59 replies to this topic

[IannDC]

Hi All,

First of all, my sincere apologies that this is not a racing topic (well it could be ). But I need help in identifying the make and model of these Singapore police patrol cars taken in 1966. Since the island was in its infancy of independence and still held many things British, I suspect it might be British made. Appreciate all your inputs.

[d j fox]

Definately UK Fords--probably the Ford Zephyr 6 Mark III

David

[IannDC]

Definately UK Fords--probably the Ford Zephyr 6 Mark III

David

Thanks a lot, David. The picture matches with those of the Ford Zephyr 6 Mark III I googled. Do you know if it was used by Scotland Yard as well?

[cheapracer]

Definately UK Fords--probably the Ford Zephyr 6 Mark III

David

Yes they are but I wonder if they spec'ed the 4cylinder for Singapore?

[Geoff E]

Those of us of a certain age remember TV cop series "Z Cars" http://www.televisio...co.uk/zcars.htm

[IannDC]

Those of us of a certain age remember TV cop series "Z Cars" http://www.televisio...co.uk/zcars.htm

Oh yes, that rings a lot of bells. I remember the TV series!

[D-Type]

If I remember correctly, the "Police model" Ford Zephyr was a bit of a hybrid. It had the most powerful V6 engine (was that from the Zodiac?) combined with the most basic, ie hard-wearing, trim level which came from the Zephyr 4 - the 4-cylinder successor to the Consul. But it was still a Ford Zephyr 6 Mk3

Edited by D-Type, 08 January 2012 - 21:20.

[RCH]

The front grille shows that they are Ford Zephyr 6s. This was a popular police car in the UK, not sure that the Met. used them though, at that time the police car of choice for London was the Wolseley 6/110. As Duncan says the police version had a more basic trim spec. but it was the straight six not V6 engine.

[ianselva]

I remember the police spec Zephyr was the Zephyr 4 with the Zodiac straight 6 motor and all the motors were rebuilt, run in and dyno tested before installation.

Edited by ianselva, 09 January 2012 - 16:54.

[Geoff E]

The V6 engine wasn't introduced till 1966.

[D-Type]

My mistake!

Did the V6 come in with the Mk 4 Zephyr then? Or was it only introduced when the Grenada came along?

[AAGR]

My mistake!

Did the V6 come in with the Mk 4 Zephyr then? Or was it only introduced when the Grenada came along?

The V4 was first seen on the 1965 Transit, then the Corsair V4 of late 1965, then followed up in the Mk IV Zephyr/Zodiac of April 1966.

The V6 version was launched in April 1966, first to power the Zephyr 6 and Zodiac models. Later, of course, it was also used in cars like the Capri 3-litre.

GRAHAM ROBSON

[Sharman]

My mistake!

Did the V6 come in with the Mk 4 Zephyr then? Or was it only introduced when the Grenada came along?

A great lumberer the Mk 4, I drove one fairly extensively when I worked for Hertz, I theeeeeenk it had the V engine, I know the Consul version had the engine out of the Corsair and was underpowered and far too soft. I crashed a Zephyr when all the electrics packed up leaving me on a moonless night at 70mph on the A34 between Congleton and Macclesfield.

[RS2000]

If I remember correctly, the "Police model" Ford Zephyr was a bit of a hybrid. It had the most powerful V6 engine (was that from the Zodiac?)

As others have posted, not the V6, but the Mk3 Zodiac did have a slightly more powerful engine than the Zephyr and, getting this on to a motorsport theme, Ford used the Zodiac rather than the Zephyr for works (Gp1?) entries in both rallying and the Brands 6 hours(?) race (the same car in at least one case). "COO" registration numbers were I think on most of the works cars.
I think the extra power in standard form came from an exhaust manifold that bore some basic relation to what we would think of today as one, rather than some bit of straight tubing bolted to longtitudinally to the head. Enough improvement to outweigh the extra chrome bits (and trim?).

Edited by RS2000, 09 January 2012 - 15:46.

[ianselva]

As others have posted, not the V6, but the Mk3 Zodiac did have a slightly more powerful engine than the Zephyr and, getting this on to a motorsport theme, Ford used the Zodiac rather than the Zephyr for works (Gp1?) entries in both rallying and the Brands 6 hours(?) race (the same car in at least one case). "COO" registration numbers were I think on most of the works cars.
I think the extra power in standard form came from an exhaust manifold that bore some basic relation to what we would think of today as one, rather than some bit of straight tubing bolted to longtitudinally to the head. Enough improvement to outweigh the extra chrome bits (and trim?).

The Zodiac also had a bigger carb.

[d j fox]

As others have posted, not the V6, but the Mk3 Zodiac did have a slightly more powerful engine than the Zephyr and, getting this on to a motorsport theme, Ford used the Zodiac rather than the Zephyr for works (Gp1?) entries in both rallying and the Brands 6 hours(?) race (the same car in at least one case). "COO" registration numbers were I think on most of the works cars.
I think the extra power in standard form came from an exhaust manifold that bore some basic relation to what we would think of today as one, rather than some bit of straight tubing bolted to longtitudinally to the head. Enough improvement to outweigh the extra chrome bits (and trim?).

The Ford Motor Company ran 4 green Ford Zodiac MkIII's in the rain- soaked Saloon car race at the 1962 International Trophy race meeting Silverstone May 12th.
I well remember them splashing around in the midst of Mini's and Sunbeam Rapiers etc. nowhere near the leading Jags and the Chevy II’s. Hardly inspiring for their much trumpeted debut!
The driver line included Innes Ireland, Maurice Trintignant and it had been rumoured no less than Stirling Moss before his horrendous Goodwood crash. Ford stalwarts Jeff Uren and David Haynes completed the line-up. Thye were the only entries in their calss ( It was later said that D.A.N. Bryne had been refused an entry in his Mercedes)--so at least could claim a "victory"!

Ian Walker Racing ran 2 Ford Zodiac MkIII's in the very first Motor 6 Hours at Brands on 6th October 1962. The drivers were Jeff Uren/David Haynes, the car actually ran in white/red John Willment colours and Paul Hawkins/ Brian Johnstone which if memory serves me right was green and probably one of the ex Silverstone cars?
According Graham Robson-fellow contributor to this thread-they were both works cars cars but prepared by Ian Walker--finishing 8th (KOO 48 Uren/Haynes) and 17th (COO 10 Hawkins/Johnstone).

David

See Frank de Jong's great site http://touringcarracing.net/ and Graham Robson’s “Ford in Touring car racing “

[bradbury west]

.... It was later said that D.A.N. Bryne had been refused an entry in his Mercedes)--so at least could claim a "victory"!....
David

Might that have been Nicky Byrne in his Squadra Rouge 220SE with Chris McLaren? If so, or in any case, can anyone put me in touch with Mr Byrne, please?
Roger Lund

[RCH]

As others have posted, not the V6, but the Mk3 Zodiac did have a slightly more powerful engine than the Zephyr and, getting this on to a motorsport theme, Ford used the Zodiac rather than the Zephyr for works (Gp1?) entries in both rallying and the Brands 6 hours(?) race (the same car in at least one case). "COO" registration numbers were I think on most of the works cars.
I think the extra power in standard form came from an exhaust manifold that bore some basic relation to what we would think of today as one, rather than some bit of straight tubing bolted to longtitudinally to the head. Enough improvement to outweigh the extra chrome bits (and trim?).

I remember my father giving a slight shudder every time he opened the bonnet of his Mk.3 Zephyr 6 and saw that exhaust manifold! But then my old Mechanics of Machines lecturer used to spend at least 10 minutes of what seemed like every lecture berating a company with the "engineering excellence" of Ford for even contemplating a V4.

I believe the Mk 3 Zodiac had a better manifold, a different carb and a higher CR.

[RCH]

The Ford Motor Company ran 4 green Ford Zodiac MkIII's in the rain- soaked Saloon car race at the 1962 International Trophy race meeting Silverstone May 12th.
I well remember them splashing around in the midst of Mini's and Sunbeam Rapiers etc. nowhere near the leading Jags and the Chevy II’s. Hardly inspiring for their much trumpeted debut!
The driver line included Innes Ireland, Maurice Trintignant and it had been rumoured no less than Stirling Moss before his horrendous Goodwood crash. Ford stalwarts Jeff Uren and David Haynes completed the line-up. Thye were the only entries in their calss ( It was later said that D.A.N. Bryne had been refused an entry in his Mercedes)--so at least could claim a "victory"!

Ian Walker Racing ran 2 Ford Zodiac MkIII's in the very first Motor 6 Hours at Brands on 6th October 1962. The drivers were Jeff Uren/David Haynes, the car actually ran in white/red John Willment colours and Paul Hawkins/ Brian Johnstone which if memory serves me right was green and probably one of the ex Silverstone cars?
According Graham Robson-fellow contributor to this thread-they were both works cars cars but prepared by Ian Walker--finishing 8th (KOO 48 Uren/Haynes) and 17th (COO 10 Hawkins/Johnstone).

David

See Frank de Jong's great site http://touringcarracing.net/ and Graham Robson’s “Ford in Touring car racing “

From what I remember the Mk3 was an overweight lumberer and never anything like a potential racer, I think they were well beaten by Lancia Flaminias in the Brands 6hrs? Just off to Frank's site to check that out.

[Sharman]

From what I remember the Mk3 was an overweight lumberer and never anything like a potential racer, I think they were well beaten by Lancia Flaminias in the Brands 6hrs? Just off to Frank's site to check that out.

It did not lumber as mch as the Mk4 which had independent by trailing arms rear suspension. I think a fair description of its handling mightt be "uncertain" and it was "styled" by St Dunstans Art Department.

[RCH]

It did not lumber as mch as the Mk4 which had independent by trailing arms rear suspension. I think a fair description of its handling mightt be "uncertain" and it was "styled" by St Dunstans Art Department.

Can't argue with any of that!

[BRG]

It did not lumber as mch as the Mk4 which had independent by trailing arms rear suspension. I think a fair description of its handling mightt be "uncertain" and it was "styled" by St Dunstans Art Department.

I remember, as a teenager, entering a competition to win one of the then new Mk4 Zodiacs.

As time went by and I learnt more about the car, I got more and more worried that I might actually win one!. Luckily, I didn't.

[Tim Murray]

The handling of the Mk 4 was so evil that in January 1973 Motor magazine published an article by Anthony Curtis analysing the faults in the car's rear suspension design and how it could have been improved.

[Leigh Trevail]

Getting back to Mk III police cars, according to Malcolm Bobbitt's book on the subject Cheshire Constabulary ordered Zephyrs with Raymond Mays cylinder heads and triple carbs. Also, some others had low ratio rear axles to afford better acceleration in the hilly county.

Edited by Leigh Trevail, 10 January 2012 - 20:49.

[wenoopy]

It seems quite possible that these Singapore Police cars could have originated from somewhere other than Britain. Mk 3 Zephyrs were assembled in New Zealand, probably Australia as well, and maybe South Africa also. Australia, in particular, is considerably closer to Singapore than Britain is.

Do we know anything of the specifications of the Singapore cars? Someone out there must.

[Lee Nicolle]

I think Mk3 Zephyrs were assembled in Oz.Mk2s defenitly were with a moderate Australian content too.They were pressed here. Trim, glass, rubbers, batterys, tyres etc. The Oz wagons were different and we had utes too.

The hockey stick exhaust on all Zephyrs really killed the performance. My uncle put extractors on his Mk2 [new] and had significantly more grunt,, and economy. And that was with the std exhaust system.

The Mk3 engine had a bit more power than the Mk2, I though they had slightly more capacity? 160 something CI compared with 155.
A Zephyr 4 in Oz was a Ford Consul, and were not sold as such in Mk3. And I am fairly sure we did not get Zodiacs here of any model though there is quite a few imports around that were brought in by Ford dealers and sold new..

Mk4s were V6 and had that 'orrible IRS rear. Not assembled in Oz as the emphasis was by then solely on Falcon

[IannDC]

Managed to pull out two 1962 Singapore newspaper clippings on the Mark III. You need to click 'yes' to read the article, it's just a legal formality to get into the archives:

1. http://bit.ly/zjSBJA
2. http://bit.ly/wv1veJ

Edited by IannDC, 14 January 2012 - 05:55.

[Vitesse2]

Fifty years of Z-Cars:

http://www.telegraph...ord-Zephyr.html

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Lee Nicolle
I think Mk3 Zephyrs were assembled in Oz.Mk2s defnitely were with a moderate Australian content too.They were pressed here. Trim, glass, rubbers, batteries, tyres etc. The Oz wagons were different and we had utes too.

The hockey stick exhaust on all Zephyrs really killed the performance. My uncle put extractors on his Mk2 [new] and had significantly more grunt,, and economy. And that was with the std exhaust system.

The Mk3 engine had a bit more power than the Mk2, I though they had slightly more capacity? 160 something CI compared with 155.
A Zephyr 4 in Oz was a Ford Consul, and were not sold as such in Mk3. And I am fairly sure we did not get Zodiacs here of any model though there is quite a few imports around that were brought in by Ford dealers and sold new..

Mk4s were V6 and had that 'orrible IRS rear. Not assembled in Oz as the emphasis was by then solely on Falcon

Mostly correct, I think...

The Zephyrs were probably assembled at Homebush rather than Broadmeadow.

There were just too many Zodiacs around in the Mk 2 for them to have been fully imported.

All the magazine reports on the Mk 3 listed the Zephyr 4 as such, so I don't think they'd have been sold here as a Consul at all. And don't forget that this was concurrent with the Cortina, which was a 'Consul Cortina' in those days.

[arttidesco]

The handling of the Mk 4 was so evil that in January 1973 Motor magazine published an article by Anthony Curtis analysing the faults in the car's rear suspension design and how it could have been improved.

Stumbled upon this interesting outing for Roger Clark and Jim Porter on the Three Cities Rally marking the competition debut of the V6 Zodiac run by Vita Racing, scroll between quarter and a third down the link.

Can't have been all bad in the right hands

[bradbury west]

Never a bad thing to see the talents of the redoubtable Harry Ratcliffe highlighted again via the BVRT website.
Roger Lund

[RS2000]

I think the Zodiac was all bad. Roger Albert's comments were variously reported at the time but seemed to be along the lines "Don't you dare ever make me do that again".
It was, of course, a test of the car as a possible tool for Ford's World Cup Rally entry. Another was, ironically, an Escort with a V6, tested on the Coupe des Alpes, that allowed Gp6 cars. That one suffered overheating from the tight engine packaging but they were probably still looking for the engine in the Zodiac's bay weeks later...

Edited by RS2000, 23 January 2012 - 22:21.

[arttidesco]

I think the Zodiac was all bad. Roger Albert's comments were variously reported at the time but seemed to be along the lines "Don't you dare ever make me do that again".
It was, of course, a test of the car as a possible tool for Ford's World Cup Rally entry. Another was, ironically, an Escort with a V6, tested on the Coupe des Alpes, that allowed Gp6 cars. That one suffered overheating from the tight engine packaging but they were probably still looking for the engine in the Zodiac's bay weeks later...

A V6 Escort sounds handy, on the race track perhaps

I was looking at the entry list for the 1970 World Cup Rally the other day and #23 was a Mk 4 Zodiac V6 for Humphry Mead, Winston Percy, John King which did not start and the #104 Ford Cortina Savage (V6) of Peter Graham, Leslie Morrish, David Price which appears to have started but retired from the event.

[RCH]

I seem to remember R.A.C. comparing the Mk. IV unfavourably with an aircraft carrier. I always find it a little odd when a report tells us how well a car has gone and won its class but omits to mention where it finished overall... I doubt that the class opposition was that strong.

I may be completely wrong here but I've a feeling that Boreham declined to even use them as service barges.

[RS2000]

A V6 Escort sounds handy, on the race track perhaps

I was looking at the entry list for the 1970 World Cup Rally the other day and #23 was a Mk 4 Zodiac V6 for Humphry Mead, Winston Percy, John King which did not start and the #104 Ford Cortina Savage (V6) of Peter Graham, Leslie Morrish, David Price which appears to have started but retired from the event.

I think No.9, the Cal Withers entered ex-Rosemary Smith London-Sydney Lotus Cortina VPI77 that Frank Pierson drove had a V6. It was certainly going to. Only thing is, photos show a single exhaust out of the front wing and over the roof and I'm not sure how that works with a V6.

Edited by RS2000, 23 January 2012 - 23:41.

[RS2000]

I may be completely wrong here but I've a feeling that Boreham declined to even use them as service barges.

Pretty sure that's right. They went from Corsair Estates (V4 - I don't recall hearing of V6s in them, although it was practicable) to Granada Estates. Zodiac Mk4 saloon "management" car on occasion maybe but not service car.
If they did use Mk4s it would have to be what gave the name "Shed" as the Boreham equivalent of BMC's "Barge", although we associate it with Grannies.

[BRG]

I seem to remember R.A.C. comparing the Mk. IV unfavourably with an aircraft carrier. I always find it a little odd when a report tells us how well a car has gone and won its class but omits to mention where it finished overall... I doubt that the class opposition was that strong.

When I read it, I suspected a class of one, perhaps? No disrespect to Clark/Porter who must have laboured mightily to even finish in a car like that.

[RS2000]

Probably wasn't much in the over 2000cc class then. I have a vague idea it finished about 15th overall. I also had a vague memory of Eric Jackson on the Monte in one. Couldn't find anything on his site - which his daughter Jackie posted about on here. 70 was most likely year and a Zodiac does in fact appear on the 70 Monte entry list for Eric Jackson/Ken Deacon - probably his demonstrator from Service Garage Barnsley!

[TrackDogll]

Thanks a lot, David. The picture matches with those of the Ford Zephyr 6 Mark III I googled. Do you know if it was used by Scotland Yard as well?

Can't say about Scotland Yard, but to my eyes, this car looks like the result of a three-way between a 1956 Plymouth Belvidere, a 1961 Dodge Dart and a late '60's Volvo.

An interesting car, doesn't really remind me of any Ford styling cues of the era. Supposedly, one of the Edsel designers had a hand in creating it.


Dan

[maoricar]

FWIW Ernie Sprague raced a Mk lll Zephyr in NZ in period. Both he and the car were extremely competitive against their contemporaries, more often than not, showing the likes of Jaguar a clean pair of heels ( tail-fins?). I believe he restored the car and raced it at Historic meetings.
As for the Zephyr/Zodiac Mk lV...at that time, it WAS a step forward in medium-priced passenger car technology......flawless...no, but what passenger car, at an affordable price, was, in those days? They certainly performed well enough in endurance races in NZ
Neville MILNE

[johnthebridge]

FWIW Ernie Sprague raced a Mk lll Zephyr in NZ in period. Both he and the car were extremely competitive against their contemporaries, more often than not, showing the likes of Jaguar a clean pair of heels ( tail-fins?). I believe he restored the car and raced it at Historic meetings.
As for the Zephyr/Zodiac Mk lV...at that time, it WAS a step forward in medium-priced passenger car technology......flawless...no, but what passenger car, at an affordable price, was, in those days? They certainly performed well enough in endurance races in NZ
Neville MILNE

In my opinion it might have been a step forward on paper, but in reality the Mk IVs in all guises were horrible! I speak from direct experience as I had the misfortune to sell them new. The Zephyr 4 was an underpowered, ill handling aberration, and the 6 and Zodiac underpowered, ill handling aberrations with increasingly vulgar and pretentious levels of trim. The huge bonnet was one of the main areas of contention in the "styling" stakes. When it was opened, the short Essex looked utterly lost, but one required spectacles to locate the V4.
Whilst it could never be argued that the Mk IIIs were exemplary, in many ways they were a much more "honest" vehicle than their successors. I never thought they were that bad to look at either, with the cabin area particularly well executed, especially in the "six light" Zodiac. Sad though it may seem, when I look at them now, I'm still of that opinion.

Edited by johnthebridge, 27 February 2012 - 10:21.

[maoricar]

In my opinion it might have been a step forward on paper, but in reality the Mk IVs in all guises were horrible! I speak from direct experience as I had the misfortune to sell them new. The Zephyr 4 was an underpowered, ill handling aberration, and the 6 and Zodiac underpowered, ill handling aberrations with increasingly vulgar and pretentious levels of trim. The huge bonnet was one of the main areas of contention in the "styling" stakes. When it was opened, the short Essex looked utterly lost, but one required spectacles to locate the V4.
Whilst it could never be argued that the Mk IIIs were exemplary, in many ways they were a much more "honest" vehicle than their successors. I never thought they were that bad to look at either, with the cabin area particularly well executed, especially in the "six light" Zodiac. Sad though it may seem, when I look at them now, I'm still of that opinion.

You sold them, I brought them (2) .... I suppose it all comes down to what else was available at that time and at what price. My first Mk lV had the small V-6 and C-4 Automatic gearbox......ran the wheels off it until one day, as I was coming up the rise to cross the Auckland harbour bridge, I blew the top radiator hose. At the time I was building a block of flats on the other side of the city, and towing a trailer with several 3' diameter concrete culvert-type pipes.
I knew that IF I stopped, I'd probably never get going again, on THAT incline........so I drove it over the bridge, through the toll-gates, at which point, the engine was almost thermonuclear.
Never even tried to repair the engine, replaced it with a balanced and blue-printed 3.0 unit that I brought from a local 'tune-up' type garage and ended up clocking more than 200,000 miles on that car, before replacing it with a later model that had the notoriously fragile BorgWarner 35 geabox. Ford in NZ were finding the Mk lV hard to sell against the Aussie Holdens and Falcons, so I was able to cut a pretty good deal.
Apart from the rather odd handling, I never really regretted my Mk lV ownership....I brought them as 'work cars' and work they did.
A number of mk IV's, mostly Zodiacs, had american V-8 engines installed. As you say, there was more than enough room for the under the bonnet to accomodate the swap and, suprisingly enough, the 4 speed gearbox and the diff. seemed to take the extra power.
Neville Milne

[RCH]

I remember my father's Mk.III Zephyr as being big and clumsy but that is probably in comparison with the Imps I was more used to. It had essentially the same "chassis" as the Mk. II so could presumably be made to handle reasonably well. The Mk. IIIs had the advantage of a 4-speed gearbox with an optional floor change. To be fair the column change wasn't too bad of its kind although there was a component in the linkage which went "over centre" occasionally which then entailed lying in the road to get it back again! The straight 6 engine was relatively tunable and ours I seem to remember was fairly quick.

Thinking about it, it was probably as quick as anything on the roads of the UK short of a Jaguar or a specialist sports car in the early '60's, big inside so a good choice for a police car. It probably could have had racing potential given a bit of development and interest. I suspect the latter disappeared for Ford with the arrival of the Lotus Cortina and the Galaxie.

[johnthebridge]

I remember my father's Mk.III Zephyr as being big and clumsy but that is probably in comparison with the Imps I was more used to. It had essentially the same "chassis" as the Mk. II so could presumably be made to handle reasonably well. The Mk. IIIs had the advantage of a 4-speed gearbox with an optional floor change. To be fair the column change wasn't too bad of its kind although there was a component in the linkage which went "over centre" occasionally which then entailed lying in the road to get it back again! The straight 6 engine was relatively tunable and ours I seem to remember was fairly quick.

Thinking about it, it was probably as quick as anything on the roads of the UK short of a Jaguar or a specialist sports car in the early '60's, big inside so a good choice for a police car. It probably could have had racing potential given a bit of development and interest. I suspect the latter disappeared for Ford with the arrival of the Lotus Cortina and the Galaxie.

Yes, I agree with all that you say.
I remember in about '65 I got talking to some policemen parked on Ealing Broadway. They had a Mk 111 Zephyr 6 and an SP250 Dart (complete with large chrome bell on the front!). They weren't that complimentary about the Dart, but they were pretty praiseworthy of the old Zeph, which not only had the "four on the floor" but also, they said, had stiffer springing and quicker steering. Certainly, when one took the liberty of bouncing the front wing up and down, it did stop pretty quickly. They also mentioned that, unlike the Dart, it had plenty of room in the back for guests.

[IannDC]

Hi All,

I'm back into my little research project and like to revive this thread with another request for help in identifying the type of police patrol cars that were used in Singapore in the mid-50s. I'll drop by the Police Department one of these days to get more info about the history of their cars, but I thought it'd be more fun to give you guys first crack at this, that is if you are enjoying this bit of trivia hunting.

All I could retrieve from the archives between 1954 and 1957 are these photos. Any idea what cars these are?

[nicanary]

Humber Super Snipe.

[IannDC]

Humber Super Snipe.

That was quick, nicanary. Thanks!

[Leigh Trevail]

It looks as if it could be an estate car..

[BRG]

On the subject of where the Ford police cars came from, it occurs to me that, at that time, the Govt of Singapore used an obscure official British organisation for much of their official procurement work. This was the Crown Agents for the Colonies (latterly Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Departments) who bought everything from police uniforms to railway engines for many British colonial governments, and continued to work for many of these states after they became independent. It is possible that an order was placed with CAs by the Singapore Police, in which case the cars would almost certainly have been sourced from the UK rather than from Australia or NZ.

I worked for Crown Agents in the early 1970s and was involved in airfreighting urgent stuff for the Singapore Air Force so I know that Singapore was definitely a customer.

[IannDC]

BRG,

We were a big customer of the UK for the better part of the 1970s. Much of our equipment, especially for the military and police, came from the IK.