John & Gaye Rich's MkIV Zephy

My association with Z cars goes back to my first car a 1961 MkII. A very tidy car and purchased off an aircraft mechanic so it should have been reliable (but that�s another story)
I then traded up to a 1964 MkIII Zephyr Special, government issue to a paraplegic so it had no steering column covers ( to allow for hand controls ) and holes in all the pedals. It was a great old car and that�s probably why there is one in my shed getting serious attention as time and money allows.
One Friday night reading the buy sell I noticed an ad for a MkIV Z car in Ashburton and as it was local it wouldn�t do any harm to ring up and enquire. One owner, tidyish, a runner and deregistered. So I went and had a look and after a once over thought it rude not to make an offer and we became the owners of a 1971 MK IV Zephyr.

I got home and after a couple of hours with the water blaster had a reasonably clean motor and car. The brakes were overhauled, the steering idler freed up, the steering box lubricated and adjusted, the windscreen removed and resealed, the gear linkage bushes replaced, the oil and filter changed and new tyres fitted.
It is an unmolested car 76000 miles on the clock ( 176000 I think) original paint, upholstery, carpet ( what hasn�t rotted from the leaking windscreen) I think the man who owned it all it�s life in Reefton must have been a bachelor as only the drivers seat is worn. I reckon the back seat�s hardly been used. Fortunately there is next to no rust and the paint although showing its age cleans up ok. I�d say the engine has had some work but not the gudgeons as there is a bit of a tap there.

I thought I�ll sneak home the back ways to avoid trailering it home. Around the second corner and a cop sitting there watching the intersection and watching me very intently, luckily he returned to watching the corner as I battled to look legal and in control. The brakes were sort of there if you pushed hard enough and pulled severely to the left and the steering was definitely armstrong with no self centring

I used the car for a couple of weeks as my daily ride and was horrified the day Ashvegas got the hail storm. It was the only unaffected car at work (decent steel!) Gaye and I have only been on one run to Hanmer but both of us were impressed with ride quality. Our son and his mates (20 year olds) have taken it on Sunday cruises a few times and they all rave about the comfort and leg room for a 1971 car. They do admit to getting some odd looks though.
I don�t know how long we�ll keep the MkIV ( Gaye still reckons I shouldn�t have brought it ) but I think I�ll try to keep it until the MkIII is a going concern so we can continue Zephyring to the odd outing.