To Southern Africa in the car that once raced round the World

The Ford Corsair came with the 1600cc V4 engine, smaller brother of the engine that eventually found its way in the Saab 96 and the later Transit van. It’s a sturdy lump and the car went surprisingly well, but we have found a two-litre V4 and a transplant is now a straight-forward exercise.

The main problem with cars that have been well stored or found from museums is that the internals actually rust badly. If the engine, gearbox and axle differential and not turned round, all that happens over the years is that the oil runs down and leaves exposed metal that rusts at the top, and this is what happened to the gearbox. It went off for a total overhaul to be on the safe side, with a new second gear, and now is as good as new – like the bodywork. The car is being fitted with uprated suspension, but not too hard, and given the car is based on the Cortina, but with longer wheelbase, a straight-forward thing to do. We have now found some 5.5J wheels, and the radiator has just come back from being reconditioned, fit for hot-weather running.

Other jobs to do are the wheel bearings, track control arms, steering joints and other service items, fit skid-plates in front of the rear spring hangers, and to make a sump-guard.

The Ford Corsair made history when Eric Jackson drove a standard showroom-spec car from Cape Town to Southampton in a race against the cruise liner, the Windsor Castle, (the result was a draw), and also drove a Corsair on another Ford press-office publicity run with a non-stop lap of the world. It’s strong and comfortable, just what you need for four weeks of southern Africa.