Crayford Cortinas
David McMullan and Jeffrey Smith founded Crayford Engineering at Westerham in Kent in 1962. Their first project was a convertible Mini, soon followed by a Wolseley Hornet convertible which was ordered by HJ Heinz for a competition and 57 were delivered in 1966. In 1964 Crayfords exhibited a convertible based on the Ford Cortina MkI, and promptly received an order for 30 of these to go to Bermuda; a further dozen or so were sold in the UK. Crayfords went on to build 400 Cortina MkII convertibles, and then converted 400 MkIII 'coke bottle' Cortinas with a 'Sunshine Conversion' which retained all the side windows. Crayford also converted the Cortina MkIV, but only a small quantity were sold. When the Cortina 80 was announced, Crayford started work on a convertible form of that, but after exhibiting a prototype at the 1980 Motor Show, Crayford passed the project onto Carbodies but it was not a sales success.
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967 - badge on bootlid
Ford Cortina 1966 Super Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1966 Super Crayford Convertible - badge on boot
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible - badge on bootlid
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford - badge on bootlid
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford - badge on bootlid. Crayford Engineering designed a convertible based on the MkV Cortina and around 30 were made.
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible. Although the 'Sunshine Conversion' could be made on any Ford Cortina MkIII (or Ford Taunus TC in Germany), the Pinto-engined 2000 GT and 2000 GXL were popular choices
Ford Cortina 1966 1500 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1966 1500 GT Crayford Convertible. Converted into a convertible by Crayfords of Westerham, around 50 Cortina MkI convertibles were made, 30 of these going to Bermuda.
Ford Cortina 1966 1500 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1966 1500 GT Crayford Convertible. Converted into a convertible by Crayfords of Westerham, around 50 Ford Cortina MkI convertibles were made, 30 of these going to Bermuda.
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967
Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford 1967
Ford Cortina 1600 Super Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1600 Super Crayford Convertible
Crayford Cortina Twin Cam Convertible
Crayford Cortina Twin Cam Convertible. In 1967 the Cortina MkII was given a Lotus version, but this was quickly named 'Cortina Twin Cam' and it was built on the same lines as lesser Cortina MkII cars. Mechanically the car was very much Cortina GT but did have the Twin Cam Lotus engine. Crayford built convertible versions of the Cortina MkII including a few on the Twin Cam body.
Crayford Cortina Twin Cam Convertible
Crayford Cortina Twin Cam Convertible. Of about 400 MkII Cortinas converted by Crayford, only about 20 were on the Twin Cam bodyshell. The sports suspension did not work well with the roofless Crayford body.
Ford Cortina 1971 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1971 GT Crayford Convertible, powered by a 1,593cc ohv Ford Pinto engine
Ford Cortina 1971 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1971 GT Crayford Convertible, coachwork by Crayford Engineering.
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible. Crayford called this the 'Sunshine Conversion' and involved removing only the roof of a Ford Cortina MkIII. The convertible roof could be rolled back to the boot. A removable bar across the b-posts added strength.
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible. For the Ford Cortina MkIII Crayford Engineering chose a much simpler design, retaining the vehicle sides and windows. This was also cheaper and more profitable.
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford. The prototype MkV Crayford Convertible was presented at the 1980 London Motor Show but then Crayford sold all the designs to Carbodies.
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford
Ford Cortina MkV Crayford. Only about 30 of these convertibles were built by Carbodies before in 1982 Ford ceased production of the Ford Cortina MkIII and replaced it with the Ford Sierra.
Ford Cortina 1600 Super Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1600 Super Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1966 Super Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1966 Super Crayford Convertible, with coachwork by Crayford Engineering
Ford Cortina 1966 1500 GT Crayford Convertible
Ford Cortina 1500 GT Crayford Convertible.
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible.
Ford Cortina 2000 GT Crayford Convertible. The 'Sunshine Conversion' sold well for Crayford Engineering, some 400 being made. A similar conversion was made on the German Taunus car by Carl Deutsch of Cologne under licence from Crayford.
Ford Cortina Mk1 to MkV
Ford Cortina Mk1 to MkV
Vauxhall Cavalier MkII Convertible
Vauxhall Cavalier MkII Convertible