SCZZEC Magazine April 2003

For Sale

Zephyr 6 Mk III 1965, 126,000 miles, five owners, new tyres, cream with gray interior, all original throughout, $5500. Contact Diana Ellis, 16 Miro St, Timaru, Phone 686-0679.

Mk II Zephyr 1958. Good parts car, sweet motor and running gear. Contact Neville Stevens (03) 308-7787

Buy

Mk I Zephyr convertible, prefer complete and running. Contact Owen Gardener (06) 844-5733
or leave a message on (06) 844-5708

This month is a busy one for club activities. The Richard Pearse anniversary weekend was held with (finally) great weather.
The club participated with a display of 11 members� cars. Over 15,000 attended the weekend. These events are a great way for us to display our cars and fly the club flag.
Geoff Taylor from our Northern branch contacted me regarding Gluyas Motors Ford Ashburton celebrating 100 years of Ford in New Zealand on 6 April. This involved a parade through Ashburton to the Plains Museum where the cars were on display and there were stalls and music.
Although this is written before the weekend several members have indicated an interest, so a good day is expected. Some members will also be attending the All British Day at Oamaru.
Easter weekend will see the International Convention in Invercargill. I know there has been some activity with last-minute restorations of cars for this event and I am looking forward to seeing our Zcars on the road again.
The Zephyr calendar of members� cars is ready and will be on sale at the April meeting for $25. Only 50 have been printed, so be in quick!!

A big welcome to Wayne Stevens of Ashburton who has a low-mileage and low-ownership 1960 Mk II Zodiac. Wayne says he is busy restoring the paint, hopefully ready for Invercargill.

We wish Neville and Pat Stevens farewell from the Terminus Hotel. They have shifted to Ashburton (in the meantime). Neville is coping well on his new knee � soon he will be dangerous without the walking sticks.

Barry Goddard has had his operation to replace a valve in his heart. Everything went well. We wish Barry a speedy recovery and back behind the wheel of the Mk I convertible very soon.

Notice is given of the Annual General Meeting of the South Canterbury Zephyr and Zodiac Enthusiasts� Club to be held on Monday, 5 May 2003, 7.30pm at the RSA, Wai-iti Road, Timaru to elect officers and committee for the coming year 2003-2004.

   * President
   * Vice president
   * Secretary
   * Club captain
   * Social convenor
   * Two committee members
   * Editor

Development of the Mk IV Zephyr/Zodiac range began in mid-1961 under the code-name �Panda�. The decision to use the new V-engine range created a problem for the designers because the short power unit naturally only needed a short engine compartment.
Since the concept of European large cars called for a long bonnet, this gave unacceptable proportions until it was decided to house the spare wheel at an angle under the bonnet ahead of the radiator. Ford Britain�s new American director of engineering Harley Copp decreed that the new car should be larger than its predecessor, and the new car was therefore entirely different from the Mk III.

Of similar dimensions to the American Ford Fairlane, the Mk IV was launched on April 20, 1966, with V4 2 litre and V6 2.5 litre engines in the Zephyr and V6 3 litre in the Zodiac. Neat �bow-back� styling made the capacious boot look deceptively short, but the large expanse of bonnet was unkindly likened to the landing deck of an aircraft carrier by some journalists!
Copp had also insisted on independent rear suspension but the chosen design had many of the failings of swing axle suspension when the car was lightly laden. Coupled with the five turns lock-to-lock of the steering, this gave rise to alarming �tuck-under� of the outer rear wheel when cornering with the back seats empty.
The Mk IV range used the new Ford C4 automatic transmission or a new manual four-speed gearbox (which could be specified with a Laycock LH overdrive).

Zephyrs had a bench front seat and column change as standard and individual fixed-back front seats and floor shift as an option, while the Zodiac came as standard with individual reclining front seats and floor change, and the bench seat and column change were optional extras.
At the October 1966 Earls Court Show, Ford launched the Executive, based on the Zodiac and with the C4 transmission as standard. Hydrosteer power steering was fitted, enabling a slightly higher gearing to be used; the steering column was adjustable for rake. Crushed hide or �continental� nylon cloth upholstery could be specified, while deep pile carpet �completed the luxury feel on the inside�. Externally, the Executive had a distinctive �Lincoln Star� radiator grille emblem, fog and driving lamps, name scripts fore and aft, a sunshine roof and wing mirrors.

A number of changes were announced at the 1967 Motor Show: the new De Luxe Zephyrs and Zodiacs had a new radiator grille and �gunsight� bonnet ornament plus radial-ply tyres on 14in wheels as standard while the Zodiac gained power steering. Cars without power steering had a slightly lower ratio (six turns lock-to-lock!) to reduce steering effort and the camber angles for the rear suspension were revised to improve the road holding.
Zephyrs gained separate front seats as standard, trimmed in embossed Cirrus PVC, and reclining backrests were available as an extra. All de luxe models now had the central armrest locker previously only fitted on the Executive.
From November 1967, the C4 transmission was replaced by the Borg-Warner Model 35, but reappeared on the 3 litre cars late in 1968.
The power units on the Zephyr/Zodiac range having proved liable to various problems associated with over-heating, modifications were brought in during 1968. Another detail modification was the deletion of the remote radiator header tank�which had tended to crack at its mounting point�early in 1969.

For 1970, the springs were softened slightly and improved door seals lessened wind noise. The front seats on the De Luxe Zephyrs now offered better side support, heated rear windows were available as an option on all Zephyrs and were standard on Zodiac and Executive.
Zodiac now had an Executive type walnut dash; Executives now had walnut trim on the door cappings. Both lines gained bright metal side strakes and wheelarch cappings. But production of the Mk IV range had fallen almost without ceasing after the first full year, in which 50,593 cars were built; in 1970 the figure was only 18,925 and in the last year of manufacture, 1971, output was almost exactly one-third of the first year�s figure.

Produced
Zephyr 4 December 1965-December 1971
Zephyr 6 January 1966-December 1971
Zodiac December 1965-December 1971

Total production
Zephyr 4 41,386 (BU 37,467, BU Exp 1901, KD 2018)
Zephyr 6 61,031 (BU 38,484, BU Exp 4748, KD 17,799)
Zodiac (includes Executive) 46,846 (BU 36,386, BU Exp 3599, KD 6861)

SPECIFICATION
Zephyr 4 1965-71

Engine 1996cc V4 ohv
Bore x stroke 93.72.4mm
Maximum power 112bhp @ 4750rpm
Transmission 4-speed manual/optional overdrive or 3-speed automatic
Chassis pressed steel monocoque
Wheelbase 115in (2920mm)
Track 57in (448mm)
Length 185.5in (4710mm)
Suspension independent MacPherson strut front/coil spring semi-trailing wishbone rear.
Brakes four wheel discs
Bodywork four door saloon, estate car
Maximum speed (approx) 95mph (153km/h)

Zephyr 6 1966-71

Specification as above except:
Engine 2495cc V6 ohv
Bore x stroke 93.7x60.3mm
Maximum power 118bhp @ 4750rpm
Bodywork four door saloon, estate car
Maximum speed (approx) 102mph (164km/h)

Zodiac 1965-71

Specification as above except:
Engine 2993cc V6 ohv
Bore x stroke 93.7x72.4mm
Maximum power 145bhp @ 4750rpm
Bodywork four door saloon, estate car
Maximum speed (approx) 102mph (164km/h)