Welcome
to my Ford Cortina Web site
The Ford Cortina celebrates it's 51st birthday in 2013.
These
cars are now unfortunately a rare site on our roads.
If you have any comments, please email me.
I
hope you enjoy your visit.
Site
last updated 03/11/13
Life on Mars Website
The
original Mark 1 Cortina, Manufactured from 1962 until 1967,
A brief history
The
Ford motor Company was launched in Michigan, USA, in June 1903
by Henry Ford and a few colleagues.
They started with an initial budget of some 28.000 US Dollars
!.
Henry Ford's initial interest came from being thrown from a horse
on his his Father's farm at Dearborn, Michigan, he felt that there
should be a more reliable (and of course more comfortable !) method
of transport than that offered by animals.
The
first model they produced was the now famous Model A, known as
a Gas Buggy and was propelled by an 8 Horse Power engine.
Since this time, Ford cars have been available and of course manufactured
in the far flung corners of the globe..However, in England.....The
Ford Cortina was one of the UK's most popular car, being manufactured
from 1962 until 1982, when it was replaced by the Ford Sierra.
Ford's
huge plant at Dagenham in Essex, UK, is considered to be the home
of the Cortina.
The
first Cortina was launched in 1962, wary of alienating it self
with the buying public, Ford called the early models Consul Cortina,
the original name was to be Ford Consul 325, however in early
1963 this was soon changed to Ford Cortina; the name Cortina being
"borrowed" from the Italian Skiing resort of Cortina
d'Ampezzo, in the Dolomite mountains(who else used this mountainous
name!).
Original advertising billed the car as "The medium sized
car at a small car price", at the time this "small car
price" was around £550 and was launched to compete with
technically advanced Mini which although popular, was selling
at a loss of around £ 5.00 per car.
The
rear lights on this model where a source of trouble in the early
days as both Mercedes Benz and the CND movement threatened legal
action over the design as it looked a little like their own logos.
I often refer to them as looking like a cake cut into 3 pieces
!.

A pair of rear lights, you can see why it caused trouble then!
|
Picture
Gallery
 |
 |
 |
A
restored Mk1 Cortina from the Czech Republic.The car was purchased
in an un-restorted condtion for around £15.00 !
Thanks
to Radek for allowing the use of his picture.
|
Consul Cortinas being manufactured in
Ford's plant in Port Elizabeth in South Africa.
Today's Health and Safety may not be impressed ?
Thanks
to Dayle for sending me the picture and allowing it's use.
|
Hattie
Jaques inspects the drivers and the fleet of gleaming Mark One
Cortinas in the film "Carry on Cabby".
|
More
Pictures of the restored Mark 1 Cortina from Radek in the Czech republic.
I think you will agree that they have done an excellent job with the
car.!
Thanks to Radek for sending them and letting me use th
|
 |
 |
Side
view, note left hand drive
|
Engine
bay with Sierra OHC Engine, Radek reports that his Dad can "blow
Audis away" with this car" !
|
Dash
and indicators,
note speedo is in KPH
|
Visitor's
photo albums
Click here
to see details of Ford Literature from South Africa (V6 Cortinas)
and also here
to see my friends Phil's staggering Cortina Collection.
Grateful
thanks to Dayle in South Africa and Phil in the USA for these
images and allowing their use.
|
Spare
parts
I
often get asked if I stock spares for Cortinas, my standard advice
is check first with your local
Ford dealer, many established dealers still have quiet a bit of
"old new" stock "out the back", the same goes
for local motor factors. If you are still unsuccessful, visit the
Links section on page 4 and
join your nearest club, check the listings on "eBay",
the Kennet Forum or check the Classic Car press for details of any
Classic Car show/autojumbles... Good luck in your search !
|
You
are visitor number
The
counter resets at 100,000 hits.
If you enjoyed the site,
click the box below to tell your friends.

Powered by Bravenet.com
|
Be
sure to visit the next 3 pages...............
|