JOIN THE CLUB: Cortina Mk2 & 1600E Club
It might be one of the oldest Ford clubs, but where the Mk2 Cortina is concerned, it’s always looking to the future, reckons Jim Payton.
When was the club founded — and why? It started way back in 1977 and was originally set up to cater for 1600E owners to help them keep their cars on the road — there were 1000s around back then.
As time went on, it became obvious that the club should be there to help all Mk2 owners and so in the 1990s we became the Cortina Mk2 & 1600E Owners’ Club.
Which models do you cover? We cater for every Mk2, whether it’s standard, modified, concours or undergoing restoration — and that includes all the export versions, too.
What does your club offer to new members? We send out a club magazine, The Executive, every quarter which is packed full of articles, advice and information. Our committee are always on the end of a phone and happy to help with queries — it’s important, especially when restoring a Mk2, to know that you’re not on your own.
Arguably, the main benefit though is access to our huge spares scheme.
Is the spares side important, then? Hugely so. Headed up by John Chapman, it offers everything from complete panels right down to the correct nuts, bolts and grommets.
We started out offering service items in the early days, but now, thanks to John’s efforts, have a busy remanufacturing programme in place to supply parts either to original specs, or where possible, even better — and the offering is growing all the time.
How many members do you have? It’s around 360 paid-up members at present, with another 3000 in our Facebook group.
Is there a typical member? Not really, though quite a few of us owned a Mk2 when it was a few years old and now have one — or two, or three... — in the garage for nostalgia reasons.
We also have a lot of members who now have a Mk2 because they remember their Dad owning one back in the day.
We also have a lot of members overseas — Malta, Australia, France, the USA — basically wherever the car was sold!
Do you host your own show? Yes, we usually hold a national event every year — usually in July at Gaydon — and we’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back in 2021.
Do you attend other events? We’re always at the Classic Motor Show at the NEC in November. That’s the pinnacle for us, and it’s a really fantastic show which is attended by members from all over Europe. Then there are plenty of local meets and shows — these are all detailed in the magazine, and new members are very welcome to attend.
What are the club’s goals for the future? Our main aim is to keep the club in people’s faces! We’re always striving to promote the Mk2 and the club wherever we go.
Plus we want to keep on developing and growing the spares side of the club— they’re crucial to keeping these fantastic cars on the road. “WE HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS WHO NOW HAVE A MK2 BECAUSE THEY REMEMBER THEIR PARENTS OWNING ONE BACK IN THE DAY”