Readers’ Wheels: Save Oh Save!
Words: Simon Charlesworth on 10/01/2012 – 11:40 am6 Comments
Our viewpoint of the little-missed Scrappage Scheme is well-known and hopefully, all those soul-less ghouls who chopped in lovely long-life cars are now realising their mistake.
Give it a few more years and their cut-price plastic hatchback – engineered with all the longevity of yoghurt – will soon be presenting issues which are not ‘economically viable’ to fix.
After this government-sponsored satanic sacrifice, it is therefore more important than ever to keep an eye out for old cars in need of TLC. Trawl the ’Trader, have a shufty in the back of your local rag – do whatever is necessary to save our way of life.
Rob Osborne is a case in point. He got in touch with us asking if we’d like to see some pix of his W-reg MkV Cortina 1.6GLS – a car that was in danger of being crushed – and we can’t believe our eyes. It looks stunning!
Rob writes: ‘The car was and always has been in Kingston – the guy who owned it, just let it sit in a garage. When he came to get rid of it, it was sold to the guy I bought it from and he put it through an MoT. It failed on brakes, brake lines, wheel cylinders, bulbs and tyres. The usual issues from over 20 years in storage. He thought he would see what it needed and if it was too much, he’d send it to the scrapper!
‘He then had it move out of his house and needed the cash. I saw it advertised, so bought it. The car, in theory, still needs work as the brakes are spongy as hell, the carb is shot and the exhaust back-box has rotted through.
‘So far we’ve fitted a new cambelt, the waterpump was also shot and we changed the fluids to be on the safe side – but it is totally original and well worth buying.
‘We will be showing it off this year, it’s got lots of history and some details from when it was new. Even the original owner’s insurance policy from 1981 and details of his holiday to France, are still in it.
‘The car is rot free and we will be using it all over the country, celebrating 50 years of the Cortina – and we’re going to Holland for the European Ford Event in FlevOnice. Here are some pix – what do you guys think? Scrapper? I don’t think so…’
Damn right Rob. It seems hardly credible that someone was going to weigh-in a read-drive Ford. So, excellent work! Hopefully your Cortina preservation story will inspire others to save a retro classic.
If you have a similar tale, then do drop us a line. Just fill this in.
Related articles:
That is stunning!, and being a “S” spec it’s also very rare now, well done on saving it!
It is an absolute beauty. Pump it full of Waxoyl and enjoy! Thankfully, it’s found a great home.
Wow. That is mint! Get busy with the Waxoyl ASAP I say. Lovely to see it looking so good.
Fantastic find!
I had a 2.3 GLS back in 89 that was in worse condition!
It’s good to know that cars like this are still out there.
PURE BELTER MATE BRINGS BACK MEMORIES. MY DAD HAD ARIZONA GOLD CORTINA GHIA BLACK VINYL ROOF. THEY JUST DONT MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO …..