The original Cortina launched in 1962 as Ford's affordable family car.  By the time the MKIII released the car had undergone drastic changes both aesthetically and mechanically. 

No longer using a McPherson strut suspension setup and sharing almost all the parts of the european Ford Taunus the cortina also received a substantial styling overhaul adopting what many refer to as the “coke bottle” design. 

The MKIII also prompted a change in how Crayford produced their convertible conversions. For the MKIII they left the pillars and gutters in place when the hood is rolled back, massively increasing the chassis strength against the previous versions.

There is also a folding support bar that can be raised or lowered that further increased chassis strength making the MKIII crayfords far superior to drive compared to the earlier soft top conversion models.

The current owner bought the car in 2007 after having one back in the 70’s and always regretting selling it!

During his ownership the car has gone to several shows as well as being used for some general driving, but now the owner finds he uses the car less and less and would like to move it onto a home where someone can use and enjoy this car as it should be.

There is a pile of old MOTs up until 2019 alongside the V5, otherwise there is no other paperwork with the car.

Whilst the interior would benefit from some attention it is all original and still provides a comfortable ride. The passenger seat has unfortunately split along the stitching as can be seen in the photos and there is extensive wear visible on all seats, trim and dashboard.

All of the dials work as they should and the only things missing are the clock and the knob for the window handle on the drivers side. The radio doesn’t currently work, but we’d rather be listening to the engine anyway!

Whilst not perfect the car benefits from having had a respray in dark burgundy in 2009 and the combination of the colour and the chromework certainly make this Cortina very eye-catching.

The paintwork is generally good with a couple of small areas of bubbling on the body next to the bonnet and on the front wings on both sides. The brightwork is generally good to very good with some minor surface imperfections that could be taken care of with a good polishing session.

All four wheels are solid with no real signs of corrosion and would look fantastic with a little paint and polish. Overall the car presents well and its distinctive styling combined with its deep burgundy colour will attract attention wherever it goes.

The car has been well maintained by the current owner and has had a new alternator, battery, replacement gearbox (5 speed), fuel tank, new rubber doughnut on the propshaft, upper oil seal clutch, discs and pads (front) and master cylinder. 

Whilst the dash shows some 20,000 miles we think this will be its second time round and that the true mileage will be closer to 120,000. There is visible perishing on several of the tyres and we would recommend having these changed. 

It starts nicely and once warmed up it idles well and sounds fantastic. The 1.6 litre SOHC engine pulls very well from the off and coupled with the 5 speed box makes this Cortina a pleasure to drive.

The MKIII Cortina is an iconic car with classic 70’s styling and the Crayford “Sunshine Conversions” are becoming increasingly sought after. 

The combination of 5 speed gearbox married to a 2 litre engine give this cortina a significant performance advantage over the more common 1.6 engine and four speed box variant that results in a car that's much more enjoyable to drive, combine this with the drop top and it makes for a fantastic classic car driving experience. 

Whilst not perfect, it’s a solid car in good mechanical condition and it wouldn’t take too much to get it up to standard, or just enjoy it as it is. 

The extensive chrome work on the MKIII Cortina combined with the dark burgundy paint make for a striking combination, get bidding now - cars one won’t hang around!