloon or a five door estate. Unlit 1981 they were the best-selling new car in the UK.

September 1976 saw the debut of the Ford Cortina Mk. IV although the near-identical Ford Taunus TC2 had been introduced on the Continent some nine months earlier. As compared to the outgoing Mk. III, the styling was low-key and rather attractive in a low-key fashion, but the engineering remained ultra-conventional: rack & pinion steering, disc/drum brakes, front coil and wishbones and a rear live axle with trailing and semi-trailing arms. There was an initial choice of three engines and the trim levels ranged from the ultra-Spartan "Base" to the Ghia - the flagship Cortina was denoted by a vinyl roof.

In 1977 the three most expensive Cortinas were available with a V6 power plant, with PAS as standard, and the Ghia was now available in 1.6 litre guise. In August 1979 the entire range was facelifted as the Mk. V (aka "The Cortina 80") with a new front grille and tail lamps, a modified roof and C-pillars plus an improved interior. The V6 models also gained an electronic ignition and the sporting 'S' Mk. IV was dropped in favour of an 'S pack' of modifications that was available as an option for the L, GL and Ghia.

The final incretion of the Ford Cortina Mk. V was the 1982 Crusader, a limited edition version that was sold in saloon or estate guise. The famous brand was replaced by the Ford Sierra in September of that year.

The Ford Cortina Mk. IV and Mk. V were powered by a 1.3 litre S4 OHV, a 1.6 litre.S4 OHC, a 2.0 litre S4 OHC or a 2.3 litre V6 OHV engine. The transmission choices were either a four-speed all synchromesh manual box or Ford C3 three-speed automatic.

The ranks of the once-ubiquitous fourth and fifth generation Cortina have been progressively decimated by the time and the attentions of banger racers. The 1.3 litre two door saloon and the 2.3 V6 models are now very seldom found while the 2.0 litre Ghia is well-appointment with a nice ride/handling balance. The Mk.V's "S pack does enhance the Cortina's road manners and the estate cars are sought after as classic wagons.

The Cortina Mk. IV and Mk. V were not renowned for their corrosion protection, so examine the screen surrounds, sills, wings, door bottoms, A-pillars, wheel arches, foot wells and door bottoms. Also pay special; attention to signs of rot beneath the screen rubbers, a vinyl roof can also cover a multitude of rust problems and the sliding roof on the more expensive versions was known to leak. In terms of their engines, the 1.6 and 2.0 litre units are known to suffer from camshaft wear. A five-speed Sierra gearbox is a popular aftermarket conversion.

The Ford Cortina Mk. IV and Mk.V rivalled the Chrysler Hunter, the Datsun Bluebird 810/910, the Fiat 131 Miafiori, the Mazda 626 Montrose, the Morris Marina and Ital, the Peugeot 305, the Renault 18, the Talbot Solara, the Toyota Carina A40 and the Vauxhall Cavalier Series I and II.