My MkII Cortina was registered in the first week of May 1967 and was one of the early MkII 1300 Standard models. Apart from the gear lever, it had plastic seats and rubber floor mats but one of the best cold air to the face, warm air to the feet heating systems I've come across on a non-air conditioned car.
The vehicle had Michelin X tyres which were frankly awful. Whilst they were the first radials readily available in the UK and much feted by the manufacturers as offering extra grip (which was true whilst cornering) when combined with the rather sharp front disc brakes on the Cortina they could be lethal in the wet when stopping in a straight line, sliding abysmally. Drivers quickly learned to take the foot off well before a junction.
United Biscuits reps used to make between 12 and 15 calls a day so the clutches on the fleet averaged 10,000 miles - I managed 11,100 on the first one - and the driver's door hinges took a hammering, not something one would normally expect to fail but many did.
Mine had the misfortune of being hit by a reversing truck in Nelson in the autumn of 1967 whilst parked. There was damage to the rear offside pillar. The week after it was back on the road after repair it was parked (quite legally) in the same position. The same truck hit it again in the same place. The driver was a little embarrassed, especially as he was delivering biscuits for the rival Jacobs company.
After 9 months and 18,000 miles the car was changed for a brand new Escort - which had an extremely early manufacturers number. The sales force resented the downgrade in the type of car offered, the reduction to 1100 cc and the even more tacky interior, not to mention the poor heating and ventilation system. The remote gear lever didn't make up for any of the downgrading!!
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