Works Cortina Capri And Corsair In Detail

There was a time when Ford’s competition department appeared to operate on the wonderfully straightforward principle that if a car existed, somebody should probably race it. The result was an extraordinary procession of Cortinas, Capris and Corsairs that spent their weekends sliding sideways through forests, charging around racing circuits or bouncing enthusiastically across rally stages before being driven home with little more than a fresh set of tyres and a hopeful glance under the bonnet.

Works Cortina, Capri and Corsair in Detail is Graham Robson’s meticulous exploration of these legendary factory competition cars. Drawing upon factory records, period documentation and decades of research, Robson examines the development, engineering and competition careers of Ford’s official Works machines, revealing how relatively humble family saloons and sporty coupés became giant-killers in the hands of talented drivers and determined engineers.

The beauty of this book lies in its astonishing level of detail. Individual chassis are tracked through their competition lives, specification changes are documented with forensic precision, and readers are treated to an abundance of period photographs showing these cars exactly as they appeared during their glory days. This isn’t merely a history book; it’s something approaching automotive detective work, piecing together the stories of machines that have become legends in historic motorsport circles.

Naturally, you’ll encounter many of the famous names associated with Ford’s competition success, alongside mechanics who somehow managed to keep highly strung racing engines alive using little more than engineering skill, determination and what one suspects was an industrial quantity of tea. It was an era when race weekends involved equal measures of preparation, improvisation and occasionally wondering whether the gearbox would survive one more stage. Sometimes it did. Sometimes it provided valuable educational opportunities for everyone involved.

The photography is superb throughout, capturing the cars in workshops, on rally stages, at race circuits and during development. Every dent, decal and hastily applied repair tells part of the story, reminding us that these weren’t museum pieces wrapped in cotton wool—they were working competition cars, expected to endure punishment that would have most ordinary road cars quietly requesting early retirement.

Robson writes with the authority of someone who has spent decades immersed in Ford’s motorsport history, yet never loses sight of the sheer enjoyment these machines continue to inspire. Whether you’re fascinated by homologation specials, chassis numbers, rally preparation or simply appreciate seeing Mk1 Cortinas and Capris being exercised exactly as their designers secretly hoped they would be, there’s something here to savour.

Our copy is in As New condition, meaning it has been treated with considerably more care than the cars featured inside. The pages are immaculate, the binding is excellent, and it looks ready to take pride of place on the bookshelf of any Ford enthusiast—preferably somewhere safely away from oily fingerprints and spontaneous discussions about the correct shade of Ermine White.

From all of us at Crappy Old Books, where we firmly believe every family car secretly dreams of becoming a rally winner, comes a superbly researched celebration of Ford’s glorious Works competition programme. It’s considerably cheaper than buying an ex-Works Cortina, and infinitely easier to park.

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