Whenever I come across a cheesy video like this one, I just have to share it with the Hoons at Hooniverse. How many of you know of the MK 4 Zephyr and Zodiac from Ford? To tell you the truth, I didn’t even know they existed. But that doesn’t stop me from showing you this video, but only after the jump….
Hooniverse Weekend Edition – The Mark of Distinction; The 1965 Ford Zephyr and Zodiac Launch Video
By Jim Brennan
Mar 20, 2011
Antti Kautonen 
Bradley Brownell
While not bad looking in a big-Cortina sort of way, the proportions of these cars are all wrong – look at how long the hood is compared to the body and trunk. Supposedly the front ends were designed with enough room to accept the Ferguson AWD system (also seen on the Jensen FF). However, things like cost and complexity killed the AWD idea, so Ford ended up using all that extra room up front for the spare tire.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Ford_Zephyr_3008E_side.jpg/800px-Ford_Zephyr_3008E_side.jpg" width=500>
I love those awkward proportions. Reminds me of (a certain year of) Prince Skylines. They wanted to race the car with a straight-six, but it wouldn't fit, so they cut up and added a section of bodywork lengthening the whole front end; note the distance between the leading edge of the door to the wheelarches. Yeah, the proportions are all wrong, but there's a whole load of awesome under the hood!
<img src="http://www.earlydatsun.com/Skylines50.jpg.jpg" width="300">
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RqkZ-3TwUoA/TRc2GXhV7CI/AAAAAAAAHtE/HACWIKLEGnM/s1600/2e%2Bg%25C3%25A9n%25C3%25A9ration%2BS50%2Bet%2BS54%2B%25281963%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2B1968%2529.jpg" width="300">
The Zodiac isn't a terrible car, but the single headlights and no grille, on the Zephyr? Ugly. The air conditioning is a nice touch, though. I have a Matchbox Zodiac MkIV stashed away somewhere. I do wish that the video had narration – I'd like to hear someone talking about the features.
I think I have the same Matchbox car, otherwise I never would have heard of a Ford Zodiac.
Reading the Wiki article on the Zephyr/Zodiac, apparently they didn't come with A/C, but just "Aeroflow" ventilation, which was fresh air forced through dash vents. Also, it seems that the poorly-designed IRS necessitated a switch from bias-ply to radial tires, to reduce the cars' tendency to oversteer.
They have a Facebook group (what doesn't nowadays), with plenty of pictures.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22564305851
All I know about Zodiac's is that Wreckless Eric sang about his in Reconnez Cherie. But the swinging Avengers soundtrack really sells it. Brake pedal mush? Not so much.
Needs more of Dr. No's henchmen chasing in a Heckflosse.
I've had some experience in and about Zodiac inflatable boats, which I guess are a lot more fun than these little Ford runabouts. I wasn't about to spray about this, but nobody else did, so I figured I would. Yeah, Zodiac inflatable boats are as much fun as inflatable…
You get the idea.
Q: Honey, where are my gloves?
A: In the glove compartment.