The Consul Classic.
Few classic Fords missed the mark when it came to appealing to car buyers, but one car that failed to make a big impression with car buyers in the early 1960s was the Ford Consul Classic. Produced from 1961 to 1963 only, before making way for the Corsair, the 109E featured traditional Ford running gear, bolted into a bodyshell that drew inspiration from Dearborn rather than Dagenham. The reverse-rake rear window did though remind buyers of the earlier, and much more popular, 105E Anglia.
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The colour photograph shown below was printed in February 1969. Two ladies are stood alongside the Consul Classic, note the dazzling array of motor club badges adorning this example. Maximum brownie points to anyone who can name all the badges on display - is the badge alongside the AA one a St. Christopher, patron saint of travellers badge?
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| (Please click the thumbnail to view full-size image.) |
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During the Consul Classic's short production run, there were two main variants. The early cars, code 109E (110E for LHD versions) was introduced in 1961 fitted with the four cylinder 1,340cc Kent engine. In 1962 the engine size was enlarged to 1,500cc, and the model code revised to 116E (117E). The car shown above is registered 2798 MU, a series introduced in April 1962.
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Both two- and four-door versions of the Consul Classic were offered (the model was referred to as the Consul 315 in export markets), as were both Standard and De-Luxe levels of specification. Buyers looking to cut more of a dash at the traffic light grand prix may well have opted instead for the rakish Consul Capri, which shared the basic "look" of the Classic but incorporated a much sleeker (lower) roofline.
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Return to Page 13 in the classic & vintage car photo gallery. Free classifieds, for buying and selling Consul Classic parts, can be found on this page of the site.
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