A superb and rare photo of Sprinzel
and Grentier in action with their Ford Cortina GT Mk2
during one of the heaviest car racing events in the world: the East
Africa Safari Rally in Kenya. This magnificent photograph was taken
during the extraordinary heavy 1964
edition.
The Ford Cortina was a
mid-sized family car built by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to
1982. The Cortina was Ford's mass-market mid-sized car and sold in enormous
numbers, making it common on British roads. It was replaced in 1982 by the Ford
Sierra. In other markets, particularly Asia
and Australasia, it was replaced by
the Mazda 626-based Ford Telstar, though Ford New Zealand
did import British-made CKD kits of the Ford Sierra estate for local assembly
from 1984. The Cortina was produced in five generations (Mark I through to Mark
V, although officially the last one was called the Cortina 80) from 1962 until
1982. From 1970 onward, it was almost identical to the German-market Ford
Taunus (being built on the same platform) which was originally a different car
model. This was part of a Ford attempt to unify its European operations. By
1976, when the revised Taunus was launched, the Cortina was identical. In fact,
this new Taunus / Cortina used the doors and some panels from the 1970 Taunus.
All variants of the Cortina sold over one million, with each successive model
proving more popular than its predecessor. Such was its fame in the UK
that the BBC Two documentary series Arena once devoted an edition to the car
and its enthusiasts. The model's name was inspired by the name of the Italian
ski resort Cortina d'Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Winter Olympics. As a publicity
stunt, several Cortinas were driven down the bobsled run at the resort. The
Cortina also raced in rallies and Lotus did some sportier editions of the
Cortina Mark I and Mark II referred to as the Lotus Cortina. This car is,
today, used for racing, because of its powerful cast iron engine. The car can
have imported cylinder heads, with hydraulic valves, which give an enormous
power boost.
Mk 1 & Mk 2
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of
their new Mini - the first successful postwar mini-car to be built in Britain. Overlords at Ford
felt that they could not develop a similar small car as the production cost
would be too high, so instead they set about creating a larger family car which
would sell in huge volumes. The result was the Cortina, a distinctively-styled
car aimed at buyers of the Morris Oxford and Vauxhall Victor, that was launched
in September 1962. Until a modest facelift in 1964 it was branded as the Consul
Cortina before simply being sold as the Cortina. The car confirmed Ford's
reputation for offering a lot of car for the money: the estate version, in
particular, provided class leading load capacity. Notable models were the Lotus
Cortina and Cortina GT. Available with 1.2 L and 1.5 L engines in 2
and 4-door saloon and 4-door estate forms. Standard, Deluxe, Super and GT trims
were offered but not across all body styles. Estates offered the option of fake
wood side and tailgate trim, aping American-style estates, for a short time.
There were two main variants of the Mark 1. The Mark 1a possessed elliptical
front side-lights, whereas the Mark 1b had a re-designed front grill
incorporating the squarer side-lights. Advertising of the revised version,
which appeared in late 1964, made much of the newly introduced "Aeroflow"
through-flow ventilation, evident by the extractor vents on the rear pillars.
The dashboard, instruments and controls were also revised. The engines used
across the Mark I range were of identical design, differing only in capacity
and setup. The formula used was a 4-cylinder pushrod (Over Head Valve) design
that came to be known as the "pre-crossflow" version as both inlet
and exhaust ports were located on the same side of the head. The most powerful
version of this engine (used in the GT Cortina) was 1498 cc (1500) and
produced 78 bhp (58 kW). This engine contained a different camshaft
profile, a different cast of head featuring larger ports, tubular exhaust
headers and a Weber double barrel carburettor. Lotus Cortina models were solely
offered as 2-door saloons all in white with a contrasting green side flash down
each flank. Lotus Cortinas had a unique 1.6 L twin cam engine by Lotus,
but based on the Cortina's Kent OHV engine. Aluminium was used for some body
panels. For a certain time, it also had a unique A-frame rear suspension, but
this proved fragile and the model soon reverted to the standard Cortina
semi-elliptic rear end. The second incarnation of the Cortina was designed by
Roy Haynes, and released in 1966, four years after the original Cortina. Again,
a Lotus version was produced (this time done in-house at Ford) but the most
admired was the 1600E that came out in late 1967. The engines were at first
carried over, but for 1967, they received a new crossflow cylinder head design,
making them more efficient. At this time, they became 1.3 L and 1.6 L
in size, with the Lotus Cortina continuing with its own unique engine. A
stripped out 1.2 L version running the engine of the Ford Anglia Super was
also available for some tax conscious markets. The Cortina was Britain's most popular new car
in 1967, achieving the goal that Ford had been trying to achieve since it set
out to create the original Cortina back in 1960. Again, 2- and 4-door saloons
and a 4-door estate were offered with base, Deluxe, Super, GT and later 1600E
trims available, but again, not across all body styles and engine options.
The 1600E combined the lowered Lotus Cortina's suspension
with the high-tune GT 1600 Kent engine and luxury trim featuring a burr walnut
woodgrain-trimmed dashboard and door cappings, bucket seating, sports steering
wheel and full instrumentation inside, while a black grille, tail panel, front
fog lights and plated Rostyle wheels featured outside. For 1969, the Mark II
range was given subtle revisions, with separate "FORD" block letters
mounted on the bonnet and boot lids, a blacked out grille and chrome strips on
top and below the taillights running the full width of the tail panel marking
them out. A 3.0 litre Essex V-6-engined
variant was developed privately in South Africa by Basil Green, and was sold
through the Grosvenor Ford network of dealers as the Cortina Perana; a similar
model appeared later in Britain and was known as the Cortina Savage. Savage was
available with 1600E trim in all three body styles, while her South African
stablemate was offered only as 4-door saloon initially with GT trim and later E
trim.
This is a very nice and very rare non period photo
that reflects a wonderful era of Ford 's automotive history in a wonderful
way. This is your rare chance to
own this photo, therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca.
8" x 10" (ca. 20 x 26 cm). It
makes it perfectly suitable for framing.
Contact us for more Ford , Safari Rally and other automotive photos.
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you
buy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on
photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright
expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our
archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well
protected in PVC clear files and board backed
envelopes.
We have
photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the
original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and
excellent quality.
After many decades
of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our
archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They
will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a
border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace,
restaurant, bar or club!
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first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any
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