If you missed out on that great Mk1 Lotus Cortina we featured last week, then here is your second chance. Sure, it’s a Mk2 that was assembled at the Ford factory and not at Lotus headquarters. Sure, it may have lost some of its charm and rawness, but it did make up for some of that with a more powerful engine. Too bad that engine is gone here though. Along with the transmission and interior. Oh, and the title and most everything else is missing… This is obviously going to be a huge project, but there’s some good news – the seller is only asking $135 here on craigslist. Thanks goes to Mark for the tip!
Could this be the Barn Finds bargain of the year? Probably not, but this is an exciting prospect for those of us who dream of owning a car like this but who could never dream of paying the prices that nice ones command. It would cost more to restore than a nice one, but perhaps that isn’t the route that you would want to go anyway…
The title is missing. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t still get one, but I can think of a few good uses for a title-less car. Racing. Vintage racing. Heck, there is even a roll cage inside so you’re already headed in that direction. Throw some race buckets inside and you’re on your well on your way!
Now, what about all those missing parts? There aren’t exactly a lot of Cortinas sitting around here on this side of the pond. Luckily Mark was kind enough to search around for a donor for the missing parts. This 1970 Cortina is listed here on craigslist as a part-out. It has a salvage title and rust, but it should provide much of what you would need. The seller mentions that they have other Cortinas available too.
This whole project would take a lot of work and money, but it is fun to dream. Just think of how good it would feel to pull up next to the big dollar racers at the track and announce that you only paid a buck thirty-five for your Lotus Cortina! Now, if that wouldn’t get you some respect, I don’t know what would. If anyone attempts it, please let us know.
Ok, here’s my Cortina story. ( with this model) Some cars are just destined to be destroyed. My old man bought and sold cars on the side and he came home with a Cortina like this, stuffed hard in the pass. door. He had it repaired and we drove it for a short time. While it was parked at school, some kid lost control of his old man’s Buick, and totaled 4 parked cars, including, you guessed it, the poor Cortina. Not that any car deserves that, but I didn’t think the Cortina was anything special anyway. Pretty basic car.
Was it a Lotus Cortina Howard?
Hi Jesse, good heavens, no. It was a ’68 2 door, with I believe an anemic 1200 motor and an automatic. It was a totally lack luster car, and was so slow, the bugs used to smash into the back window. :)
now that is slow!
I went for a ride in a Mk. II Lotus Cortina a long time ago. Still remember it fondly! And I prefer the lines of the Mk. II over the Mk. I (yes, I know, it’s not as much of a Lotus…that just means it’s more affordable.) I’d jump on this if it were local, parts car too!
No wonder it was sloooow – basic Cortinas – especially 1200s were pretty crap. Gts with a 1500cc tuned motor were great (for the period). Mine used to blast off mustangs of the time. Lotus were blisteringly quick (again for the time). Apart from the Lotus Cortina – very few cars used to pass me back in 1965 – until one day I was blitzed by a mk11 cortina – not a lotus – but I just managed to catch sight of the word Savage on the rear boot (trunk to you guys!). I had to look it up – it was a 3 litre V6 ford engined mk11 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortina_Savage – now that was really quick
My understanding is that there were only 4 Mk2 lotus cortina’s imported into the USA by Ford. What makes this a Lotus Cortina and not a 2dr Cortina Deluxe or GT?
You are correct.The USA did not get the MK11 Lotus Cortina or the 1600E.Canada got some of each.Without a VIN number it could be a GT or a Deluxe model.The vin tag on a 69 is on the dash and stamped on the right side shock tower…both of which are missing.And why did someone cut the entire firewall away??
Seems to be priced about $134.95 too high for the remaining 1% of a (potentially) bottom of the barrel British Ford. Even if you were only going “crapcan” or 24 Hr of Lemons racing, that roll bar is just scrap metal as you’d need a certified cage in it to be admitted.
I had a mk1 GT Cortina 1963 – the 1st model. Brilliant car – it was only a Lotus that would pass me.
Needed cash since I was getting married – so sold it in 1967 to a scrap yard for £240 after having no takers for the car – advertised for £275 in local papers here in Manchester area UK. Scrap yard had advertised for GTs, Mini Coopers etc. I asked the guy what he would do with it – it was in perfect running order – with Lotus wheels. Scrap man said ‘If it doesn’t sell as is in a week, I will break it for parts’. A week later, I saw the distinctive bonnet (hood to you!) on a car in the car park at my works. Sure enough, it had been scrapped. Sacrilege – wish i still had it.
This is why I love barn finds. Reading the comments here I just learned more about these cars than in my whole life. So cool. Would be a fun track car. Looks like that was what they had in mind with the roll bar.
C’mon guys, it’s worth more as scrap metal, (over here anyways).
Even if it’s a real GT, as a broken shell anyway it ‘s still worth nothing.
If you fancy a MkII, and I do/did, buy a 2 door like I did (running but rusty), very cheap, and spend a few grand to make a nice quick runabout. All the panels are available new out of the UK on the Net, and standard and competition parts are freely available.
By the way, MkII Escort running gear can be adapted easily, even rack and pinion steering, I did my own (http://www.pixelmatic.com.au/cortina/articles/racknpin.html) but you can buy the complete kit off the shelf from the UK now.
With a 1600 running twin sidedrafts & extractors, an Escort short stick box, motor moved back closer to the firewall, an Escort diff, a cam and electronic ignition, they drive and handle really well.
BTW. my son (who likes MkI Escorts (sad), has one of the original Ford factory rally cars (see pic), (retirement money).
Cheers
Tex260Z