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Seventy years ago, two of the stars of the 1950 London Motor Show could be found at Stand 154.

The Ford Consul and Zephyr-Six not only promised ‘motoring satisfaction at a minimum of cost’  they also appeared startlingly modern in comparison with the Anglia E494, the Prefect and the V8 Pilot.

Gone were separate wings and pre-war lines in favour of Dagenham’s first monocoque body, one which bore a faint resemblance to Detroit’s 1949 Custom Tudor.

The sales material claimed these were the new “Five Star Fords”, with the bodywork as one prominent feature and the front MacPherson suspension struts – a “first” for any British car - as another.

The three remaining stellar elements consisted of ‘centre slung seating’, hydraulic braking on all four wheels and over square engines ‘for exceptional power and long life’.

The Consul – a ‘work of Art’ according to Ford - was powered by 1,508cc four-cylinder plant while the Zephyr sported a 2,262cc unit.

Motor Sport raved ‘it can be said, of the Consul and Zephyr-Six, that Dagenham has done it again!’, praising the latter for providing

‘Effortless and Comfortable 70 mph Travel’ and being ‘a Pleasure to Drive’. £842 was not an inconsiderable amount for many Britons, but the Zephyr still brought six-cylinder motoring within reach of thousands of drivers.

It was also a Ford with a competition pedigree; Maurice Gastonides famously won the 1953 Monte Carlo Rally while Vic Preston and D P Marwaha came first in the 1955 East African Safari.

As the 1950s progressed, Ford augmented the range with the estate car – the coachwork was by E D Abbott Ltd. of Farnham – and the convertible, modified by Carbodies of Coventry.

The Zephyr-Six Drophead was even equipped with a power-operated hood, albeit only to the coupe de ville position. As for suburbanites with dreams of becoming the next Stirling Moss, they could order an after-market Raymond Mays conversion, which included a modified camshaft, aluminium cylinder head, SU carburettors and larger valves.  

The result was a very impressive top speed of 95 mph - some 15 mph faster than standard Zephyr.

And 1953 saw the debut of a new flagship for British Ford, a car craved by all ambitious businessmen, youths in their “Edwardian” jackets at the Hammersmith Palais and wide-boys alike.

The young Arthur Daley almost certainly drove a Zephyr-Zodiac, a car that positively revelled in conspicuous consumption, from its two-tone paint to its whitewall tyres and gold plated ‘badging.

Motor Sport believed that its looks ‘seemed to call for a half-gallon sombrero, horn-rimmed spectacles (these we already have), and a cigar, with Zsa Zsa Gabor beside us’.

Ford boasted that the Zodiac was a car for ‘connoisseurs of motoring’ and £851 2s 6d also gained you fog, spot and reversing lamps, wing mirrors,  cigar lighter,  clock, leather upholstery, windscreen washers,  heater and chrome wheel trims.

Under the bonnet an enhanced compression ratio meant a top speed to 84 mph – useful should the driver ever need to evade a police Wolseley 6/80 along the A4.

The Mk. II Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac succeeded the Mk. I in February 1956, continuing the tradition of the original versions.

Seventy years ago, a 2.2-litre Ford really seemed to be the harbinger of a future devoid of ration books, utility furniture and shortages in general. Meanwhile, Standard Vanguard and Austin A70 Hereford owners stared in amazement at motor-cars so up-to-the-minute they even lacked a starting handle…

Why choose Lancaster Insurance?

Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
• Static show cover
• Limit mileage discounts
• Choice of repairer
• 24-hour claims helpline

Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your Ford today.