Ford Cortina Mk2 1600E

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One of the best-loved versions of the Ford Cortina appeared in 1967. The 1600E offered a unique blend of sports styling combined with a raft of luxury features thanks to its comprehensive specification.

Its sporting credentials came from the lowered, Lotus Cortina suspension and a high-tune GT 1600 Kent engine. Inside, luxuries included a woodgrain dashboard and door cappings, bucket seating, full instrumentation and a gorgeous sports steering wheel, thought by many to be the sexiest of its type. A black grille, tail panel, front fog lights and plated Rostyle wheels distinguished it externally. Production ended in 1970 and despite attempts at reviving the idea of an ‘Executive’ version of other, later models, Ford never recaptured the original success of the Cortina Mk II-based 1600E.

First registered in 1970, this 1600E is a genuine BA97 chassis numbered car from the tail-end of production. Sporting the revised black-painted front grille and separate, block-lettering on the bonnet and boot lid of the later cars, it also retains the correct flat dashboard that accommodates the extra dials and gauges so distinctive of the 1600E. The dash top remains in good condition, a known problem area on these cars.

Thought to have originally been supplied in Oyster Blue, a repaint and colour change to black took place in 2002. A silver Lotus Cortina-style side-stripe has been applied to the flanks of the car, in vinyl so it can be easily removed if desired.

The vendor is unable to substantiate the indicated 31,700 miles on the odometer and doesn’t believe it to be correct. There are 13 old MOT certificates on file, the current ticket expiring in May 2016 and it comes with the original handbook, a correct Ford sales brochure and some invoices for work carried out over the years.

This beautifully presented 1600E comes from a small collection of classic cars entered by Pete Tomlinson whose aim was to amass all the cars he dreamed of owning as a young-man. The collection is being sold to make way for a building project.