Ford Classic
Encyclopedia
The Ford Consul Classic or 'Consul 315' (as the export version was known) was a mid-sized car built by Ford
in the UK from 1961 to 1963. Available with two or four doors, in Standard or De Luxe versions, with floor or column gearshift. It is commonly referred to as the Ford 109E , though four such codes are possible as explained below. Obvious competitor models at the time included the Hillman Minx
and Singer Gazelle
from Rootes Group.
Despite all these codes the cars all looked the same throughout production 1961–1963, the visual distinctions being the number of doors, the trim & equipment level between Standard and De Luxe and their exciting choice of colours.
vindicating the decision to compete against the BMC Mini. (The Halewood plant did not open until 1963.) Ford therefore entered the 1960s with the small Anglia , Popular and Prefect , the big "three graces" launched back in 1956, and NOT the mid-size market Classic.
, featuring the same distinctive reverse-rake rear window. This feature was imported from the 1958 Lincoln Continental
where it was necessitated by the design requirement for an opening (breezway) rear window. With quad headlamps and different frontal treatment it was longer, wider and so heavier than the Anglia. In fact, from the windows down the body design was a scaled down version of Ford's huge, US Ford Galaxie
. Inside, the separate front seats and rear bench had a standard covering of PVC but leather was available as an option. There was a choice of floor or column mounted gear change. Single or two-tone paint schemes were offered. Several of the car's features, unusual at the time, have subsequently become mainstream such as the headlight flasher ("found on many Continental cars") and the variable speed windscreen wipers. The boot or trunk capacity was exceptionally large, with a side stowed spare wheel well, and more important the huge high lift sprung lid allowed a great variety of loads to be both contemplated and packed. At 21cu.ft this was 15% larger than Zodiac mk2 and had obvious advantages for business use.
The Consul Classic was also mechanically similar to the Anglia, and used slightly larger 1340 cc and from 1962 1498 cc variants of the Ford Kent Engine. The car had front 9.5 in (241 mm) disc brakes and was fitted with a four speed gearbox: early cars provided synchromesh on the top three ratios, while the arrival of the 1498cc version coincided with the provision of synchromesh on all forward gears. Suspension was independent at the front using Macpherson strut units and at the rear the live axle used semi elliptic leaf springs. A contemporary road tester was impressed, noting that "probably the most impressive thing about the Classic is its road holding".
magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 78.4 mph (126.2 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 22.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of 35.8 mpgimp was recorded. The test car was a 4-door deluxe version costing £801 including taxes, but the sticker price on a two door standard Classic with the same engine was just £745 including taxes.
. Only 111,225 Classics and 18,716 Capris were produced (Including 2002 'GT' Versions). These are small numbers by Ford standards, and probably indicative of the public not taking to the controversial styling.
version with a much neater roofline. The low headroom over the back seat made it more of a 2+2 but gave it a much better visual balance – the Consul Capri (335).
Ford of Britain
Ford of Britain is a British wholly owned subsidiary of Ford of Europe, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. Its business started in 1909 and has its registered office in Brentwood, Essex...
in the UK from 1961 to 1963. Available with two or four doors, in Standard or De Luxe versions, with floor or column gearshift. It is commonly referred to as the Ford 109E , though four such codes are possible as explained below. Obvious competitor models at the time included the Hillman Minx
Hillman Minx
The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1932 and 1970...
and Singer Gazelle
Singer Gazelle
The Singer Gazelle name has been applied to two generations of motor cars from the British manufacturer the Rootes Group, using the Singer marque...
from Rootes Group.
Ford Classic model codes
The Classic (and related Consul Capri) had the Right Hand Drive and home market Ford code of 109E (but 110E if L.H.D.) for 1961–1962 models with 1340cc engines, or 116E (but 117E for L.H.D.) for 1962–1963 manufacture with 1500cc engines. Those codes also distinguish the gearboxes and steering components which are not greasable on later cars, so cutting first-user servicing costs.Despite all these codes the cars all looked the same throughout production 1961–1963, the visual distinctions being the number of doors, the trim & equipment level between Standard and De Luxe and their exciting choice of colours.
Concept and Development
The Classic was a quality model by Ford "suitable for the golf club car park" originally intended for introduction earlier and deletion later than actually occurred. The styling exercises were mainly undertaken in 1956 under Colin Neale. The main styling cues came straight from Dearborn, as they so often did, defining the car as a scaled down Galaxie 500, from the waist down, topped with a Lincoln Continental roofline. Other aspects of R&D followed, and it is likely a recognisably similar car could have been introduced in 1959 subject to different senior management decisions. In practice the run-away early success of Anglia (1959 on) used up most of the car manufacturing capacity at DagenhamFord Dagenham assembly plant
Ford Dagenham is a major automotive factory located in Dagenham, United Kingdom operated by the Ford of Europe subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company...
vindicating the decision to compete against the BMC Mini. (The Halewood plant did not open until 1963.) Ford therefore entered the 1960s with the small Anglia , Popular and Prefect , the big "three graces" launched back in 1956, and NOT the mid-size market Classic.
Description
The Ford Classic was similar in appearance to the more popular Ford AngliaFord Anglia
The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....
, featuring the same distinctive reverse-rake rear window. This feature was imported from the 1958 Lincoln Continental
Lincoln Continental
The Lincoln Continental is an automobile which was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1956 to 2002...
where it was necessitated by the design requirement for an opening (breezway) rear window. With quad headlamps and different frontal treatment it was longer, wider and so heavier than the Anglia. In fact, from the windows down the body design was a scaled down version of Ford's huge, US Ford Galaxie
Ford Galaxie
The Ford Galaxie was a full-size car built in the United States by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. The name was used for the top models in Ford’s full-size range from 1959 until 1961, in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race...
. Inside, the separate front seats and rear bench had a standard covering of PVC but leather was available as an option. There was a choice of floor or column mounted gear change. Single or two-tone paint schemes were offered. Several of the car's features, unusual at the time, have subsequently become mainstream such as the headlight flasher ("found on many Continental cars") and the variable speed windscreen wipers. The boot or trunk capacity was exceptionally large, with a side stowed spare wheel well, and more important the huge high lift sprung lid allowed a great variety of loads to be both contemplated and packed. At 21cu.ft this was 15% larger than Zodiac mk2 and had obvious advantages for business use.
The Consul Classic was also mechanically similar to the Anglia, and used slightly larger 1340 cc and from 1962 1498 cc variants of the Ford Kent Engine. The car had front 9.5 in (241 mm) disc brakes and was fitted with a four speed gearbox: early cars provided synchromesh on the top three ratios, while the arrival of the 1498cc version coincided with the provision of synchromesh on all forward gears. Suspension was independent at the front using Macpherson strut units and at the rear the live axle used semi elliptic leaf springs. A contemporary road tester was impressed, noting that "probably the most impressive thing about the Classic is its road holding".
Performance
A car tested by The MotorThe Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 78.4 mph (126.2 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 22.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of 35.8 mpgimp was recorded. The test car was a 4-door deluxe version costing £801 including taxes, but the sticker price on a two door standard Classic with the same engine was just £745 including taxes.
Replacement
The Consul Classic was replaced in 1963 by the Ford CorsairFord Corsair
The Ford Consul Corsair, manufactured by Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom, was a midsize car introduced at the London Motor Show in October 1963 and available as either a saloon or estate from 1964 until 1970...
. Only 111,225 Classics and 18,716 Capris were produced (Including 2002 'GT' Versions). These are small numbers by Ford standards, and probably indicative of the public not taking to the controversial styling.
Kenyan estate conversions
Seventeen station wagon (estate) conversions were carried out by Ford Dealership 'Hughes Limited' of Nairobi, Kenya based on the two door model. One of these vehicles made it over to the UK in 1964 and survives to this day in the South-East of England although it has not been used on the road since 2005.Consul Capri
Based on the two door Consul Classic, and sharing its 99 inch wheelbase, this was a coupéCoupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
version with a much neater roofline. The low headroom over the back seat made it more of a 2+2 but gave it a much better visual balance – the Consul Capri (335).