Need help to settle a friendly argument. A friend of mine recons he had a 2tone Corsair V4 with a front bench seat and a column gear change, I said Ford never produced a Corsair with 2tone paint and a column shift, but he is adamant they did. your thoughts please.

14 minutes ago, Deefa365 said:

I said Ford never produced a Corsair with 2tone paint and a column shift, but he is adamant they did. your thoughts please.

Yes they did !!

Although I thought it was only the early models with the 1500 straight 4 engine. My Dad had a 1966 'D' reg Corsair 1600 V4 (JJU 623D) but by then they had separate front seats and a 4 speed floor mounted gear change. 

There were two versions of the two tone paint if I remember correctly.

I cant even remember the pre V4 corsair which by the way was 1750 having a column change or a bench seat. the only cars of that era were the MK3 Zephyr and Zodiac which had column change and bench seats. as you say the V4 had floor shift and single front seats

 

The V4 was classed as a 1600, but was in fact a 1668cc

 Yes, can definitely confirm a column change Corsair - I'm sad to say I've driven one (1500 non- crossflow, same as my Mk 1 Cortina I had at the time).

I thought the V4 was 1663cc (1996cc for the 2000E) - any further offers?😀

Now found an old road test comparing the V4 with a Hillman Super Minx:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/triggerscarstuff/14205238810/in/album-72157644696743449/

 

4 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

I thought the V4 was 1663cc

I think you're right. My memory must have just added a few extra cc 🤣

http://www.simoncars.co.uk/ford/corsair.html

18 hours ago, unofix said:

My memory must have just added a few extra cc 🤣

Lol, I think we all put on a few ccs with age!😀 That one had stuck in my mind though - it always seemed a very odd capacity.

Also seemed a bit odd to stick a V4 (often specified for compactness - lengthwise, at least) in an engine bay that had already been used to house a straight four. Not quite as odd as using it under the even longer bonnets of the Capri and Zephyr Mk IV, though.

On 3/7/2024 at 4:23 PM, Deefa365 said:

front bench seat and a column gear change,

5 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Also seemed a bit odd to stick a V4 (often specified for compactness - lengthwise, at least) in an engine bay that had already been used to house a straight four.

 

14 hours ago, unofix said:

 

Brilliant find! Never seen the late, great Jim driving in a suit. You could have had a party in that engine bay!😀

I can confirm Ford Corsair Column change. I owned a 1964 one. Registration was

CBA 816B. It was Banana Yellow with Column change and front bench seat. HAd a 1500cc non-crossflow engine. I swapped my 1962 Mk1 MG Midget  (184 WLG).for it.

My parents lived in BArnsley and needed something better to drive to and from MAnchester. Took Mum dad, Girlfriend, and two brothers all the way to our first holiday in Torquay in it.  

This brings back memories from my past. I was working at a Ford retail dealer, from 1966 to 1971, then at a different one for several periods during the 1970's. 

I remember column change with bench seats in Corsairs, and I seem to remember mark one Cortinas could have them as well (the Corsair was only a mark one Cortina in disguise).

Those horrible V engines, notorious for stripped timing gears (fibre gear on the camshaft), rounded off oil pump drives (still got one in my tool box used as a punch), head gaskets, and sticking oil pressure valves causing the oil filters to explode! They were also used in early Transits, as well as the Zephyr/Zodiac range (V4 and V6).

While thinking about older Fords, has anyone else on here heard about the three door Classics that Ford allegedly made, with two doors on one side, and only a single door on the other? Legend had it that they produced about six, most were picked up before they left the factory, but one apparently got to a dealer before being spotted & rejected! Quality control wasn't brilliant back then!

What memories. I learned to drive in my parents Ford Corsair V4 in Blue Mink paint with front bench seat and column gear change. Very roomy and comfortable, when I got my license I had bought a 66 Anglia so never drove the Corsair any long distances. Shortly after dad got a Mk4 Zodiac, what a huge bonnet but was impressed with the gun sight at the front.

When I worked at Ford Dagenham in the 1970’s I heard the 3-door saloon story was a mk3 Cortina, so the stories get better with time.