"In response to the huge success of the Mini, Ford responded not with a small car but with a larger family offering which they could sell in large numbers. The result was the Cortina; a distinctively styled, mass-market compact car aimed at buyers of the Morris Oxford and Vauxhall Victor. It launched on 20th September 1962 and sold extremely well. It was produced in five generations (Mk. I through to Mk. V) although officially the last one was called the Cortina 80. With variants of the Cortina reaching sales of over one million and each successive model proving more popular than its predecessor, such was its fame in the UK that the BBC Two documentary series Arena once devoted an entire programme to the car and its enthusiasts. With eye-catching modern styling, it was originally branded as the Consul Cortina until a modest facelift in 1964, after which it was sold simply as the Cortina but with four trim levels; Standard, Deluxe, Super and GT.
Originally registered on 10th May 1966, this stylish Ford is one of approximately 50 Cortinas converted by Crayford into a convertible. The lines of the Mk. I lends itself to being a convertible and this example, with its blue coachwork and hood together with the contrasting red interior, is certainly aesthetically pleasing. The car fell into disrepair in the late 80’s and was sold in 1988 for £1,000 as a restoration project to Mr Paul Brench from Wiltshire who set about restoring the car. Presenting now in delightful condition, the interior benefits from having the additional dials from a GT and a remote gear lever. Supplied with a V5C registration document, this Cortina Mk. I Crayford is very rare and will certainly turn heads wherever she appears."