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Monday Mystery: a Ford with British flair?
A package of old press photos was purchased by Stef Van den Bergh. Among them was a mysterious photograph. Although the collection consisted exclusively of Ford photos, this particular car appears to have a distinctly British style. Stef notes that the grille resembles that of a Riley, yet there is no Riley badge to be seen. The license plate looks British, and the exhaust seems intended for a six-cylinder engine.
Our first impression is that the chassis resembles that of a Ford Model A, albeit narrowed, or perhaps combined with a different chassis — who can say? The registration LMG 613 indicates with the DVLA that it is a red Ford fitted with a 1141cc engine, but it appears not to have been on the road for quite some time. Moreover, a 1141cc six-cylinder sounds rather small; it would therefore almost have to be a British engine. In combination with Ford, this quickly leads us to a Ford Ten built in England…
In other words: once again plenty of questions for a fine Monday Mystery. Over to you!
Published:
Monday March 2nd, 2026
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Comments
Ian Robinson
09 March, 10:23
Totally agree with David and Robin. David kindly showed me this car many years ago and it does carry a plaque recording the gift from Henry Ford. I had forgotten that Blue Bird was exhibited at The Henry Ford in period. Karl Foulkes-Halbard will be demonstrating Malcolm Campbell's K3 boat on Coniston water in May as part of the Bluebird K7 Festival. Maybe he could bring the Ford as well!
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David Burgess-Wise
08 March, 13:00
This Ford speedster is well-known. It was built for 14-year-old William Clay Ford. My late friend Paul Foulkes-Halbard acquired it in 1974 and I researched its history with help from Leo Villa and William Clay Ford. Henry Ford presented it to Sir Malcolm Campbell in gratitude for Campbell's having loaned Blue Bird to the Ford Museum. The full story is in the article I wrote for Automobile Quarterly Vol 31/4 in 1993.
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