Lot details
Registration No: YDL 825
Chassis No: 774B169701
Mot Expiry: T.B.A

With very few Cortinas still in every day use, it is hard to believe that the model was by far Britain's best selling car throughout the 1970s - available in two- and four-door saloon or estate versions, the model dominated our roads. Five generations were produced between 1962 and 1982, each of which notched up over a million sales. For the first two years, the car was called Consul Cortina, linking it to previous Ford models and the Consul Classic and Consul Capri that were sold in the same period - the Cortina moniker was inspired by the Italian venue for the 1956 winter Olympics, Cortina d'Ampezzo. At introduction the car was powered by an 1193cc three-bearing version of the company's already well-known four-cylinder, OHV 'Kent' engine, though the option of a five-bearing 1500cc unit followed within months. Initially the mechanical specification echoed that of the proven Anglia with four-speed manual gearbox, drum brakes all round, MacPherson strut front suspension and live axle mounted on leaf springs at the rear, and recirculating ball steering.
The two-door 1962 Consul Cortina offered has been reconfigured to resemble the type of Lotus Cortina in which the then reigning World Champion Jim Clark won the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship. Finished in the classic white with green stripe livery of the factory cars, YDL 825's impressive specification reportedly includes: an overhauled 1700cc Throbnozzle racing cross-flow unit with baffled sump, 711M block, uprated engine mounts, CAT238 cam, ARP bolts, oil cooler, twin 40DCOE Webers and facet fuel pump - the output is said to be 140bhp plus. The engine is mated to a five-speed Type-9 quick-shift gearbox. Other items of particular note include: a cable clutch, limited slip differential, uprated brakes with drilled/ventilated discs, period bucket seats, Willans harnesses, laminated windscreen and four new Yokohama Advan A048 tyres. The vendor describes the car as being in "very good" condition with regard to its engine, gearbox, electrical equipment, interior trim, bodywork and paintwork. He also claims it drives circles round his real Lotus Cortina. The intention is to obtain a new MOT for the time of the sale. A new twin-cam engine can apparently be supplied by separate negotiation if required.