PARTS BOOST FOR CLASSIC FORD FANS
Historic Ford fans celebrate as UK spares company gets official support
Yorkshire-based ExPressed Steel Panels (EPSP) has drawn praise from UK Ford clubs following the announcement that its parts have received Licensed Product status from Ford Motor Company in the US.
The conclusion of an 18-month deal saw the firm, which is headed by managing director, Mike McColgan, able to make and supply five decade’s worth of classic Ford body, engine bay and floor panels with the Blue Oval’s blessing.
Ford Anglia Owners’ Club chairman, Shaun Wray, was quick to congratulate EPSP on its deal, and was relieved that Ford – whose commitment to the classic car movement seemed uneven last year – was finally recognising its heritage, along with the clubs maintaining historic models. He said: ‘This can only be a good thing. It’s good to see a British company getting a deal like this; hopefully this might lead to expansion for EPSP.
‘The Ford Anglia Owners’ Club already has a scheme with the firm providing a discount on panels for paid up club members.’
EPSP has produced classic Ford panels since its inception; in 1991, then called Classic Components, its owner, Geoff Coates, appeared on the Channel 4 programme
during production of its 105E Anglia valances. The company’s website currently lists 1146 panels in stock for Blue Oval models alone.
Mike McColgan said: ‘ We’re delighted that Ford has taken steps to preserve its older models. We understand that Ford US wants to protect its intellectual property in order to better control the quality of classic Mustang parts; it wants to do the same in the UK and in Germany – to build up a network of firms supplying spares of a decent standard – and its people approached us.
‘It was very open about what it wanted, it was happy with the fit and finish of the panels we produced, and we ended up being a Ford licensee as a result. If we can get new-old-stock panels as reference, we can make replacements; it all depends what owners and clubs want us to do.
‘ We’re not the cheapest, but that’s because we’re a British company paying British wages making parts for British classics.’
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs’ Geoff Lancaster said: ‘It’s a very mature response to dealing with parts shortages. It’s a struggle to get parts for cars after makers stop being contractually obliged to produce spares. We think bonafide licensed panel production is the way to go – as the economies of scale wouldn’t be enough to keep many manufacturers commercially interested.
‘I very much hope that Ford’s decision spurs on other marques to do the same.’ ❚