An unregistered Ford Cortina has been put up for sale for £25,000 after being driven just 58 miles in 51 YEARS.
The unique 1964 model was originally bought by a customer overseas who never took delivery of it after it rolled off the production line in Dagenham, Essex.
It was stored by a dealership in Hertfordshire for the next 35 years until Paul West bought it in 2000.
Mr West, who runs Cambridge Classic Cars, decided to keep the Cortina stored until now.
Incredibly, the four-door family saloon has never been registered and has been driven just 58 miles in its lifetime.
The Cortina was launched in November 1962 with a £670 price-tag. Ford sold 1,013,391 Cortinas between 1962 and 1966, when the Mk2 model was launched.
Under the bonnet of Paul’s model is a 1.5-litre engine which gives it around 60bhp. It uses a three-speed automatic gearbox.
The ‘Deluxe’ model is finished in Ambassador blue with contrasting blue cloth interior.
Paul has now put the one-off classic car on the market for £25,000 – and he hopes it will be bought by someone who will show it off to the public.
He said: “It was purchased for an overseas buyer who never took delivery, so it was stored by a garage for the next 35 years.
“I knew about the car, and it was always said the car would never be sold but I bought it around 15 years ago.
“I have not come across anything like it before – it really should be in a museum.
“The Cortina is an iconic car. People like Colin Chapman would race the Lotus Cortina which put them on the map, and they were used in Carry on Cabby.
“You aren’t going to drive it. I think it will make a good investment.
“It is one of the early cars and at the end of the day I think it will go to a car buff who wants a piece of history.”
