Keepers Ford Zephyr 6 MkIII
A note left on a PA Cresta at an Essex car show led arch Ford fan Mick to acquire possibly the most authentic, low mileage Zephyr around
‘Although I was running a lovely rot-free, low mileage last-of-the line Vauxhall Viscount PC at the time, I’m really a Ford man and love third-generation Zephyrs and Zodiacs in particular. I even banger raced them, I’m now ashamed to say. This one was my 35th and actually found by writer Alan Anderson, who also found my Viscount.
‘The advert in the back window of a PA Velox at an Essex car show simply read “Zephyr
6 MkIII, 8000 miles, £3000”. Being so local, I had to have a look, didn’t I?
‘It was a 1964 model and the first owner had hardly used it before selling it on 13 years later. It eventually became part of the famous collection of Gable Garage classics that was auctioned off during the early 2000s.
I’m its fifth owner – the previous custodian, Paul Stratford, stored it in a garage blocked in by pin-ball machines and juke boxes!
‘ With only traces of surface rust and thinned paint due to over-polishing and an interior that was like new, I had to have it, so immediately sold my Viscount to a fellow enthusiast who has made it his “keeper”.
‘The Zephyr ran but it required full recommissioning of the brakes, hydraulics and cooling system, plus a new exhaust to replace the original. I removed the front wings to rust-proof the body before having a full-on bare metal re-spray. The only interior blemish was a cracked dash-top, but I tracked down a replacement along with other period spare parts and accessories.
‘The only non-standard mods are electronic ignition, an uprated radiator from Radtec and I uprated the engine to
Zodiac tune with its carburettor and twin exhaust system.
‘I also fitted overdrive, which was a bit of pain because I didn’t want to cannibalise the original gearbox, and after trying a few second-hand transmissions I finally found one that worked to my satisfaction. It was worth the hassle, though, because it makes cruising much more relaxed.
‘Since acquiring my MkIII it has been joined by a MkI convertible and a special Crayford MkII – which was once owned by legendary cricket commentator, Brian Johnston – yet out of them all my MkIII saloon will always remain a keeper because I saw such a car in this colour (Aqua Blue) in a dream. And how spooky is this – when Paul Stratford had to re-register the Zephyr to retain his personalised number, the DVLA assigned me ‘EAS 510’, which by pure chance are the exact initials of the car’s first owner, Mr EA Smith!’