1. A 1935 Ford Model C Tourer.
Shona kindly agreed to this old photograph being included on the site, it shows what could be her grandfather stood alongside a pre-war car. She wasn't sure of the make or model shown, hence she sent it over for identification. The car is a 10hp Ford Model C De Luxe, a range that was only on sale for the 1934 and 1935 seasons, before being replaced by the revised Model CX. The Model C was available as a 2 or 4 door saloon, or - in 1935 only - as a Sports Tourer. A close look at this photo shows that this car is an example of a tourer, making it a rare car indeed. A front three-quarter view of a similar car can be found further down this page.
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The Model C was the first of the small 10hp sidevalve Fords, selling alongside the 8hp Model Y for some of that model's run. Buyers could now benefit from the extra power of the new 1172cc engine, a unit that would soldier on until the late 1950s, finally ending its service days under the bonnet of the 103E Popular. The Model C was launched on 1st October 1934, initially as a 2- or 4-door saloon only. An open tourer would be offered by the factory from May 1935, although several outside coachbuilders produced their own versions using the Model C's chassis. Jensen produced one of the better-known, non-factory, offerings, the car being called the "Mistral". Whether the car in Shona' photo is a factory tourer, or one built by an outside concern such as Jensen, I'm not sure. The registration, CGJ 802, was a London series first used in August 1935, so it could well be a Ford-built Model C tourer.
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Many Model Cs were sold in Australia, and buyers there could opt for a great variety of body styles, including a 2 door 2 seater roadster and coupe, a 5cwt van, and a roadster utility, or "roadster ute".
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2. A stripped-down Model C/CX.
Not enough of this next car remains in place to positively identify the following classic Ford as a Model C, or CX. If they'd left the grille or the bonnet on, it would have made life a bit easier. The car has been stripped of its front-end panelwork, and the tatty Ford has been taken to a beach somewhere for a few runs on the sand by the looks of it. Three characters are photographed with their prized machine. The rear wing has plenty of dents, and repair panels have been screwed or riveted onto both offside door skins. Who the three chaps are, or where they were photographed with the 1930's Ford, isn't known sadly. At least one of the three gents appears to be in uniform.
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3. Another Model C Tourer from 1935.
Another, much clearer, photo of a Model C Tourer turned up in 2011. This attractive open-top version only made its debut in May 1935, in collaboration with Briggs Motor Bodies, and continued in production until the revised CX began to roll off the lines in October of that year. The car below was finished in a two-tone paint scheme, and was registered JN 5993, suggesting that its early years were spent negotiating the roads in and around Southend.
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In this photo, the roof has been lowered but the side screens remain in position, no doubt allowing the chap in the passenger seat to keep his hat on. Note the lack of external door handles, in those days it was deemed secure enough to include a flap in the sidescreen, through which you'd pop your hand to reach the inner handle.
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Return to vintage car photos - Page 10.
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A photo of the German-built "Eifel" version may now be seen on this page of Old Classic Car.
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