1966 Lotus Cortina - Jay Leno's Garage 

Oh my goodness this is amazing, Jay has found one again,the marvelous Lotus Cortina. As a London Policeman in the 60s I remember them well, like a ' bat outa hell '. And what a terrific restoration job has been by Jim, right back to bare metal. What a great job Jim.

Jim Hall is such a low profile Man, so humble. With a calm, soft voice. A genius in mechanical engineering. So knowlageable. This man deserves our highest respect. And I think Jay just does that. Kudos, Jim !

That was one of the nicest Leno episodes ever. Because Jay clearly appreciates his friend ,Jim, and all the hard work ,Jim put into the car. And Jay actually got Jim out of his car finished - car exhaustion so he could really appreciate his own work. That's what friends are for. Beautiful Lotus Cortina and great episode.

One of the reasons Jay Leno is one of my heroes, he has never forgotten what it was like to be a senior in High School. He has just as much fun now, as he must have then.

My best friend, an electrical engineer, bought one of these in Vancouver, B.C., new in 1966. We were young men at the time and raced it all over Vancouver. The car would eat Mustangs at a stop light and would out corner anything we came up against. It was fast and fun.

Did Britain 🇬🇧 proud with that restoration 👌🏻 🇺🇸

When I was in high school in the mid 1970's, I worked in a bicycle shop during the summers. The owner of the shop was a natural mechanic who owned one of these. He took me for a ride in it that I'll never forget. What great handling! I've loved the car ever since.

Bringing a Lotus Cortina back to life is a very honorable thing to do. I salute you both!

Jay and Jim obviously have a lot of respect for each other, and friendship. Great episode. Congrats, Jim, on finishing it up!

What a great restoration! I was stationed in England in 1980-83. I had a MkII GT and a MkI Cortina. They were nothing like the Lotus but fun to drive on the little country roads. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

This car seems to reflects the owner, modest on the outside, substantial on the inside.

I am becoming So Addicted to Jay's car reviews, always so well narrated with his many humourous one liners :) As an English guy i can't believe how many British cars and bikes he enjoys reviewing. Such a down to earth man and such well restrained modesty. My best buddy bought his first car in the mid 70s when we were 16 and almost old enough to jump off our racey non baffled mopeds and into cars at 17 so he managed to scrape up the cash to buy a MK1 cortina because he could not afford to buy the creme due la creme of cortinas :( It was about 10 years old and needed patched floor panels etc and had squeaks coming from places we tried but could never find, but all was well, if it started after about 6 jabs of the pedal :) He always wanted to take me for a drive after 1 or 2 inches of fresh snow had landed to brush up on his sliding and handbrakw skills frightening the crap outta me (literally) and he always had a 13inch rim to buy after clipping a few kerbs ....Oooops.... lucky he worked for a ford dealership as a young mechanic. He dreamed of becoming a rally driver and a few years later was given a MK2 escort to rally. His dream of flying through the trees(literally) had come true at 100+ mph, i think he used to take his brain out, put it into a plastic bag and into the toilet bowl for safe keeping just incase he made it back. He was crazy and had me stain my undercarriage more than once sliding on gravel and ice all over the forest and asphalt trying to become swedish :)) Thank you so much Jay for bringing back such great memories of my old buddies with reviews on so many cars and bikes some of us had the young pleasure of driving and riding around the narrow country British lanes ;)

How many guys worth $600 million are so down to earth. Jay is one of a kind. Jay's work ethic is alive and well in his Garage. Jim is a good example of that, humble but an expert. The Cortina is amazing.

Jay, If you have never read the report (which was printed in a 60's edition of Sports Car Magazine) regarding the duo that drove a Ford Cortina from London to Capetown in an attempt to beat the (then) record, you have missed one of the greatest automotive stories in racing history! I read this story originally and was captivated. Then fast forward to a few years ago, I was in a (speaking proficiency group - Toastmasters) and gave a talk regarding this attempt at one of the Toastmasters meetings. I drew a map that was 6 feel long featuring England and all the countries all the way down to South Africa. I had a model ( I found on EBAY) of the Cortina and gave the talk. During this attempt the two drivers ran into all sorts of difficulties - weather in France, restrictions when trying to cross the country with the gold mines in it - so the co-driver folded down the seat and lay down pretending to be very ill - which got them through the checkpoint! Running out of gas in the middle of nowhere only to crest a rise to see a brand new gas station which had opened only just a week earlier...flat tire in a notorious area where bandits are known to try and abduct motorists and on and on. I won't spoil what happened when they got into Capetown and if they broke the record or not - but your staff or you spending the time to read the story or purchasing the issue of Sports Car Graphic with this story in it - WILL NOT DISAPPOINT YOU!! Check it out!!

I briefly owned a Lotus Cortina in the late 1970s. It was pretty knackered but it was still magic to drive. I acquired it because as a teenager I was privileged enough to see Jim Clark racing at Brands Hatch, Crystal Palace and other circuits in the two years he won the Saloon Car Championship in the Cortina. Anyone who saw him drive this car will know what a total genius Jim Clark was. He won his class or the outright race in nearly every single race he entered, unless he had mechanical failures. Without the mechanical failures he easily has by far the highest ratio of wins to starts in history whether in Saloon Cars, Sports Cars, or Formula 1. He was without any doubt the most naturally gifted racing driver of all time, and an absolute gentlemen.

This is why I’m subscribed to Jay Leno

Jim has the right to be proud. Such workmanship. Beautiful!

Jim, whatever it took, it was worth it! The car is beautiful! I was born in 63, but I was a book worm that loved cars, and this is one of them that I drew over and over. The three wheel turns and the taillights made this car iconic! I bet I was the only one in elementary school that knew who Colin Chapman was.

I love when Jay is just driving around and it's just two guys that love the cars they're in and talking about what they love about them. More like this! And I always like Jim and his stories. Great job on the restoration

That's incredible chaps. That green is exactly right. My dad had one of these from new, it was his pride and joy. They suffered a lot with electrical problems back in the day but when running they were great fun. Many happy days on the beach here in England with my parents. Thanks once again you brought back lots of happy memories for me.

The perfect JLG video because it's a "hometown boy" story. The car is simply amazing - Jim has much to be proud of and he's far too modest to admit it. This is a real car guy - he does it for the love of the car and the hobby, not for self-promoting of a business venture. Jay gave him a place and the resources in-house to do the work and even goaded his friend into getting the car to begin with. How many of us have ever been talked into buying a basket case by our friends, eh? Again, Jay is into this whole car thing for the right reasons - his heart is in the hobby.We all benefit because he has the wherewithal to do it bigtime and share it all with us.

Can't beat the sound of Webers and double overhead cam! Lovely restored car!!!!

This is what I love about Jay. He loves to see other people achieve their goals and be recognized. I would've loved to work for Jay. I am now happily retired.

The Mk1 Cortinas are still a joy to watch racing, against Minis and Capris in the UK. FYI the original Lotus engine in this model was rated at 105bhp. What a beautiful example, and worth a fortune now.

Jim Hall is the most genuine guy Jay has ever made a video with - Jim is like talking to the other engineers at work. I’ve seen every one of Jay Leno’s Garage videos and this video with Jim’s Lotus Cortina is the best. I just retired after 38 years in Navy ship design (fluid systems) and appreciate the engineering detail that Jim brings to the videos - just a regular (smart) guy! Waiting for a follow-up on the 1966 Lotus Cortina, after the engine is fully broken in.

As a boy I used to hang around and help out in a guys garage at Forest Hill, South London in the early 70's. The garage owner won a race as a privateer and the prize was a Lotus Cortina from a famous UK race driver named James (Jim) Clarke. Exactly the same as this one! Great to see one again. I did not know they were ever made left hand drive/exported. WOW I remember that engine/exhaust sound immediately!!

I love how Jay lets his Staff work on their own projects at his garage. Must be a petrolhead's dream job.

I watched Jim Clark drive this car on an airfield circuit in the Scottish borders. That black and white photo is exactly how I remember him taking the corners. He was just so.much faster than everyone else. A world champion to be.

Your guest is the kind of guy that makes america great. What a master of sheet metal, that's an art

Love these long ones with extended conversations with 2 of the premier car guys in the world.

The shot of the small die cast car next to real one was so cool. 👍🏻

These cars were iconic in the Commonwealth countries like Australia, NZ etc etc, guys lusted after these and were driven by the period hero's. Well done guys, always a delight to see passion and so glad you share it honestly. A huge achievement and thank you very much for the memory.

Having owned a 1966 Cortina GT I couldn't wait to see this car on the road. Just a fabulous restoration, and no one could have done it better than Jim Hall.

My dad used to cart us around in this car back in the early 70's. Took me to my first football match Arsenal V Barcelona in it. Happy times.

I have never heard an American say Dagenham before. He did it proud!! I live about 40 miles from the Dagenham Ford plant, and it’s so sad to see it now, compared to what it was 😢

You can tell these two are good friends :) great vibes between them. This is what cars are all about.

So, in Jay's fantasy come true automotive shop. This man has spent better than two years reviving this automobile. My hat is tipped towards you Sir.

Jim don't ever let this beauty go. You sound sometimes unsure of your connection with the car whether that's because of the huge amount of work you did to get it back to this incredible state or because you always worked on them but never drove one. One thing is for sure your work speaks volumes. Enjoy your awesome piece of history best of luck.

Lovely job Jim. Hope you have found some quarter bumpers for the front. My Dad had a Mk1 GT and 4 kids. We did a lot of miles in that family car. Was Dad’s pride and joy until someone stole it and wrote it off. He then bought a 60’s Ford Anglia with.the chisel roof and painted it in Ermine white with the Citroen green stripe. One of Dad’s friends rolled their Mk1 Lotus Cortina and he bought the wreck. The engine, gear box, back axle and seats fitted straight into the Anglia. He finally had his white Lotus with the green stripe! Yay! Dad’s now in his 80’s and quite poorly. I will remind of the Cortina and Anglia when I phone him tonight. I am sure he will remember a few stories? If he doesn’t, Mum certainly will! Thanks for the memories Jay.

Hi Jay Leno's Garage. Buy name is Guy, I work as a Health Care Assistant in a Dementia Ward for Older People in Southampton General Hospital in Southampton. England. The 'Bay' (room) I usually work in (which consists of 3 elderly gentlemen, Individuals who have 'cognitive impairment' / Dementia) I like to show them 'Jay Lenos Garage' on the computer and it helps our patients settle-down and they sometimes even remember the older cars you have on the show. One chap could even tell that the above car was a Lotus Cortina from the interior! When I quizzed him to guess what car it was. I know he used to own ALL sorts of classic cars... I appreciate the way you gently inform (with great knowledge) the specifications of the car/motorcycle, I think we appreciate the fact you don't TRY to be funny (although you are quite funny) and it's not slapstick- spanner-throwing-across-the-workshop..You do the job with respect and dignity...One of our patients, who is blind, likes to listen to the detail you share about the 'Automobile' as he used to be an engineer...So thank you Jay Leno's Garage for helping make my working day a little more joyful, calming and interesting for our patients. By the way, I am a bit of a 'Gear-Head' / 'Metal-Head' myself (I own a 23 year old Honda 'Two-Fifty' Motorcycle) Here is my own youtube channel - my surreal tribute (?) to what I think Top Gear should be I call it 'Not Gear' : ru-vid.com/show-UCHXnoVwm7rE35XufnZHumSg By the way, I also do music, please click on the icon of my bald face on the left (I'm a fan of Pink Floyd, but some say I sound like Lou Reed...) www.soundcloud.com/g-floyd-d facebook.com/gfloydd Or my band 'Loads of Vertigo' and this is the RU-vid Channel - ru-vid.com/show-UCPSqSEbsafyY0YURvOyt7_g facebook.com/loadsofvertigo Thanks again Jay!

A wonderful tribute and well-deserved recognition for a hard working, talented and dedicated employee, YEARS in the making!

I had a thing going on with a woman that owned one of these. We would drive to quiet places in it, no reclining seats back then. She was 38 and I was 19. Being driven in a lotus cortina and having my brain melted. That was 44 years ago!!

Two friends enjoying a simple drive in a very special car : )

I appreciate the way Jay treats his employees. A true class act!

55 years - and these body lineš are still beautiful

Great extended chat session with the humble, solid and brilliant Jim Hall. Thanks., JL's Garage.

Mr. Hall sir, we need you in England to do restoration shows with Ed China please. Great work Jim, great show Jay.

JIM , I have waited for this moment to finally see the completed car. You are a real master craftsman. My friend bought the exact car and when we went out that evening it was memorable and the show brought back all the great drives in the car, the car was such a iconic development and was typical of Ford Motor Co in the UK, IN F1 the Ford DFV was a world beater for years. Jay, Thanks for the show you always show great programmes of all types of transport, BIG THANKS TO YOU BOTH..WELL DONE JIM!

16:45, love hearing when others also have little depressions when churning through the nonsense and other parts of dealing with a big project, nice to know I'm not the only one.

This car was the standard by which all UK cars were measured back in the 60s and and 70s. Those rims were sort after as much as Minilites as they were extra wide compared to the normal Cortinas. Machine shops used to take the stock wheels and cut them on a lathe and add in 2-3 inches to get them to look like this or a little wider. The gearbox had special ratios, and you could always identify the Lotus by its taller gear stick. The diff also had a shorter ratio too. The engine could take a high level of tuning and punishment. Cams available from tuning companies like Burton Power Products made full race cams over 320 degree duration with lift as high as 13.5 mm. Add that to a 14:1 CR piston and this thing is going fly. The bottom end was quite strong too and forged crank shaft and steel main caps were available too which held up very well. A wonderful Collector's item which is still very sought after in the Cortina and Ford circles all over the World. You did a great job Jim.

Way back in 1975 I found a 1969 Cortina G.T. while perusing through the local 'recycler' (remember them?). It was owned by an elderly gentleman who purchased it new from Larry Temple Ford which was an English Ford dealership in Glendale, Ca. on the corner of Garfield and Brand. The car was immaculate inside and out. Wimbledon white with black stripe with black interior and one of the most gorgeous lacquer wood full instrumentation dashboards ever fitted to a compact (or any) car. I convinced my dad it was really just an economy car and with my mother owning a '68 4 door Cortina with an Automatic a few years prior it wasn't a hard sell - he loaned me the $850 to buy it. Motor was a 1.6 liter crossflow head "kent" pushrod 4. The previous year 1968 G.T. had the 1.5 pre-crossflow kent motor. It was also fitted with tube header from the factory - I knew these cars pretty well and kept holding out for a later crossflow model and was thrilled when I finally found and bought mine. Like so many teens living in Hollywood back then, particularly young, enthusiastic, sow one's wild oats types - I found the allure of Mulholland drive too convenient. Not only for the many side roads to take dates on - only to be caught several times in an "flagrante delicto", but also for the sheer thrill of pitting myself and car against other like minded types up there. I battled BMW 1600/2002's Datsun 510's, Mazda rotaries, Opel's, Alfa's and did remarkably well, though the RX3's and V-6 Capri's pretty much set the bar in the small car category. In retrospect, how fortunate I am to have made it through those anything but halcyon years without hurting myself or others. Ah, but I digress.As durable and relatively bulletproof as the motor was, it developed a nasty rod knock after about a year. I had known for quite some time that the engine bay/drivetrain 'hardpoints' were virtually identical to the Ford Capri and this was my chance. I found a 2.6 cologne V-6 with trans from a wrecked '72 Capri and bought it for $300 and the guy even tossed in the differential. Absolutely ALL of the components were a straight bolt in, from motor, trans mounts, to differential - The only thing that required any fettling was the tachometer and that was done by North Hollywood Speedo for a song. Oh, and the exhaust. But even that was super simple as the V-6 Capri trans crossover (which bolted straight in) was already manufactured to accommodate the left and right bank pipes. When done, the car looked as if it was a factory car with no indication of it being a swap. I also added Koni's, front and rear swaybars from Dobi meant for a Capri and an autopower roll bar. Later still, an offenhauser 4 barrel manifold, isky cam, and a set of headers The car was almost unbeatable with only the big cars - i.e. Vettes, Z-28's, modded Datsun Z cars and a 911 or 2 posing a challenge. I took the car to the old Irwindale race track (where Miller Brewing is today) wondering what it would run. 14.7 @ 96.4 mph. Sure, admittedly slow by todays standards but back in '75-'76?..I watch ALL of Jay's videos but this one in particular rekindled very fond memories of a car which truly was special to me - even if not the highly revered lotus version. Thanks Jay.

Best car show on RU-vid.

Wow. It is so heartening to see one of these brought back from dead, and to such a level of detail. Well done!

Beautiful to see such a well restored Brit Box Ford, a credit to Jim and his team. From a certain perspective, the front end has similar lines to a 1960's Ford Thunderbird, but obviously shrunken proportions for our narrow and twisty British roads. Such a cool car!

I can't believe I didn't know this car existed. It's a new favorite for sure.

Congratulations Jim, followed you through the whole process, was rooting for you all the way.

I worked in a UK motor factors in the 1960's, the Lotus 'green' was Citroen Sherwood green.

OMG! My uncle had one of these - he's in Orange County. This was early 80's and I was a kid. I thought this was the coolest "mod" car to be driving. It was totally stock. Nice to see this =)

I remember our British racing green 1965 model... Wow life passes so quickly.

I owned a Cortina GT in the 1960s. I had more fun in that car than in any of the dozens of cars I have owned since then. I just loved that car.

When they mentioned Jimmy Clark it really brought back fine memories!

Congratulations Jim on your (almost) completed restoration. A beautiful example of a true classic. You are the uncle I wish I had.

That Lotus is just beautiful. I think it looks great without the bumper. And that Twincam sound beyond perfection!

I saw Jim Clark drive a mark 1 Lotus Cortina to a win at Cadwell Park when I was 12yrs old in 1966 against much more powerful cars!

My uncle had one of these in Worcestershire in 1965-66, I remember going in it as a boy. He sold it and moved to a Jaguar 420G and then a Rover 3500 with an eight track cartridge deck changing to a XJ6.

Thanks Jay, it was nice to meet Jim this way, one of your best test rides.

I admire Jim Hall following through in maintaining a restoration that kept this car pure and genuine to its original manufacture. That's the most difficult restoration one can do. It's so easy to just order out of a modern generic catalog. But as a result this car drives, sounds and feels as it did when new. Purists like Jim here know that's the only way to have a genuine experience once the project has been completed. As well this car can now be viewed as a historically correct piece for a future museum stay. And thank you Jay for another great video!

Jay's reference to Jim Clark shows just how impressive his car knowledge is.

Who remembers peeling your skin off the vinyl seats on a hot sunny day, and then burning your skin with the britex seatbelt when you sat down after being at the beach? What a beautiful car, and what a great job they have done to restore it.

My childhood right there. My dad was an amateur race car driver and had this vehicle as his daily driver. He had a red one and I remember going to Cape Cod in the summertime as a kid in it. Had to love the "AC-like" fans. Thanks for sharing this one Jay.

Finally, I had been waiting for this Cortina to be finish for... quite a few years

This is one of the most wonderful restoration I have ever seen - an absolutely perfect love affair. And the owner fits perfectly to the car - old school all the way, just marvellous!

Takes me back! In the 1960s I had one of these in London and used to rally it in England and Scotland. Beautiful car to drive, so precise and stable. To terrify friends, I used to take it around Hyde Park Corner roundabout, hanging the tail out, drifting at an angle all round the circle. Not too many times around as it could attract police attention. But the general style of the car was pretty discrete - not as though it was a red Elan or MG.

Great video and a big congrats to Jim for his excellent restoration. Back in Scotland, at the age of nineteen, my first car was a second hand MK1 Ford Cortina 1500cc Super. Stripped and rebuilt the engine because of low oil pressure and discovered that someone had filed down the piston con-rod at the the crankshaft bearing, hence, hunted for and was lucky enough to find a replacement at an engine reconditioning shop. I had that car for quite some time and it really hated the winter in Scotland - refusing to start in the mornings despite repeated efforts and coaxing with different remedies. This video brings back happy memories of bygone years. I'm now 71 years old and retired but I guess we never forget our first car purchase. Thanks guys for posting this video.

I saw Jim Clark racing in one at the 1964 Aintree 200 meeting. I was ten years old and my adopted uncle Ken was one of the track marshalls for the BARC. He used to 'lend' me and my brothers his paddock pass. Those were the days eh !

Back then, the Lotus Cortina was a real mean deal. The factory headers, particularly the size of that dual carburetors were awesome 😎 A piece of gem 👍🏻

Love the down to earth approach in this episode. No shouting look at me attitude, but just two guys somewhat humble and just enjoying themselves. Reminds me of the early days of jay lenos garage. Anyways, I loved this episode! Keep up the good work!

I remember seeing these in the Mercury show room when I was a teenager. Boy did I want one. I remember seeing Jimmy Clark race at Laguna Seca in the early 60's beating the chaparrals against Jim Hall. Those were the days.

Jim is the nicest person Jay has ever interviewed.

Glad to see the way Jay supports his craftsmen. And really, it's all part of the plan - saving as many rare cars as possible. I doubt very much that Jay is in the car restoration business to make money.

More Jim, please. Really like this guy!!!

After watching about 100 of Jay’s videos, I started going to local car shows, and they’re a lot of fun. If you haven’t been to one in a while, it might be worth checking out.

Thanks guys. I had the A frame Lotus with a light yellow body colour. in Australia. I would drive to the race circuit 160 miles away. Compete at the weekend then drive home. I had German Dunlop roadspeed rubber. Did some rallys too but the A frame had 2 brackets attached to the diff that would catch on some of the dirt roads. Sold it for a Prince Skyline GT that I also raced for a while. Now race a mid engine MGF in hillclimbs.

Back in the mid 70’s I watched a Lotus Cortina go through an auction for £80. DAMN !!

I was a passenger in one. My van driver had one. It was his pride and joy. Someone round the corner from me had a Renault Lotus too.

Jim is an amazing person and one hell of a mechanic

A legendary car. Word from experts is there may be more fake (not replica) Cortinas than real ones. Great piece of race history here. Fascinating cars. Thanks Jay!

I was one of those kids who thrashed my 1963 Lotus Cortina. I was in year 2 of an engineering degree at Bath Uni in 1969 and used to roll up in the staff carpark in my ex race prepared Mk1 Lotus. I bought it off my Dad's Taxi Boss who was a petrol head. It was the aluminium panelled version and was as light as and it produced 140 bhp so it went ok at about 1760 lbs. My fondest memories were racing my mates Triumph TR6 up Claverton Down Hill in Bath, very regularly. I loved the sucking roar of the twin Webers but they were a pain to tune and get balanced. Loved it to death.

I served an apprenticeship as a motor technician in the UK in the late 1960s. There were several dream cars which I knew I would never be able to afford. The E type Jaguar, the MGB and the Lotus Cortina. We did have a saying about the Lotus though, LOTUS = Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious. Great restoration. Well done.

Jim is such a fine mechanic and probably appreciates working for a real enthusiast with more money than sense - who allows him to work his magic without the office worrying about making money or a particular time schedule. It's a match made in heaven.

Jay is the coolest car guy who's ever lived. Beautiful restoration Jim! I hope that car is still in good hands a hundred years from now.

Awesome job Jim from a Brit, total respect 👍🇬🇧

I love this guy, and the work he does is fantastic. Thank you Jay for giving this fine gentleman an outlet for his creativity and attention to detail to manifest so beautifully.

Love these things. Classic cars that solved speed with something other than displacement are fascinating. Probably my favorite car of all time

So great to go back in time with this episode! My cousin Roy and I campaigned very successfully in local and SCCA rallies back in the late 60's, first with a regular Cortina, and then moving up to the Lotus Cortina. It was a left wheel drive, and I didn't realize how rare that was at the time. Such great memories of the surprised looks from people who didn't know what it was when we showed them our tail lights. Thanks Jim, and thanks Jay for letting us see this.

It’s 12 am in the east coast always worth staying up great videos J

I rode to school in a MK1 Cortina at age 7, always loved the Lotus Cortina.

I love the sound.

I love these cars. In England, lots of people painted green stripes on the side of their base model Cortina. It's all about that engine in an authentic example though. A lovely restoration on this car. Thanks Jay for another great video!

It's great to see one driven around in the American sunshine. Having grown up with these cars on the road everywhere in the UK, it's good to see such a brilliant example. As well as a family car, they were a mainstay of the company sales-rep fleets, and the engine spec and trim level was a measure of your position in the company hierarchy.