1966 Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1 Saloon
Registration no. UTB 251D
Chassis no. BA85EG59584

Throughout the 1960s Ford pursued an ambitious and wide-ranging motor sports programme - 'Total Performance' - that would see the 'Blue Oval' triumph at Le Mans with the GT40, while Ford-powered cars also won at Indianapolis and took the Formula 1 World Championship. In Group 2 production car racing the firm was just as dominant, thanks to one particular model: the Ford Lotus Cortina. Ford's Walter Hayes commissioned Lotus boss Colin Chapman to develop the Group 2 competition version of the new Cortina saloon; Lotus would then build the 1,000 cars required for homologation. Launched in 1963, the Lotus Cortina - Cortina Lotus in Ford parlance - featured the Elan's Ford-based, twin-overhead-camshaft, 1,558cc engine in the two-door bodyshell. McPherson strut independent front suspension was retained, with revised spring and damper rates, while the rear leaf springs were replaced by coil-spring/damper units, axle location being achieved by trailing arms and an 'A' bracket. The adoption of an alloy differential casing proved a mixed blessing, the lightweight component proving far less oil-tight than the original. Reversion to Ford's standard leaf-sprung axle cured the problem. Its early outings had proved that the Lotus Cortina was fast, but the handling was far from perfect and designer Len Terry was asked to make the necessary changes to the rear axle's locating arrangements. Production of the Lotus Cortina began in February 1963 but it was not until September of that year that it was eligible to race. Driven by Jack Sears, a works Lotus Cortina finished 1st in class on the model's racing debut at Oulton Park on 20th September, with Trevor Taylor second. The following year the late Jim Clark, a supremely gifted driver who seemingly could do anything with any car, took the British Touring Car Championship driving a works-entered example. Clark's spirited driving of the Lotus Cortina, often cornering with only three wheels on the ground, will never be forgotten by those privileged enough to have witnessed it. Lotus Cortinas dominated saloon car racing's 2-litre class, often challenging for outright honours. Works cars were driven by Clark, Graham Hill, Peter Arundell and Jackie Ickx while Sir John Whitmore, driving an Alan Mann-entered Lotus Cortina, was European Touring Car Champion in 1965. After the axle change the hitherto fragile Lotus Cortina proved a highly capable rally car, works driver Bengt Soderstrom winning the Acropolis and RAC rallies in 1966. The right-hand drive example offered here is a late MkI example made in 1966 and retains its original old-style green logbook. It was professionally re-engineered as a competition car in 2008/2009 and has the all-important MSA Historic Technical Passport. Over the past three years it has been raced extensively by Nick Naismith and John Young in the U2TC and Masters series. Ready to race, the car comes with a large file of bills (too long to list here) relating to its original restoration and subsequent work, which includes a fresh 180bhp engine - built by Roxwell Racing for this season – incorporating a new cylinder block, crankshaft, con-rods, pistons and valve gear. The transmission comprises an original cast-iron gearbox fitted with Quaife straight-cut gear cluster (period ratios) plus an alloy bell housing, tail housing and remote assembly. The rear axle features an alloy differential casing, extensive internal axle case strengthening and modified half shafts, plus 4.7:1 and 4.4:1 final drive-ratio limited slip differentials. There is also, needless to say, full race suspension and a high-ratio steering box, and the car comes with two sets of lightweight alloy wheels plus four original steel wheels (in excellent condition). Noteworthy body and interior features include a Gartrac fuel tank; Custom Cages rollover cage; brand new Sparco Evo 2 Plus seat; Willans six-point harness; Spa 'Firesense' electric extinguisher; and original style dashboard and instruments.