Ford - Ford Consul
The original Ford Consul was the smallest of the three car Ford Zephyr range, made between 1950 and 1962. The first Consul (from 1950 to 1956) had the 1508cc engine, available also with drop head coupe bodywork. The Consul was the first Ford which had a monocoque chassis design. The Consul Mk. 2 (204E) that followed on in 1956 had the bored out 1703cc engine as well as a major redesign of the bodywork. This second series of Ford Consul was also available in drop head format and additionally as an Estate.
The Ford "Consul Classic" was built by Ford between 1961and 1963 initially with the "109E" 1340cc engine and by 1962 the new 5 bearing "116E" 1498cc engine with a longer stroke. These 4 door cars took their deigns from Ford design in Dearborn, to be a miniaturised version of the Galaxy in look, and had a distinctive back window with a reversed rake to it.
The Ford Consul Capri was a far more stylish car with a 2 door body introduced late in 1961 and available in the UK from 1962, but these Consul Capris were expensive to produce. By 1963 the Consul Capri GT version had an uprated engine built by Cosworth, which was the first Ford to be fitted with twin Weber carburettors.
About ten years later Ford rejuvenated the Consul name again, using it again between 1972 and 1975, due to a silly Trademark issue brought by a company against Fords use of the Granada name, which was unsuccessful, so after this issue was sorted out in court the temporary use of the Consul name was dropped and the Granada name reinstated. In the meantime these later Consuls were the more basic and less well appointed version of the Mk1 Ford Granada, the main external differentiating feature being a different front grille.
Tyre sizes for Ford Consul:
- Tyre size for Ford Consul Mk1 and Ford Consul Mk2 (made between 1950 to 1962) was 5.90x13 originally. The Radial tyre equivalent size is our Blockley 165HR13, a high speed rated steel belted with correct period tread pattern which you will be impressed with, guaranteed - details below.
- Tyre size for the Ford Consul Classic (1961 to 1963) and Ford Consul Capri (1961 to 1964) was the 5.60x13 , and radial equivalent of this tyre is 155R13, although many now like to fit the 165R13 size. In any case Blockley produce a highest quality period correct steel belt construction 155HR13 and 165HR13 tyre sizes, with period correct tread pattern. See full details below.
- Tyre size for the later 1972-1975 Ford Consul models (which were based on the Granada when Ford UK needed to use a different name for a few years) was 185R14, and Blockley produces the excellent 185HR14 tyre size, both with standard and whitewall options.
- Blockley produces the tyre sizes for all the Ford Consul models, built between 1953 and 1975 - see full details of all these tyres at the links below:
