When Dagenham Made Dustbins

Saloon Cars for the people made by people from Essex

Well they did.

I went there a few times when Ford built the old Dustbins. I lived close enough to Essex for it to be a potential employer. My secondary school took me there in ‘70s in a Bedford coach on a careers trip. In all truthfulness unless you were a hardcore car nutcase like a teenage me it was all rather terrifying. There was sparks, genuine danger as freshly pressed metal was being shuffled about the place. It would be a health and safety no go area these days and there would rightly be a whole heap of trouble as the girls got wolf whistles. Grown men with families should have known better, but those classmates were were not phased by the attention. No one got hurt, physically or mentally, this was was simply the place where they made the cars our mums and dads drove. Well not mine. My mum didn’t drive and my dad had a Hillman Minx.

Back in Dagenham it was full on industrial revolution stuff. Dark, noisy, smelly and compared to the anaemic atmosphere of a modern robot heavy assembly plant, pretty much hell on earth. I think it terrified most of my school mates and overall the whole experience wasn’t a great advert for working life. I mean I loved everything about cars, but I wasn’t at all convinced that this was what I should be doing for the next 50 years. Better to do something less dirty and repetitive, by trying a bit harder at school. There was nothing wrong with working in a factory, but this was a poor way of recruiting youngsters. If they’d had done it better job, maybe it would still be there bashing out saloon cars. The world is of course more complicated and SUV shaped these days.

Anyway, here is a part 2 of a short Ford history from several weeks back and I will probably do a fairly strange Part 2a in the future. Right now though in the immediate pre Cortina era there was, quite briefly, the Classic which almost everyone has forgotten existed.

Ford Consul Classic/Capri

Years of manufacture 1961-64

Engine 1340-1498cc

Power 57-78bhp

0-60mph 0-95km/h 13.7 seconds

Top speed 95mph/153km/h

Production figures 24,531/6868

They looked all-American, but the 2 and 4 door saloon Classic, and fastback Capri were actually designed and built in Dagenham England. With the Classic range the intention was to offer a model between the existing Anglia and Consul. Indeed the power plant and gearbox was the same 1340cc as used in the Anglia but reworked for a larger car. Indeed the biggest thing about the Classic seemed to be its boot with a massive 21 cubic feet of space. The Classic was a good effort especially when the 1500cc engine in 1962 gave better performance. Its production life was cut short by the arrival of the all-conquering Cortina.

The pretty Capri was essentially the Classic with a sloping roof. Again it had a large boot and subtle fins. The most significant model was the GT variant in 1963 with twin choke carburettors, four branch exhaust, bigger exhaust valves and performance camshaft transformed the 1500cc engine. Despite this the Capri never really caught on and production figures were marginal by Ford standards. Insiders knew that both Capri and Classic were limited run models by using short life body pressing dies.

Consequently not a lot in circulation, especially the saloons. The Capri Coupe was a popular ‘70s custom car and the on Ebay it was interesting to come across a 1963 which lived abroad for a while which usually helps the rust situation, but came back from Germany a bit too early in 1968, so it could have been a tax free military or diplomatic sale. At £3250 you’ll have a lot of work to do. Classicretroautos have it up for sale. This is a three Slogger only because it requires a good deal of restoration bravery.

Which brings us to the reason why we are all here, enjoy a very brief history of the affectionately named Dagenham Dustbin.

Ford Cortina

Years of manufacture 1962-82

Engine 1198cc-2296cc

Power 49-116bhp

0-60mph 0-95km/h 10.5seconds

Top speed 106mph/171km/h

Production figures 4,299,669

The Cortina was a car that changed the face of motoring in the UK forever. The creation of the true medium sized family car also helped get generations of company car drivers to their pressing appointments on time. Credited with bridging the gap between small and large cars the Cortina was born out of rivalry between Ford UK and Germany. When the UK Chairman Sir Patrick Hennessy discovered that a front wheel drive model, codenamed Cardinal, was being developed in Germany with Ford US assistance he initiated project Archbishop. Already a year behind a conventional rear drive platform was used, whilst the innovative use of aircraft stress calculations enabled them to save precious weight in the bodywork without losing structural integrity. The crisp styling was the work of American Roy Brown who previously designed the Edsel.

Launched in 1962 with a name inspired by the venue of the 1960 Winter Olympics, the Cortina also carried Consul badging on the bonnet for the first two years. When lined up against the opposition, principally the British Motor Corporation's 1100/1300 range there didn't seem much competition. The Cortina was bigger, cheaper and had better performance. Although the BMC car remained the nation's favourite the Cortina also proved to be an export winner and within a year more than 250,000 had been sold which was a record. The 'Dagenham Dustbin' as it was affectionately dubbed, had arrived. Initially only available as a 1200cc two door, a four door model soon arrived and a 1500cc engine became available.

To brighten Ford's previously dull, but worthy, cheap yet cheerful image, the company linked up with sports car company Lotus. Cortina bodyshells were sent to the Lotus works in Cheshunt where they were fitted with twin cam engines, racing suspension and light alloy door, bonnet and boot lid. This model became a force to be reckoned with on the racing track.

In 1966 the Cortina got a new, square cut body, ran on a wider track and at the entry level there was a new five bearing 1300cc engine. As before there was a wealth of trim levels for the Mark II from Base, De Luxe Super and GT, right up to the Lotus, which was now a more conventional package with no light alloy panels and built at Dagenham, rather than Lotus. In 1967 a new 1600cc engine was fitted to one of the most significant models the 1600E. The E stood for Executive and it was what every ambitious company car driver dreamed of. GT engine, Lotus suspension, wide rim Rostyle sports wheel and a wooden veneer dashboard, it was no surprise that at the end of 1967 the Cortina was crowned as Britain's best seller.

The Cortina evolved again in 1970 and the Mark III had an unashamedly American style which was penned by Harley Copp. Like contemporary USA model there was a so-called 'Coke bottle' curve to the bodywork. Now the Cortina model range was becoming as complex as the company car buyer hierarchy it served. Base, X, XL, GT and GXL with new overhead camshaft 1600 and 2000cc Pinto units.

The last Cortina in 1976 was another clever rebody, this time by Uwe Bahnsen who also styled its more radical jellymould successor, the Sierra. The Cortina Mark IV could not have been squarer, but there was more glass area which created an airy cabin. The GT model was replaced by an S and the engine options were 1300cc, 1600cc and 2000cc, although a 2.3 V6 was added in 1977. A minor facelift in 1980 freshened up the style and meant even larger windows, but a new design was just around the corner. Even so underneath the 'jelly-mould' Sierra was a lot of reliable old Cortina parts.

Well here’s the way to do it, buy a 1968 FORD CORTINA MK2 1600GT sitting on Minilites for £12,995 because it has lived somewhere sunny and dry. This is from South Africa five years, has been resprayed but never welded, a top end rebuild and a ton of other stuff, including seals and carpets, rebuilt steering box, new water pump and electronic ignition. On sale with a company called Motordrome (01189071495 ) that specialise in Defenders. It’s an easy five Slogger because there is nowt to do.

Almost as forgettable as the Classic, was the Corsair. It was rather more successful, a pointed Cortina and around in decent enough numbers, but it counts as something of a failure for the reasons explained.

Ford Corsair

Years of manufacture 1963-70

Engine 1498-1996cc

Power 60-93bhp

0-60mph 0-95km/h 14 seconds

Top speed 98mph/158km/h

Production figures 331,095

Ford worked hard on the Corsair, or 'Buccaneer' as it was known internally. After a two-year market survey they came up with a car that was utterly conventional and looked just a little odd. That distinctive wedge nose was clearly influenced by other Fords, notably the Taunus in Germany and the Ford Thunderbird in America. Intended to fill the gap between the Cortina and the Zephyr, it never really caught on. Buyers ignored the impractical two door and the sum total of the innovations was an industry first printed circuit board inside the instrument panel.

Replacing the existing 1500cc engines with the new V4s at 1663cc and 1996cc actually proved slower and less economical than before. There was also a lot weight over the front wheels, which did not inspire confident handling. However, Ford weighed in with GT and 2000E versions with reworked engines and high levels of standard trim to tempt buyers. Matters improved, but most still preferred a top of the range and better value Cortina and few could blame them. Specialists like Abbott converted the Corsair into estate cars and Crayford built convertibles, but the Corsair's image was ultimately dull.

I picked this 1968 Ford Corsair 2000E automatic because my sister got a letter from friend back in the ‘60s, detailing how wonderful the new boyfriend was and the fact that he had a 2000E followed by a whole line of exclamation marks. 2000E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I always found that funny and sort of have to squeal it every time I say or read it. Anyway it’s

£10,995.00 and on sale at RFH Classics (0146 241 6968) and worth it for the period vinyl roof alone. Certainly the nicest one I’ve ever seen since they were brand new. Only 37 Corsair E models are currently registered in the UK just 9 being automatic. Originally purchased by the late George Ansell, well known name in the Senior Stocks scene apparently who kept it for 41 years. It is immaculate and just in case you wondered the Executive featured a full width wood trimmed dash, individual front seats, improved suspension set up, cigarette lighter and interior courtesy light. Another five Slogs for this as it is obviously perfect.

See you next time.

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