My 1964 Ford Cortina Deluxe

The Novocastrian, who is a panel beater by training and landscape gardener by choice, has just finished his latest effort, a 1964 Mark 1 Cortina.

"I saw the Cortina at a swap meet and liked the look of it", he told us. "It had been just a shell for about six or seven years .Someone had started the restoration and painted it purple". The car is now a brilliant white and the quality of the restoration is first class.

"I did most it myself, though I had it sandblasted by Peter Cox in Newcastle. I figured that if I'm going to restore it I'll do it properly" Brett observes. To get it the way he wanted it Brett replaced the sills and door bottoms, welding in new metal to replace the rust.

The four door sedan is not strictly stock. Says Brett: "It's a 1500 Deluxe model with a touch of hot rodding. The 1.5 litre engine is out of a Mark II Cortina GT and so is the differential. This increases the power and strengthens the drive line. I've also fitted wider wheels and tyres, but I still have the original wheels in storage."

The black interior has been refreshed and a Lotus Cortina split front bumper bar replaces the single bar. Other than those changes the car is as basic as it came from Ford. Some owners of classic cars keep them off the road and hardly venture out in them at all. Not so Brett. He is of the view that classics are meant to be seen and driven as often as possible.

"I just like driving it, so I try to go everywhere in it, "he says. Brett's car was built just before Ford switched to flow-through ventilation in late 1964. In many ways the Cortina was the UK version of the American Ford Falcon. A simple design which was inexpensive to make and operate they appealed to many first time new cars buyers.

Although not as technically innovative as the Morris 1100, their main competitor, the Cortina rewarded owners with years of trouble free motoring. Cortinas are an ideal choice for those wanting to acquire their first classic car. Good examples can be had for less than $5000 and spare parts are plentiful.