I found an abandoned classic MK1 Ford Cortina – here’s how I transformed it

A MAN who found a dusty classic MK1 Ford Cortina abandoned in a garage has revealed how he transformed it.

Jonny Smith came across the vintage motor gathering dust in a lock-up near Romford in Essex.

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When he first pulled up the garage door, the Cortina was hidden beneath a pile of spare parts, bikes and outboard motors.

Clearing the hoarded rubbish out of the garage took several hours, with Jonny even discovering an armchair and a detached steering wheel.

But he also found several Cortina parts including a bonnet and wings in good condition – as well as parts from an even rarer Ford Consul Capri and a MK2 Ford Escort.

After finally emerging from the rubbish heap, the car turned out to be a 1963 Fortina Consul.

Taking a look inside, Jonny said: “You know what? It’s alright.

“It’s actually nice in here. It doesn’t smell appalling.

“We’ll have a closer look when we’re out in the daylight.

“We haven’t got an ignition key for the car. However, I know from experience with old Fords that if you use a shed key it’ll be alright.”

The car’s engine was still intact – so Jonny pumped the tyres and towed it outside.

Aside from some crusty paintwork around the wheel hubs, the Cortina’s condition was a pleasant surprise to Jonny.

But he was shocked to come across a discarded pair of knickers under the front seat.

Jonny got to work by lubricating the engine and tweaked some old parts.

But frayed electrical connections stopped him from driving the Cortina straight out of the garage.

Finding and solving the exact fault will be a painstaking job – which could take days.

It comes after thieves stole a vintage bright yellow MK1 Ford Escort worth £80,000 from a locked garage in a brazen raid.