Lot 223 - 1961 Ford Mk. II Zephyr 6 Convertible

The Zephyr was first displayed at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1950. The Mk. I Zephyr and Zodiac were the first British cars to use the MacPherson strut independent front suspension in mass production. The Mk. II Zephyr and Zodiacs had shared the same body as the new Zodiac and Zephyrs launched in 1962, but shared very few body panels thereafter. The Mk. II range was much more popular.  A useful modernisation of the original car, the Mk. II added fins and chrome to the equation as well as more interior room. Ford's advertising referred to them as the ‘Three Graces’, implying a feminine and graceful nature.

There is no doubt that the performance of the Zephyr and the Zodiac Series II models was restricted by the rudimentary exhaust system, but with a well-known, Raymond Mays complete engine conversion, it boosted their performance figures. Autocar Magazine recorded a standing quarter mile of 17.6s in 1957. As well as a 3-speed manual gearbox, there was an optional overdrive and from 1956 a Borg Warner DG automatic transmission. At first, drum brakes were fitted all round but front discs became optional in 1960 and standard from mid 1961. The two-door convertible version was offered with power-operated hood, however because of the structural weaknesses inherent in the construction of convertibles, few convertibles are known to have survived to this day. A convertible with overdrive was tested by The Motor magazine in 1961; it had a top speed of 88.3 mph and could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 17.0 seconds. The test car list price was £1,193.

This delightful Zephyr 6 Convertible is in very good condition and is offered in Caribbean Turquoise over Dover White with matching trim. The car was restored in 2005 according to invoices contained within the history file. This car and a sister car were used by ZZ Cars for weddings and events throughout the 2000's before being sold to a Ford enthusiast in 2014. This is 3-speed manual example with optional overdrive also boasts a continental kit; this can be seen at the rear of the car, giving the Zephyr that iconic American look that was so sought after throughout the 1960's. More recently, the car has been garaged and cared for by the vendor and in 2016, he had the gearbox rebuilt. The manually operated roof is in good order and complements the fabulous look of the car. With a current mileage of 74,572 miles from new, it is offered for sale with an MoT test certificate valid until August 2018. The Zephyr was an icon of British motoring at the time and they are still widely recognised as a highly sought after classic marque.