I dated a very rich woman from Cortina d'Ampezzo many years ago... On the flip side an uncle had a Doli Sprint!
Learnt to drive in a mk4 Cortina Estate. My Dad only ever had one Ford and he did warn me against buying one. I followed his example and only had one and wouldn't bother again. His Cortina only broke once when it snapped a cambelt. My 08 Focus broke frequently. Would have got rid sooner but it was costing me about £1000 a year in repairs so I couldn't save up to replace it. The 1979 Cortina was a better car!
My first car at 19 was a £100 crappy 1200 Mk1 Cortina. Once I'd holed a piston on the Gatwick straight I popped a 1500 lump in it along with the obligatory wide wheels, GT-remote shift and spotlights. Happier simpler days...
I think my old man's first motor was one of these beasts. A whopping 40hp when new. It was green with strong leather smelling seats. The back window leaked like hell. I can remember him spending ages drawing a sketch of it to send to send to my Grandparents, he was so proud. Ah the good old days...
My Dad had an Austin A 35 van. Not this one but one just like it. He thought the van would be better for a family with three kids and a dog than the saloon. I was a new-born on my mother's lap. My two toddler brothers were on bench seats in the back with Trim the dog. He bought it new and said it was the most unreliable car he ever owned. He must have got a Friday afternoon one, but he swore after that experience that he'd never buy another new car in his life, and he never did.
Not a Cortina or Dolomite. But I aspired to have one as a youngster. Never did though. Could be the Dolomites in the background?
TC means twin carburettor. BMC B series 1800 engine I believe. OHV. However there was a twin cam version of the B series engine with the MGA. Most went to the states and was a failure due to fuelling issues.
