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DO YOU REMEMBER – THE ORIGINAL FORD CORTINA GT?

‘Pure Ford fire, neatly packed into the race-bred, over-square engine’. That is how Dagenham marketed their first post-war car to bear the “GT” badge. Back in April 1963 the latest version of the Consul Cortina was ideal for a driver who required more performance than a Super and who regarded the MG Magnette Mk. IV as too expensive.

And for just £748 5s 10d, you gained a 95-mph car with a heater, windscreen washers and front centre armrest/glove box. As this was a sports saloon, the instruments naturally included a tachometer mounted on the steering column plus an ammeter and oil pressure gauge apparently designed to be read by the driver’s left kneecap. The two-door version was the most popular in export markets, while domestic customers preferred four doors.

The GT was developed on the orders of Vic Raviolo, at that time Ford GB’s Head of Engineering. He was so taken with the Cortina’s 1.5-litre engine that he ordered a sporting version, one that had to be created within just six months. The 78 bhp 1,483cc unit was developed with the assistance of Cosworth Engineering. The plant featured a modified cylinder head, a raised compression-ratio, a four-branch exhaust system and a dual-choke. A remote-control lever controlled the transmission, and the specification also included enlarged rear drums and front disc brakes.

The Consul Cortina GT was not an overly flamboyant machine, with shield-shaped logos on the rear wings denoting its status; the era of the Ro-Style wheel lay several years in the future. Walter Hayes, Ford’s then Head of PR, recalled the name came about after the company ‘sent somebody to Halfords to buy the prettiest badge to put on it. The prettiest badge he could find had “GT” on it, so we bought one’.

The Cortina was facelifted in late 1964, losing the Consul prefix and gaining amber front indicator and Areoflow ventilation. Autocar tested a GT four-door in January 1965 and noted it was ‘the fastest five-seater you can buy for less than £800’. At £780 18s 9d, the Ford was indeed a bargain, even if the owner invested a further £8 3s 6d in a wood-rim steering wheel.

September 1966 saw the Cortina Mk. II replace the Mk. I, by which time the GT had created its own niche in the British car market. Bill Boddy of Motor Sport was so impressed that he wrote in 1964 ‘this remarkable GT goes surprisingly well in comparison with many larger and/or more expensive ears, and even sports car’. Not to mention winning that year’s East African Safari - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXGHetO_zS4

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Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
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Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your Ford today.