Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate: getting the wagon rolling

By Martin Buckley

| 28 Mar 2024

Classic & Sports Car – Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate: getting the wagon rolling

In the 1950s, Ford of Britain was so dominant in the local big-saloon market that there was neither the time, nor perhaps the will, to think seriously about adding a factory-built estate car to the wildly successful Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac family.

Which is not to say that the idea wasn’t under consideration: archive shots of an unhappy factory prototype station wagon (the Horsham) illustrate the difficulties of resolving looks with practicality.

Did someone at the coachbuilder ED Abbott, based on Downing Street, Farnham, get sight of Ford’s abandoned efforts and take the hint?

Coachbuilder ED Abbott turned big Fords into load-lugging estate cars at its Farnham works

Who knows? What we can say is that Abbott needed the work in an industry that was increasingly adopting methods of monocoque construction and thus putting traditional, long-winded coachbuilding on to the back foot.

It is equally hard to say if the conversion, first shown at Earls Court in 1954, was undertaken at the request or invitation of Dagenham, or whether it was a work of pure speculation on the part of Abbott.

Either way, the MkI Zephyr was excellent raw material for a modern, post-war estate car.

The Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate was one of ED Abbott’s most popular products

As the first unitary-bodied British Ford, it was structurally over-built, much like most early monocoques, which meant Abbott could chop away at the back end without fear of the finished product folding up or falling to bits on the road.

By partially cutting the rear quarter-panels away, welding in new rear side panels along the tops of the wings and extending the roof, Abbott managed to create a station wagon that didn’t look like an afterthought.

The roof extension was dropped slightly, to retain the original stiffness of the saloon’s domed top, and featured rubber luggage slats – with chromed rails and eyes for retaining straps – while the side-opening tailgate used the original saloon rear window.

This Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate’s three-speed Borg-Warner gearbox has overdrive

A conversion could be carried out on any of the Consul, Zephyr or Zodiac models for £145, or just over £200 if the car was supplied by Ford to Abbott semi-complete, less bootlid.

Styled and engineered in Dearborn, these all-new, soundly constructed saloons offered the latest ideas in fully hydraulic braking, overhead-valve engines and independent front suspension.

The four-cylinder Consul was for the economy-minded family that needed a big car; the Zephyr Six and Zephyr Zodiac, powered by a modern, short-stroke straight-six, was a revelation to British motorists: an 85mph, six-seater saloon that offered American-style acceleration and refinement tailored to local expectations of road behaviour thanks, among other things, to its innovative MacPherson strut front suspension.

‘It is actually quite capable, with a sweet-sounding engine that breezes you away with an absence of fuss or effort’

An outright win in the 1953 Rallye Monte-Carlo didn’t do its reputation any harm, and the engine proved so receptive to tuning that a small industry grew up around it for those who wanted more power.

Raymond Mays took the lead with his cylinder-head conversions, but there were many others – such as Servais, Aquaplane, Laystall Engineering and Sports Autos – offering twin- and triple-carburettor set-ups, big-valve heads and four-branch exhaust manifolds in a bid to get the conservatively tuned Ford ‘six’ to breathe.

There was nothing to touch it at the price, even in standard form, particularly the range-topping Zodiac (produced from 1953) with its two-tone paint, spotlights, whitewalls, leather trim and heater.

The Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate’s roomy cabin is dominated by the huge steering wheel, while the armrest provides some lateral support

Ford struggled to keep up with demand and built 175,000 of the six-pot Zephyrs and Zodiacs in five years, almost certainly hastening the decline of marques such as Alvis, Daimler and Bristol in the process.

The Farnham estates, fully approved by Ford, are thought to have accounted for around 2% of MkI production, but this was enough to make a conversion on the basis of the MkII a worthwhile enterprise.

Styled by Dagenham’s Colin Neale, the 1956 MkII 206E saloons were 7in longer and 5in wider, with a leaner look than the rounded, stub-tailed MkI.

The Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate’s simple instrument cluster includes a strip speedometer

The interior was restyled and notably roomier, as was the boot.

The Farnham estate version’s rear seat was easily detachable for use outside the car for picnics, and, as before, the front seat was a bench for up to three passengers.

The wagons had 33cu ft of luggage space with the rear seats up, growing to a useful 66cu ft with them folded.

MkIIs, with their larger fuel tanks and 3in-longer wheelbases, were slightly less nose-heavy yet weighed no more overall: a better understanding of stress engineering had allowed Ford’s engineers to take a lot of meat out of the structure, without sacrificing rigidity.

The controls for this classic Ford’s heating system

The MkII’s turning circle was better, as was the overall fuel economy, and these six-seaters were the first British Fords to have a combined ignition and starter.

In estate form, the MkII had stiffer rear springs and larger tyres, but still used the MkI saloon rear ’screen in its tailgate.

The Farnham wagons came in a wide selection of upbeat two-tone colour schemes, divided by an additional chrome strip that swept down from the top corners of the front doors.

In flagship Zodiac form the outward differences amounted to full wheel covers, gold badges, an offside wing mirror and a more imposing front grille.

The smart timepiece in the Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate’s roof

Powered by a bored-out straight-six (up from 2.2 to 2.5 litres), and with an increased compression ratio to take advantage of the high-octane fuels becoming more freely available, these higher-geared cars could touch 90mph on 90bhp.

They were also robust and nimble enough to maintain Ford’s presence in rallying and saloon-car racing: works MkIIs had class wins in the Alpine and Monte-Carlo rallies, an outright victory in the 1959 RAC Rally, and took Jeff Uren to the top of the table in the 1959 British Saloon Car Championship.

Still running 13in wheels, they had either a straight three-speed manual, or the optional Borg-Warner manual with overdrive, or three-speed auto, making the Zephyr the cheapest automatic car on sale outside the USA.

There’s generous space for a family in the Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate

The Farnham estate versions were now fully embraced as official Ford offerings.

Other than the Carbodies-built Zodiac convertible, the Abbotts were the most expensive cars in the British Ford range, and even royalty bought into the idea of a big Ford estate.

The Queen had a special high-top Zephyr with wooden side panelling that lived (and still lives) at Sandringham.

Ford’s Australian outpost, meanwhile, was building its own version by 1959, with a drop-down tailgate and a boxier roofline than that of the Farnham.

The Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate’s rear transforms into a large load bay

In Britain, 1959 was the year of the ‘Lowline’ MkII, with a flatter, 1½in-lower roof, a slightly deeper windscreen and stainless-steel ’screen surrounds.

The big news inside was a restyled, padded dashboard and new seat trim.

Sales of all models (including the Consul) peaked at 142,000 units in 1959, and the prestige of the estate cars could only have been boosted by the fact that the Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire Police constabularies bought a fleet of seven all-white Zephyr Farnhams as patrol cars for the newly opened M1 motorway.

Lancashire Constabulary also used white Abbott estate cars.

Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estates were painted with two-tone colour schemes

Front disc brakes with servo assistance were available as an option from late 1960 on the Zephyr and Zodiac.

The Girling set-up became standard from June 1961, as the MkII headed towards the end of production in the spring of 1962 after an 11-year, million-car run.

Inevitably, the wagons commonly had the hardest existence of all these cars and, being relatively rare in the first place, are not often seen today and so deservedly coveted.

This Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate has roof rails for extra luggage

That said, few of the remaining Farnhams have had as much loving attention as this 1961 example.

It was beautifully restored in the early 1990s (during a 30-year custodianship), before dealer Robert Hughes captured it for the first time eight years ago.

Robert sold it to its previous owner on the understanding he’d give him first refusal should he ever part with it.

True to his word, he did, having further improved the car, which, as Robert notes, was rebuilt when period-correct parts were freely available.

The crest adorns the Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate’s wide chrome grille

The result is a Zephyr estate that, finished in Arundel Grey over Newark Grey, does not look restored but merely beautifully preserved.

To prove the point, 693 CXC won club concours awards as recently as 2022.

Up front there is lots of room to work under the bonnet, where the aftermarket Aquaplane Special six-branch manifold, fed by three SU carburettors, gives an exotic look to the otherwise workmanlike straight-six.

To the rear, the luggage door swings slightly upwards on concealed hinges to give access to a load area that looks too nicely finished for hard, dirty work.

Here, Ford’s straight-six sports a period Aquaplane manifold and triple SU carburettors

The space has its own light, and with the seats folded there is enough room for a two-berth bed.

The spare sits under the ‘false’ wooden floor, but you could order your Farnham with the wheel mounted vertically to one side, leaving the floor space clear.

The maximum gross weight of the Zephyr estate was 4000lb, leaving 1100lb for goods and passengers, assuming a full tank of fuel.

Inside, with its Expresso Bongo coffee-bar dashboard, giant steering wheel (with chromed horn rim) and Minimalist instrumentation, the Zephyr is a fine example of late-’50s Detroit sensibilities on a British scale.

The Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate is a handful at low speeds, but easy to place once rolling along

Anybody unfamiliar with 1950s cars would likely need a week in respite care after any time behind the wheel of the Ford, with its one-size-fits-all driving position and ponderous disposition on the road.

In fairness it is actually quite capable, with a smooth, responsive and sweet-sounding engine that breezes you away with an absence of fuss or effort that would have been a dream for most drivers 60 years ago.

Beyond that, driving it properly requires the sort of physical effort, and powers of judgement and anticipation that are no longer widely found in the motoring population.

‘The wagons had the hardest existence of all these cars. They are not often seen today and are deservedly coveted’

However, drivers in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s would not have considered the steering heavy, and it is only really a chore during manoeuvres at low speeds.

At other times it self-centres nicely and allows you to place the car quite accurately; the squishy bench seat, even with a central armrest to lean on, is more of a hindrance to brisk motoring than soggy suspension or excessive understeer.

This quite firmly sprung car suffers from neither.

The Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate has a large, side-hinged tailgate

It probably had one of the better column changes, too: smooth if not especially quick, and rendered much more versatile by the Borg-Warner overdrive.

As well as giving three additional speeds, it allows you to freewheel below 30mph.

Above that speed – with the under-dash handle pulled out – the overdrive cuts in when you release the throttle.

Kicking down will disengage it, and, on a trailing throttle, clutchless changes are possible, although I didn’t indulge.

The MkII Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac boom saw ED Abbott build 5643 examples between 1956 and 1962

At a time when station wagons tended to be either rather grand, half-timbered jobs or not much more than a van with windows, the ED Abbott-converted Fords of the 1950s and ’60s probably did more to change buyers’ perceptions than any other car of their ilk.

They gave Dagenham the confidence to mass-produce wagon versions of the Anglia, Cortina and, in 1972, the Granada, the appearance of which signalled a full acceptance of the luxury Ford estate, albeit German-designed and built.

With its space, versatility and performance (at least in 3-litre V6 form), the Granada was a lifestyle machine cum workhorse that was perceived by many as more desirable than the saloon on which it was based.

In other words, exactly the formula that made the Zephyr and Zodiacs so enticing 15 years earlier.

Images: Max Edleston

Thanks to: Robert Hughes Automobiles

Classic Ford estates: ED Abbott’s coachbuilt wagons

Thanks to Ford over-building the MkI Zephyr, ED Abbott could chop away at the body without fear of compromising rigidity

There had been coachbuilding on the site at Farnham since before the First World War, but ED Abbott began trading in 1928, refurbishing commercial vehicles and rebodying luxury models while also fulfilling contracts for Rootes and BMW importer AFN.

Post-WW2 the firm was controlled by former Aston Martin boss RG Sutherland, having built airframes between 1939 and ’45.

The contract to build the handsome drophead version of the Bristol 405 was prestigious if short-lived, but the job of converting big Fords into estates brought stability and decent volume.

Ford’s MkII Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac worked well as an estate car

The firm was converting 30 cars a week at the height of the MkII Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac boom, and annual Ford estate production at Abbott peaked at 1475 cars in 1960.

Total MkI production is unknown, but unlikely to match the 5643 MkII Farnhams built between 1956 and ’62.

The 1962-’66 MkIII estates were based on the six-light Zodiac bodyshell, for more streamlined production.

The MkIII Ford Zephyr and Zodiac estates were popular police cars

With a clean side profile and a one-piece, top-hinged GRP tailgate, they were perhaps the best-looking Farnhams.

They were less popular than the MkIIs – but widely used by motorway police – with some 4322 built, mostly Zephyrs and Zodiacs plus 725 Zephyr 4s, the Consul badge having been dropped.

The Abbott Fords by then faced competition from the Hawk and Super Snipe estates by Carbodies, and Vauxhall Cresta conversions by Martin Walter.

An estate version of Ford’s MkIV Zephyr/Zodiac was much trickier to build

In 1966, Abbott struggled to adapt the Farnham estate-car proportions to the new-shape MkIV.

Ford claimed the MkIV Zephyr/Zodiac had the largest load space of any British wagon, but the strut turrets for the much-derided independent rear suspension intruded into the luggage area: one magazine calculated that the MkII Cortina could carry more weight than the massive MkIV.

Factfile

Ford Zephyr MkII Farnham estate

Sold/number built 1956-’62/5673
Construction steel monocoque
Engine all-iron, ohv 2553cc ‘six’, single Zenith carburettor
Max power 90bhp @ 4400rpm
Max torque 137Ib ft @ 2000rpm
Transmission three-speed manual with optional overdrive, RWD
Suspension: front independent, by MacPherson struts, anti-roll bar rear live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, lever-arm dampers
Steering worm and peg (recirculating ball from 1957)
Brakes drums
Length 14ft 10¼in (4528mm)
Width 5ft 8½in (1740mm)
Height 5ft 2in (1575mm)
Wheelbase 8ft 11in (2718mm)
Weight 2838Ib (1285kg)
Mpg 25
0-60mph 18.7 secs
Top speed 90mph
Price new £1227
Price now £35,000*