Classic and custom cars, driving them, fixing them up and showing them, are an abiding passion for the Holliday family from Houghton-le-Spring near Sunderland.
Dad Gordon has a multi award winning, fully-customised 1967 Ford Corsair 1700 Deluxe; mum Christine has a totally rebuilt 1972 VW camper van; one daughter has a customised 80s Mini; and another has recently acquired a 1972 VW Beetle which she can’t wait to get cracking on.
She wants dad to mastermind and manage the long-term makeover, which includes plans for a radical roof chop and a distinctive “rat rod” finish – rat rod customs are fashioned in the styles of the classic hot rods from the 40s, 50s, and early-60s, but with a slight dishevelled look.
Gordon also owns a 1932 Ford Model B Tudor with a 5-litre Mustang engine, Corvette rear axle and 4.5 inch roof chop. It is an original all steel car, very unusual, and very demanding of his time.
The pimped-up head-turning Corsair was inherited from his father an incredible 43 years ago
But for now, the pimped-up head-turning Corsair, which he inherited from his father an incredible 43 years ago, takes pride of place. Especially since it was polished, tuned and brought out of “retirement” to convey one of his daughters to her wedding last year.
Football-mad Gordon, 61, a season ticket holder at his beloved Sunderland AFC, explained: “The car was one of the few things my father had and when he died it was transferred into my mother’s name, but as she had never driven, it was passed on to me.
“Given the sentimental value I kept the Corsair and customised it in the early 80s. In fact, the customisation project absorbed most of my money at the time. It became a big part of my life, as my everyday car and eventually as my very own show car.
“It won lots of trophies at some of the largest custom car events of the day and we were even featured on a TV show presented by Matthew Kelly.”
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Attending shows around the country was always a challenge
But the Corsair’s jaunts throughout England, travelling from show to show, were not without their problems.
Gordon recalled: “Attending shows around the country was always a challenge. There was one occasion when the Corsair was pulling our caravan back from a car show and the radiator blew.”
He tried taking a couple of raw eggs from the fridge in the caravan and dropping them into the rad and running the engine in an attempt to seal the crack. When that was unsuccessful he had no option but to call for a pickup to tow the Corsair home.
But the story didn’t end there because the eggs smelt like, well, rotten eggs, when he eventually got the car home and took the rad off to replace it.
Gordon was invited to join the European custom car circuit
Despite the radiator incident, word of the Corsair’s street cred quickly grew and Gordon was invited to join the European custom car circuit, on one occasion driving all the way to Leiden in Holland – a 1,200 mile round trip – to show the vehicle.
But other demands on time meant the object of his affections, and the vast sums of money he spent on it, had to take a back seat in the mid 80s.
“It was parked up in a barn in 1985 and due to family commitments, work, building a house, all the normal things that crop up, it did not turn a wheel for 30 years.
“At one point I even considered selling it as it was being left to rot. That was until last year when my daughter asked me to get it ready for her wedding.”
With a little TLC, a good wash and polish, mechanical service and a new MOT, it was ready for the road, and a day in the spotlight at his daughter’s wedding. Since then Gordon has not looked back.
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It would be very hard to pass it on now
“I’m glad I held onto it and, having played a part in my daughter’s big day last August, I am sure it would be very hard to pass it on now.”
The Corsair has a very 80s look, with its distinctive, sharply-creased front and American-influenced styling, and is finished in stunning Red Glowble metal flake paint.
The doors and wings were replaced with new Ford parts in 1980 and every body panel has been modified, flared, fashioned, and flashed up, in one way or another.
It has single glass side windows, port holes in the roof, Wolfrace alloy wheels (5.5 x 14inch front and 8.5 x 15 inch rear), handleless doors with electronic locks, chromed and detailed V4 cylinder engine, slash cut side exit exhausts and a Jaguar rear axle (which was fully chromed, but “now, sadly, is the worse for wear”).
The Corsair, which was given the show name Cherry V because it was in top condition (Cherry) and it had a Vee engine, has been fully customised inside too with bucket seats, requisite cocktail cabinet and wrap-around rear seats, all finished in deep-buttoned Dralon.
Gordon, an electrical engineer, did all of the work himself and looks after maintenance too, apart from the metal flake paint job which was completed by custom car pal Mick Anderson 35 years ago.
He said: “The car was built more for show than go, and as I could not afford the bigger engine insurance when I was younger I tuned the engine as best I could for a 1700.”
READ MORE ABOUT SOME OF OUR GREATEST CLASSIC CARS WITH
A series of articles on our Cult Classics site.
Gordon admits it was a little “scary” driving at speed
But, with a 9-inch chain steering wheel for “pointing the car in the right direction”, Gordon admits it was a little “scary” driving at speed.
He used it daily until it was fully modified but once all the work was done he was too nervous to leave it parked in public because he worried it would get damaged.
Given the interest the car has raised since Gordon brought it out of retirement last August he plans to attend a number of local shows this year, and hopefully win new fans and pick up even more silverware.
But, now it’s running again, will the Corsair go through another metamorphosis to prep it for custom car concours events? Gordon is undecided: “I would really like to rebuild the car and put it back to car show standard, but with a V8 engine and much more detailing. But maybe its best left as a survivor… I’m not sure.”
The car he was left by his father is now a real family heirloom
Last August was really the first time Gordon’s girls, Zoe, Jade and Fae, had seen the Corsair running and they agree it is very cool, especially when other people stop and stare, take photographs or quiz them about it.
Gordon admits the car he was left by his father is now a real family heirloom.
He said: “My daughters are interested in cars so the Corsair will remain under family ownership for some time yet. I’m not going to sell it, but, even if I was, I’m sure they would never let me part with it.”
