The Cortina 2.0S modelled was sold new by Kington Motors, a Ford dealership in Birmingham, in May 1977. Little is known of its early history, although it is believed to have been based in Nottinghamshire for some years. 

It was offered for sale by classic car specialists Anglia Car Auctions on 6th November 2022, in a condition that made it obvious a restoration had been started but stalled, apparently because the restorer had lost their storage facilities. 

The auction advertising photographs showed the sills were badly corroded, but that the difficult-to-source black and grey Cadiz fabric upholstery, which was standard on the Cortina S, was present and in sound condition. It was bought by Joseph Monaghan, of Monaghans, Galway, Ireland, a family-run car dealership that has been in business for over 50 years. He purchased the Cortina as a Christmas present for his father, Joseph Senior, because, colour aside, it was the same specification as his first car.

Monaghans’ bodyshop team stripped the Cortina and found it to be badly corroded, so had to do a lot of metalwork before repainting it. The mechanics, however, dismantled the engine and are sure the 20,149 miles showing on the odometer is genuine, as the condition of the dirty but unworn interior had indicated. The newly restored Cortina has created a lot of interest in the company’s showroom and gives Joseph Senior a great deal of pleasure.

The finished car has appeared on the cover of the magazines ‘Classic and Sports Car’ and ‘Practical Classics’, and is now a 1:43 scale die-cast model too, 

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