A
Anonymous
Guest
This is a tale of right place right time and some knowledge ...
So anyway ,I have been after a Lotus for some time ,The prices said are you mad ,The misses said maybe one day when we can afford one etc etc ..
Well I was browsing the net like you do and stumbled upon a post off a guy regarding 3
Cortinas in a barn ,Now you all say where? Well you know that dreaded social networking site most people deny using?
Anyway The guy worked for TNT and obviously he got a bit interested in a couple of old cars and a run down old building ,He took a few dreadful pictures and posted them ,I was reading the silly replies ,There escorts there capris ,There this that and the other ...,So i contacted him and told him what he had found and that i was interested in them ,So that was July 2014 .
I kept asking him about them and the post disappeared,Eventually i got a reply in mid september,Saying he wanted the pre aeroflow ,Well i was a little disappointed as that is my favourite car !
Anyway we kept chatting and arranged a visit ,The guy that found them was seriously worried i would say where they were? No chance i had my mind set on these cars !
So we met up and he took me on a bit of a detour ,Obviously trying to keep there location hidden ...
On arrival the old boy who owned the unit was not happy at all
And had a few harsh words to say to the finder,I swayed him with my charm and my three year old son won him over ,This guy was passionate about his hoard!
Let me explain a little about John the custodian ,This guy has lived a great life having owned Jaguars E types xk 120-150's mk2 jags etc etc ,He has driven racing cars including bugatti's ,He has competed etc etc ,His first experiences of driving were on a family farm his grandad had ,And that was a bugatti as a 13-14 year old lad ! ,So petrol runs deep and so does his knowledge and passion for cars .His wife loved the Cortina's So he first bought her a Lotus mk1 pre aeroflow J*****B registered late in 1964 ,
This car was a little jem back in the day and she looked after it well ,It was layed up in the early 80's after the A frame chassis started to show signs of
corrosion,Unfortunately John covered it over at the back of his workshop for 3 years ,And forgot about it ,While he removed the mk1 from the road his good lady wife travelled around looking for a replacement ,She went to view a coppers mk2 lotus that was for sale ,Just while her mk1 was being sorted,Well John had his own car business ,And was very busy ,And she wanted a new toy ,So she viewed it telephoned John and the deal was done ,Enter L*****H
A clean solid example ,This car was never left out side ,After about 3 years of collecting bits to restore the mk1,John moved the mk1 inside for a light restoration ,Unfortunately this never happened as the council stepped in and closed him down due to being to close to recently built houses ,Im not sure why but he just locked the garage and forgot about them ,While he had the mk1 layed up he picked up another 2 door donor (A genuine GT) and all three were locked away ,I think the mk2 was used very briefly ,I need to find out more as i love history !
Around the same time Sadly his lady wife passed away ,He could not bring himself to part with them for all these years .Oddly to me , lots of locals turned up when we were removing the cars to help us ,This guy is well respected in Stoke on Trent .They all played in the yard to the rear of his old business as kids,and all had tails of the cars ,And most of them new they had gone in there ,Yet Knowone ever really asked him for them ? Thank you god...I gifted the GT as a finders fee to Roy the lad who found tgem and went up with a big bag of cash for John ,We spent a few hours making sure he was ok to finally let them go ,And aranged to collect them the next day ... Talk about sleepless nights !
When i collected them John looked dreadfully nervous ,I made sure he was fine and even offered to leave them be ,But he's keen to see them done ! And done they will be ...
I am visiting John before Christmas to find out more about the cars ,He looked after them well having hos own garage and a great mechanic who is his best mate and work partner ,Trevor a very knowledgable guy !
The mk2 is in fantastic condition for a 69 car ,Ok it needs a few bits doing but its unbelievably good .With all parts there!
The Mk1 needs inner outer sills ,A posts ,Wings inner tops and floors
And bits here and there ,But is complete !
I have both log books both state Lotus Cortina with the correct chassis numbers Z74D424 /BA91 ,And loads of nos panels and parts to get on with .There both obviously genuine un messed with cars ,The only welding i can see that was done is on the mk1 front suspension tops etc
They both have low miles 33k and 40k respectively .And John insists they are correct miles !
I took some 70 photos of the lockup and cars on collection
I will try to post a few on here for you to enjoy ,Im no photographer and it was a cold day ,Probably one of my best days ever !
Any way i will let the pictures do the talking
The original owners husband John
This old garage they were laid up in for 33 years
Note the 70's crappy light green stripe over the original green colour
The finders fee
My son and a good mate
The mk2
Sleeping beauties
Hidden in the basement to stop the gypoes knicking them
Home after a long long day
Check them head lines out lol
Obviously theres a load more pictures ,But for now id like to thank Roy the finder,John the owner ,And at least ten local lads who all chipped in to help us and especially John ,Who was devastated to see his wifes pride and joys leave the fold .Thanks to my son Callum and good mate Paul .I could not have got these without you guys ,
Please do not share my pictures or this story without permission,It will be properly written out in due course
Enjoy :thumbup:
So anyway ,I have been after a Lotus for some time ,The prices said are you mad ,The misses said maybe one day when we can afford one etc etc ..
Well I was browsing the net like you do and stumbled upon a post off a guy regarding 3
Cortinas in a barn ,Now you all say where? Well you know that dreaded social networking site most people deny using?
Anyway The guy worked for TNT and obviously he got a bit interested in a couple of old cars and a run down old building ,He took a few dreadful pictures and posted them ,I was reading the silly replies ,There escorts there capris ,There this that and the other ...,So i contacted him and told him what he had found and that i was interested in them ,So that was July 2014 .
I kept asking him about them and the post disappeared,Eventually i got a reply in mid september,Saying he wanted the pre aeroflow ,Well i was a little disappointed as that is my favourite car !
Anyway we kept chatting and arranged a visit ,The guy that found them was seriously worried i would say where they were? No chance i had my mind set on these cars !
So we met up and he took me on a bit of a detour ,Obviously trying to keep there location hidden ...
On arrival the old boy who owned the unit was not happy at all
And had a few harsh words to say to the finder,I swayed him with my charm and my three year old son won him over ,This guy was passionate about his hoard!
Let me explain a little about John the custodian ,This guy has lived a great life having owned Jaguars E types xk 120-150's mk2 jags etc etc ,He has driven racing cars including bugatti's ,He has competed etc etc ,His first experiences of driving were on a family farm his grandad had ,And that was a bugatti as a 13-14 year old lad ! ,So petrol runs deep and so does his knowledge and passion for cars .His wife loved the Cortina's So he first bought her a Lotus mk1 pre aeroflow J*****B registered late in 1964 ,
This car was a little jem back in the day and she looked after it well ,It was layed up in the early 80's after the A frame chassis started to show signs of
corrosion,Unfortunately John covered it over at the back of his workshop for 3 years ,And forgot about it ,While he removed the mk1 from the road his good lady wife travelled around looking for a replacement ,She went to view a coppers mk2 lotus that was for sale ,Just while her mk1 was being sorted,Well John had his own car business ,And was very busy ,And she wanted a new toy ,So she viewed it telephoned John and the deal was done ,Enter L*****H
A clean solid example ,This car was never left out side ,After about 3 years of collecting bits to restore the mk1,John moved the mk1 inside for a light restoration ,Unfortunately this never happened as the council stepped in and closed him down due to being to close to recently built houses ,Im not sure why but he just locked the garage and forgot about them ,While he had the mk1 layed up he picked up another 2 door donor (A genuine GT) and all three were locked away ,I think the mk2 was used very briefly ,I need to find out more as i love history !
Around the same time Sadly his lady wife passed away ,He could not bring himself to part with them for all these years .Oddly to me , lots of locals turned up when we were removing the cars to help us ,This guy is well respected in Stoke on Trent .They all played in the yard to the rear of his old business as kids,and all had tails of the cars ,And most of them new they had gone in there ,Yet Knowone ever really asked him for them ? Thank you god...I gifted the GT as a finders fee to Roy the lad who found tgem and went up with a big bag of cash for John ,We spent a few hours making sure he was ok to finally let them go ,And aranged to collect them the next day ... Talk about sleepless nights !
When i collected them John looked dreadfully nervous ,I made sure he was fine and even offered to leave them be ,But he's keen to see them done ! And done they will be ...
I am visiting John before Christmas to find out more about the cars ,He looked after them well having hos own garage and a great mechanic who is his best mate and work partner ,Trevor a very knowledgable guy !
The mk2 is in fantastic condition for a 69 car ,Ok it needs a few bits doing but its unbelievably good .With all parts there!
The Mk1 needs inner outer sills ,A posts ,Wings inner tops and floors
And bits here and there ,But is complete !
I have both log books both state Lotus Cortina with the correct chassis numbers Z74D424 /BA91 ,And loads of nos panels and parts to get on with .There both obviously genuine un messed with cars ,The only welding i can see that was done is on the mk1 front suspension tops etc
They both have low miles 33k and 40k respectively .And John insists they are correct miles !
I took some 70 photos of the lockup and cars on collection
I will try to post a few on here for you to enjoy ,Im no photographer and it was a cold day ,Probably one of my best days ever !
Any way i will let the pictures do the talking
The original owners husband John
This old garage they were laid up in for 33 years
Note the 70's crappy light green stripe over the original green colour
The finders fee
My son and a good mate
The mk2
Sleeping beauties
Hidden in the basement to stop the gypoes knicking them
Home after a long long day
Check them head lines out lol
Obviously theres a load more pictures ,But for now id like to thank Roy the finder,John the owner ,And at least ten local lads who all chipped in to help us and especially John ,Who was devastated to see his wifes pride and joys leave the fold .Thanks to my son Callum and good mate Paul .I could not have got these without you guys ,
Please do not share my pictures or this story without permission,It will be properly written out in due course
Enjoy :thumbup:
Steve. Well done for saving them from a slow death. Does the mk1 still have all it's alloy bits? I'm sure you will be making a lot of people jealous, with buying 2 loti in one hit :wink: .
lovely to see finds like that :wink:
