Ford Cortina 1964

This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2025 on Saturday the 8th of November, NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT. , Sometimes a restoration transcends the mechanical and becomes an act of devotion. Such is the case with this remarkable Ford Consul Cortina Mk1 1500 Super, rediscovered in 2017 as a forlorn shell in a part-exposed barn in Garstang, Lancashire, and brought painstakingly and lovingly back to a level of perfection far beyond anything Ford could have imagined when it first left Dagenham in April 1964.Having lain dormant since 1992, the Cortina (the Consul name was dropped in late 1964) was acquired by our vendor as a dismantled project, twice sold as a would-be restoration but never completed. It was, quite literally, a jigsaw in boxes, yet all the key elements of originality remained. The brief was ambitious: a full nut and bolt rebuild to concours standards, but still capable of being driven and enjoyed.The bare shell was sent to Environmental Stripping in Staffordshire, revealing sound metal beneath the surface grime but also the scale of the challenge ahead. A suitable craftsman was found in Craig Watton of Classic and Custom Services, Castleford, West Yorkshire, widely respected in Cortina circles for the exceptional quality of his work. The brief demanded perfection, with flawless shut lines, invisible welding and a bodyshell worthy of a factory prototype. Hundreds of hours later, that vision was realised. The shell was re-dipped and treated in epoxy primer by Ribble Technology in Lancashire, its electrostatic coating ensuring long term protection, before being refinished under Watton’s supervision in the factory colours of Ambassador Blue with a Platinum Grey roof. Reassembly followed with surgical precision. Every component was restored when possible and if not, replaced with new/old stock or purchased from the very helpful Mk1 Cortina Club. Bodywork panels were supplied mainly by Expressed Panels (such is the quality, they are actually endorsed by Ford), before being refitted with the utmost care. The interior was retrimmed in the correct Kingston Blue and Lucerne Blue, while the 1,498cc pre-crossflow engine was fully rebuilt to original specification with valves upgraded for modern fuel. Other sensible upgrades included H&H electronic ignition, a laminated windscreen, front disc brakes with servo assistance, and suspension rebuilt to factory geometry by GAZ Shocks.Although not a Lotus or GT, this 1500 Super embodies the very best of period Ford refinement, light, lively and wonderfully easy to drive. Its quality speaks for itself. At its first major outing, the Mk1 Cortina Owners Club National Show in 2021, it won Best in Class and Overall Supreme Champion, a feat repeated in 2024, making it a rare double National Champion. It also claimed Car of the Show at the Caerwys Classic Car and Bike Show 2023 in North Wales and has twice been exhibited at the NEC Classic Motor Show, driving to and from the venue on each occasion.Featured in a six-page spread in RetroFord magazine in May 2025 and widely admired online, this Cortina is no trailer queen. Averaging fewer than 1,000 miles a year, it is meticulously serviced, oil changed every winter, coolant upgraded to Evans Waterless, always garaged, covered and never driven in the rain.Originally supplied by Hockey’s Garage Ltd of Chard, Somerset, and first registered on 1st June 1964, it is accompanied by its original service book, owner’s handbook and Ford repair charges schedule.A truly exceptional Mk1 Cortina, restored to Concours d'Elegance standard, twice a National Champion and among the very finest examples in existence.