Ford Zephyr
Encyclopedia
The Ford Zephyr was a car
manufactured by the Ford Motor Company
in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul
: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.
The Zephyr and its luxury variant, the Zephyr Zodiac which appeared in 1954, were the largest passenger cars in the British Ford range from 1950 till they were replaced in 1972 by a larger Ford Consul and Granada
.
Although the Ford Zephyr never saw American production, a very limited amount were imported into the US and the name itself has appeared on other American Ford-related cars. The first use of the Zephyr moniker was in 1936 with the Lincoln-Zephyr
a smaller companion to the full sized Lincoln
sedan sold at the time, followed in the early 1980s with the Mercury Zephyr
, an upscale version of the Ford Fairmont
, and the Lincoln Zephyr was resurrected began its second production run in 2006 with the name changed to the Lincoln MKZ
.
The first of the Zephyr range was a lengthened version of the four-cylinder 1508 cc Consul, with a 2262 cc six-cylinder engine producing 68 bhp. It had MacPherson Strut independent front suspension and a live axle with half elliptic springs at the rear. The car could reach just over 80 mi/h and 23 mpg.
The Ford Zephyr Six was available with 4-door saloon, estate and 2-door convertible bodies. The convertible version was made by Carbodies
and had a power-operated hood; the estate car was by Abbotts of Farnham and was sold as the Farnham.
The car was a success not only in the market place but also in competition. In 1953 a Ford Zephyr Six driven by Maurice Gatsonides
won the Monte Carlo rally
, pushing a Jaguar Mark VII
into second place in the process. Two years later a Ford Zephyr Six driven by Vic Preston with D P Marwaha achieved an outright win in the East African Safari Rally.
A saloon tested by The Motor
magazine in 1951 had a top speed of 79.8 mph (128.4 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in just 20.2 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.7 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £842 including taxes but was fitted with optional leather trim, heater and radio (the basic car cost £842).
The Zephyr Zodiac (or Zodiac Mark I) was an upmarket version of the Zephyr launched at the London Motor Show in autumn 1953. It had two-tone paintwork, leather trim, a heater, windscreen washers, whitewall tyres and spot lights, etc. The engine had a higher compression ratio
- 7.5:1 instead of 6.8:1 - increasing the maximum power to 71 bhp.
A car tested by The Motor magazine in 1955 had a top speed of 80 mph (128.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 20.2 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22.2 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £851 including taxes.
There are no official records of Zephyr Zodiac convertibles being produced but there were a few estate cars.
In 1956 the Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac were all restyled to a new family look. The 6-cylinder cars' engines were enlarged to 2553 cc, with power output correspondingly raised to 86 bhp. The wheelbase was increased by 3 inches (76.2 mm) to 107 inches (2,717.8 mm) and the width increased to 69 inches (1,752.6 mm). The weight distribution and turning circle were also improved. Top speed increased to 88 mi/h and the fuel consumption was also improved at 28 mpgimp.
The Zodiac and Zephyr were also offered in two body styles these being the "Highline" and "Lowline", depending on the year of manufacture — the difference being 1.75 in (44 mm) being cut from the height of the roof panel. The "Highline" variant featured a hemispherical instrument cluster, whereas the "Lowline" had a more rectangular panel.
In Australia, the Mark II Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac were built at Ford's factory in Geelong.
As well as a 3-speed manual gearbox there was an optional overdrive and from 1956 (1959 in Australia) a Borg Warner DG automatic transmission
. At first drum brakes were fitted all round (with a larger lining area of 147 sq in (948.4 cm²)) but front discs became optional in 1960 and standard from mid 1961 (in Australia only 4-wheel drum brakes were available; some dealers fitted servo-assistance from 1961).
A two-door convertible version was offered with power-operated hood. Owing to the structural weaknesses inherent in the construction of convertibles very few convertibles are known to survive: probably only 20-25 examples. In Australia utility (pick-up) and station wagon (estate) versions built in local factories were sold.
A convertible with overdrive tested by The Motor magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 88.3 mph (142.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 17.0 seconds. A fuel consumption of 24.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1193 including taxes.
In Australia, poor sales of the Zephyr led to cancellation of local manufacturing, which was switched in 1960 to production of the US-designed Falcon
.
The Mark II Zodiac was slightly altered to distinguish it from the lesser variants, having more elaborate tail-end styling and at the front a different grille. The auxiliary lamps and wing mirrors were deleted from the Zodiac range but it retained two-tone paint, whitewall tyres, chrome wheel-trim embellishers and gold plated badges.
A car tested by the British magazine The Motor
in 1956 had a top speed of 87.9 mph (141.5 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 17.1 seconds. A fuel consumption of 21.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £968 including taxes.
Rather than call the smaller-engined model the Consul as before, Ford UK called it a Zephyr 4 — the 4 to indicate that it had the four-cylinder 1703 cc engine from old Consul. A four-speed manual gearbox, now with synchromesh on all ratios, was standard, with overdrive or automatic transmission available as options.
The Zephyr / Zodiac Mark III shared some of its mechanical components, as well as the basic chassis design, with the Mark II, but had a stronger overall body construction. The exterior was designed by Canadian Roy Brown who also designed the Edsel
and the Cortina
, though the rear of the body was inspired by a design proposal by Frua
. Unlike the Zephyr 4, the Zephyr 6 had a full width grille including the headlight surrounds: overall body length and width were the same for both Zephyr III versions, however. With the same 2553 cc displacement as before, the Mark III model had higher compression ratio resulting in some 20 hp higher output as well as a broader torque range.
Only saloons and estate cars were made, the estate being a conversion by Abbotts of Farnham.
The Zodiac was an upmarket version of the Zephyr 6, but differed considerably from that model by the limousine-type rear doors, sharper roofline (with narrower C-pillar) and tail, unique grille (four headlights instead of two), exclusive bumper bars, plusher seating, and up-market upholstery, dashboard and interior fittings. A choice of individual or bench front seat was available trimmed in leather or cloth. The front doors and bonnet panels were shared with the Zephyr 6. The Executive version had extra luxury fittings again. The 2553 cc single-carburettor six-cylinder engine was improved internally to increase the power output to 109 bhp and a new four-speed all synchromesh transmission with column change was fitted. The brakes, servo assisted, use discs at the front and drum at the rear.
A Mk III saloon tested by the British The Motor magazine in 1962 had a top speed of 100.7 mph (162.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 13.4 seconds. A touring fuel consumption of 22.6 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1070 including taxes on the UK market.
In 1961, Ford began a complete redesign on the Zephyr, under the title of "Project Panda". As the car used the new V-series engines, the then traditional long bonnet concept created a problem until design engineer Harley Copp
required that the car was both larger and had more internal space, and came up with the idea of placing the spare wheel ahead of the radiator on an angle. The result was a vehicle of similar dimensions to the North American Ford Fairlane. Unfortunately, as the MkIV carried over so little engineering from the MkIII, Copp's insistence on independent rear suspension resulted in an alarming “tuck-under” of the outer rear wheel when cornering with the back seats empty. Neat “bow-back” styling made the capacious boot look deceptively short, but the large expanse of bonnet was unkindly likened to the landing deck of an aircraft carrier by some journalists.
The Mk IV range was launched, not at an October motorshow, but in the Spring of 1966 with new V format engines, the 4 having a 1996 cc V4 and the 6 a 2495 cc V6 unit. The independent suspension was aided by servo-assisted disc brakes on all wheels.
In November 1966 the manufacturers announced a plan to introduce an "export special" version of the Zephyr Mk IV combining the 3-litre engine of the Zodiac with other specifications largely following those of the existing Zephyr. This 3-litre Zephyr was not offered by Ford on the domestic (UK) market.
Criticism of the handling of early examples led to the fitting as standard of radial-ply
tyres on the larger-engined version in place of the more conventional (in the UK at that time) cross-ply tyres with which all versions were shod at the 1966 launch, and the retro-fitting of radial-ply tyres to early examples addressed the tendency of the rear wheels to slide uncontrollably in wet weather, justifying in the process Ford's investment in a new and relatively sophisticated rear suspension arrangement for the Mark IVs. Even after that a contemporary nevertheless opined that the ride involved a certain amount of 'float', and reported that the nose-heavy handling called for a 'strong driver', a problem which the more expensive Zodiac and Executive versions mitigated through the fitting as a standard feature of power assisted steering. Cost constraints precluded adding power assisted steering for the Zephyr, but during its production run the steering ratio was lowered which reduced the strength needed to change direction by increasing the number of turns between locks from 5.5 to an even higher 6.4. Another production modification for the 4-cylinder Zephyr involved redesigning the valve gear in order to eliminate the need on the early Mk IVs for frequent tappet adjustments.
The size of the bonnet was emphasized by square cut styling of the wings. A practical use was found for some of the extra space in front of the driver: the spare wheel was stored, ahead of the engine, under the bonnet, freeing up space at the other end of the car for more luggage.
Although large, the car, at least in its Zephyr form, was not particularly luxurious. Individual front seats were available at extra cost, but the standard front bench-seat was described by one commentator who ran the car on a long-term test as being intended for people no taller than 5 ft 8 in (1.72 m) who have the right leg 3 inches (8 cm) shorter than the left.
An estate version of the Zephyr Mark IV was announced just in time for the London Motor Show in October 1966, though deliveries commenced only in January 1967. As with the earlier Zephyrs, volumes did not justify tooling up for estate production at the Dagenham plant
, and the cars were instead built by E.D. Abbott Ltd of Farnham, based on part finished saloons received from Ford. The Mark IV Zephyr estates (like their more expensive Zodiac siblings) came with black vinyl covered roof, a fashionable distinguishing feature of upmarket vehicles at the time: retention unchanged of the saloon's rear light clusters attracted criticism, however, because of the way it narrowed the rear hatch opening at floor level when compared to the arrangements on the cheaper Ford Cortina estates
.
The Zodiac Mark IV and "Executive" had four headlights and an uprated 2994 cc V-6 engine. Claimed output was 136 bhp 'net' at 4,750 rpm, with 181.5 ft·lb (246.1 N·m). of torque at 3,000 rpm. The Zodiac featured an alternator instead of a dynamo on the Zephyr, an adjustable steering column, a spare wheel in the engine compartment, a heater and Aeroflow ventilation, electric window washers, 2-speed wipers, a cigar lighter, rev counter, clock, ammeter
and reversing lights as standard.
In terms of price (and probably also in terms of cost), the Zephyr/Zodiac Mark IVs with their complex independent rear suspension design represented a considerable step up when compared to the Mark III big Fords which they replaced: Ford also determined to widen the price gap between the Zephyr and Zodiac version. In January 1967, less than a year after the car's introduction, it was announced that production of the Mark IVs was being cut back in response to poor sales. The announcement was accompanied by several pieces of more upbeat news about Cortina
sales, and it was stressed that workers taken off Zephyr/Zodiac production would all be redeployed on the Cortina production lines.
An estate version of the Zodiac Mk IV was announced at the same time as the Zephyr equivalent, and built alongside it at Farnham. There was no "Executive" estate.
The "Executive" was an upmarket version and had the highest specification offered by Ford to UK customers in the 1960s. Automatic transmission (the Zodiac's four-speed manual box with overdrive being also available as a 'no cost' option) along with power steering and a sunroof were standard equipment. Other standard features included; fully reclining front seats, Walnut fascia, full instrumentation, carpeting throughout, reversing lights, fog lamps, front inertia reel safety belts and a radio. The Executive was distinguishable from other models by exterior trim and name badges on the front and rear.
An automatic transmission Ford Executive was tested by Britain's Autocar magazine in 1967. It had a top speed of precisely 100 mph (160.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 13.1 seconds. An overall fuel consumption of 17.2 mpgimp was recorded. By these performance criteria, the Ford betrayed its weight, but nevertheless usefully bettered the similarly sized 3.3-litre-engined Vauxhall Viscount. The Ford's recommended retail price of £1,567 significantly exceeded the £1,483 sticker price on the Viscount, however.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufactured by the Ford Motor Company
Ford of Britain
Ford of Britain is a British wholly owned subsidiary of Ford of Europe, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. Its business started in 1909 and has its registered office in Brentwood, Essex...
in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul
Ford Consul
The Ford Consul is a car manufactured by Ford in Britain.Between 1951 and 1962 the Consul was the four-cylinder base model of the three-model Ford Zephyr range, comprising Consul, Zephyr and Zephyr Zodiac...
: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.
The Zephyr and its luxury variant, the Zephyr Zodiac which appeared in 1954, were the largest passenger cars in the British Ford range from 1950 till they were replaced in 1972 by a larger Ford Consul and Granada
Ford Granada (Europe)
The March 1972 released Granada succeeded the British Ford Zephyr, and the German P7-series as Ford's European executive car offering. At first, lower models in the range were called the Ford Consul, but from 1975 on they were all called Granadas. The car soon became popular for taxi, fleet and...
.
History
The Mark I Ford Consul and Zephyr models were first displayed at the Earl's Court motor show in 1950. They were the first to use in mass production the MacPherson Strut independent front suspension which is still widely used today. Production began with the Consul on January 1, 1951. The Mark I model ran until 1956. From April 1956 the Mark II Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac went on sale and were known as the Three Graces. The Mark II range was a big seller and finished its run in 1962 when from April that year the Mark III Zephyr 4, Zephyr 6 and Zodiac went on sale; the Consul name was dropped, the car's place in the Ford UK line-up being filled by the first four-cylinder Ford Zephyr. While the Mark II Zephyr and Zodiacs had shared the same body (the Consul had shorter front guards and bulkhead), the new Zodiac and Zephyrs launched in 1962 shared few body panels. With the Mark III, Ford finally sorted out problems that had beset previous models (Mark I axles and Mark II gearboxes were particular weaknesses) and the Mark III proved to be the most popular and durable of the range (it is said that possibly no other UK-based car had undergone as much pre-production testing). The model sold at a rate equal to or better than the Mark II both in the UK and overseas, but was in production for a shorter time. During the last months of production, an up-market Executive version was added to the Mark III range, and examples of these are today highly sought after. The Mk III range was discontinued in January 1966 (many believe prematurely given the cars' success) and the completely new Zephyr / Zodiac Mark IV range was released in April 1966. This car was somewhat ahead of its time with a design that anticipated the later Consul/Granada range with V-engines and independent rear suspension, but the research and development of the model was very rushed and this unfortunately reflected in its durability.Although the Ford Zephyr never saw American production, a very limited amount were imported into the US and the name itself has appeared on other American Ford-related cars. The first use of the Zephyr moniker was in 1936 with the Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln-Zephyr was a marque for the lower priced line of luxury cars in the Lincoln line 1936-40. Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury, introduced 1939, bridged the wide gap between Ford's V-8 De Luxe line and the exclusive Lincoln K-series cars. This served a purpose similar to Cadillac's smaller LaSalle...
a smaller companion to the full sized Lincoln
Lincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
sedan sold at the time, followed in the early 1980s with the Mercury Zephyr
Mercury Zephyr
The Mercury Zephyr is a compact car sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for the North American market. Introduced as a replacement for the Mercury Comet, it was produced from 1978 to 1983...
, an upscale version of the Ford Fairmont
Ford Fairmont
The Ford Fairmont is a compact car produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market. Introduced for the 1978 model year, the Fairmont was produced in several bodystyles until it was replaced by the Ford Tempo for the 1984 model year...
, and the Lincoln Zephyr was resurrected began its second production run in 2006 with the name changed to the Lincoln MKZ
Lincoln MKZ
The Lincoln MKZ, initially named the Lincoln Zephyr, is a mid-size, entry-level luxury car from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005 as a platform-mate for the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan; the vehicles were based on the CD3 platform,...
.
Zephyr Six (or Zephyr Mark I)
Model number EOTAThe first of the Zephyr range was a lengthened version of the four-cylinder 1508 cc Consul, with a 2262 cc six-cylinder engine producing 68 bhp. It had MacPherson Strut independent front suspension and a live axle with half elliptic springs at the rear. The car could reach just over 80 mi/h and 23 mpg.
The Ford Zephyr Six was available with 4-door saloon, estate and 2-door convertible bodies. The convertible version was made by Carbodies
Carbodies
Carbodies LImited is a British company based at Holyhead Road, Coventry. It started business as a coachbuilder, and now, as The London Taxi Company is best known for its production of London taxicabs.-History:...
and had a power-operated hood; the estate car was by Abbotts of Farnham and was sold as the Farnham.
The car was a success not only in the market place but also in competition. In 1953 a Ford Zephyr Six driven by Maurice Gatsonides
Maurice Gatsonides
Maurice Gatsonides was a Dutch rally driver and inventor. Gatsonides was born in Central Java in the former Dutch East Indies...
won the Monte Carlo rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
, pushing a Jaguar Mark VII
Jaguar Mark VII
The Jaguar Mark VII was a large four-door sports sedan launched by Jaguar Cars of Coventry at the 1950 London Motor Show. It replaced the Jaguar Mark V, but as there was a Bentley Mark VI already on the market, Jaguar decided to call the next model Mark VII...
into second place in the process. Two years later a Ford Zephyr Six driven by Vic Preston with D P Marwaha achieved an outright win in the East African Safari Rally.
A saloon tested by The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine in 1951 had a top speed of 79.8 mph (128.4 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in just 20.2 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.7 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £842 including taxes but was fitted with optional leather trim, heater and radio (the basic car cost £842).
Zephyr Zodiac (or Zodiac Mark I)
Model number EOTTAThe Zephyr Zodiac (or Zodiac Mark I) was an upmarket version of the Zephyr launched at the London Motor Show in autumn 1953. It had two-tone paintwork, leather trim, a heater, windscreen washers, whitewall tyres and spot lights, etc. The engine had a higher compression ratio
Compression ratio
The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
- 7.5:1 instead of 6.8:1 - increasing the maximum power to 71 bhp.
A car tested by The Motor magazine in 1955 had a top speed of 80 mph (128.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 20.2 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22.2 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £851 including taxes.
There are no official records of Zephyr Zodiac convertibles being produced but there were a few estate cars.
Zephyr Mark II
Model number 206EIn 1956 the Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac were all restyled to a new family look. The 6-cylinder cars' engines were enlarged to 2553 cc, with power output correspondingly raised to 86 bhp. The wheelbase was increased by 3 inches (76.2 mm) to 107 inches (2,717.8 mm) and the width increased to 69 inches (1,752.6 mm). The weight distribution and turning circle were also improved. Top speed increased to 88 mi/h and the fuel consumption was also improved at 28 mpgimp.
The Zodiac and Zephyr were also offered in two body styles these being the "Highline" and "Lowline", depending on the year of manufacture — the difference being 1.75 in (44 mm) being cut from the height of the roof panel. The "Highline" variant featured a hemispherical instrument cluster, whereas the "Lowline" had a more rectangular panel.
In Australia, the Mark II Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac were built at Ford's factory in Geelong.
As well as a 3-speed manual gearbox there was an optional overdrive and from 1956 (1959 in Australia) a Borg Warner DG automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. At first drum brakes were fitted all round (with a larger lining area of 147 sq in (948.4 cm²)) but front discs became optional in 1960 and standard from mid 1961 (in Australia only 4-wheel drum brakes were available; some dealers fitted servo-assistance from 1961).
A two-door convertible version was offered with power-operated hood. Owing to the structural weaknesses inherent in the construction of convertibles very few convertibles are known to survive: probably only 20-25 examples. In Australia utility (pick-up) and station wagon (estate) versions built in local factories were sold.
A convertible with overdrive tested by The Motor magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 88.3 mph (142.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 17.0 seconds. A fuel consumption of 24.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1193 including taxes.
In Australia, poor sales of the Zephyr led to cancellation of local manufacturing, which was switched in 1960 to production of the US-designed Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
.
Zodiac Mark II
Model number 206EThe Mark II Zodiac was slightly altered to distinguish it from the lesser variants, having more elaborate tail-end styling and at the front a different grille. The auxiliary lamps and wing mirrors were deleted from the Zodiac range but it retained two-tone paint, whitewall tyres, chrome wheel-trim embellishers and gold plated badges.
A car tested by the British magazine The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
in 1956 had a top speed of 87.9 mph (141.5 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 17.1 seconds. A fuel consumption of 21.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £968 including taxes.
Zephyr 4 Mark III
Model 211ERather than call the smaller-engined model the Consul as before, Ford UK called it a Zephyr 4 — the 4 to indicate that it had the four-cylinder 1703 cc engine from old Consul. A four-speed manual gearbox, now with synchromesh on all ratios, was standard, with overdrive or automatic transmission available as options.
Zephyr 6 Mark III
Model numbers 213E, 214E (right-hand drive and left-hand drive)The Zephyr / Zodiac Mark III shared some of its mechanical components, as well as the basic chassis design, with the Mark II, but had a stronger overall body construction. The exterior was designed by Canadian Roy Brown who also designed the Edsel
Edsel
The Edsel was an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company during the 1958, 1959, and 1960 model years. The Edsel never gained popularity with contemporary American car buyers and sold poorly. Consequently, the Ford Motor Company lost millions of dollars on the Edsel's development,...
and the Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
, though the rear of the body was inspired by a design proposal by Frua
Pietro Frua
Pietro Frua was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early years:...
. Unlike the Zephyr 4, the Zephyr 6 had a full width grille including the headlight surrounds: overall body length and width were the same for both Zephyr III versions, however. With the same 2553 cc displacement as before, the Mark III model had higher compression ratio resulting in some 20 hp higher output as well as a broader torque range.
Only saloons and estate cars were made, the estate being a conversion by Abbotts of Farnham.
Zodiac Mark III
Model numbers 213E, 214EThe Zodiac was an upmarket version of the Zephyr 6, but differed considerably from that model by the limousine-type rear doors, sharper roofline (with narrower C-pillar) and tail, unique grille (four headlights instead of two), exclusive bumper bars, plusher seating, and up-market upholstery, dashboard and interior fittings. A choice of individual or bench front seat was available trimmed in leather or cloth. The front doors and bonnet panels were shared with the Zephyr 6. The Executive version had extra luxury fittings again. The 2553 cc single-carburettor six-cylinder engine was improved internally to increase the power output to 109 bhp and a new four-speed all synchromesh transmission with column change was fitted. The brakes, servo assisted, use discs at the front and drum at the rear.
A Mk III saloon tested by the British The Motor magazine in 1962 had a top speed of 100.7 mph (162.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 13.4 seconds. A touring fuel consumption of 22.6 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1070 including taxes on the UK market.
Zephyr Mark IV
Models 3008 / 3010EIn 1961, Ford began a complete redesign on the Zephyr, under the title of "Project Panda". As the car used the new V-series engines, the then traditional long bonnet concept created a problem until design engineer Harley Copp
Harley Copp
Harley F. Copp , was a car designer and automotive safety consultant.A 35 year veteran of the Ford Motor Company, Copp made his name leading the engineering design of various Ford products of the 1950s including the Continental Mark II in 1953 and the Falcon of 1959...
required that the car was both larger and had more internal space, and came up with the idea of placing the spare wheel ahead of the radiator on an angle. The result was a vehicle of similar dimensions to the North American Ford Fairlane. Unfortunately, as the MkIV carried over so little engineering from the MkIII, Copp's insistence on independent rear suspension resulted in an alarming “tuck-under” of the outer rear wheel when cornering with the back seats empty. Neat “bow-back” styling made the capacious boot look deceptively short, but the large expanse of bonnet was unkindly likened to the landing deck of an aircraft carrier by some journalists.
The Mk IV range was launched, not at an October motorshow, but in the Spring of 1966 with new V format engines, the 4 having a 1996 cc V4 and the 6 a 2495 cc V6 unit. The independent suspension was aided by servo-assisted disc brakes on all wheels.
In November 1966 the manufacturers announced a plan to introduce an "export special" version of the Zephyr Mk IV combining the 3-litre engine of the Zodiac with other specifications largely following those of the existing Zephyr. This 3-litre Zephyr was not offered by Ford on the domestic (UK) market.
Criticism of the handling of early examples led to the fitting as standard of radial-ply
Radial tire
A radial tire is a particular design of automotive tire . In this design, the cord plies are arranged at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, or radially ....
tyres on the larger-engined version in place of the more conventional (in the UK at that time) cross-ply tyres with which all versions were shod at the 1966 launch, and the retro-fitting of radial-ply tyres to early examples addressed the tendency of the rear wheels to slide uncontrollably in wet weather, justifying in the process Ford's investment in a new and relatively sophisticated rear suspension arrangement for the Mark IVs. Even after that a contemporary nevertheless opined that the ride involved a certain amount of 'float', and reported that the nose-heavy handling called for a 'strong driver', a problem which the more expensive Zodiac and Executive versions mitigated through the fitting as a standard feature of power assisted steering. Cost constraints precluded adding power assisted steering for the Zephyr, but during its production run the steering ratio was lowered which reduced the strength needed to change direction by increasing the number of turns between locks from 5.5 to an even higher 6.4. Another production modification for the 4-cylinder Zephyr involved redesigning the valve gear in order to eliminate the need on the early Mk IVs for frequent tappet adjustments.
The size of the bonnet was emphasized by square cut styling of the wings. A practical use was found for some of the extra space in front of the driver: the spare wheel was stored, ahead of the engine, under the bonnet, freeing up space at the other end of the car for more luggage.
Although large, the car, at least in its Zephyr form, was not particularly luxurious. Individual front seats were available at extra cost, but the standard front bench-seat was described by one commentator who ran the car on a long-term test as being intended for people no taller than 5 ft 8 in (1.72 m) who have the right leg 3 inches (8 cm) shorter than the left.
An estate version of the Zephyr Mark IV was announced just in time for the London Motor Show in October 1966, though deliveries commenced only in January 1967. As with the earlier Zephyrs, volumes did not justify tooling up for estate production at the Dagenham plant
Ford Dagenham assembly plant
Ford Dagenham is a major automotive factory located in Dagenham, United Kingdom operated by the Ford of Europe subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company...
, and the cars were instead built by E.D. Abbott Ltd of Farnham, based on part finished saloons received from Ford. The Mark IV Zephyr estates (like their more expensive Zodiac siblings) came with black vinyl covered roof, a fashionable distinguishing feature of upmarket vehicles at the time: retention unchanged of the saloon's rear light clusters attracted criticism, however, because of the way it narrowed the rear hatch opening at floor level when compared to the arrangements on the cheaper Ford Cortina estates
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
.
Zodiac and Executive Mark IV
Models 3012E / 3022EThe Zodiac Mark IV and "Executive" had four headlights and an uprated 2994 cc V-6 engine. Claimed output was 136 bhp 'net' at 4,750 rpm, with 181.5 ft·lb (246.1 N·m). of torque at 3,000 rpm. The Zodiac featured an alternator instead of a dynamo on the Zephyr, an adjustable steering column, a spare wheel in the engine compartment, a heater and Aeroflow ventilation, electric window washers, 2-speed wipers, a cigar lighter, rev counter, clock, ammeter
Ammeter
An ammeter is a measuring instrument used to measure the electric current in a circuit. Electric currents are measured in amperes , hence the name. Instruments used to measure smaller currents, in the milliampere or microampere range, are designated as milliammeters or microammeters...
and reversing lights as standard.
In terms of price (and probably also in terms of cost), the Zephyr/Zodiac Mark IVs with their complex independent rear suspension design represented a considerable step up when compared to the Mark III big Fords which they replaced: Ford also determined to widen the price gap between the Zephyr and Zodiac version. In January 1967, less than a year after the car's introduction, it was announced that production of the Mark IVs was being cut back in response to poor sales. The announcement was accompanied by several pieces of more upbeat news about Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
sales, and it was stressed that workers taken off Zephyr/Zodiac production would all be redeployed on the Cortina production lines.
An estate version of the Zodiac Mk IV was announced at the same time as the Zephyr equivalent, and built alongside it at Farnham. There was no "Executive" estate.
The "Executive" was an upmarket version and had the highest specification offered by Ford to UK customers in the 1960s. Automatic transmission (the Zodiac's four-speed manual box with overdrive being also available as a 'no cost' option) along with power steering and a sunroof were standard equipment. Other standard features included; fully reclining front seats, Walnut fascia, full instrumentation, carpeting throughout, reversing lights, fog lamps, front inertia reel safety belts and a radio. The Executive was distinguishable from other models by exterior trim and name badges on the front and rear.
An automatic transmission Ford Executive was tested by Britain's Autocar magazine in 1967. It had a top speed of precisely 100 mph (160.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 13.1 seconds. An overall fuel consumption of 17.2 mpgimp was recorded. By these performance criteria, the Ford betrayed its weight, but nevertheless usefully bettered the similarly sized 3.3-litre-engined Vauxhall Viscount. The Ford's recommended retail price of £1,567 significantly exceeded the £1,483 sticker price on the Viscount, however.
Notations
- Allen M. Consul, Zephyr, Zodiac, Executive/Fords Mark 1 to 4. Motor Racing Publications Ltd, Croydon, 2nd Ed, 1990. ISBN 0-947981-42-X
External links
- The Mark I Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac Owners Club
- The Ford Zephyr and Zodiac Owners Club of South Australia
- The Ford Zephyr, Zodiac & Consul Yahoo Group
- The Australian Ford Zephyr Forum
- The classic BBC TV Show "Z Cars"Z-CarsZ-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...