RE: PH Heroes: Lotus Cortina

[rallycross]

think this is the best PH hero so far, brilliant, have tried to buyt a couple of Mk2 lotus cortina's never driven one yet..

[V6 Addict]

What a great noise that engine made! And a lovely looking car too.

[Kottens]

a drive with a Cortina Lotus in the historic belgium championship 2004/2007

[dinkel]

V6 Addict said:

What a great noise that engine made! And a lovely looking car too.

Here in the Europa:

[duggan]

Here's a few pics of my old locort:

[crossle]

When I was a kid, in 1964-65 ish, our neighbour had a brand new one...

And he was an engineer working on the development of Concorde...

I thought he and his car were the coolest thing ever!

[dinkel]

That's my snap with the smoke around the car

[Who me ?]

Beutiful motor -even if I only got to drive one once and not enough experience to enjoy it -believe it or not belonged to one of the partners of the driving school I used (can't remember the reason for getting it that night ,but WOW)

[Will1602]

I'd pay £910 for one!

To be completely honest I would give everything away (everything that wouldn't hinder driving it) for one.

[LuS1fer]

mikebrownhill said:

The gearbox being referred to was from the Corsair 2 ltr V4 of those days - close ratio and straight cut gears - fitted to the 2000E and the now largely forgotten Corsair GT. I had a GT and the interior was a gem, lovely gauges, quality trim and the original small leather steering wheel...ahh, but the engine was a dog - I changed that many head gaskets I could do it by the side of the road in the end and then continue the journey - was it the same engine as in the Transit Van? They must have improved its cooling later if it was.

They used the V4 in the Corsair, Transit and the early Capris (not Consul Capris, actual Capris)but not for long.

[mark_mcd]

Can we please get the title image as the next 'PIC OF THE WEEK'?

[fastandcurious]

A mate of mine crashed one in the 70s when you could still buy a ropey Mk1 Lotus for a few hundred quid. He turned up to the pub the following night on crutches. The car was a total mess. the roll cage saved him. It was years later that I realised these cars capabilities when I went to a Pre '65 saloon race car meeting at Brands Hatch. They wiped the floor with every thing including Ford Mustangs, Jags, etc... Respect

[hman]

was there also a "savage" cortina which was meant to be fairly loony too?

[Jasper Gilder]

Yes - It was built by Jeff Uren as I recall - had the V6 engine. Never saw one - I was far too busy trying to make my Mk1 4 door go as well as a Lotus - just as I was getting there some bas***d nicked it and stripped it

[aeropilot]

hman said:

was there also a "savage" cortina which was meant to be fairly loony too?

Made in West London, by Jeff Uren's Raceproved outfit.

The old guy who's been doing by MOT's for years and helped me on occasions with my old Sunbeam-Lotus, used to work at Race Proved building the Savage Cortina's. A lot of the current owners of Savage cars bring their cars to him for working on and looking after as a result.

Edited by aeropilot on Friday 9th January 08:52

[aeropilot]

infradig said:

Also the '2000e' box was never officially known as such, it was I think the'Rocket' box and the ratios used in V4 200E Corsairs were closer than in other Fords of the day- It must have convinced me because I broke an immaculate Corsair when I was 17 just for the gearbox to put in my Mk2 Cortina!

The close ratio version of the 2000E 'box was known as a 'Bullet' 'box.
The 'Rocket' box was the name given to the close ration version of the later Type E gearbox as fitted to the Escort RS2000's.

[Beefmeister]

A guy at work snapped this a while back, bloody lovely:

[Bizzarini]

This may be of interest ?.......in one facility not far from where they were built. If needed I can go through the history of each of the five cars.

[aeropilot]

Bizzarini said:

This may be of interest ?.......in one facility not far from where they were built. If needed I can go through the history of each of the five cars.

Isn't VAR one of the original press cars......or something like that.....memories getting a bit faded.

Is the 3rd one along the ex-Jim Clark car works car..?

Looks like a 289 Cobra on the right too.

Some garage.....

[Bizzarini]

From another angle....



Closest car is the the most famous team Cortina of all PHK 614D. The Clark BRM fuel injected engined car. Very special suspension. Under the rear seats you can see all sorts of fabrication.

First car, an early pre-Airflow model, was owned by the 'master criminal' Bruce Reynolds..of Great Train Robbery fame.