Page 16 - Beep Bee November 2025

’60 Years of Ford Cortinas at
Bathurst Anniversary’
October long weekend 2025
2023 marked the beginning of the 60th anniversary of the
famous Bathurst wins by the marque in 1963, 1964 & 1965
and also of the cars being available in the showroom! So, it
seemed only fitting for Cortina enthusiasts to celebrate the
60th anniversary of this triumph. 2025 also coincided with
100 years of Ford in Australia so there was a double reason
to celebrate.
The ‘British Ford Club of NSW inc' invited all Cortina lovers
to join them in a special Tribute to the Ford Cortina, and
where better to have the party but at the site of its
triumphs
-
Mount Panorama.
RCC member Frank Lowndes took his lovingly restored
Cortina Mk1 to the event, and was also a speaker at the
‘Official Event Dinner’ on the Saturday night. Pictured here
alongside some other very famous gentlemen from the
racing world.
15 cars from ‘The British Ford Car Club’ drove down for the
weekend from Brisbane including Richard and Joan Coles in
their 1968 Cortina Mk2. Joan took photos of Frank driving
the famous Mt Panorama course. They did 4 laps but
unfortunately not at racing speeds!!
Seeing 179 Cortinas in convoy around the track was truly a
magnificent sight and 250 Cortinas were parked up at the
show on the Sunday.
The weekend was blessed with lovely sunny weather, unlike
the ‘Bathurst 1000’ the following weekend.
Myra Doyle.
Official Dinner.
Left to right : John Smailes, Ian Tate, Robert Taylor,
Colin Bond, Frank Lowndes.
Left to right : Richard Coles John Smailes,
Joan Coles, Colin Bond.
Richard Coles 1968 Cortina Mk2
Frank
Lowndes
1966
Cortina Mk1
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