Any 70's Ford experts out there?

[warren t claim]

Around the mid 1970's certain Ford models, Cortina and Granada/Consul I think, were available in "L" trim level and "L Decor" level with a different badge but with the same level of trim.Does anyone know why?I think the L Decor badge was in the shape of a shield if that jogs anyones memory.

[r.welfare]

I've heard of "L Decor", but the excellent reference book "Ford In Britain" by Martin Rawbone, which I have in front of me, doesn't mention this spec at all - and it's usually very comprehensive in detailing official special editions. The nearest thing I can find are the "Value For Money" extra-equipment models for the 1976 model year, but looking on t'web this is too late as it seemed to apply to '73/'74 cars.I always thought the shield badge, when fitted on the front wings behind the wheels, denoted the engine size.

[warren t claim]

The shield badge was mounted on the boot instead of the standard L badge.Some of the wing mounted 1600 badges that you mention have a diagonal stripe running through them and some don't. Is this to tell the difference between 1600 Pinto and crossflow motors?Does anyone know where I could get the info on Ford badges?

[whitevanman]

Some of the wing mounted 1600 badges that you mention have a diagonal stripe running through them and some don't. Is this to tell the difference between 1600 Pinto and crossflow motors?

No, possibly CortinaDave will know more abolut badges and the like than me.......I just know about building them and fixing them

[warren t claim]

I do have my suspicions about why the badges may be different but I would like to hear from an expert before posting my guess.

[Pete-M]

I've heard of "L decor" badges, but I don't think they mean anything. I think it's from the original days of Ford using the L, XL, GXL, etc rather than being a different trim level. I don't think it's like Pop / Pop Plus.Then again, I'm merely a low ranking 70's Ford anorak. Can decode chassis numbers and identify the wrong parts from 500 yards, but I don't pretend to know lots Embarrassing when old Fords are my specialist subject..

[Des]

Regardless of badge, in the 70's were not all Fords commonly known as Dagenham dustbins?

[warren t claim]

Not all mk3's were British!

[brammy777]

The 1600 Pinto fully replaced the Kent one in September 73, if thats any help. I have a book about Cortinas in front of me which makes no mention of the L Decor, again I had a feeling it was a part of the 'Value for Money' range which was introduced in October 75, but was too late...Cor, base MKIIIs with the black grille treatment looked grim.

[Mash]

I've heard of "L decor" badges, but I don't think they mean anything. I think it's from the original days of Ford using the L, XL, GXL, etc rather than being a different trim level. I don't think it's like Pop / Pop Plus.

I concur. Probably just a way of giving the lowly L buyer a bit of a boost by having a fancier badge despite only being next from bottom! My grandad's blue '73 Cortina was one.I believe (though stand to be corrected) only the Cortina had the Decor badges???

[ChinaTom]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27302738@N06/3717046145/

 

Offers no more info though than already given here though.

 

http://www.portalclassicos.com/vbpicgal ... iew&g=1216

 

Frustratingly there is a photo of the badge here that will not open.

[AnthonyG]

'L decor' was just a badge put on L trim level models. IIRC it was Cortinas only. It was a black shield badge with a stylised italic 'L', mounted on the boot lid, smaller than the engine size badges R Welfare mentions. I know this insane trivia because I spent many afternoons in the late 1980s levering badges off cars in scrapyards!'Decor' was just a phrase that was very popular with Ford US at the time. 'LDO' - 'Luxury Decor Option' - was a option code that actually turned into a specific model, so you could get a 'Ford Maverick LDO' for example.

[warren t claim]

IIRC it was a badge fitted to the Consul/Granada as well. No pre facelift Mk3's were fitted with the badge, only the later dash and rear light models were.

[CortinaDave]

L decor is a nasty spec. Ford gave you bugger all on L spec trim in the early - mid 70's and to me an L decor has to be the least desirable mk3 - facelift with the not-as-nice square dash, spartan as hell, the worst grille they did, lowly engines. Rubbish!As for the wing shield badges, the ones that have the stripe down them are fitted to later models - 73 on I think. Earlier cars have no stripe.

[warren t claim]

L decor is a nasty spec. Ford gave you bugger all on L spec trim in the early - mid 70's and to me an L decor has to be the least desirable mk3 - facelift with the not-as-nice square dash, spartan as hell, the worst grille they did, lowly engines. Rubbish!As for the wing shield badges, the ones that have the stripe down them are fitted to later models - 73 on I think. Earlier cars have no stripe.

I grew up with Mk3's and I will admit the 1300 2 door base was like a van inside but the Decor models (we had two in the family) were no different to the L spec models. IIRC they were not built in the UK.

[oldford]

I had a MKIII L Cortina, shapeless vinyl seats that were either too hot or cold. Their only redeeming feature was that they were easy to keep clean, which turned out not to be a redeeming feature if a silicone based cleaner was used as it got a bit interesting in the corners.I'm fairly sure that I've got an L Decor badge somewhere.

[Guest]

Best I can do is this....

[Timewaster]

Regardless of badge, in the 70's were not all Fords commonly known as Dagenham dustbins?

Yo Des.Your new avatar is pretty funny, but it F**ked up my screen spacing!

[r.welfare]

Not all mk3's were British!

Hmm. I know that Dagenham built Mk3s for the Scandinavian market, and also Japan/Hong Kong - perhaps the "L Decor" resulted from a cancelled order, like the Avenger Sunseeker and Mk2 Escort Linnet?Where else were the Mk3s built? I know there was a CKD operation in Ireland (or was this just for the Mk4/Cortina 80?), and they were also built in NZ and Australia for local consumption. Just found out (from Wikipedia, so big pinch of salt taken) that the Mk3 was sold in Canada until 1973, which is a surprise.

[saabhappy]

We had K-, M- and P-reg MkIIIs, and I don't think any of them had that badge, but maybe it was just a batch Ford had made up and didn't bother to repeat.

[whitevanman]

The answer is now known...............But as CortinaDave found the answer I shall let him post it up

[CortinaDave]

yup after a bit of digging i have discovered that the extra you got on a decor over a standard L was the badges and a pin stripe. That is all. Exotic !

[Pete-M]

I had a dig about last night regarding this, and read that the "L decor" had round headlamps (as did the base) when the rest of the range went to rectangular ones.Hooodathort that early '70s Ford trim levels could be so frickin' complicated?

[warren t claim]

yup after a bit of digging i have discovered that the extra you got on a decor over a standard L was the badges and a pin stripe. That is all. Exotic !

No pinstripes on either of the ones bought new by my family!If anyone has a way of telling the trim level from the reg numbers KMB390N is deffo one of them.

[In The Pit]

Not all mk3's were British!

Hmm. I know that Dagenham built Mk3s for the Scandinavian market, and also Japan/Hong Kong - perhaps the "L Decor" resulted from a cancelled order, like the Avenger Sunseeker and Mk2 Escort Linnet?

Whats the story with the cancelled order and the Escort Linnet? I had heard that some 1100 Linnets were produced (normally they were all 1300) to go abroad and some stayed in the UK also there are some very late L based models (Linnets were Pop Plus based) with Linnet stripes on them possibly called Escort Elite abroad although I have heard the term Linnet Plus applied to these late cars, anyone know any more on this please tell.

[r.welfare]

I thought I read somewhere that the Linnet or Goldcrest were a cancelled Hong Kong order, having said that it could have been the Escort Capital. Or I am speaking bollocks. The latter is most likely, as the incredibly informative "Ford In Britain" by Martin Rawbone makes no mention of this.

[AnthonyG]

The Mk3 was sold in Canada, I have a brochure from that market. It dates from 1970 or 71, and uses the same pictures as the UK.Mk1s and 2s were sold in the USA as well as Canada and the other Commonwealth countries. Also a batch of Mk2s went to Czechslovakia, I'm not sure if they were then sold on to ordinary people or were just for the government's use.A batch of MK1 GT estates (not a model ever offered in the UK, unlike the Mk2) were made for the Kenyan police force, a guy in the Mk1 OC has got one.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The Decor was the post 9/75 VFM Cortina L. It added bright door trim surrounds, rubber bumper inserts, loop pile carpet, reclining seats, grab handles, under carpet sound deadening, vanity mirror, illumination for the glovebox, fag lighter, HRW, oddments tray in front of the gearlever, inertia reel front belts - plus the Decor boot badge to mark you down as hoi polloi and not common rep scum.

[Pete-M]

Also a batch of Mk2s went to Czechslovakia, I'm not sure if they were then sold on to ordinary people or were just for the government's use.

Weird that. When I took the Escort to Czech I showed the chap fixing it that in 1978 there was a Ford Service agent in the town he lives in. He was amazed and a bit freaked out as he'd not seen a Ford until 1989.Just to add weirdness to the mix, the garage he now owns is the very same place. It was a Tatra specialist and then a mechanics college, and now he's there working on old Tatras, tanks, and my Escort..

[In The Pit]

I thought I read somewhere that the Linnet or Goldcrest were a cancelled Hong Kong order, having said that it could have been the Escort Capital. Or I am speaking bollocks. The latter is most likely, as the incredibly informative "Ford In Britain" by Martin Rawbone makes no mention of this.

The MK2 Escort Linnet, Harrier and Goldcrest were all special editions released in late 1979 and 1980 and followed Fords trend to name special edition cars after birds, the Fiesta had the Firefly, Sandpiper and Kingfisher so I dont think any of these were a cancelled order.As I mentioned in my previous post the ones that may have been cancelled are those L based Escorts with Linnet stripes I have come across afew always very late registered on a W reg.You mention the rarest of the MKII's the Escort Capital (most MKII fans have never heard of them and some of those that have think they were just a myth but they do exist and the survival rate makes the MKII RS1800 look a common sight) im pretty sure it wasnt these as these were only available through London Ford dealers and have some sort of connection with Capital Radio but knowone seems to not what that is anyone on here know???