IT’S BEGINNING TO COST A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

By the time you open these pages, Christmas will be mere weeks away. As always, the buildup to the festive season can be a stressful time for everyone. Leaving everything to the last minute seems to be the norm — for most of us, anyway — despite our best intentions not to make the same mistake again. Our minds clog up with last-minute work details; selecting gifts for family, friends, and loved ones; Christmas and holiday plans; and what to do with the cat, not to mention the traffic getting worse every year and shopping malls overflowing with desperate last-minute shoppers — well, we feel your pain and we’re here to help. Take a moment or two to take a deep breath, relax, and thumb through the pages of this special holiday issue.

It’s probably fair to say that most Kiwis have a soft spot for Ford’s trusty little Anglia. Everybody seems to have owned an Anglia or known someone who has.

Our featured gem, and cover car, harks from the deep south and is a much-loved family member. Despite the car’s pristine appearance, the Saxton family have completed some impressive trips and summer holidays around the South Island in it, often using roads some of us might be wary of tackling in a four-wheel drive.

The Ford Anglia 105E marked the start of a brave new world for Ford of Britain. It was so popular that it would go on to be a million seller by the time production ended in 1968 to make way for the Mk1 Escort. According to Ford at the time, the Anglia was the “dream car you’ll learn to love for the thrill of sheer pleasure”.

On debut in 1959 the Brits went crazy over this rakish-looking rival of the Morris Minor. With its reliable, high-revving, overhead-valve engine and Ford’s first four-speed gearbox, the quirky yet capable Anglia 105E would go on to be one of the most recognizable shapes of all time.

This year has been one of mixed blessings for me. The good news is that my health is steadily improving and I’m looking forward to taking a few weeks off at Christmas to escape the deadlines and recharge the batteries.

Finally, on behalf of the entire New Zealand Classic Car and Parkside Media team, I would like to wish all our loyal readers, advertisers, and contributors a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year. Drive safely over the holiday season, and I look forward to catching up with you next year.