Oonagh Charleton meets the owner of a 1973 Ford Cortina 2000E who won't let anybody else drive it
Plush vinyl upholstry with crushed velour seats and soft sides and foorwells. This car is the ultimate in funky Fords. There is something quite extraordinary about the 2000E.
It's not the fact that corduroy walled interior is in better condition than my jacket, nor is it that half a rainforest was probably sacrificed to construct one of the best made wood facias and door trappings ever to be found. It may have something to do with the "committed-for-a-lifetime" owner, Dermot Brady, and his absolute refusal to sell this 2000E under any circumstances.
Bought from a very reluctant seller for £1,650, newly married Dermot used the 1973 Cortina to chauffer his wife, Rose, to and from their wedding last May, in serious style. Rose, who fell in love with the car at first sight, compares it to a Mercedes in terms of comfort and style. "It's really beautiful. When I first saw it pull up beside me in the carpark, I knew I wanted it."
Of all the classic car owners I have met with over the past year or so, the Bradys are up there when it comes to being passionate about automobiles. If Dermot had the choice of any car in the world, regardless of cost, he would go to the ends of the earth to own a Ford Mustang. "Any Mustang at all" he enthuses. "As long as it needs a bit of work so I can make it my own. I don't care what kind of Mustang. Just a Mustang."
And what if asked to do a direct swop with the Cortina? "The Mustang is the one car I'd really like to have. I don't want it in great condition. But, I could never part with this car (the Cortina).
"I don't let anyone drive it. If anything happened to it, I'd be done for murder."
As for his wife, Rose, she says that "even though it's our car, I don't want to drive it."
And would they let their children drive it if the time came? With rather a serious amount of throat clearing on Dermot's part, the truth comes out eventually. "I might think about it. It would only be a spin around the Phoenix Park though. There'd be no Saturday night stuff."
So what is his favourite feature? "I love the length and width of the bonnet and the fact that it's just so comfortable. It really is like sitting in a sofa. The only thing that's wrong with it is that the battery keeps going on me, but that's only because I don't drive it enough."
As he works abroad a lot, Brady admits to first racing into the garage when he gets home to check up on the car. Does Rose mind? "Not in the slightest." She genuinely loves the car as much as he does.
His mother however has a different set of worries. On occasion the 2000E is left with her and she can't sit still wondering if it's alright.
"When I park this at my mothers," Dermot smiles, "it drives her mad with worry. She literally babysits it. Once a child's bike was thrown over the wall and landed on the bonnet, so she's always watching it."
Dermot, who has been mad about classic cars since he was a kid, has worked as a spray painter and also repairs and fits bodywork and interiors.
He is reluctant to drive the Cortina over the 800 miles he has clocked since purchase. It was originally bought so he could carry out a bit of restoration work. "When I restore it, everything will be left original. I wouldn't change anything." This is evident from the trouble he's going through to purchase an original 2000E footpedal rubber even though the rubbers from the Ford Granada fit perfectly. Adamant that there is no "modern accessories or fittings going into this car", he is keen to get hold of two original chrome side mirrors to help complete the project.
With 95,000 miles on the clock, this 2000E was introduced by Ford in 1973 intending it as an "Executive Class" car, hence the E after 2000. Based on the Cortina MkIII it essentially replaced the GLX, which had been the top of the range model at the time.
One of Rose's favourite features, the vinyl roof, helped to distinguish it from other Cortinas along with sports wheels, rectangular headlamps and real wood interior panels. Drivers sank into plush upholstry with crushed velour seats and soft sides and foorwells. This two-door saloon was also spacious in the rear exuding comfort and amazingly, style.
Evidently Ford designed it for the owner who had cash and a desire for deep-pile carpeting as opposed to the average family saloon. When I was a child, both the Mk II Escort and the Mk V Cortina passed through the Charleton clann and believe me, neither had melted-chocolate-ice-cream-friendly interiors. The 2000E penthouse-suite is no different.
Dermot has most certainly come a long way since his first 1978 Fiat 131 and would rather drive the Cortina than sit in his everyday car, the Renault Laguna. He also claims he wouldn't be driving the Ford at all if it wasn't for the Celtic Classic Car Club, which was instrumental in helping him organise classic insurance.
Any final comments, Dermot? "Well I'm tired of getting pulled over by the police in it," he grins. "I think I've done something wrong, and all they want to do is stand and have a good look at my car!"