Abandoned Consul

Abandoned Consul.
In ascending price order: The Consul-zephyr-zodiac from English Ford were a radical step in the car culture.

Step 1 around 1926 my Grandfather, Police Sargent in Woodville, a small town, gets the first car in town.

Step 2 1948 My father gets an American Mercury V8 -my uncle got one also. It remains a family secret what skulduggery was involved in getting new American cars.
This huge old car was a terror on corners. After we sold it we watched for years, as various gangs and crim types got into old V8s, we saw her a couple of times. Later we dreaded what bad types might be seen driving her.

Step 3 1960 the English Ford Zephyr. A 6 cylinder car that could corner way faster than the Mercury.
Father was a GP who did house calls, and the Z was much easier to manoeuvre around steep Wellington corners
Some poorer relatives got a Consul, Some richer rellies got a Zodiac (the deluxe marque) Many fine holidays with us 5 kids to Taupo or the Mount.
Although the total car ownership was way less than now, the road into Wellington then had frequent long traffic jams. Two lanes with tractors and cows, and half mile long lines of cars could form.
This was the real start of the total car culture in NZ. 1960 was the "compact" car year in USA, Falcon,Corvair and Valiant.

Step 4 1968? Father ditched Ford for A Chrysler Valient, because he doctored old man Todd who had the NZ franchise.
onwards towards today and gridlock, road rage and global heat death.
correction: the Zephyr appeared in 1954 in a somewhat smaller, more rounded version. This was the (small) car that father said cornered way better than the big old Merc
Abandoned Consul