Scrapbook Cuttings

[Jac Mac]

What else can you guys tell me about that cortina?/ Looks awsome! I do love me a V8 Mk 1 Corty!

There was a multiple frame photo of the rollover in a magazine ( Autonews?) at the time, was actually about 3 total rolls IIRC, one shot showed the 'Cobra T' sump, think the trans was a T10, not sure about diff. There was a rumour floating around about how the Cortina body shell was 'acquired' at the time, but only a rumour as far as I know, car was quick, gave the John Armstong ( ex Fahey) Shelby Mustang a run for its money at the previous round at Teretonga.
There was a second V8 Mk1 Cortina( Chev) in the Osca series at the time, a car built by Peter Kocis & then raced by Andy Threckhold. incidently this car rolled at the Teretonga round, but repaired in time for Timaru a few weeks later

[spinner32]

I purchased the Cortina off Jim McComb, from memory at the end of the season 1978. I collected it from Jim's place at Geraldine on my way to spectate at Timaru. John Osborne convinced me that since it was here, I should race it, having never even sat it previously. So I plodded around getting used to it. I believe that the car was re-shelled after the roll. It was fitted with the ex Fahey 289, complete with 6x webers and the cobra racing sump. The gearbox was a rock crusher through to a 9 inch with Detroit locker. The front wheels were 15" minilites, the rears steel. So the car had some good gear on it for the day. I attempted to race the car for 2 1/2 seasons, and never finished a race meeting once. It regularly ran #1 bearing, and I could never find out why. at one engine rebuild I sent the crank and 8 rods out to AirNZ for crack testing, and got 2 rods back. So I purchased Ian Munts 302 shortblock after he converted the Capri to Chev power.At the end of season 2 I stripped the car down, and converted it to LHD so that Fin (Alan Finlayson, John Osbornes mechanic) could move the engine back the allowed 12 inches. I borrowed the moulds off the ex Kirk Viva for the front, and the moulds from PDL1 for the back flares. At the first meeting back a spark plug broke and went through the motor, bending a carillo. So I cried enough, as I was about to move to Auckland with my job. Andy Newton (ex Bellis, Collins 350 Cortina) purchased the car off me, although I remember that the cheque had R. McElrea on it. The car was stripped out and dumped I believe. I know that the carbs went onto a street Mustang. I did consider purchasing a Mk3/4 Cortina off a certain Jac Mac, but he wanted $3500 as a roller, and I had only paid $4000 for the complete car originally. And as we all know that a certain R. McElrea bought it.

[camaroman slp]

Hi was this the Cortina that Souths Peter Blomfield ran at Timaru and Ruapuna nice car

[Jac Mac]

Hi was this the Cortina that Souths Peter Bloomfield ran at Timaru and Ruapuna nice car

Peter Blomfield??? now IIRC NZRAF & also raced a Mazda rotary in OSCA ( very noisy ) before the Cortina.... wish I never gave away those old OSCA newsletters now.. its all starting to comeback, was another earlier car too if I have the right person..

[ian]

One of these MK 1 Cortinas would have been purple at one time. 74/5/6. I did some guard flaring and paint touch up on a Chev powered one. Dont remember his name but he worked at Sandridge hotel burger bar at nights.