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Berlinetta Weekly – Lot 16 – 1965 Lotus Cortina (Unfinished Restoration)
Registration number: PTU 98C
Chassis Number: BA 74 EA 59439
Overview:
‘How can a man have a wife and a family, and a Lotus?’
Lotus Cars advertisment for the Lotus Cortina, 1965.
As Lotus worked tirelessly in the early 1960s to gain a toe hold in the British car market it was clear that though kudos and some profit was to be had from the specialist sports car market, the Elan and 7 were never going to provide the cash-flow and volume they required to break away from their ‘lock-up round the back of my Dad’s pub’ roots. What was required was a volume seller and when Uncle Henry came looking for a halo car complete with World Champions’ lustre, Lotus were only too delighted to help out especially when the deal was to add their own brand of magic by bolting bits onto a complete body-shell. Ford delivered painted (just the white though, Lotus had to do the green ‘flashes’ otherwise they wouldn’t have been proper ‘go faster’ would they!) and trimmed shells from their Dagenham plant to the relatively modest Lotus works in Cheshunt where some of the winning DNA from the Type 33 Grand Prix cars being assembled just a brick wall or two away would hopefully rub off on the capable if a little dull family car. Lotus hung the race developed suspension on for full three wheel cornering, plumbed in the brakes and inserted the key to the cars’ performance – the legendary Twin Cam engine along with its associated gearbox and prop-shaft.
Result? A quick and capable family saloon that Lotus could race on a Sunday and Ford could sell on a Monday, along with bucket loads of 1200 Deluxes.
This Lotus Cortina is offered midway through being restored by a regrettably deceased marque expert for his own use with a number of sensible modifications entirely in keeping with its original specification and purpose when new in 1965. The intention was to build the car to ‘Fast Road’ specification though all the modifications are ‘bolt on, bolt off’ meaning the car can be returned to Factory Standard with ease. An apparently rebuilt Big Valve engine has been fitted, mated to what looks to be a standard ‘2000E’ type gearbox. A lightweight bellhousing and differential nose piece are also in place along with uprated suspension.
The ‘Airflow’ body-shell is in stunning order, resplendent in its Ermine White with Sherwood Green flash; you could eat your dinner off the underside (not entirely practical admittedly) of the car never mind the more visible panels. If this was being built as a ‘driver’ one can only wonder what the builder’s concours versions were like. The shell is in leaf spring configuration which ties in with the change over from an A frame and coil sprung rear suspension that is thought to have occurred in the early summer of 1965. The bonnet, boot and doors are all aluminium as was standard on the early cars and remained an option in later production.
In an advanced state of build the Cortina appears to be virtually complete. Though we haven’t been through every box of new and original parts that accompanies the car a cursory inspection failed to locate the front ¼ bumpers or instruments though an SE leather bound steering wheel is in place.
As pictures really are worth a thousand words, we suggest interested parties carefully examine the photos in the gallery to ascertain the standard of work that has been carried out so far and also the critical features specific to a Lotus Cortina and satisfy themselves as to the shell’s specification.
We feel this Lotus Cortina represents a fantastic project requiring no specialist skills such as welding or painting to complete, on which many a happy hour can be spent, not in the pub. Ideal for either its originally intended ‘thrash down the lanes’ purpose, its current state would also make it an ideal candidate for completion as a competition car, either on the circuits or rally stages.
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