City mechanics had good cause to pat themselves on the back yesterday after learning a car they painstakingly restored had roared away with a world-record price.No one anywhere had ever paid more for a 42-year-old Ford Cortina but the mystery buyer drove away with no ordinary Dagenham Dustbin - rather a 1965 Ford Lotus Cortina MK1 saloon, complete with distinctive green stripe, as it had when it was driven by former world motor racing champion, the late Jim Clark.
It was restored to its former glory by mechanics at Exway Coachworks which has grown from a one-man Exeter outfit into a thriving business with an annual turnover of £15-million and more than 250 employees.
The car had been expected to reach £80,000 but sold at Bonhams in London for a staggering £136,800.
Exway, who restored the ex-Team Lotus car, were described by auctioneers Bonhams as "one of this country's leading Lotus Cortina specialists".
The car accident repair business was started in March, 1982, by Trevor Barefoot with a single site in Exeter and a staff of one - himself.
Now in its 25th anniversary year, the group has become one of the UK's largest independent collision repair specialists.
Over the past 12 months it has repaired more than 18,000 cars - but few can boast the star status of the veteran sporting saloon which went under the hammer.
A Bonhams spokesman said: "Ford's 1960s profile-raising competition programme included recruiting Lotus boss Colin Chapman to give the new Cortina a sporting makeover. The Lotus Cortina in the auction was one of the original works racing saloons campaigned during the mid-1960s by legendary Formula 1 world champion Jim Clark while touring car champions Sir John Whitmore and Jack Sears also competed in the same car."
In 1965, it was possible to buy a Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1 saloon for just £1,100 and three shillings (5p) although that represented two years' wages for many motorists.
The car did 21.3 miles to the gallon, but global warming was unheard of and petrol was considerably cheaper then. A gallon of petrol in 1965 cost five shillings and twopence (or just over 25p).
Ford made 3,301 of the Mk1 Ford Lotus Cortina between June 1963 and November 1966.
