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Can you ID this car?


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#1 Magoo

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 14:12

Please help identify this old drag racing car.

The place: Toledo Dragway at the former Toledo Municipal Airport, now Metcalf Field, near Walbridge, Ohio.

The year: c1966.

The car appears to be modified with a wider rear axle, larger rear tires, and cut out rear wheel wells, most likely to facilitate an American V8 swap. The convertible body style waves a big flag. The taillamps look very familiar to me but I just can't place them. Something about it says captive U.S. import like Opel, Vauxhall, or Ford but ??? Brain fade. Any input is appreciated.

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#2 David McKinney

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 14:24

An English Ford Zephyr MkII convertible, I would say

#3 D-Type

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 14:28

The base car is a British Ford Consul Mark 2 Convertible dating from 1956-62. If you look carefully, the similar Ford Zephyr has a chrome decoration below the lights. As it is a 2-door body it was originally built as a convertible and is not a modified 4-door saloon (sedan). An expert could no doubt narrow the identification down a bit more.

#4 David McKinney

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 17:40

Thanks, Duncan

We never had Consul convertibles in NZ, just Zephyrs (but saloon versions of both)

#5 D-Type

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 17:54

I hadn't seen your response - I thought "Consul or Zephyr" and checked with Wikipedia and then linked to the relevant pages. I don't know if we had any convertibles in Kenya (too hot) but we did have Consuls, Zephyrs and Zodiacs.

#6 bradbury west

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 18:37

The base car is a British Ford Consul Mark 2 Convertible dating from 1956-6. An expert could no doubt narrow the identification down a bit more

The giveaway for it being a mk2 Consul is the round section stop/tail light lens. The mk2 ISTR came with front discs, or at least my mk2 Farnham estate, RTK 378, 2 tone blue, came thus fitted, IIRC. Marvellous old barge in 1969.
Roger Lund


#7 Magoo

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 20:20

Thank you all!

#8 William Hunt

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 21:40

wasn't Denny Hulme driving a Ford Zephyr, as his personal road car (not race car), at the time he drove for Brabham in '66-'67? I think it was a Zephyr, I will look it up, I've read that somewhere.

#9 David McKinney

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 22:08

I have a mental image of a MkIII at that time, but think he might have used a MkII earlier

#10 GD66

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Posted 13 August 2013 - 23:28

There is a pic around of Denny outside his flat in Surbiton with the FJ car on a trailer behind a Mk 1 Zephyr.

Edit : Found the pic, it's in the trio At The Top documentary.

Edited by GD66, 14 August 2013 - 00:25.


#11 Ray Bell

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Posted 14 August 2013 - 04:46

Discs, Roger?

I have never seen a Mk 2 with discs.

#12 David McKinney

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Posted 14 August 2013 - 05:10

There is a pic around of Denny outside his flat in Surbiton with the FJ car on a trailer behind a Mk 1 Zephyr.

Edit : Found the pic, it's in the trio At The Top documentary.

MkI Zodiac I think. It's in several books

But I'm still sure I recall a MkIII - will have another look later

#13 RCH

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Posted 14 August 2013 - 07:39

Discs, Roger?

I have never seen a Mk 2 with discs.


Like a lot of British cars the Mk. 2 Fords were offered with front discs as an option around '60/'61. The Mk. 3s had them as standard by '62. How many were supplied with discs is a moot point but I suspect many have been retro fitted.

#14 David McKinney

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Posted 14 August 2013 - 07:47

It looks like he had a MkIII Zodiac.
http://forums.autosp...w...t&p=6146735

Judging from the cars in the background, that's a post-period photo


#15 Ray Bell

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Posted 14 August 2013 - 08:11

Originally posted by RCH
Like a lot of British cars the Mk. 2 Fords were offered with front discs as an option around '60/'61. The Mk. 3s had them as standard by '62. How many were supplied with discs is a moot point but I suspect many have been retro fitted.


So we missed out again!

By 1961 I guess Ford Australia's efforts were being concentrated on the Falcon and nothing in the way of volume sellers here had discs at all. We certainly got them with the Mk 3 when it arrived here, but it wasn't as big a seller as the Mk 2 because of the Falcon's availability.

#16 bradbury west

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Posted 14 August 2013 - 08:55

Discs, Roger?

I have never seen a Mk 2 with discs.


Wiki says option from 1960, Ray, and std from '61, and known as Consul 375 in '62. BUT.... Not available in Australia.
Roger

#17 Magoo

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Posted 16 August 2013 - 01:51

You guys are good. Thanks!