• Largely original

• Unique original registration number

• Unmolested example

• Plethora of paperwork

 Originally produced as a budget alternative for when the production of the earlier Ford Anglia and Ford Prefect stopped in 1953, it was based off of the old pre-war style E494A Anglia. Essentially just a facelift of the aforementioned models, through many name changes and design updates this is a design with provenance that dates back to 1932. 

A proven successful model due to it being a seemingly sensible alternative to a clean late-model used car, however, due to the six year halt in production caused by the second world war, there were no clean late-model used cars available. It made obtaining new cars in the late 40’s and early 50’s extremely difficult.

This Popular very nearly became the victim of the scrapyard, but thankfully a family that had owned the vehicle for a vast sum of nearly 40 years couldn’t bear for it to be sent away, nor could their children - who at the time were in their 40’s, however have fond memories of the car as they were driven to school in it, and it was used religiously throughout its time in the family's ownership. 

After some time spent saving, the car underwent some work (around £5,000 worth) to keep it roadworthy and looking top notch again without taking away any of its timely character. Previously the car sat with no arches on the front, no bumper bars, and no bonnet cover - it was easy to see why it almost ended up meeting its demise. Luckily, the original parts for the car were kept alongside it, they just required some attention.

The front seats were removed and the carpets were cleaned and reinstalled, the front and rear arches were sanded back, repaired and painted in the OEM colour to match the body panels. At the same time these were being painted, all four hub-caps were removed and painted in the same colour. 

Front and rear bumper bars were removed and cleaned up to be brought back to their beautiful chrome glory, now glistening any time the sun hits them. As well as this cosmetic work, mechanical points were also looked into and replaced, such as the fuel tank, alternator, ignition coil, battery and other electrical components throughout the vehicle.

An emotional small project, but one that does the car justice without taking away any of the originality - something that simply can’t be replaced. 

The number plate registered to the vehicle is, surprisingly, the plate that came with it straight from the dealership, LHR 811. Registration plates like these very seldom survive on the original cars due to thieves and cars being scrapped with the plate registered to it. We’re unsure of the value of the plate itself, however it certainly adds to just how special this Popular is!

Paperwork is in abundance alongside this Pop, old MOT certificates, registration, invoices, it’s all here. Even the cars owners handbook and a magazine to go with it, all present. The V5C is registered in the current owners name and ready to be transferred to the new owner.

 The interior is all still completely as it was back in the 50’s, keeping with the originality theme that this car suits oh so well. The front seats do have some wear and tear, but we would expect no less as this car has been used and cherished by its owners over the last 67 years. 

The stitching throughout the seats is actually quite intact, only the leather portions show the real wear over the years. The rear bench seat is actually in very respectable condition, all of the stitching is as it should be and the leather itself shows very little signs of wear.

The original headliner is still present in the cabin, and is quite badly stained from all the years of use. There is some minor sagging and a couple of very small apparent tears however, it is still very much intact and adds to the showcase of patina, demonstrating this vehicle has had a well used lifetime which begs to be preserved. Both door cards are present with functional handles, the window rollers also function as you’d expect them to. 

The steering wheel is still in its original 2-spoke form with the leather cover on the outer rim still in place, it does show it's signs of use and age through the wear on the leather and patina on the steering wheel itself - which is all part of how original this vehicle is.  

 As mentioned before - the vehicle has had some work as of recent to be brought back up to standard after being left undriven for some time. The front and rear arches were rubbed back, repaired and repainted in the OEM body colour (Winchester Blue) along with the hubcaps for the wheels. All of the bodywork on the car is as original with no restoration or replacement parts throughout as can be seen on various body parts, such as the front grill and the metal panels just under the engine covers showing some wear on the paint. 

All of the light lenses are still fully intact - all of the lights function as intended; headlights, brake lights and indicators. One of the rear lights is cracked on the drivers side however it does not affect the functionality. The central rear brake light is still in place too - something only the early model Populars had before it changed to side mounted brake lights and an independent registration plate lamp. The driver side mirror is showing signs of deterioration on the glass which should be noted - however it has been imperative to the owners to not replace parts like these.

The car's provenance shines through the bodywork of this car - something worth being preserved and maintained. These vehicles are extremely difficult to find in such an original condition and the greatest of care has been taken to keep it as such, a choice we can truly appreciate. This is more than just a car, it’s a piece of history with stories ingrained throughout every corner, disguised as what some might call imperfections. 

Thanks to the recent recommissioning of the vehicle from the previous owners, the car had a very thorough inspection and any attention required was seen to - and as far as the current owner is concerned this vehicle is ready to rock. Having only done 156 miles since its last MOT in 2010, it’s easy to understand why the vehicle had gone through a thorough inspection to ensure it would be made roadworthy.  

Still propelled by the 1172cc side-valve engine the car was manufactured with, producing a quite respectable (for the era) 30bhp, transferring the power through a 3-speed manual transmission, the Popular had a top speed of just slightly over 60mph and could lunge from 0-50mph in 24 seconds. 

The 4-cylinder side-valve still fires up and runs as if it's still living its life in the 50’s, and will quite happily putter through the 3-speed box, which only has a synchromesh on 2nd and 3rd gear as designed by Ford. The original rod-operated drum brakes are still in commission and still function just fine. 

The pull-wire starter and manual choke function as normal and the engine's thermosyphon cooling still works. This was motoring at its absolute basics - you won’t find any creature comforts here, by why would you want to in such an admirable and handsome classic?

Ford Populars were the solution to motoring that post-war Britain sorely required, allowing families to get back to their normal lives with the freedom of an automobile while staying on quite a tight budget.

These handsome cars have played a very important role in vehicular history and they’re very highly recognised and sought after - especially such original examples such as this with such a desirable number plate.

Notice to bidders