Ford Zephys and Zodiacs

The oldest memory I have of our family car was this 1954 Mk1 Zephyr. Seen here parked in the driveway of our family home in Essex St Masterton.

My Dad was not one to change his car often, but around 1960 he traded the Mk 1 on a 1958 Mk 2 from Fagan Motors; Masterton's Ford dealer to this day. The photo shows me standing proudly by Dad's car around 1965 at, I believe, Kaiteriteri in the North of the South Island.
This is the car in which I learned to drive.

A 1962 Mk 2 Zephyr at the British Car Day at Trentham in February 2009. Compare this with the  '58 model in the above photo and you will notice a different shaped chrome side moulding, chrome headlamp rims instead of painted and a lower roof line.

Easter 2009 saw Masterton host a gathering of Zephyr and Zodiac owners and their machines. This 1954 Mk 1 convertible is part of the public display of that event which was held in the "Horseshoe" car park. The "Horseshoe" is one of our local eating and drinking establishments, so called because of it's horse shoe shaped restaurant.

This interior shot of a Mk 1 convertible shows the column gear change lever, the steering wheel mounted direction indicator switch and the painted steel dash panel. How things have changed !

I don't think MK 4s were ever as popular as the earlier models. They were big and boxy and the early V6 motors were troublesome. This is a 1970 Zodiac which had a more pleasing frontal appearance than the Zephyrs.

This 1960 Mk 2 convertible with driving lamps, whitewall tyres, chrome wire wheels and white top on it's bright red paint looked magnificent.

Mk 3s were my personal favourite. A 1964 Zephyr on the left and a 1965 Zodiac on the right. This again was at the public display, Easter 2009.

A line-up of Mk 2s.

Handsome rear ends. A quartet of  Mk 3s, consisting of one Zephyr (furthest from camera) and three Zodiacs.

Mk 3 Zodiac estate of 1965 is even more handsome than the saloons.

A very well presented Mk 3 Zephyr gleams in the late afternoon sun. Another participant in the Easter 2009 event, but this time parked at Copthorne Solway Park Motor Lodge.

Mks 3,2,1.
Zephyrs at the 2011 British Car Day at Trentham.