1. A Dutch-registered Zephyr Six saloon car.
A big thanks to Leo who sent over the first two photographs on this page, both showing his family's Mk1 Zephyr Six. The first photograph shows the car being loaded in 1957, ready for a trip.
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This picture was taken on 3rd August 1957, at which time this Ford Zephyr was approximately two years old, it being a 1955 model. The car looks very well loaded, with a large loaded roofrack attached to the roof gutters, and no doubt a very full bootspace - the suspension looks quite low! Note the 'NL' identified plate attached to the back panel ('Netherlands'), and the optional exhaust deflector fitted.
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The second photo was taken when the car was almost new, in 1955, while driving through Switzerland. Leo remembers coming across another Dutch family, also in a Ford, this time a V8 - possibly a Ford Victoria? fortunately he had his camera with him, and took a photo, with the Zephyr Six parked behind.
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Leo adds: "My father paid for the Zephyr new 7,300 gld. The Guilder to the Pound was then 10.64 gld : 1 Pound, Swiss Frank 12:1 Pound."
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2. A British-registered Zephyr Six.
Next, a photo sent over by David in 2009, showing his father's Zephyr Six (PKA 316) parked in a quiet road, with a Vauxhall 14 for company. He remembers about this car: "My father bought a succession of cars, mainly Mark One Ford Zephyr Sixes. My father would buy a light coloured second-hand car and he, later
we, would rub down the paintwork below the chrome strip down the side. He would then cellulose spray the bottom half a different colour, usually red or blue and whitewall the tyres so that it looked like a Zephyr Zodiac. Cars then were in short supply and Zodiacs mainly went for export. He would then sell the Zodiac lookalike for £60 more than he paid for it. Doesn't sound a lot but it was for a day's work, sometimes two, when he was earning £11 a week as a Factory Safety Officer. Spraying in the open air could be a pain and now and again we would have to repeat the operation because of flying insects".
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the result that he got orders for re-sprays. This led to him working as a car salesman and my own interest in cars. That is a story in itself". Thanks for sending the photo and those memories over!
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Background to the "Mk1" Zephyr and Zodiac.
This style of Zephyr was the first of a range of English Ford cars that would use this model name. It was based on the similar-looking four cylinder Mk1 Consul, but offered extra 'go' as well as improvements in creature comforts over the basic model. The range was introduced in 1950, with production of the Zephyr commencing in 1951. A Zodiac, top-of-the-range, version of the big Ford would follow on in 1953. Engine size was 2,262cc in both six cylinder cars. Production of all types, including estates and convertibles, would continue until 1956, when the Mk2 range was introduced - again comprising of a base Mk2 Consul, a Zephyr (including a Zephyr convertible) and a Zodiac. In later years the Zephyr name would grace both a Mk3 and Mk4 variant, before disappearing altogether from Ford's large-car range in the early 1970s.
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Return to Old Vehicle Photos Page 6.
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