"The Consul was manufactured from 1951 until 1962. The name was later revived for a model produced by Ford in both the UK and in Germany from 1972 until 1975. The 1500 cc four-cylinder Consul was first shown at the 1950 London Motor Show. It was the start of Ford of Britain's successful attack on the family saloon car market. With stablemate Zephyr, it was the first British Ford with modern unibody construction. Most cars were four-door saloons with body design by George Walker of the parent US Ford Motor Company, but a few estate cars were made by the coachbuilder Abbott. From 1953, a convertible conversion by Carbodies became available. Having lost most of its strength with its roof, the unibody was reinforced by welding in a large X-frame to the floor pan. It was also the first car they built with up-to-date technology. The new 1508 cc 47 bhp engine had overhead valves, and hydraulic clutch operation was used, which in 1950 was an unusual feature. However, a three-speed gearbox, with synchromesh only on second and top, was retained. The Consul was also the first British production car to use the now-common MacPherson strut independent front suspension.
Originally registered on 25th March 1955 this Ford Consul Convertible has been fully restored by the very knowledgeable and fastidious owner. With the bodywork fully taken care of he then set about a few mechanical enhancements. The biggest and most significant being the fitment of a Ford 3.0 V6 Essex engine and automatic gearbox. This came from a Scimitar, hence the SC at the start of the engine number. This Consul convertible presents in outstanding condition and viewing is highly recommended. However, the vendor has asked us to point out that the car drives very well up to 50mph but after that, their appears to be some ‘tramping’ from the rear end. Maybe some bushes need replacing or an anti-roll bar fitted? These stylish cars from the period are rare even in saloon format, let alone convertible. This really is a head-turner and even more so now with the 3.0 litre engine fitted.Interested parties should note that the private registration plate shown is to be retained by the vendor and a new, age-related registration issued instead.
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