Re: My old Lotus Cortina's & Introduction

[Craig]

Hi All

Being new to the LCR forum I would like to thank you all for the great features I have already read about on the forum. It would appear that many of you too appreciate these excellent classics. Firstly, remember the old saying from the seventies “living in Lotus land has never been all roses”.

I would appreciate anyone out there in lotus land letting me know if possible any knowledge of any of my old cars has survived?

Reg No’s:

o JAT 180D, MK1 LC White/Green
o BTM 599C MK1 LC White/Green
o TON 88 H MK2 S2 LC White/Green
o ADT 251 G MK2 LC S2 White/Green
o CTU 399 F MK2 LC S1 Red
o POW 900G MK2 LC S1 White


I owned all these cars from the early 1970’s to the late 1980’s, and would like to know if any members of LCR have any knowledge of them. I still have the first Mk1 Lotus Cortina I bought from “Dove Service Station” in Ashbourne Derbyshire reg No: STF 427D. LC Mk1 .

I have been a Panel Beater/Crash Repair Estimator in Sheffield for some 24 years now and would be interested in sharing some stories and photos from various locations featuring many early drivers such as Jim Clark, Colin Chapman, Jackie Stewart and Gram Hill to name but a few. Also some photos as early as Sept 17th 1966 at various race meetings.

I still repair classic and collectors cars when pushed, and really enjoy it but have been a Lecturer in Motor Vehicle Body at local Collages in and around Sheffield. I also teach IT, as well as servicing and repairing computers. Anyway enough of me I would like to exchange any info on any above cars and photos as well as any other subject relating to LC’s. I am looking to buy another MK 1 in the near future so would consider a restoration project if bodyshell is structurally sound, but would like a good car if possible! Anyhow please feel free to post any thoughts on forum. I know a few guys in the LCR and other owners of Lc’s in and around Sheffield area.

Would love to start the ball rolling on any subject re Lc’s. I will try to get together any photos and other stuff ASAP and post also on forum.

This is the latest Mk2 S1 POW 900G. I have and will try to post at least a couple of pictures of each one I have owned and still own.

Hope to post on forum soon

Regards

Craig

 

[H Cortina]

Blimey, welcome to the Forum. Looks like you will be posting some interesting things.

Make sure you note the National Rally date, i'm guessing there are a few people on here who would be interested in meeting you.

 

[Lashman]

Hi Craig, Welcome to the forum.

 

[PHILFFA]

IMG]http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i164/haidan69/P1030306.jpg[/IMG]
Hi welcome to the forum.
TON 88H resides in Norway and the guy who owns the car is known as Norway-Triumph on most forums.

 

[PHILFFA]

 

[Craig]

Hi all again

Many thanks to H Cortina, Louise and PhilFFA for your support and help and also to any others that have looked at my original post. That said I would like to just remind you all that I will try to post any photos and info about things mentioned in my original introduction as soon as I get them sorted out. Also I will be sending off my LCR Membership funds next week.

I will post a Body Tolerance Chart from Ford Motor Company that I have relating to Mk1 Cortina. This gives side, top and end elevation views and should help anyone needing to check accuracy of body tolerances when carrying out major panel replacements etc.

I am also trying to hunt out any Car-oliner data sheets for both Mk1 and Mk2 Cortina’s I have. I’m not sure if there will be any copyright issues but to make sure perhaps Louise could let me know if possible before I post them on forum?. I also have some old letters from Lotus Factory and Ford Motor Co; dated 1976 about Lotus Cortina build numbers and info on alloy panel arrangements on early cars too. If there are any other issues members need relating to this area I will be only too pleased to help. I will try and sort which area to post relevant things too on the forum but for now I will post on the introduction section

 

[Craig]

Hi all, yet again

Before I forget just to say thanks again to everyone and a special thanks to, Norway-Triumph for keeping my old TON 88H on the planet. Keep up the excellent work out there in the cold climate. Maybe one day Norway- Triumph may want to sell it back to me you never know!! Till then keep safe.

Regards again

Craig

 

[Lashman]

Hi Craig, I'll just check with Louise (my better feminine alter ego, who knows about copyright issues :roll: ...)
Yep, It would be great to see those tolerance charts/pics. Either post them up or just email them to me at Lashman@Clublotus.com and I'll put them up. Normally anything like this that 'may' be of a unsure copyright nature, is far better in a members only section, just so we can have better control on who can see it.
Cheers
Louis
P.S Just for reference if anyone is ever unsure what section a particular picture or message should go in, don't panic...myself or Steve can move it later. The main reason for the different sections is to making searching through the forum easier months or years later.

 

[mat2828]

Hi Craig,
Ian M here from WA.
Did you get the Email I sent you?
Many years ago I believe I owned Jat 180D.
I bought it from the owner of a car sales pitch at the bottom of Chapeltown/Burncross area near the round about.
It was an original LC but had a standard 1500 or 1600 motor in it. It was in very good nick.The day I bought it Seb coe and Steve Ovett were running in the olympics , and as the guy I bought it from was waiting for the race to start when I arrived to pick the car up,I got invited into his very plush bungalow to watch the race.
I think I sold the car to a young lad? not to sure , but I was definately living in Potterhill Lane in High Green when I sold it.
Regards Ian M

 

[gt-for-now]

Hi Craig,

I spotted BTM599C at the Cortina MK 1 O.C. National rally last year. Have no idea about its current owner though.
Hopefully the link works, otherwise check their website, photo is there.

Marcel

http://www.cortina-mk1classifieds.com/gallery/08%20mk1%20UK%20Nats/index.php?showimage=web19.jpg&screenwidth=1280

 

[ravi]

Hi Craig!
Did you get the Email I sent you?
I am the new owner of TON88H, and I hope you could send me a little historic of the car?

Best Regards
Ivar

 

[Craig]

Hi Matt2828 and all,

Yes, I did get your e-mail and will be sending you a reply as soon as I can. But to answer your post regarding the Mk1 Lotus Cortina I owned JAT 180 D. It would seem that this is my old car as I sold the car to the person you say owned the garage at the bottom of Burncross Road, Chapeltown, Sheffield.

This guy was Tony and I used to work for him as a panel beater and did all the bodywork for him and his business partner Bernard. The garage you bought the Lotus from was called “Swan Motors” it was next to “Signmaster Motor Factors” who supplied body panels and paint to the trade.

I sold the Lotus to Tony as he wanted the car for his wife but didn’t want the expense of petrol and insurance that came with owning a Lotus Cortina, and asked if I would sell it minus the engine and box. Very strange I thought at the time as he could have bought his wife any small car as he was in the trade, and was not short of cash. I think it was the novelty of owning the Lotus or something, anyway, I sold it to him without the engine and gearbox and the wood rimmed steering wheel and gear knob, which I still have in my loft to this day.

I bought JAT 180D from my friend Dave from Wombwell near Barnsley, he wanted a Triumph 2000 Mk2 at the time as he wanted more space for his kids and prams and other stuff and as I had just taken my other Mk1 Lotus Cortina STF 427D which I still have, off the road to rebuild the engine and do some body work on I decided to buy JAT 180D from him. I am going to do some research on the History soon on all my old Lotus Cortina’s and will keep you and the LCR posted on my progress. Will e-mail you soon

Regards

Craig

 

[Craig]

Hi gt-for-now,

Yet another tale of the wonderful times of living in Lotus Land

Many thanks for the info on my old Lotus BTM 599C it is good to know that it is still gracing our roads. I can give you a few details of this car. I bought BTM after I sold JAT 180D another Mk1 Lotus Cortina, and like JAT I bought this from another friend of mine who was a Builder at the time.

BTM was owned by a guy I worked with called Richard and he would not sell the car initially as he was really into Lotus Cortina’s like myself but he had just bought a new car for his wife and wanted to keep the Lotus and didn’t want his wife to drive it as she probably would have crashed it or something. Anyway, I was driving a Ford Anglia at this time the Reg was HCA 92E and I bought this as it was in mint condition and had been owned by an elderly guy previously who had sold the car to someone who had fully sorted the car, it had been lowered and had twin anti roll bar on front a Cortina GT engine and 2000E box etc, etc. It was a really nice car the original colour was Ford Spruce Green and had been painted that darker newer colour Ford Mondena Green.

Anyway back to the purchase of BTM. Richard had finally given in and sold BTM to my friend Mary’s husband, also from Sheffield. He was a bit new to these types of cars and unfortunately had a bad accident in it and the damage was a bit severe, as it had knocked the front across, and damaged front wings, inner wings, A post door and sill also the O/S front chassis leg and knocked the roof up slightly. I went to look at the Lotus round about 1978-1980 as it had been laid up in his garage for ages. Someone had attempted to repair it but given up and when I purchased it had a fiberglass O/S front wing screwed on it and which was Purbeck Grey, with a Red flash on it. It had silver wire wheels on it and it was looking a bit worse for wear but in the right hands it could have been put right. The strange thing was that it had a “Lackock” overdrive unit fitted to the gearbox this was made by “Laycock Engineering Ltd” from Sheffield. BTM was an “A” bracket car and it had been converted to the Leaf spring set up but still retained the A bracket units welded to the rear chassis legs, it also had the alloy bonnet and boot, but steel doors, the early small type boot hump, and the bracing bars in the boot and front inner wheel housings panels, it was a genuine Lotus and I wish I had never sold it as it was the only Lotus that I never got round to fully restoring.

I kept the car for quite some time and sold it to a guy from Rotherham near Sheffield as I remember I took a Beige Mk2 Cortina GT 4 door and some cash from him for BTM selling this car was truly a sad time but then living in Lotus Land has never been all roses

I hope this story has not been too boring for all but I do have lots of experiences to share about my times living in Lotus Land.

Regards

Craig

 

[mat2828]

Hi Craig,
Youv,e got it spot on with JAT 180D.
As I remember Tony was a very nice chap "for a car dealer!!!!!" and it was his wife,s car.
He was so excited about watching the seb coe / steve ovett race he never checked the car out after the race, I just paid him and he gave me the keys and off I went.There was a fiver in the centre console "a lot of money back then, I think I only paid him about two or three hundred for the car", and being the honest chap I am I drove back to return it to him.He never batted and eye, just slipped into the wallet,bet his wife didnt get it back
either!!Car dealers!
I used to buy all my paint from Signmasters for all the bodgy paint jobs I did for myself and work mates at Union Carbide or British Atchesons as it was then.I spent 20 years there at the black lead factory. Did you ever see 367 PDV ,1963 Lotus Cortina around in Sheffield? That was our family car for many years that my wife drove more than me , 2.5 first as well.
Memories.That car is presently owned by Dick Rowland in York.
Cheers for now. Ian M

 

[Keith Halstead]

View attachment 1View attachment 4View attachment 5View attachment 6View attachment 9View attachment 10View attachment 11View attachment 13Taken from Facebook

Ian Mathieson
367 PDV was our family car for many years back in Sheffield. I bought it from a guy emigrating to Australia for I think about 900 UK Pounds. My wife drove it more than I did complete with 2:5 -1 first gear. I sold it in 1989 when I emigrated to Australia and some years later found out through the lotus cortina register magazine that it had been fully restored by Dick Rowland in York. I went back to view the car during Dick,s ownership and ended up buying 3 other Lotus Cortinas from him and shipping them out to OZ.

 

[Keith Halstead]

Extract from Facebook :-

Ian Mathieson
This was our family car for many years that the wife used on a daily basis. It was on its original shell while I owned it as checked by Jeff Fenton when a prospective buyer drove down to Sheffield from Scotland and they arranged for Jeff to inspect it for them.

David Fowle
Yes I owned this car about 2015 and sold it through Historic Auctions at Goodwood and I declared it was a re shell in the details. It’s actually an automatic shell so tunnel cover is a bit wider