The Ford Cortina is one of those cars that I’ve always wanted to drive but have never come remotely close to having the chance to do so. It’s just a vehicle that I don’t cross paths with often, either through my social circles or enthusiast groups. Nobody owns one! So when clean examples like this survivor-grade 1970 Ford Cortina GT pop up here on eBay, you can bet I take notice. Whether it’s the fancy script in the emblems or just the way it wears the old-school hubcaps so well, I always felt these squared-off coupes just oozed class. And of course, with the hotted-up Lotus version in the family, there’s likely more than a few parts that will swap over for a period correct resto-mod. This example is in Canada and has been bid to over $4K with the reserve unmet; what do you think it should sell for?
My ex-wife had one of these — not a GT, as she came from a practical family — when we met. In fact, if this one spent its whole life in North Saanich, they could have come from the same dealer.
I remember it as a nice car to drive — not as nice as the Lotus version, as I found out later! — and remember the vehicle inspectors in British Columbia popped it for rusty shock towers. I would guess many Cortinas suffered from this, as the dealer had a patch kit ready to go.
This one looks like a nice buy, if slightly expensive.
I grew up in Michigan and there where a few there.
I would keep it as is.
I have owned my 1970 Cortina since new , put 60,000 miles on her in 1st year. Then started the conversion over to a road race car. After many years of modifications we are still racing the Cortina and just got back from putting a new driver threw race school.
Back to Atlantic Motorsport Park (Nova Scotia) tomorrow for a full day of racing.
See our videos and more information at http://www.elliottracingatlantic.com
Very col daily driver. With the price of fixed roof 105 Alfas going up, this could be viewed as a decent alternative. Too bad its north of the boarder. I heard from others that importing is not very hard to do, but it is still a PIA.
Over here in the UK there would be a line round the block for this-and if it were
a Mk 1 then round the next 10 blocks and then out of sight !
Much sort after in Lotus or GT form and this one looks lovely (not sure of the colour though)
As Ian says if this was in the UK the price would be a lot higher and there would be a large line of buyers.
I prefer the UK style GT dash with the center gauges sitting slightly raised but then that’s just personal taste.
all in its a nice example.
http://www.bestcarsin.com/manufacturers/ford/ford-cortina/ford-cortina-gt/ford-cortina-gt-1.jpg
My ex-wife also had one of these things when we got married (she’d bought it new, with help from her parents, right out of high school). I hated the damn thing, it was one of the worst, most unreliable cars I’ve ever dealt with (and that includes my ’69 340 Cuda fastback, which was fun and fast, and a world-class P.O.S. that I still have warm-fuzzies for). It, the Cortina, made my TR3-A (wish I still had it) and a good friend’s XJ6C (which he still has) seem like paragons of quality and dependability.My ex, with estrogen-drenched logic, repeatedly tried to justify the thing’s unreliability by it’s being “cute” and having “a big trunk.”
My first car!!! ( A 67 but looked just like this)
Mine was wine red and included the fog/driving lights on the front bumper. It was a mini gas dragster. With the 1600cc Kent engine, 4-2-1 headers and a weber 2bbl this thing would smoke MGS at the stop lights. Its handling was also good but suffered from the right to left hand drive conversion/ rengineering. All the heavy components ended up on the left in line with the driver. They were placed there in the original design to balance the weight of the driver. But not shifted when the steering wheel moved. There was also a difference side to side in the position of the struts as I recall. We hole quick and fairly good handling I do remember seeing several of them tipped over on the interstate around St.Louis from a too sudden lane change. Mine perished after going end over end after tangling with a coal truck coming in to Birmingham. The roof did not collapse and the doors still opened and shut.
I loved mine. But wouldn’t pay twice what it cost new for a used one now.
My old man bought and sold used cars, as a sideline, and in the early 70’s, he picked up a ’68 Cortina, just like this, only not a GT. Matter of fact, I’m surprised there is such a car, as I remember it being a pretty basic car. The old man bought it (cheap) stuffed hard in the passenger door. He had it repaired, and he let my brother take it to school. Some kid lost control of his parents barge of a car, wiped out 4 parked cars, including, you guessed it, the poor Cortina.
I just sold the last piece of my 1968 Cortina on ebay about a month ago. The reason there are so few of these around now are because of rust and kids like me tortured them in the 70s.
Once the body was done, the engine found it’s way into a race car. Very popular Ford 1600 classes for Formula Ford etc.
I was going to say exactly the same as Ian and James – this would be a very popular auction if the car was in England. The Cortina was one of the best selling cars over here but are very rare now. Lovely car and nice find.
Dash does not look correct for a GT model.
dash is fine for a GT…69-70 GT’s had a real wood overlay held on with 5 screws.same as my 69 GT.nice unmolested model.
Here’s it’s original classified ad. I was thinking of buying it and selling it on ebay, I guess I wasn’t quick enough!
http://www.usedvancouver.com/classified-ad/Cortina_25012979
Had a GT in the early 70’s, could have been the lotus version for all I know. It had headers, offenhauser intake, 4 barrel carb and a hi po cam I believe. Fast little car but the engine did not last, I was 20 or so and beat the hell out of it. Wish I’d kept it now.
Had 2 GTs back in the day – great summer car with tough motor (stock 1600 cc with weber carb and header) that would take abuse – not particularly fast by today’s standards but fun to drive hard – unfortunately they rusted badly in Canada with road salt and absolutely useless in Winter – would not start on really cold days and front braking bias (weight and discs on front only) mean’t you would slide in a straight line the minute you touched the brakes on an icy road.
owned a mercury cortina GT bought in canada owned during 6 years of 3 in germany and bought back to canada wish i could find one was my first car loved it