1963 Ford Anglia 105e

BMW’s and Mercedes are an unknown quantity to me Shay. I know a fair few things about cars, but not the bigger models.
I see my 2500 was the base model.
I bought the BMW just after I started my business to try and look flash, but quickly swapped it for a ‘Sweeney’ Granada, before that went too and I stuck with a series of Cortina Mk.3’s and 4’s - along with something to tinker with in the garage.

I've also owned a 1960 fiat 600, two 1968 850 spyders, and a couple 128s. Also a Renault 1100.

1956 VW single cab, 1959 and 1968 convertibles, 1964 Baja, 1973 Westfalia, 2-1979 Rabbits (Golfs), and a 1985 cabriolet.  

I am not partial, as you can tell.


Don't get me started on my American made....

Some nice air-cooled Veedubs there Sam - not sure about the Italian cars, they would just quickly disintegrate in the UK’s damp climate. 🥴

The vehicles that have gone through my hands over the years is too long to list. I would buy a car and enjoy it for a couple of weeks, and once the novelty wore off I’d sell it - then others I’d keep for years !

In the winter of 1977/78, a year after the initial launch of my business, times got a little tight, so I bought cars to tidy up and sell on to make enough cash to pay my mortgage. Then on my birthday in March, I got a knock on the door from the Customs and Excise men saying I was a motor trader and they wanted their 17.5% tax on my turnover. They had been tracking my advertisements in the local newspaper. I of course settled up and promised not to ‘sell for profit’ again. Thankfully, my new business did a turnaround and I didn’t need to do it again.

Well, last night I did a few more modifications to the big scale Anglia, so I’d better try and catch up with the build, as it was.

One photo shows a drawn line of where the tilt front end would be cut, and more detail was added : steering wheel, pedal box, and a strange cover over the fuel tank (in the back seat) to try and separate the crew from the fuel ? ....this is where things went wrong.
.....But it fitted in the car, looked sort of okay, but I knew it wasn’t right, and I should have changed my ideas then.

I chopped off the tilt front end successfully, and painted and detailed the ‘buggy’ chassis.....but I was still niggled by the fuel tank thing - again I tried to convince myself it was okay.
Also, there was a problem with fitting the V8 - there was simply no room for the headers and exhaust system. 🥴

The answer to the engine problem was to build a smaller engine, so I built TWO, and three gearboxes and batteries.....1600 crossflow ?
I then turned my attention to the body, giving the windows a thicker profile and added gutters and trim.
The new engine fitted much better, and I found larger wheels and tyres to fill those big flared arches.
I also made up new quarter lights and a pair of handles for the doors.

Using my Dremel disc cutter I carefully cut the door shuts, but glueing a strip of plasticard at the back to keep them in place.
The front quarter panel also needed fixing back in place.....but now the bonnet scoop needed a revamp, and the top of the windscreen wasn’t the correct curve, so had to be reshaped.
Have I taken on too much l?
I fix the screen arc and add the lower part where the wipers should go.
What has to be taken in consideration is that this body has to ‘spring’ over the chassis to fit, so it needs a certain amount of ‘give’, but I think I might have achieved it.
With the scoop yet to be altered I gave it all a blast of primer.
We are almost up to date.

Phew, it’s been a marathon today to load up those dozen photos, but that is how the Anglia has stayed for almost a year.
From now on it will be a genuine ‘in progress’ thread, as I fully hope to see this finished this summer, and load up new photos soon.

Ha !
Motivation !

My old man had a Sweeney Mk1 Granada back when they were new Ron!

Speechless over the scratch building.

You are going to have to show us some tricks please.

Ron going for a bag of chips before the Chippy shuts of an evening...




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-2qSMmjysI

Thanks Shay,
.......I had a ‘72 3litre GXL, in a ‘lovely’ shade of brown, whereas the the wife had a hell of a pair of flared trousers !



.....nice vid Shay ! ....Anglias just have something special about them, or maybe it’s nostalgia kicking in. 🥴

So here we are, bang up to date.
To move on with this build, I had to address the elephant in the room - that nasty fuel tank location. So I pulled it apart as best I could and make good the butchered chassis. The intention is to locate a tank in the boot and panel out the rear with wheel tubs (and a battery box with a smaller solid state battery) - ideally I’d like it painted the body colour whatever I finally decide on. The eyebrow headlights are not as easy as it may seem, as I’ve had a couple of goes - and the ‘moustache’ moulding over the grille has got to go, but I’ve got a workable hood scoop.

.......Also, thanks to Shay, after seeing the Hillclimb Anglia video and considering my car is no longer a V8 Thunder-saloon - this car will now get a timing blade added to the front.

Just to let you know, I’ll be going missing for a long weekend, so they’ll be no updates for a short while - thanks to all for your interest.

Finally, a bit more inspiration....Porsche 944 wheels ?

They do look the part.

Have a great weekend.

Minilites Ron if you can find them in big scale.

That’s a mammoth task and a five star job so far.
It’s different and cool.

She's a tall girl Ron!

It's really coming along great!

Thanks all.....more updates coming later today.

I’m feeling much happier now that I have sorted the fuel tank thing and filled the front to a better shape without that ridge moulding over the grille.
I initially gave the car a coat of Sapphire Blue, because I actually had two cars that colour, but blue is too close to it being referred to as the Harry Potter car.
I’m in two minds on how to paint the car - a retro colour, or something loud because it is a race car.

Working on this tilt front end, had me remembering back 50 years ago when I helped (or hindered) a friend who was fitting a Fibresports full front on his Anglia.
I never thought it would fit, but he got it done - but had to bond in a lot of wood and fibreglass to give it strength.

Ron.... I'm in absolute awe of your scratchbuilding, totaly. Going to be following this one every step of the way.

Way back when pussy was a kitten, my mam and dad rented an old stone built cottage 2.5 miles deep in Rededale forest when all the forest roads were loose surface.

We went every weekend during spring to autumn and just as we got onto the forrestry roads, my dad would let me take the wheel of his 123E Ford Anglia Super, and let me drive the 2.5 miles to the cottage, much to the dismay of my mam.

Most weekends he and I would go out in the Anglia for about an hour with me driving and my dad instructing. ie teaching me to drive. I was just thirteen then. By the time I was fourteen he would let me take the Anglia out alone, as long as I was back within the hour, which of course I took advantage of with glee.

Little did he know that the 30mph speed limit he set for me when we were together, crept up steadily until by the time I was 15 I was regularly driving at 60mph and by 17 I'd had it flat out down some of the long straights. From memory I think that would be somewhere in the region of 75/80mph??

It all stood me in good stead as I passed my test first time on my 17th birthday.

That is what got me into 'speed, motorsport and later on taking up rallying.

Anyway, enough reminicing, keep up the great work and looking forward to your next update.

Great recollection Al - where have the years gone ?
The cars were cheaper, easier to fix, and didn’t need computers. Modern technology has taken all the fun out of driving by the seat of your pants, and today’s kids will never experience that feeling. Today’s world would scorn your father for letting you drive alone, as being irresponsible - but dads did that then.
I even taught my 14 year old son to handbrake turn in my Fiestas.
Keep the memories coming - at our age, looking back is more favourable than looking forward.

I meant to add this photo of the readdressed interior paneling.
It is currently in primer, and hoping to lay the top coat on this afternoon.