MK3 Zephyr/Zodiac

Nice touches include hidden fuel fl ap. Rust and cost of restorations are concerns

Huge boot but to the detriment of rear seat space. Estates are not overly practical

Zodiac had better breathing. Tuning parts available but invariably expensive

Zodiac is cracking looker (left). Cabin seats six as bench seats ruled back then

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Want to play cops and robbers with the ultimate police vehicle? Even though prices are rising Mk3s remain a bit of a steal

The Germans may have taken over the executive car market in the 21st century, but back in the early Sixties things were very different indeed. High import taxes kept the Europeans out, leaving Ford, Rover and Vauxhall to dominate the affordable luxury car scene. While Rover offered its P4, P5 and P6, Vauxhall dealers were busy shifting Crestas – but none of these had the cachet of Ford’s Zephyr and Zodiac. Maybe it was the Zephyr’s domination of the cult Z-Cars TV show, or perhaps it was that fabulous trans-Atlantic boxy styling; whatever it was, the Zephyr and Zodiac Mk3 defi nitely cut a dash in Sixties Britain.

Half a century on and these Mk3 Fords are now often overlooked, yet they make more sense as a classic to covet than they ever did. Spacious, comfortable, good to drive and easy to maintain, it’s only the (very) occasionally patchy parts supply that lets the Mk3 owner down. But, look around and you can get pretty much anything you need to keep one ticking over, although finding a decent one may prove tricky. In a production run lasting four years, 291,899 were built – most of which have since rotted away. Good ones are now heavily outnumbered by dogs – but there are some real gems out there if you do some detective work. It’s a fair cop when you do.

History

It was two months after John Glenn became the fi rst American to orbit the earth that the heavily Transatlantic-styled Zephyr 4 (211E), Zephyr 6 (213E) and Zodiac were introduced, in saloon form only initially, replacing the still much loved rock-and-roll Mk2s. Prices started from £956 for the newcomer, which was mechanically very similar to the Mk2, including the 1703cc ‘four’ and the 2553cc ‘six’ engines, but these were usefully higher powered. Come January of the following year, there was also an estate; the very stylish conversion was carried not at the factory but by coachmaker Abbott of Farnham, although it was offered through Ford dealers and carried the full warranty. It was a particularly sleek looking affair, although a high deck height meant that the car wasn’t as practical as it looked.

The first major change occurred almost as the car left the showroom, literally, thanks to the marketing department who demanded a massive boot on the Zephyr to appease the all-important fl eet buyers. They certainly got it, but the fl ip side was surprisingly meagre rear seat room for such a big car – a new Focus dwarfs it! So, the rear fl oor had to be revised to provide two inches more legroom, although an added benefit was a slightly wider rear track.

In September 1963, minor interior trim revisions were announced, and within a month a fl oor-mounted gear change joined the options list. From October 1964, a heater and windscreen washers became standard equipment on the Zephyr 4, then in January 1965 the Zodiac Executive joined the range. From August 1965, overdrive was no longer available on the Zephyr 4, then in January 1966 the oddball Mk4 Zephyr and Zodiac replaced the Mk3 cars, after 106,810 saloons and 13,628 Zephyr 4s were made, slightly less than the 6. Just under 78,000 Zodiacs were produced, but their estates were more popular than the Zeps (1576).

Driving

Rock and roll certainly describes the MK3, but in truth it’s no worse than any other 60s big barge. The soft suspension and relatively long wheelbase ensure a soft ride, but it comes at the expense of tidy handling. However, the steering is more precise than you’d expect for the type of car, while the brakes are well up to the job, thanks to servo-assisted discs that were standard on all editions – unlike many of its rivals back then.

There’s a world of difference, though, between the four- and six-cylinder cars; the former feels rather rough and arthritic compared with the larger straight six. It’s no wonder that the survival rate is greatest for the six-pot cars, because you really need six cylinders in the nose if you’re to enjoy driving your Mk3, although it’s still not a particularly fast car. Contemporary road tests had the 68bhp Zephyr 4 clocked at a smidge under 80mph, with the 60 mark coming up in a leisurely 22 seconds (to be fair it was an auto model).

The Zephyr 6 also had its work cut out to top 93mph, even with 98bhp, but acceleration was usefully better (around 16-17 seconds to 60 it was claimed). Indeed Popular Motoring saw 110mph on the clock when testing F00 550 and noted that, at that high speed, “the steering seemed rather light in a crosswind”. Thanks to its better breathing, for 109bhp, the Zodiac Mk 3 could quite easily touch the ton, although economy on all is high teens to mid-20s at best. Overdrive, even available on the Zephyr 4, is well worth opting for, or retro-fi tting, as it makes higher speed cruising easier on the wallet and ears, but so too is an automatic, which works particularly well on the six pot engine and, as Popular Motoring remarked, “Nullifi es any complaints we have regarding pedal positions and (column) gear selection.”

Despite the majority of Zephyrs having a bench front seat, and four-speed column gearchange, this big Ford is a comfortable cruiser. Most Zodiacs have four-on-the-fl oor and bucket seating, but the change quality isn’t appreciably better than the good column shift, and it denies proper six-seater carrying capacity. On all, the saloon’s boot is almost over generous, unlike rear legroom which, even after the urgent factory mods, was still moderate at best; “There seems no excuse for this on such a large car… on long journeys passengers get fi dgety,” Popular Motoring remarked, but did add that the steering wheel was “ideally placed.” Now what the heck does that mean?

Improvements

Mods really major around what you want from your big Ford. Handling is naturally soft and these big heavy cars wear out their lever arm dampers and springs, so a thorough overhaul could well work wonders, as do good modern radial tyres. The big six can be stretched to around 2.7-litres if you can fi nd the pistons, although biggest benefit has to be improving the incredibly restrictive breathing; twin or triple carb conversions, from the likes of Raymond Mays or Aquaplane, were very popular and work well; there’s a fair number of these fl oating around still. Less plentiful are the special alloy Raymond Mays cylinder heads which can sell for £1000 if in good order (many aren’t and need expensive overhauling). A similar set up for the four-cylinder engine can sell for two grand would you believe! The spacious engine bay lends itself to the later Ford V6 or even a V8.

If a car hasn’t overdrive fi tting, then it’s worthwhile scouting for the box as it makes cruising more restful, as well as frugal. We’d also invest in an uprated radiator to quell any fears of overheating and install electronic ignition. Finally, did you know that the MK3 shares a common part with the GT40? It’s the heater vent grille!

Prices

It’s the Zodiac that everyone wants, as it looks the nicest and has the most power and for a given condition they’re worth around a third more than Zephyr 4s. Restoration projects start at around £600, whichever the model, while a decent Zephyr 4/6 is worth £1600. An equivalent Zephyr 6 is £2000 while a Zodiac would be worth £2500. Values creep up to £3000, £4000 and £5000 respectively for nice cars – but the best examples have been known to change hands for approaching fi ve fi gures. Despite their rarity, stylish estates aren’t sought after and are worth a bit less than an equivalent saloon.

Three Of A Kind

Vauxhall Velox/Cresta PB

If trans-Atlantic styling is your thing, but you don’t want a Z car, the Vauxhall could be just the ticket. There are no four-cylinder engines, but you can choose from 2651cc or 3294cc straightsixes. All cars are reasonably well equipped, with overdrive and autos available too.

BMC Farina

A direct rival to the Ford, you can choose from four or six-cylinder engines, the latter offering plenty of smoothness and lots of class if rather dull styling. The six-pot cars are well appointed too, and with values and specifi cations much the same as the Ford’s, these are well worth a look.

Rover P6

Much more stylish than the Ford, the P6 came with a choice of four or eight-cylinder powerplants, the former offering real bargain classic motoring as it’s the V8 that everyone homes in on. Well built, safe, well supported and good to drive, the P6 makes a huge amount of sense whatever your budget.