Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Ford Anglia (100E) – Give Butterflies A Chance

I’m still perusing Dean Edwards’ massive download at the Cohort. I just scan them until one grabs me, and this one did just that. It’s one of those shots that was undoubtedly highly spontaneous, and results in a great picture. In this case, it’s of two women just about to go butterfly catching, having parked their trusty Ford Anglia. Looks to have been taken some time back; maybe the same 1990 trip to Europe as the shot of the two goddesses in Paris?

Rather curiously, this is a car we’ve never profiled here.

The new Anglia 100E arrived in 1953, looking quite modern for the times, especially in Old Blighty. It replaced the old Anglia, which dated back to 1939, and looked like it.

Under the hood it didn’t look quite as modern; its 1172cc flathead four looked a bit antiquated, although it was technically “new”. Undoubtedly it was an evolution of its predecessor’s rather similar little mill. It churned out 36hp, which was about right for 1953. But the world was changing, and towards the latter part of its life, which ended in 1959, it was certainly not as “freeway proof” as a lot of more modern engines, especially the VW and the Anglia’s replacement, which had the first of the ultra short-stroke “Kent” ohv fours.

 

The Anglia 100E was sold in America, and competed against the VW and others in its price class. I’m guessing the little long-stroke flathead four was not exactly ideal for America’s wide open highways and freeways, but it would have made an adequate round-town second car. It advertised a “US-type gear shift”, meaning a three-speed column shifted manual.

There was even a “Squire” wagon version, with a bit of wood trim, like this one I did profile here a few years back. The regular version of the wagon was named “Escort”.

That’s going to do it for today. Back to butterfly hunting and Give Peace A Chance.