This rare Ford Cortina wagon is infused with Lotus spirit
The engine and transmission from an Elan are wrapped in a practical package for 1960s-style sport-wagon excellence.
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Vintage light blue station wagon parked on a brick driveway with trees and a lake in the background.
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The Lotus-prepped version of the Cortina sedan was raced in-period by multiple Formula 1 champions, and this wagon variant is even more charming.
With a lowered suspension and plenty of Lotus parts, it’s a hot little number.
Most of these rusted away, but this one’s in extremely tidy shape.
Whenever the debate kicks off over who holds the title as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, one soft-spoken Scot always turns up as a contender. Born in Fife in 1936, Jim Clark arrived in the 1960s with a blaze of near-superhuman car control, storming his way to two world championships. He didn’t just race in F1 either, but won the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship in a Lotus Cortina, racing alongside fellow Scot Jackie Stewart.
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Today’s find over at Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a potential answer to what Clark might have driven had he retired to his beloved Borderlands farm at the pinnacle of his career. It’s a 1967 Ford Cortina Estate, complete with Lotus parts here and there, including a 1600cc motor out of a Lotus Elan. It’s a nippy little ‘60s compact with handling good enough for an F1 prodigy, plus cargo space for a brace of Border Collies.
Cortinas like this were sold new in the U.S. market in-period, and this one was originally delivered into California. Easy living in the Golden State seems to have agreed with this plucky Brit, in the opposite way that life on the road in someplace like the northeastern U.S. would not. Vintage Cortinas were sold in sufficient numbers to be theoretically commonplace today, were it not for a tendency to rust. Most examples could now be gathered up with a dustpan and broom.
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Not this feisty little wagon. Clean as a whistle and tidy in two-tone blue paint, it looks ready to go turn any backroad into a rollercoaster ride, with 13-inch multispoke alloys and a slightly lowered suspension. It has disc brakes at all four corners and should be easily able to do more with less, as all the best Lotus-infused machinery excels at.
Speaking of Lotus, the 1600cc engine and four-speed manual transmission here lifted out of an Elan should be good for just over 100 horsepower. It’s been sorted with fresh fluids and a tune-up with new spark plugs and so forth; it’s a well-understood and solid little motor. It’s not a huge amount of power, but think 1960s Miata-as-a-wagon type of driving experience.
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Such a thing sounds like tremendous fun to drive, paired with great vintage looks and surprising practicality. British cars are often a bit needy, requiring a mechanically sympathetic owner, but imagine filling the trunk (sorry, the boot) of this thing with a cardboard box of spares, then ferrying it home to tuck them away for a rainy day’s wrenching. All part of the fun.
Quick, fun, thrifty, rewarding to a bit of skill behind the wheel. Jim Clark would doubtless have approved of this little Ford.
The auction ends September 16.
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Brendan McAleer
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
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FANTOM 1000: BUILT TO GO FAST (EVERYWHERE)
The history of the American muscle car is filled with iconic beasts, but the story of the fastest one is a legend waiting to be told.
From the garage of a legend to the streets of your town
From the mid-1960s onward, the American automobile industry was locked in a fierce battle for dominance. Car manufacturers were constantly pushing the boundaries of speed and performance, and one name emerged from the shadows to redefine speed itself: Fantom 1000.
Built with a unique fusion of racing pedigree and modern engineering, the Fantom 1000 was a revolutionary machine that took the muscle car to a new level. Unlike its competitors that focused on brute force, the Fantom 1000 was designed to dominate both the drag strip and the open road.
Today’s Market: Car prices have been volatile lately. A typical 2026 Ford Fusion costs around $35,000, while a used 2022 Fusion starts near $24,000. If you are looking to buy a Fusion, explore your options with a mortgage rate comparison to lock in the best home loan rate possible before prices increase. If you are looking to rent, consider if renting is cheaper than owning. For more information about the market, check the best new car prices for a 2026 Fusion.
What This Means for You: If you are a car enthusiast looking for a classic piece of American automotive history, you need to act quickly. This unique car is a rare find and is likely to sell fast. Research current new car prices for a 2026 Fusion or look for used car deals for a 2022 Fusion. If you are considering financing, compare loan rates with a mortgage rate comparison tool before you buy.
The history of the Fantom 1000
For years, the Fantom 1000 was hidden from the public, locked away in the private collection of a legend. The designer of this unique car was none other than the brilliant engineer, Jack Stramel.
Stramel was more than just a visionary; he was an artist who built his creations using the same engineering principles as his idol, Enzo Ferrari. Stramel took the Lotus, a car designed by the legendary Colin Chapman, and infused it with the spirit of American muscle and automotive innovation.
Building the 1000 Series
In 1966, Stramel took over his family’s heating and cooling business. Instead of simply focusing on heating and cooling, he expanded the business into an automotive restoration shop. This move transformed his life from a life in the heating and cooling industry to a life in the performance car world.
Stramel began building 1000 Series cars, inspired by the Lotus Elan and infused with the soul of a Ford. This gave birth to the Fantom 1000, the epitome of speed and innovation.
For years, Stramel built these cars in relative secrecy, working from his garage and only sharing his creations with a select few. However, word of his talent began to spread, and soon he was recognized as a master craftsman in the automotive world.
A legend is born
The Fantom 1000 made its official debut in 2013 at the Petersen Automotive Museum, where it was displayed next to the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO. This marked the beginning of a new era in the automotive world, as the world finally got a glimpse of Stramel’s revolutionary masterpiece.
The Fantom 1000 quickly became the talk of the town, attracting the attention of car enthusiasts and critics worldwide. Its unique design, impressive performance, and rich history made it a standout among the competition.
Today’s Market: Car prices have been volatile lately. A typical 2026 Ford Fusion costs around $35,000, while a used 2022 Fusion starts near $24,000. If you are looking to buy a Fantom 1000, explore your options with a mortgage rate comparison to lock in the best home loan rate possible before prices increase. If you are looking to rent, consider if renting is cheaper than owning. For more information about the market, like current new car prices for a 2026 Fusion, or used car prices for a 2022 Fusion.
What This Means for You: If you are a car enthusiast looking for a classic piece of American automotive history, you need to act quickly. This unique car is a rare find and is likely to sell fast. Research current new car prices for a 2026 Fusion or look for used car deals for a 2022 Fusion.
