He Bought This Ford Cortina for £100… Then Discovered It Was a Forgotten Police Lotus!

What looked like an ordinary Ford Cortina Mk2 turned into one of the most incredible classic car discoveries ever. When classic car enthusiast Jim Payton bought a tired four-door Cortina for just £100, he had no idea he was uncovering a forgotten chapter of British motoring history. As the restoration began, hidden factory Lotus components, rare police records, and original documents revealed the car's remarkable past. Piece by piece, Jim restored the vehicle to its former glory before an emotional reunion at the 2017 NEC Classic Motor Show with the original police officer who had driven it decades earlier. Watch the complete true story of the £100 Ford Cortina, the mystery behind its Lotus engineering, and the unforgettable restoration that brought this historic police car back to life. If you enjoy classic car stories, barn finds, restorations, and forgotten automotive history, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and Turn on Notifications for more amazing true stories every week. #fordcortina #LotusCortina #classiccars #barnfind #carrestoration #fordhistory #classiccarrestoration #vintagecars #policecars #MotoringHistory #britishcars #NECClassicMotorShow #rarecars #ClassicCarStories #automotivehistory