Ford Pilots

Woodie UK

Woodie UK

Member
Hi Guys,
I've seen a few posts recently about UK-built Ford Pilots and thought you might enjoy this image of a 1952 Ford Pilot four-door next to a '36 Coupe.

The Pilot was built in the UK post-WWII using the bodyshell from thje pre-war 60hp model, albeit with a different front end. The Pilot was only built as a four-door sedan but the similarities in the two models shown here makes you wonder if we could build a Pilot coupe and perhaps even a Pilot roadster using a body shell from the US.

Nice thought huh...oh well back to the snow!
Colin
 

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We have Pilot pickups here in New Zealand. I always assumed them to be UK factory, even if assembled in NZ.
 
The best looking Pilots I've seen have had '36 front sheet metal put on. The reverse would be insanity.
 
There are also some panel delivery vans in NZ which are well-proportioned and look good. Still reckon they are of UK origin.
 
Yes there were a few PUs and vans. Here's a shot of PU taken at the big Ford meet at the GaYdon Museum, here in the UK, back in when it was a lot warmer!!
Colin
 

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Though it looks like it is based on the '36 Ford, I understand from very limited resouces that it is actually based on the Model 62 (6=1936, 2=60HP engine) and that body is entirely different from model 68, which was also sold in England and Europe.
The 62 was built specifically for the 60...apparently Ford England was way ahead of us in figuring out that the 60 did not belong in full sized Fords. The 60 was released in late 1935 in England, and the 62 based cars sold all over europe, best known in their Frencg Matford Form.
The Pilot grew out of WWII...British army need staff cars and station wagons for the desert, and Ford took Model 62's, jacked them up with high arch springs and fat tires, and added the English 85 engine, basically what we consider the 1937 engine. These were very successful and after the war they were given a civilian nose and normal height, along with a lot of luxury features, and became the Pilot. Still had the '37 type engine, too.
 
They have a very nice brass windscreen surround that chromes beautifully and never rusts, fits straight into a 1935/36 Ford, I have one for my 36 sedan and its a pearler. The hub caps were also brass.
 
I spoke to the owner of the pickup pictured at the heritage centre at Gaydon. It's not factory, he built it, and a first class job he did too.

He sectioned a little out of the back of the door to make the window more parallel towards the rear, instead of sloping like the sedan door. Little details like that make it stand out.
Mart.
 
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