This is such a rare survivor!
Not only did it belong to Colin Chapman from new until 1998, but it has a very low mileage, it’s virtually un-restored, it’s in the most rare colour of Amber Gold with ‘Saddle’ trim, and it lived in New York from 1998 to 2014.
It was given to Colin Chapman by Ford early in 1969, thought to be a gift after Ford bought the rights to the Twincam engine in order to better manage their production of Lotus Cortinas and Escort Twincams.
Colin is said to have driven the car ‘enthusiastically’ for a couple of years, clocking up 14223 miles, before consigning it to the Lotus museum. The contents of the museum were auctioned in 1997, but the Lotus Cortina didn’t sell. In 1998, The museum sold it privately to Jamie Kitman of New York, an attorney, a contributor to several motoring magazines including Automobile Magazine, and manager of the band ‘They Might Be Giants’. A busy and talented man!
He had the car re-commissioned by Paul Matty, the UK Midland based classic Lotus guru. The engine bay was stripped out, the glass removed, and the car treated to a full bare metal respray in it’s original Amber Gold colour. All the original panels were in excellent condition, and the shell required no further work. New glass rubbers were fitted, the brakes overhauled, and a new set of tyres were fitted.
The car was shipped to New York, and between 1999 and 2014, Jamie took the mileage up to 24,700, adding another 10,000 miles. This included a trip to Detroit to be displayed alongside Sir John Whitmore’s championship winning Alan Mann Racing Mk1 Lotus Cortina, and the car was written up in several magazines:
Automobile Magazine (May 1999)
Car (October 1999)
Special Interest Autos (November 1999)
Automobile Magazine (December 1999)
Lotus Magazine (Autumn 2009)
I will add copies of those below the photos in due course, with thanks to Doug Milota, California, for providing them.
In 2014, the car was shipped back to the UK to be sold by auction at Southebys.
The car looks just right, with original ride height and standing square. Amber Gold was quite a popular colour for the 1600E, but very rare for the Lotus. The oblong fog lights are standard Ford accessories of the time, and the RoStyle wheels were also optional extras for the Lotus Cortina. In fact, in some Scandinavian markets the RoStyle wheels were standard fitment, and along with Minilite wheels, were homologated for racing and rallying.
Below are a series of photos showing the car
At Paul Matty’s garage, after having been re-commissioned in 1999
In New York in 1999
Back in the UK in 2014, prior to being auctioned.
AT PAUL MATTY SPORTS CARS 1998
NEW YORK
Soon after arriving….
In New York City, battling with much bigger traffic!
UK, 2014
The Lotus badge was never fitted to the grille from new, but many owners put them on, as per the Mk1.
The car is completely standard when looking at it from the back, with the exception of the boot handle, which has been borrowed from an estate! Not the most aesthetically pleasing addition, but Colin Chapman hated having to use the keys to open the boot. Easily put back to standard of course.
The original Twincam badge would fade within a few years, as this has done. Reproduction badges are available, but they don’t have the ‘3D’ effect on the chequered bit.
The Rostyle for the Cortina came in 3 forms; the chrome centre and chrome rim fitted to the Series 1 cars, and the chrome centre and painted rim fitted to most of the Series 2 cars, and the all-painted wheel fitted to the last couple of months of production of the 1600E. The Rostyles were of course an option for the Lotus Cortina.
This engine bay is just about perfect in terms of originality, with every unique Lotus bit present and in the right place. The fuse cover is missing, a few bits are a little corroded, and the radiator should be painted a dull satin black. Nothing that couldn’t be sorted out in a couple of days.
Note that the cam cover was left unpainted on all Mk2 Lotus Cortinas
The interior is also totally original, and note that the painted parts are body colour as the interior colour is not black. The ‘Saddle’ coloured interior may not be to everybody’s taste, although many Amber Gold 1600E cars had this colour trim.
It’s hard to believe that this interior is coming up for 50 years old.
The dash is all GT, including the glove box lid. The 1600E used the same dash but with a wooden board fitted over the top.
The Series 2 1600E wheel is original, as is the centre badge, although that would originally have had a chrome rim rather than the yellowed plastic now showing as the chrome has worn off.
The chrome surround parts have survived remarkably well on this car. Chromed plastic from this era normally faded / wore off in a few years if the car was left outside a lot, but this car has obviously been garaged all it’s life.
The Lotus Cortina Mk2 tachometer, with the 6000 to 8000 red zone.
The Lotus Cortina speedometer was calibrated up to 140mph. That looks like the original trip reset instruction sticker!
The car still has it’s original boot mat and bungee cord / hook for the tool kit.
