"COMING TO AUCTION"
FROM
SATURDAY 16th MAY 2015
1972 FORD CRAYFORD CORTINA
Estimate: £9,000 - £12,000
Registration Number: NMC 31K
Chassis Number: BABTLP26153
The Crayford Cortina MK.2 had become Crayford's best ever selling car with over 400 sales, due mostly to its clean open style and a long production run of over four years. But in 1970 the Ford Motor Company introduced an all new Mk.3 Cortina with its distinctively American coke bottle look. Crayford followed on with a Mk3 Crayford Cortina, which also took on a new direction, it was not even called a convertible, but a “Sunshine Conversion” in its press literature. Like French and Italian predecessors, for example the Fiat 500 and Renault, it had a full length sunroof that folded all the way back down to the boot. Retaining its side -windows and roof gutters helped maintain more of the convertible's upper body strength. As an option the main hood support bar in the centre at the B post, could also be dropped with the hood. This gave all 5 passengers clear open sky views, or in the up position it was also a safety roll hoop.
All Mk.1 & 2 cars had to be stripped completely internally and then interiors rebuilt after the conversions; this was an expensive process that kept production down to two cars a week. With the more simple conversion on the Mk.3 sunshine roof, gone was the fully open Crayford look but build speed doubled and so did profits, total production over a long run again reached 400-plus sales. But as David McMullan the MD once said, it was our best profit maker ever, so it has to be my favourite Crayford.
Finished in its original colour of Daytona Yellow, this delightful original Crayford Cortina has been subject to a recent restoration in 2014. Photographs of the work are available in the cars file. Mechanically, both engine and transmission are in good order, with an MoT until May 2016. This very rare little car is well known to the Crayford register and should not be missed.
For further information or to arrange a viewing, please contact our sales department.
Registration Number: NMC 31K
Chassis Number: BABTLP26153
The Crayford Cortina MK.2 had become Crayford's best ever selling car with over 400 sales, due mostly to its clean open style and a long production run of over four years. But in 1970 the Ford Motor Company introduced an all new Mk.3 Cortina with its distinctively American coke bottle look. Crayford followed on with a Mk3 Crayford Cortina, which also took on a new direction, it was not even called a convertible, but a “Sunshine Conversion” in its press literature. Like French and Italian predecessors, for example the Fiat 500 and Renault, it had a full length sunroof that folded all the way back down to the boot. Retaining its side -windows and roof gutters helped maintain more of the convertible's upper body strength. As an option the main hood support bar in the centre at the B post, could also be dropped with the hood. This gave all 5 passengers clear open sky views, or in the up position it was also a safety roll hoop.
All Mk.1 & 2 cars had to be stripped completely internally and then interiors rebuilt after the conversions; this was an expensive process that kept production down to two cars a week. With the more simple conversion on the Mk.3 sunshine roof, gone was the fully open Crayford look but build speed doubled and so did profits, total production over a long run again reached 400-plus sales. But as David McMullan the MD once said, it was our best profit maker ever, so it has to be my favourite Crayford.
Finished in its original colour of Daytona Yellow, this delightful original Crayford Cortina has been subject to a recent restoration in 2014. Photographs of the work are available in the cars file. Mechanically, both engine and transmission are in good order, with an MoT until May 2016. This very rare little car is well known to the Crayford register and should not be missed.
For further information or to arrange a viewing, please contact our sales department.
No comments:
Post a Comment