1965 Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1 FIA Race car

This two-door Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1 is a full-spec historic racing car, complete with current FIA Appendix K papers and a genuine Lotus V5C identity (registration FUS648C).

The car was rebuilt in 2015 from an acid-dipped two-door Cortina Mk1 body shell and subsequently race-prepared to a high standard. It was a front-runner in Historic Touring Cars and U2TC (under 2-litre touring car) championships in 2015-2017 at various circuits in the UK and also at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

The vendor, Chris Sanders, was a very competitive historics racer in the late 20th century and known for setting up a car well - winning the St Mary’s Trophy at Goodwood alongside Gerry Marshall in 2001 in another Lotus Cortina - and he decided to return to the scene several years ago with this car.

The 3rd-place podium finish at the 2017 Silverstone Classic was the car’s final race. Since then, Chris has decided to hang up his Sparco race boots and let someone else do the driving.

The Cortina is finished in the classic Lotus Ermine White with a Sherwood Green flash down the sides and across the rear panel.

The car’s shell is seam welded throughout and looks in pretty good condition overall. There are a couple of places where the paint is cracked and some of the window rubbers are a little perished.

The usual external race-car elements are in place, such as the tow loops, bonnet pins, electric cut-out, fire-extinguisher button and headlamp tape. It also wears the vendor’s race number of 77, but these are vinyl stickers and easy to remove.

The car sits on desirable 13-inch Panasport Z-light race wheels fitted with Dunlop Racing tyres. The car also comes with another full set of wheels and tyres and two further new rims.

Additionally, the car has a tailored soft indoor cover in Lotus dark green with gold piping.

Usually in this section we would tell you about the state of a car’s upholstery and trim but as a full-blow race car, the interior of this Cortina is pretty much white painted metal body panels throughout, although the doors are lined with carbon-fibre panels.

The composite Tillett B6 racing bucket seat, mounted on a Corbeau frame, appears in good condition but is only valid for race use until the end of this year. The six-point Schroth harness, however, is current until the end of 2022.

There is also an MSA-approved Custom Cages T45 roll cage fitted (wearing a few scrutineer’s stickers from 2015), along with an FIA-compliant Zero 360 fire suppression system.

In terms of controls there is a Sparco alcantara trimmed steering wheel and a Tracsport shifter and in terms of instruments, the standard dials are still present with a few modifications and a Solo GPS lap timer. A pre-fabricated box holds all the other switchgear for the ignition and electrics.

Under the bonnet, the Lotus Twin-Cam presents well with a high-performance ITG air filter feeding the Weber carburettors and we understand that it has only completed one race since having a full refresh at Ridgeway Racing Engines. When dyno tested a few years ago, it was recorded producing 180bhp on the rolling road.

The gearbox is a straight-cut unit - with an appropriate soundtrack - with aluminium bellhousing and tailshaft built by Alan Henderson Racing to FIA regulations.

The vendor reports that this is a fully sorted car with superb neutral handling and numerous upgrades including specialist suspension and drivetrain modifications to improve both performance and reliability. These upgrades include uprated front struts with Koni inserts and bespoke dampers on the A-bracket (or A-frame) rear end, built by AST. It also has a bespoke wiring loom and a 50-litre fuel tank with Facet Gold-Flo fuel pump in the boot, suitable for racing for up to one hour.

There is also quite a spares package that comes with the car including Wosp starter motor and alternator, two extra limited differentials, various springs and additional wheels.

In readiness for the 2015 season, FUS648C was reshelled by our vendor, and run by him in the HSCC and various other events, with competitive placings including regular podium finishes in the hotly contested U2TC (under 2-litre touring car) classes.

There are a handful of invoices for work done during this time including:

Apr 2015 - gearbox, brakes, diff, alternator, starter motor - Alan Henderson Racing Tamworth

Jun 2015 - hydraulic clutch - Retro Ford Corby

Jul 2016 - engine top end refresh plus dyno test - Ridgeway Racing Engines Swindon

Sep 2017 - stainless exhaust and manifolds - BTB Exhausts Daventry

There are some cracking photos online of Chris and the car in action such as this from the 2016 John Fitzpatrick Trophy race at the Silverstone Classic (copy and paste URL) http://s3.amazonaws.com/scardigest/wp-content/uploads/header-7-1.jpg

If you want to go racing in a Lotus Cortina that is extremely well-sorted and prepared to FIA Appendix K regulations, then here it is. It’s pretty much ready to go for what’s left of 2021 and still good for 2022 once the seat has been renewed.

It will be more difficult for UK-based racers to head overseas this year but there are still plenty of domestic competitions in the historics racing calendar and therefore increased demand for local cars.

Undeniably, every historic racing car is something of a “Trigger’s broom” with numerous parts and panels replaced each season and usually very little of the original car remaining. But in the eyes of Motorsport UK and the FIA - which is what counts ultimately - this car is a bona-fide Lotus Cortina Mk1.

We think it will sell for between £55,000 and £65,000 which, considering the events you’ll get to attend if you bought it, and the cars you’ll see next to you in the paddock, that represents excellent value.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.