“This rare Ford Anglia can be converted into a convertible!” claims its seller. It already looks like a convertible to my eyes though that folding roof looks jury-rigged and more like one giant blindspot – not an effective design. Still, it’s an intriguing change to a very popular British marque so let’s check it out in detail. This ’57 Anglia is located in Quinton, Oklahoma and is available, here on craigslist for $14,000. Thanks to T.J. for this tip!
About a year ago I wrote a post for a 1958 Ford Anglia Convertible and entitled it “One-Off Convertible”, maybe it should have read “Two-Off Convertible” though that ’58 looks a whole lot better facilitated. This we know, a 1957 Anglia is referred to as a Model 100E, and those were offered between 1953 and 1959. A convertible body style, however, was not one of the options. How many convertible Anglias might exist? It’s hard to say, there could well be quite a few more, it depends on one’s desire and modification skills to effect such a conversion.
With the top in the lowered position, as it is in this image, this Anglia is another car entirely. The roof removal looks well executed but I’d still rate the folding top as a fail, again because of the massive C-pillar blind spot, not to mention the awkward lines it creates. It may work and do as it is supposed to do (fold up and down and keep the weather out) but it’s a far cry from the design imposed on the aforementioned ’58 example. Of course, this car still has a back seat and the ’58 gave its up. I must say, the black and white exterior contrast is eye-catching – the finish looks to be in fine shape.
It is stated that the 36 HP, 1,172 CC, in-line four-cylinder engine “runs smoothly” and the three-speed manual transmission is “crisp“. It is also claimed to be the original engine, one that has only experienced 18K miles but there is no authentication offered, just an odometer reading that is not legible. Things under the hood do appear to be original and complete.
I’d rate the interior as a really strong point – it looks great. The two-tone vinyl upholstery matches the exterior but there’s more to it than just that. The freshness extends to the dash, instrument panel, carpet, and door cards. The one aspect of this car that is not illustrated is the metal fabrication or chopping, that was performed to remove the roof from the rear section of the body – that’s something that I would need to see before making a decision about the viability of this car. It’s important as it needs to have been done properly, right along with additional flex reduction bracing added, assuming that some was.
The seller attempts a Harry Potter tie-in, stating, “A fun fact about the Ford Anglia is the 1960 Ford Anglia version of the vehicle was the car featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Although this is NOT the actual car that was featured in the movie, it is similar to the one that was featured. This car is perfect for car lovers and Harry Potter lovers!”. As I recall, the movie car was a later edition Anglia (105E) and a sedan to boot so I’m not feeling any star-car relationship here and have a tough time believing that bit of marketing is going to help with the sale. This car is what it is, a sedan modified into a convertible, and again, assuming that the conversion has been properly performed, it will likely sell in its own right, don’t you think?
Gawkward.
Cute little thing, but I’m thinking $7000.00 cute at most.
Indeed – 14k is a pipe dream.
Leave top down, only put up if rain hits on way to show. Not bad from the rear or with top down.
Cute little car but nowhere near $14K worth. The last Anglia I bought I paid $150.00 for it put another$150.00 into it and sold it for $250.00 after a semi blew me off the hwy in a rainstorm.
I think I could do a better top with a roll of poly and duct tape….
A 36 horsepower flathead four? We’re talking Ford Model A era.
Yep, from 1172cc only.
I owned a 100E Side valve Ford Prefect when it was only a couple of years old but the gap between second and third gears was so great that you had to peak rev it in second, grab third before the revs dropped, and then sit back and hope that the car would eventually accelerate. I later swapped it for a 105E OHV Prefect and the improvement was unbelievable. They used the same engine in the Anglia that had the reverse angle rear window which was raced by many high end race car drivers.
I had a “53 Opel like that. Three speed and the gap was horrible. Practically un drivable in the city.
Great! My wife has been wondering what happened to that sheet. She’s been looking for it for quite a while.
I like this at about $6500-$7500. No more. And I’d be inclined to fabricate a removable hardtop kind of like the old Carson tops the hot rodders used. Something more stylish and fabric covered.
wizzy,
No, you don’t really want this car, it’s simply a butchered 2-door sedan with it’s roof removed and a folding top mechanism from another type of car bolted on. Look at the areas where the top material mates to the door windows, and there is no evidence the top even seals against the glass [and I doubt it still has door windows because of the 4 sides to support the glass, 2 of them are gone.]
ALL the other British convertible top designs have a small sewn channel above the door glass to funnel away water off the top. This car has nothing to stop the rain water from coming off the top material and running INSIDE the windows.
It’s a butchered car, and without any additional frame support, it’s dangerous to drive as there is a good chance on hard use, one or both of the doors can pop open.
It does make a great parts car as long as you don’t need the roof panel or rear window!
Seems right to me, Bill.
No one that I’m aware of – here in the UK – bothered to try and make a 100E/107E into a convertible, whereas many other cars were converted successfully.
A bad car made worse. If they couldn’t be bothered with the roof, very unlikely that any engineering went into this chop.
Just horrible.
Completely different car to the Harry Potter one – that was a 105E. 997 ohv engine.
Solosolo
The Prefect was a 107E – the 105E was a completely different car, I’m afraid.
Sorry Les, but the 1959 Ford Prefect was a 105E which was of 997cc. Just confirmed on Car-Specs A-Z Stable. UK.
Alas no, Solo. I’ve owned a few – I’m in London – and they assuredly were 107Es despite whatever Car Specs say.
“The Prefect 107E utilized a reworked 100E body with the then-new 997 cc (60.8 cu in) overhead valve engine, four-speed gearbox and ‘banjo’ style rear end from the Anglia 105E, produced to offer a four-door model until replaced by the Ford Consul Classic.”
“1961 Ford Prefect 107E (997cc OHV) – Flickrhttps://www.flickr.com › photos
The 107E Prefect benefited from the use of the 996cc OHV engine from the 105E Anglia. It also used that car’s 4-speed gearbox. The cars cost around £620 new …”
“https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/ford-100e-107e-buyers-guide/”
For what it’s worth, I’ve added a few reference points.
The 105E is and always was, a two door saloon (estate available, too) with angular rear section – window rake – and not remotely like ANY 100E.
I don’t need to cross refer dubious current day sites, as I was there!
Wish I could add a photo…
I’m with Les on this, definitely 107E.
It is amazing what two guys with a Sawzall and a case of beer can do to completely ruin a nice little sedan.
True, Rex.
@Les Reed. Then I stand corrected and have to bow to superior knowledge. The one thing that I have learned is that even at 83 years young I still learn something new every day!
Ha ha – makes me feel young at 72!
What I have found, solo, is that many of these “information” sites are at best misleading and at worst, just inaccurate.
For reference The 105E was the slope screen “Harry Potter” type car – a car on its own.
The 100E was, as you say, the 1,172cc sv engined car – in three saloon models Prefect/Anglia and Popular: they made two estate cars/shooting brakes or station waggons (whatever you want to call them).
One had simulated wood panelling – the Squire – and the other, plain one, the Escort (nothing to do with the later Escorts.
The “107E” was the 100E four door body shell with the 997cc ohv engine + four speed gearbox.
It also had a better trim.
In my opinion, it was a nicer car than the 105E.
Cheers, Les.
Then it must have been the 107E that I would use every second weekend to do a return drive from Kitwe in Zambia to Harare in Zimbabwe, a distance of 530 miles each way. I would leave after work on the Friday (1.00pm) and arrive at home at about 12.00pm midnight. Leave again at 8.00 pm on Sunday and arrive back in Kitwe in time to start work at 8.00am Monday. That little car performed “foot flat” at every opportunity and the round speedo dial orange strip lived on the pin. Of course there was very little traffic back in the early sixties, and a lot of the road went through the Zambezi Valley where it was difficult to see the elephants and giraffe that would stand on the warm tarmac overnight, I saw plenty but fortunately I never hit one!
Back when I was too young to know better I cut the roof off a Cosmopolitan. Could never open the doors after that.
Deanr — old (especially 57 and prior) VW convertibles (correctly called cabriolets) are a prized catch in the VW world. Following right along with your story, there have been more than a few vintage VWs that have had their tops chopped off to “make” a ‘vert. T’was explained to me that a VW is like an egg. Pretty strong as made. Cut off a section of the “shell”, and the rest of it folds up like a taco (that is an exact quote!!!). A factory made VW convertible has longitudinal reinforcements, cross bracing under the rear seat, and other “doubling” of critical pieces.