Classic Car Mart Spring 2016 77
Buying guide: MkII Big Fords
public who now had several brand new and
adventurous for the time body colours to choose
from, such as Wells Fawn, Ivory and Warwick
Green. To distinguish the range topping six-cylinder
Zodiac from the Zephyr, the more expensive model
had a different styled front grille, gold coloured
badges, a better equipped interior, two-tone paint
and a more elaborate rear end featuring horizontal
chrome strakes either side of a hinged number
plate carrier concealing the fuel filler.
At launch, a MkII Consul in standard trim would
have cost its new owner £781, while the more
powerful 86bhp Zephyr retailed for £872 and
a fully loaded Zodiac £969. Options across the
range included Borg Warner auto transmission
(£187) and later models could be supplied with
the now very desirable optional overdrive. Like
their MkI predecessors, the new big Fords had
a three-speed gearbox with column change and
an umbrella-style handbrake; useful features that
allowed two adults to sit next to the driver in
reasonable comfort on a large front bench seat.
One annoying hangover from the MkI range,
however, was the vacuum-operated wipers,
which got slower as the engine revs rose and
made overtaking in poor weather a hazardous
operation. In 1959 the Consul, Zephyr and
Zodiac range was revamped with the launch of
the heavily revised low-line models. One and a
half inches had been chopped off the roof line on
1960 MkII ZODIAC
ENGINE: 2553cc inline-six
POWER: 85bhp at 4400bhp
TORQUE: 133 lb.ft at 2000rpm
TOP SPEED: 91mph
0-60mph: 16.5 secs
LENGTH: 454.7cm
GEARBOX: 3-spd man
WEIGHT: 1228.1kg