Pre-Production Cars

[richardthestag]

only just non pre-production if you get my drift

The first e-type, maybe a dog in a pretty frock, dunno, never driven one

papped by me at Donnington e-type festival thing and as just found, though the long teerm owner never actually lost it.

 

now has been spectacularly restored but without* loosing all that patina 

I do like the puddle under the front, it did lead the e-types around the circuit but retired 1/2 a lap in

[Snipes]

@richardthestag

Is that to say X777 still exists? If so then it really is a survivor.

[richardthestag]

37 minutes ago, Sir Snipes said:

@richardthestag

Is that to say X777 still exists? If so then it really is a survivor.

indeed, I think the chap who runs SOC Spares Limited used to own it, not sure if he still does. 

[Kringle]

On 1/20/2020 at 12:56 PM, Vince70 said:

I think the Autoshite Smart car was a pre production car as it was built in the June and release wasn’t till September 98 and I’ve yet to see another R plate but it was registered in Madrid first and who in their right mind would order a yellow car with a blue interior lol.

 

Also the log book said Daimler if I remember rightly and when sorting out insurance I would just call it a pulse as I couldn’t find any info on the model and that was the nearest spec I could find and at the time I bought it the car didn’t have a model sticker on it like the other smarts I have seen.

I will say though it was really well screwed together and on the original engine and ran like a dream and didn’t use oil which is rare for an old suprex. engine.

Where did it go @Vince70?

[Vince70]

I sold it to a fellow Autoshiter who then Roffled it on about 6 months later.

So I’m not sure if it’s still in the group but I remember seeing a post from around a year or so ago and it had been wrapped in grey and German crosses had been put on the doors but I can’t find the post in the search.

[Kringle]

@Vince70 a year? I thought it was last owned on here back in 2016/17? By previous member @Station who I tried tracking by means of the next owner of his RX7 who contacted me to say he was planning to move to Canada. The mot ran out last Feb.

But I'll search again!

[martc]

On 1/23/2020 at 5:26 PM, adw1977 said:

I'm currently reading Ant Anstead's book "Cops and Robbers" about the history of British police cars.

This page seems to tie in with the above recollection of pink Escorts going to fleet customers:

Thanks - 'our' pink escort has got to be related to this sorry tale. I'm sure it was T reg (78 to 79) which fits in perfectly.

[Vince70]

2 hours ago, Kringle said:

@Vince70 a year? I thought it was last owned on here back in 2016/17? By previous member @Station who I tried tracking by means of the next owner of his RX7 who contacted me to say he was planning to move to Canada. The mot ran out last Feb.

But I'll search again!

It must of been a couple of years ago now, I just didn’t realise that time flies.

[Amishtat]

On 1/23/2020 at 11:13 PM, Richard_FM said:

I heard Volvo made a one-off 165 by swapping the rear panels on a 164 with those from a 144.

When someone high up in the design team retired he was given it as a parting gift.

More than one I believe, not very many though. Mate of a mate had one a few years ago, he died and it ended up at a auction (possibly ACA?) a year or two ago. 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

12 minutes ago, Amishtat said:

More than one I believe, not very many though. Mate of a mate had one a few years ago, he died and it ended up at a auction (possibly ACA?) a year or two ago. 

If it was red, then I seem to remember someone posting it on ACA thread.

[Amishtat]

It was, yes. Can't remember the registration but it wasn't based on an early 164, it had the later thick bumpers 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

posted last summer by, predictably , @wuvvum ( famous 164 licker and Anglia resident!)

[Amishtat]

That's the one! First saw it about fifteen years ago but didn't realise its significance at the time. Not sure off the top of my head how many were built but I'm sure it isn't double figures. 

[Amishtat]

Also, as another 164 owner, I love those wheels.. 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Yep it was ,

[Richard_FM]

7 hours ago, Amishtat said:

More than one I believe, not very many though. Mate of a mate had one a few years ago, he died and it ended up at a auction (possibly ACA?) a year or two ago. 

I think just one was actually made by Volvo, but a few more have been made by enthusiasts panel swapping.

[Cooper1]

CVC pre production P38a 1994. 

 

 

[JeeExEll]

Cortina Mk2 on a C-plate, so registered before the end of Dec 1965.  The Mk2 wasn't officially launched till late October 1966, near the end of 'D-reg' plates.  At that time the reg suffix ran from Jan to December.

For a couple of years from 1970 my dad had a 1966 registered Mk2, BSK 747D, a pre-crossflow 1300 de-luxe 4-door in white with red vinyl seats and Anglia-style chrome hubcaps.  A more spacious improvement over the Mk1, but rather disappointing in the road performance department, even for 1970, and it still only did about 25mpg.

[bunglebus]

12 minutes ago, JeeExEll said:

Cortina Mk2 on a C-plate, so registered before the end of Dec 1965.  The Mk2 wasn't officially launched till late October 1966, near the end of 'D-reg' plates.  At that time the reg suffix ran from Jan to December.

 

LHD too...

[sheffcortinacentre]

Seen pics of some C reg MK4 Z cars too.

I know someone that has a very early mk2 crayford on a D reg ( think it was the 1st one).

If you ever find pics of any H reg MK3 cortina let my know as on sale from sept so J reg is earliest I've ever seen.

[JeeExEll]

Aye Sheff, have always been looking out for the 70 Fords which have one year out of sync.  Just a Ford geekery thing.

Out of all the pics there's never been a Mk3 Cortina on a 'H', or a 'S'.  Or a genuine pre-production Mk2 Escort on a 'M', and there must have been loads of those.  Mk2 Capris on a 'L'?  Also, Consul/ Granada Mk1s on a 'J'?

Maybe more pics will appear in years to come.

 

[Richard_FM]

I've sure I've seen a picture of a very early Mk3 Cortina on an H plate.

[JeeExEll]

There absolutely must have been Mk3s on 'H' plates, the Mk3 was introduced late summer 1970 just after when the J-plates were new so what did they do before then? Possibly even some 1969 test cars on G-plates. But in many years of looking at old photos I've never seen even one. Something may turn up yet.

[AnthonyG]

On 1/20/2020 at 10:09 AM, bunglebus said:

As an Essex boy I've seen a few odd Fords around over the years, including a saloon version of the Fiesta that we never got over here

 

Ford Ikon, the first Ford ‘made in India for Indians’, circa 1999/2000. The launch model of the Ford India division, which Ford had high hopes of.

IIRC The Ka + and Ecosport we get are assembled there, although I did see a report that Ford will be pulling the plug on the operation soon, they never got close to challenging Maruti-Suzuki or Tata.

[adw1977]

On 1/31/2020 at 10:25 PM, sheffcortinacentre said:

Seen pics of some C reg MK4 Z cars too.

Michael Allen's book "Consul, Zephyr, Zodiac, Executive" has pictures of two C reg Z cars, COJ530C and CON585C:

Plus pictures of pre-production cars being assembled:

[bunglebus]

18 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

There absolutely must have been Mk3s on 'H' plates, the Mk3 was introduced late summer 1970 just after when the J-plates were new so what did they do before then? Possibly even some 1969 test cars on G-plates. But in many years of looking at old photos I've never seen even one. Something may turn up yet.

Maybe one for the late reg thread - by 1970 registrations ran sept-aug so I guess you couldn't buy an H plate MKIII?

Wiki says; The Cortina went on sale on 23 October 1970

So I would guess Ford did not use undisguised MKIIIs prior to launch

Same with MK2 Escorts earlier than a N, they changed the floor etc in the MK1 in about 1973, I would think all the testing (on the road anyway) was done using updated MK1s so the public didn't see the MK2 before its official launch

[sheffcortinacentre]

Quite a few J reg mk2's, but as said never any mk3's sold to public with H reg.

Same as no P reg mk4's (there is/was a taunus convertible) as they went on sale in Europe in may.

Also half doz T reg mk5's (June 79) possible pre- production cars were given to production team of the professionals for filming as the forthcoming series would debut over Christmas thus more free primetime advertising of the latest model.

The Ghia EST is thought to have been a mk4 with Mk5 bits ( int,bumpers,frt wings,grille etc)  as in various shots there are anomilys Inc no lower tape strips on the doors being one.

The mk2 escort like the mk2/3  Capri,mk4/5 Corrina,mk2 Granada were reskins so didn't need mechanical test mules as these could be carried out on current models without much chance of discovery.

MK1 fiesta running gear was I believe fitted in fiat 128's for road testing  as the German Taunus 12/15M (fords only other fwd vehicle) were deemed to big (probably to old too) for a comparison to the competitions products.

TheMK3  escort cvh engs & rear suspension were tested in some stretched MK1 fiestas in northern Europe, likewise 6 mk5' &  TC3 Taunus were used with Sierra running gear some with altered noses to test cooling system efficiency again in mainly northern Europe.

[Richard_FM]

I believe Ford hired out the fleet of Mk1 Cortinas to use in Carry On Cabby.

Supposedly Ford used a Fiat 127 or 128 based mule to convince Henry Ford II that fwd was the way ahead, as until then he has dead against this layout.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Yep more product placement by ford ,funny all these years later & I'm still anti False Wheel Drive.

[Kringle]

On 1/25/2020 at 1:38 PM, Kringle said:

@Vince70 a year? I thought it was last owned on here back in 2016/17? By previous member @Station who I tried tracking by means of the next owner of his RX7 who contacted me to say he was planning to move to Canada. The mot ran out last Feb.

But I'll search again!

Just to wrap this up, the Daimler Pulse was bought by a girl from Zimbabwe and the car apparently has gone there. Ho hum.