V8 Pilot?

PeteVS

PeteVS

Well-known member
At a local car show Friday night, someone brought a V8 Pilot. I googled "V8 Pilot" and see that they were built in England after the war. They certainly look like a mid 30's US sedan. Is the body shell made from the same tooling as the earlier US car, or are they a scaled down version? Thanks for any insight here!

PS: It didn't make an attractive street rod. (Hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes here!)
 
V8 Pilots were 'old fashioned looking', but then all British cars just after the War were.
Pilot model had much the same body shell as pre War Model 62 British V8 60 Sedan., built from 1936 -'39. The first V8 60's were too underpowered to pull the era Canadian/US chassis & body so Ford England produced the smaller Model 62. There were actually 2 types of V8 60 developed from Detroit, a 2 port & the 3 port which went on to be used in speedway racing around the world.
The Pilot had a different front end to the 62, very similar to Ford England 'Prefect' model of the era. Actually, original 62 front looked good, like the '37 Ford V8/Lincoln Zepher front.
The Pilot also had full size V8 flattie with some modifications to internals.
They were sold to export markets such as Australia, NZ & Sth Africa etc. but were not considered a good car at the time. Rare to see a restored or rodded one here these days.
Others will know a lot more about the spec.s of Pilots.
 
pilots had a small hp engine they had cable brakes to the rear hy to front some had a hydrolic jacking system grills were brass as was the windscreens these fit a 35/36 car ,they came out with twin exhausts & the english distributor which was a real good one,they came with 3 on the tree .we used to put 46/48 engines into them more hp & then they went real good:)
 
Nice A model tom , my Dad lives in christchurch & is doing some resto work for a guy with an A model . He,s a Mechanic not a bodyman but he,s doing the bodywork .He will try his hand at anything .82yr old & still wide open!
I would like a Pilot windsheild frame for my KiWi 36 if anyone down there see,s one for sale ?
Thanks
Cheers
Tony
 
They had very cool exhaust manifolds which looked as though they would flow much better than the ones we're used to, although in reality they probably made little difference. They are like rockinghorse **** now and command silly money. The engine used in Pilots I believe was manufactured in England. It was basically a 1937 with a few improvements, such as stronger castings around the web area and smoother looking cranks, and some disadvantages such as a crappy Solex carb. As stated by previous posters, it had a lucas dizzy which wasn't too bad, and weird brakes with cables rear and hydraulics front.
It has always amazed me as to why Ford would go to the bother and expense of producing odd models like this.
 
Hi Tony
Glad your Dad is still at it. Saw photo of your '36 in US & also with Henry Fords grt. grandson. Hard to get head around your V8 coming from Ashburton!
Hear Pilot windscreen frames as rare as.
Tom
 
The chances of getting a Pilot screen frame would be near Nil.more chance in Australia they have more there ,The Pilot seemed to used pre war left overs the front doors are the same as a 35. Heres a shot of the Lucas distributor that has been given to me to set up for a 39 .The points look like they will interchange with a Jag or Morris .and has roller bearings , Quiet a nice piece ,
 
pictures
 

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Sorry to correct you Ted, but whilst the front doors look like they're the same, they're not! The inside top rear portion is rounded off on the Pilot doors, whereas the 'proper' doors are squared off. The glass will not interchange either. Brian
 
Thats OK Brian ,You know more than me about thoughts ones
Brian said:
Sorry to correct you Ted, but whilst the front doors look like they're the same, they're not! The inside top rear portion is rounded off on the Pilot doors, whereas the 'proper' doors are squared off. The glass will not interchange either. Brian
Click to expand...
 
The latest Early v8 club book has several pics of English pilots & an English model 62 that looks like the US 37 Lincoln Zephyr
Cheers
Tony
 
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