Uncovered Secrets: Hidden Facts You're Missing Out On
When Dad almost kicked the bucket, the idea of me being in charge at just eighteen filled me with fear, but there was also a peculiar sense of pride. Thankfully, Dad didn't bite the dust, thanks to Doctor Noble who, when Mum called him out at two in the morning to check on Dad writhing in agony, diagnosed peritonitis caused by a burst ulcer on his bowel. He rushed Dad to the hospital, saving his life in the process. It was later revealed that Dad would've only lasted two hours without hospital care.
Dad's recovery meant a series of operations to remove a section of his bowel and patch it up. He was fitted with a colostomy bag and spent weeks in the hospital. During his stay, Dad entrusted me with the task of driving Mum to St. Nicholas at visiting times in my eight-year-old Mini I'd bought from my Aunt. On one of our visits, Dad had a bit of a revelation, 'can you take the car out for a run while I'm in here to make sure everything is OK?'
I almost fell off the chair, 'are you sure?' I asked, trying to hide my excitement. Dad's car was sacred. 'Yeah the battery needs to be kept charged, and the brakes could seize,' he replied. With Dad's blessing, I took the old Cortina Mk2 Super for a spin and soon found myself loving the drive. I could feel my mates' envy. I was quite level-headed, and I didn't want to risk points on my license, which would've meant higher insurance, tax, and fuel costs.
However, after a while, the Cortina started to feel a bit pedestrian. I noticed this when I came up against a Cortina1600E at a set of lights, particularly loved by racers. The 1600E clearly left me in the dust.
One of my mates, Phil, who was pretty handy with cars, came to my rescue. He knew a lot about cars, thanks to his older brother Pat, a highly skilled mechanic specializing in top-end sports cars and race tuning. One evening, after dropping Mum off at the hospital, I found myself parked behind a dark blue Aston Martin DB6. As fate would have it, Pat stepped out.
After greeting Pat casually, Phil shouted from the front door, 'Bloody James Bond's here.' Pat, with typical English modesty, brushed off the James Bond comment. However, he did mention that polishing the ports on the Cortina's engine could increase power by up to twenty percent due to more efficient airflow.
With a mixture of excitement and dread, I agreed to have the ports polished and managed to convince Pat to do the job in his home workshop for free. When I returned to pick up the car, Pat fired it up, and the engine sounded great. The car felt much more powerful, and I felt a sense of accomplishment in having helped my dad's precious convertible run smoothly.
However, I soon learned the importance of balance. Driving the Cortina aggressively revealed its poor roadholding compared to my Mini, and I soon learned my lesson after putting the car sideways on a wide, empty road. From then on, I drove the Cortina with more caution, enjoying the newfound power while respecting its limits.
The Cortina was a fantastic machine, though it required some tinkering to unleash its full potential. Common modifications for performance improvement included port polishing, big valve conversions, cylinder head modifications, camshaft upgrades, engine management and intake modifications, high-flow exhausts, and proper balancing. By following these principles, I helped my dad's Cortina 1600 perform at its best, and it served us well for many years.
@FordCortina | @GrassrootsCortina
- Amid Dad's recovery and my newfound responsibilities, I found an unexpected passion for cars, particularly Dad's 1600 Cortina.
- As I delved deeper into car maintenance and performance modifications, I discovered a rich connection between the automotive world and science, learning about engine management and airflow efficiency.
- Balancing this new hobby with my commitments to health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and maintaining my lifestyle, I realized the importance of the ‘fitness of things,’ ensuring each aspect was optimized and harmonious, much like Dad's recovered health.
