Ford Cortina 1600E 1970

Description:

Description from The Vendor:

Me and my brother Neil purchased it together on 20^th August 1988. My brother used it first as a run around whilst his MGB GT was being rebuilt and on completion the keys were handed back to me.

The big question was to keep or scrap. With the car came a very big history file, plus an invoice from Keeler Motor Group to the first owner, a Dr J Swaffield in June 1970 who started a book on all the work required to keep it on the road. The next three owners carried on writing in the book to keep the history alive, plus it had all MOT sheets and tax discs and also receipts of work done. So I decided to rebuild it. It was taken off the road in October 1989, the engine, gear box and interior were removed on my sisters drive way before being transported in March 1990 to the Body Work Shop for the rebuild. All the panels were purchased over the six months before work commenced. Just an idea of the panels fitted were new inner and outer wings, front valance plus slam panel, altogether 39 panels were fitted to the car before welding was completed. Now for the re-spray!

I opted for the original colour Fern Green. All of the above work was completed in six months by Worle Autos, and then transported back to my garage for the build up in my own time, i.e engine and gear box plus the interior put back. This I did evenings, after work, and weekends. It passed the MOT on the 13th of October 1990 after all that time off the road.

Once in use I slowly refurbished parts that were tired and broken as time and money allowed. The next big job was in 2002, the engine was taken out because the car never felt quick enough, unlike my first car a 1600 Deluxe Estate LNV186E which had a GT engine and running gear fitted. By the way, I passed my test in this car in April 1980 (Big Day).

With the engine removed the investigation revealed a 1600 standard engine not a GT, so a GT cam shaft and head were fitted and re-installed by an engine shop in Bridgwater. Once it was all fitted back in the car what a difference! Back on the road it felt like just like my first car.

In 2003 my biggest find was a set of 4 original Dunlop D1 Alloy wheels from an ad in Classic Ford. When refurbished, i.e stove enamelled and diamond cut, and fitted with new tyres it looked just great for me.

I am still writing in the original book and keeping all receipts like the previous owners, keeping this cars history alive and up to date. By the way I have just waxed oiled it for the fourth time to keep it in good nick. There is nothing more pleasurable than a drive on a sunny day taking you back in time to when I first learnt to drive.

Auctioneer’s notes:

The vendor and his brother have owned this fine example of a 1600 E for 34 years and to find a car with a hand-written logbook going right back to the first owner is extremely rare.  In the history file, you will find a book of photographs displaying the restoration progress and the 2 handwritten logbooks 1970 – 2010 and a second book from 2010 – 2021.  It would be nice if the new owner carries on this tradition. There are also invoices from ’88 to 2000.  You have MOT history from 1980 to 2021 and a logbook of all the previous owners.  This is some car.  May be viewed, strictly by appointment.