14 replies to this topic

[Rainer Nyberg]

It seems like the Ford Cortina Mk I tail lights were quite popular also for other makes. I have seen over the years various cars with those distinctive lights. Recently, I was stunned to see those even on a particular Ferrari GTO!

This led me to think about the others. I recall the Howmet TX turbine sportscar, and TVR also utilised those lights on their cars during the 1960.

I am quite sure others used them as well, maybe someone with ROM memory rather than mine RAM type of memory which tend to go blank at times...

[SennasCat]

Rainer,

I know what you are saying, but I don't know. I always used to think of pizza when I saw them. My parents also used to refer to Mk 1's as the 'egg-shell' car due to the fact they had seen a few of them fold up rather badly in accidents

[Catalina Park]

I don't know what it was with the Cortina tail lights but I do remember a Tow Truck with them in the late 60's early 70's in my home town!

[Eric McLoughlin]

I don't think they offered any great superiority over their contemporaries. They were obviously esay to acquire from Ford at the time.

I think they bear an uncanny resemblance to the Martian's optical arangements in the 1950's George Pal movie, "The War of the Worlds"

[Roger Clark]

THey were also used on the Lola Mk 6. Which proves that even if the Ford GT40 was based on the Lola, the original design concept came from Ford...

[Bumblyari]

What about the Lola Mk6 GT - one of the prettiest sports cars of all time ?

(They were always known as 'ban the bomb' Cortinas where I came from).

[Bumblyari]

Just like buses, nothing for 10 hours then 2 come along together.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Yes, I knew there was at least one more car, the Mk6 Lola.

Btw, I presume that many other less identifyable parts on other sportscars also comes from less flashy family saloons.

I have seen an Elva sportscar with VW Beetle tail lights. Maybe the Ferrari GTO tail lights comes from a Fiat?

[AS110]

One of our local buses had Mk1 Cortina tail lights,must of been up to date as it was in the 60s.

[Catalina Park]

Here is one of the Rare cars that had the Mk 1 tail lights, Who can tell me what it is and why it is rare?

[Frank de Jong]

Must be an Aussie Cortina GT 500... A car somewhere between a GT and a Lotus, homologation special for Australia's big race...

[Catalina Park]

Yes Frank, that is what it is!

[dretceterini]

Bla....the Alfa TI Supers were neater cars

Stu

[Doug Nye]

No mystery concerns why so many racers adopted Cortina BTB tail light clusters - they provided stop-turn-tail all in one neat simply-wired easily-mounted unit - they were freely available - and they were CHEAP. Long live the Dagenham Dustbin.

DCN

[Frank de Jong]

... and they are a pretty design as well.
I remember my father taking driving lessons in a Cortina when I was a kid. The picture of the Cortina leaving that (in those days very empty) street (1964) is still vivid in my memory.