Alexander's Motor Show

Thank you to Allan Dodds who wrote:

Date of the Photo?

"In the picture above, there is a Ford Consul Mk2 showing alongside a Mk1 Zodiac.

The Mk2 didn't replace the Mk1 until 1956, so the date 1952 must be wrong. But given that both models were in production in 1956, that must have been the correct year.

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Scotland:  December 14, 2011

Further Investigation

This looks like another example of a photo having been given an incorrect date on the Scran web site.  I'll contact Scotsman Publications and try to discover more about the date of this photo.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 14, 2011

Reply

1.

Brian Alexander

Prestonfield, Edinburgh

Thank you to Brian Alexander for doing some detective work on this photo (which was described on the Scran web site as having been taken i 1952) and writing:

Date of the Photo

"That's a great photo of 1950s Fords.  The photo must have been taken  between 1955 and 1961.  The clue is the white estate car in the left foreground it could be a Ford Squire or the first model of the Ford Escort.  The Squire was built between 1955 and 1959 (around 18000 were built), but up to 1957 they had wood trim along the sides.  The Escort was built between 1955 and 1961 (c. 33000 built).  It is impossible to tell which model the white one is as the bodies were the same, just the level of trim was different.

Another clue is the Ford Prefect to the right of the photo with a large plant pot next to the rear bumper.  The Prefect 100E was made between 1953 and 1959 (c. 100,000 built).

The third clue is the black Ford Popular 103E in the middle foreground, built between 1953 and 1959 (c.155,000 built).

However, the fourth clue is the car on the right between the pillars facing the Prefect.  This looks very much like the Ford Popular 100E.  It has the Popular's distinctive front grill and what looks like a chrome strip along the side.  Both were specific to the Popular. The Popular was made between 1959 and 1962 (c.115,000 built).

1959?

"This I would say dates the photograph to 1959 as it's the only year all cars in the photograph would have been new models."

Brian Alexander, Prestonfield, Edinburgh:  December 15, 2011

Reply

2.

Brian Alexander

Prestonfield, Edinburgh

Thank you to Brian Alexander for looking again at this photo, then writing:

Date of the Photo?

"I have just noticed a mistake in my previous reply.  The Mk I Zodiac was only produced between 1954 and 1956.  Therefore, all cars in the photo were not new in 1959, which really does confuse things.  I have checked the production dates for the other models.  Is is it possible that a 3-year-old 'new car' was on display?"

Brian Alexander, Prestonfield, Edinburgh:  December 15, 2011

Reply

3.

Allan Dodds

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Thank you to Allan Dodds who wrote:

Date of the Photo?

"The Ford popular was made between 1953 and 1962 and the Mark 1 Zodiac was made until 1956 when the Mark 2 came out, so 1956 would be the correct year for all the vehicles shown in the photo.

Of course, an older, unsold model might have been offered at a discount. This is unlikely, although not impossible."

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England:  December 17, 2011

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