Keith Halstead
New member
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/lis...t0-kub8GOy77YOsL-OK-EWSzRb4cSZwd7wXkH_0dqpf_c
Bought as one of the last right hand drive cars exported by Ford Motor Company to CJ Motors, Berkeley in North America in 1965, CJ had bought-in three RHD cars, just a few months before Lotus began producing LHD models. This is why this car is so unique in being a dry-state RHD example of an Aeroflow Lotus Cortina.
It was run by the first owner as the family car with occasional race and grass track work until 1981. I am still in touch with the original owner’s son who sent me a photo of the car on track when the car was only nine years old. It still looks the same and thanks to the California climate has NO rust and still has the original factory primer to the underside with no welding whatsoever.
The second Californian owner acquired the car in 1981 and sold it to the third owner in 1987 who again was California based and who appears to have kept the car until it was exported to New Zealand in 2013. It remained in N.Z until 2020 when it was imported into this country when I bought it that year and registered it for the first time.
The car comes with detailed history from new and confirms the mileage of 76,000.
Andy Morrell of the Lotus Cortina Register inspected the car shortly after I bought it and confirmed;
“…this car in an original and genuine example of a 1965 Cortina Lotus. What a pleasure it was to be able to view such a remarkably well preserved and original condition vehicle. The car has quite honestly had a charmed life after leaving the Lotus factory on 24th May 1965.”
He concludes his report with a valuation of £68,000.
Since Andy completed his report I have undertaken a number of works to improve originality by fitting the correct Ford seatbelts, Lotus only front steering arms, and Girling P14 brake calipers. I have also replaced the heater matrix and heater box (they didn’t seem to want heating in California for some reason!). Five brand new Michelin XAS FF tyres have been fitted at a cost of over £1,000 with a new (correct) steel spare wheel and fixing being sourced and fitted to the boot. The only departure from originality was to replace the wiring harness (part of which had partially melted) with one from Autosparks. I have kept the original if anyone wants to reverse the change – not recommended!
Numerous other minor mechanical works have been carried out to include but not limited to the fitting of a new return springs to both handbrake and accelerator, New headlamp bezel fixing clipset, window weatherstrip, boot seal, door check straps, and door buffer rubbers, glove box clip, cam cover gasket, bottom ball joint kit, rubber strut top mount idler arm, trackrod ends, air box back plate, braided fuel line to twin Webbers, and an overhaul of the steering box.
Needless to say, thousands have been spent on the mechanics and preserving this unique vehicle which is now ready for its new owner.
Offers invited.
John
07768 933536
View attachment 1
Bought as one of the last right hand drive cars exported by Ford Motor Company to CJ Motors, Berkeley in North America in 1965, CJ had bought-in three RHD cars, just a few months before Lotus began producing LHD models. This is why this car is so unique in being a dry-state RHD example of an Aeroflow Lotus Cortina.
It was run by the first owner as the family car with occasional race and grass track work until 1981. I am still in touch with the original owner’s son who sent me a photo of the car on track when the car was only nine years old. It still looks the same and thanks to the California climate has NO rust and still has the original factory primer to the underside with no welding whatsoever.
The second Californian owner acquired the car in 1981 and sold it to the third owner in 1987 who again was California based and who appears to have kept the car until it was exported to New Zealand in 2013. It remained in N.Z until 2020 when it was imported into this country when I bought it that year and registered it for the first time.
The car comes with detailed history from new and confirms the mileage of 76,000.
Andy Morrell of the Lotus Cortina Register inspected the car shortly after I bought it and confirmed;
“…this car in an original and genuine example of a 1965 Cortina Lotus. What a pleasure it was to be able to view such a remarkably well preserved and original condition vehicle. The car has quite honestly had a charmed life after leaving the Lotus factory on 24th May 1965.”
He concludes his report with a valuation of £68,000.
Since Andy completed his report I have undertaken a number of works to improve originality by fitting the correct Ford seatbelts, Lotus only front steering arms, and Girling P14 brake calipers. I have also replaced the heater matrix and heater box (they didn’t seem to want heating in California for some reason!). Five brand new Michelin XAS FF tyres have been fitted at a cost of over £1,000 with a new (correct) steel spare wheel and fixing being sourced and fitted to the boot. The only departure from originality was to replace the wiring harness (part of which had partially melted) with one from Autosparks. I have kept the original if anyone wants to reverse the change – not recommended!
Numerous other minor mechanical works have been carried out to include but not limited to the fitting of a new return springs to both handbrake and accelerator, New headlamp bezel fixing clipset, window weatherstrip, boot seal, door check straps, and door buffer rubbers, glove box clip, cam cover gasket, bottom ball joint kit, rubber strut top mount idler arm, trackrod ends, air box back plate, braided fuel line to twin Webbers, and an overhaul of the steering box.
Needless to say, thousands have been spent on the mechanics and preserving this unique vehicle which is now ready for its new owner.
Offers invited.
John
07768 933536
View attachment 1
