Quote:
Originally Posted by Donunder
Early Fords in Australia were mainly of English heritage, such as the Prefect, V8 Pilot and Anglia.
I spent part of my time learning to drive in a 1949 Prefect and I doubt if I've ever driven a worse car. At the time I was (illegally) driving, after a fashion, my Dad's old Dodge truck around the suburb when the local copper wasn't looking and it was a dream, comparatively, to the Prefect. Even the old Dodge's three speed "crash", or non-synchro gear box seemed easier to handle than the contrary Prefect's. I wasn't allowed to go for my licence in the Dodge truck so it looked like it would have to be the dreaded Prefect. Ultimately I begged my Uncle to lend me his car and I obtained my licence in his Standard Flying, a two door Pommie soft top, which was a far better little car than the Prefect.
It was not worth persevering with the Prefect, it was so awful, but so as to have something to get about on which would fit under our house I co-purchased with the kid next door a 1954 AJS 500 single, which I wish I still had. It was lovely to ride. Meanwhile Dad kept the rotten old Prefect until he bought a five year old FJ Holden which was a huge improvement.
Sorry to reminisce like this, but every time I see a Prefect, those memories of fifty years ago come back to haunt me with terrible clarity.
Don.
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I know where your coming from Don. My mate had a Pilot and that was a bigger heap of crap than a Prefect. I've seen lots of Prefect Sedans in my day, but not too many utes. That's what caught my interest. I'm not promoting them or saying they were a great car, quite the opposite I'm afraid. It's just that you don't see them around any more.
I think the Anglia bought out a little Panel Van too. I'm pretty sure that the Panel Van wasn't a Prefect.
Speaking of reminiscing:-
In the late 60's I had quite a quick EH Holden which was my road car. I occasionally dragged it at Castlereagh Drag Strip near Penrith and 14.7 was my quickest quarter mile.
One Saturday we were up there running the time trials and I was pitted against a, let's call it a Ford Anglia Panel Van called 'Mother's Worry.' He was staging alongside me and I could see the massive blower sticking out of the roof of the Panel Van behind the driver. I later found out that it was attached to a 7 litre Chrysler Hemi. When the green light appeared, I shot from the line and had covered about 100 metres, but the Anglia was still at the start. Thunder then erupted and I watched this massive burnout in my rear vision mirror as the Anglia shot passed me when I was about mid quarter mile.
I remember admiring the width of the back tires as he passed. The drive shafts much have been about 2 inches long as the entire rear axle was just rubber. Suddenly the two little back doors of the Panel Van flew open and a massive drag shute bellowed out as he crossed the line in a respectful sub 10 second run. Not bad seeing that he missed the start, or was he just giving me a thrill.
Those memories keep coming back to me too Don so maybe that is why I took the photos of that old Ford Prefect in Tassie.
Baz