Ford Zephyr 4, Mark III review (08/05/2014)
The Ford Zephyr 4, Mark III, one of the major automotive players of its day, which has its home in deepest West Cork where it is lovingly maintained and tended to by owner Richie Barry just outside Goleen. He allowed us to put it through its paces, albeit at the sort of genteel gallop befitting such a historic steed.
Built by Ford at its Dagenham plant, just east of London — no doubt by people whose number included Cork’s famed exiles, the ‘Dagenham Yanks.’
It was penned by the company’s in-house Canadian designer Roy Brown and undoubtedly his North American heritage came into play as the four door saloon design featured a lot of sharp edges — including those delicious rear fins enclosing a wide boot — a massive bonnet and chrome everywhere.
Called the Zephyr 4 because of the four cylinder 1,703 cc engine it utilised, it went into production in 1962 and was built until 1966 and some 106,801 of them were made in that time, which was still an era, remember, where a one-car family was still an aspiration for most. Its’ sister car, the Zephyr 6, was fitted with a six cylinder engine.
But our tester this week was a 1965 model and was originally sold on the UK market before being imported into Ireland by someone from Waterford who used it successfully for many years.
However, when it came into Richie Barry’s possession it had been lying idle in a shed for eight years and was in a bit of a state. Indeed, when he decided to restore the car, Richie confesses he never realised how much work it would take to get the job done.
With the help of people such as Seán and Paul O’Sullivan, John Copithorne and Finbarr O’Sullivan, the car was stripped back to its essentials and rebuilt from the ground up — with the entire shell brought back to the metal and treated before being completely re-sprayed (in black as against its original red colour). It was rechromed.
All mechanical parts — engine, gearbox etc — were stripped back and refitted as were all the electrics and the many other components. The interior — not having enjoyed the eight years shed-time — was completely shot and all the upholstery and trim had to be redone too.
The results are astonishing.
The engine — which in this particular version you could easily eat your dinner off — was the same as was seen in the Mk II, although uprated by 5 bhp to its maximum output of 65, which would hardly propel a lawnmower these days. The engine’s stated performance allowed for a (projected) top speed of 84 mpg and an 18.6 second 0-60 mph time. It was capable of 30.1 mpg.
The power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a four speed gearbox (with reverse) with the shift mounted on the steering column behind a massive — if thin, as was the fashion of the time — bakelite steering wheel with a delicate chrome mechanism for the horn. The gearbox was a selling point at the time as all gears had synchromesh.
Braking came via a disc/drum arrangement (something which many manufacturers were utilising until recently, the miserable shower) and front end suspension was provided by a MacPherson coil spring arrangement, which was one of the first times it was ever put on a mass produced car. We still have it on pretty much every car on the road.
It’s a bit different at the rear with leaf springs, a relic of the Ben Hur era. Mind you the Americans still use them.
Sliding on to the beautifully upholstered front bench seat and behind the steering wheel, the first sensation which hits you is the size of the interior and the distance everything is away from you, not least the supertanker-sized bonnet.
I don’t know had they even invented the word ‘ergonomic’ at that point. The dash must have looked really fresh and inventive back in the ‘60’s, but at this moment in time it is simply a very good indication of how well off we now are.
You have a speedo, and oil pressure gauge and a fuel gauge and that’s about it. There is also a heater (I wonder was it an option back in ‘65?) and an obligatory cigarette lighter — the Germans didn’t offer them as standard back then, but the Yanks sure did.
The handbrake is mounted under the dash and the dimmer switch for the headlamps is floor-mounted, as was de rigeur in the era. The indicator stalk is the only other thing of note and it is conventionally mounted on the steering column.
I was a tad nervous, I must confess, driving the Zephyr. The only other time I’d driven a car with a column shift gearbox was an old three speed Thames camper van my folks had years ago.
The steering too — not power assisted, remember — was also really light and a lot more sensitive than I would have credited, although the narrow rubber probably helped. But it was sure-footed and poised in a way I’d never have believed.
The engine proved surprisingly well up to the task of hauling all that metal around (kerb weight is 2628 lbs, or 1192 kg in new money) and progress was smooth if not swift.
I thought the Zephyr was going to be a real slog to drive, but not so. However, the big performance shocker was the brakes. Quite honestly they were rubbish.
Other than the initial shock of the brakes, I have to say I walked away from the Mk III Zephyr, not only with an appreciation of what it was like to drive a car which is fast coming up on its’ 50th birthday, but how it was to drive back then at all. And, by and large, it was all rather pleasant.
It was a pleasure, indeed, to have taken this cruise back in time in such an iconic vehicle and my thanks are due to Richie and Liz Barry for making it happen.
hard to estimate. Probably less than £1,000 stg back then. But many thousands have been spent on restoring this baby.
a stock four cylinder 1.7 unit which was far from being blisteringly quick, but nevertheless smooth — and economic — to use.
I’m fairly certain the heater was optional — and there wasn’t too much else to get excited about.
not bad to drive at all by comparison with a modern car, but the brakes are truly brutal.
