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Read-only historical archive.
Browse the preserved forum and gallery. Registration, login, uploads and account changes are no longer available.

Read-only historical archive.
Browse the preserved forum and gallery. Registration, login, uploads and account changes are no longer available.

Read-only historical archive.
Browse the preserved forum and gallery. Registration, login, uploads and account changes are no longer available.
October 17, 2026, 05:33:44 AM

1 Guest, 0 Users

[brycevr]

Hi I'm a noob with a 78 TE Ghia 65,00k's

[brycevr]

I'm a new member from Bathurst and I have a ...
1978 TE Ghia
4.1 Iron Head, 3 Speed Auto.
Air con, Pwr steer, Sunroof, Vinyl roof, 65,000 original km's (Car used to belong to my Aunt in Broken Hill) so only 2 little spots of rust in the whole car. Everything is as it was delivered from Ford and not driven for 12 years. I have done some of the hoses and fluids but will change anything that is not perfect as I go.
My plan is to develop the car in about 3 or 4 overlapping stages.
I'd appreciate your comments and correct any errors in my development schedule.

[brycevr]

Stage 1.
350cfm Holley 2bbl, Extractors, 2.5" exh, Electric fans, Elec Dizzy, Remove A/C, move battery to the trunk, Hoppers front brakes, 15" LTD wheels with 205/50 rubber, new susp bushes, new seats and a decent stereo. I have all of this now and will be fitting it over the next week or so.
This is to get a little more poke and allow me to do some chassis tuning.

[brycevr]

Stage 2.
 King springs 50mm lowered, Koni 2 way adjustable dampers, 4 speed manual box, Alloy head, LSD, Any weight saving measures I can find... Remove badges, Alloy components, Fibreglass panels maybe?

[Bucster]

Nice start, post up some pics so we can have a look.

Bucster

[brycevr]

Here she is when I got her about 4 years ago.
She sat under a tarp till last Christmas when I decided to start the work
http://fordcortina.com.au/gallery/index.php?cat=11723
I think that's how the Gallery link works

[Tim9]

I'd go front and rear sway bars first as the factory handling is crap and they are cheap but make such a difference.

Tim

[Tim9]

To clarify that, I mean aftermarket thicker sway bars and nolathane bushes for them.

Tim

[brycevr]

I am doing a complete undercarriage rebuild.
Springs, Dual adjustable dampers (those super expensive KONI ones), Bushes, linkages, reinforced mounts and any part that wears will be replaced. I'm also setting up another set of BBS rims with TOYO R888's for hillclimbs and track days.

[brycevr]

Just got a used alloy head to get the business done on. Will be doing a smooth out job on the internals first, then a 14892 crow cam with roller rockers, and beefed up valve train. Holley 350 on a redline manifold.
I think I'll get a reliable 160kw before I have to look at an engine transplant.
That should be enough to challenge the chassis.
Any ideas for weight saving (redistribution)?

[Tim9]

When you say those super expensive KONI dual adjustable dampers, which ones do you mean?

Do you have a link or a picture?

Timi

[Bucster]

Well spotted Tim, im also after a set of Koni's, front and rears. From memory the rears were available of the shelf, but the fronts werent, due to the lowered ride height that was required. Can we get some more info if possible...

Bucster

[brycevr]

When you say those super expensive KONI dual adjustable dampers, which ones do you mean?

Do you have a link or a picture?

Timi

I'll post the info when I get back home
I'm on the laptop in Syd at the moment.