Produced at Ford’s Dagenham works in the UK between 1939 and 1948 (with a break during the war), the E04A Anglia was at the time the lowest-price British car on the market.
This site explains a bit about the model and contains many photos of a 1946 example, MMF 268. To find out more about these cars and other classic small Fords, the Ford Sidevalve Owners’ Club is recommended. |
VIDEO: BACK IN TIME
HISTORY
Ford’s E04A was the first car to carry the Anglia Name. Announced on 31 October 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the second world war, it replaced the previous Ford Popular Eight (7Y) as the smallest model in the Ford’s range.
There were initially standard (£126) and deluxe (£136) variants available when deliveries commenced in early 1940, but production was interrupted between August 1941 and June 1945 while Ford’s Dagenham plant was turned over to the war effort. Production restarted only a month after the European war had ended. In 1945 a new standard-only Anglia cost £229 plus purchase tax of nearly £65, making the Anglia the only British car available for under £300 at that time. Apart from a minor styling change to the radiator grille in December 1947, the model continued in production until 1948. Its successor, the E494A, was similar but had a restyled front end. (When mated with a 10hp engine this car was later stripped-down and renamed the 103E Popular from 1953 to 1959). |
FEATURESIn common with contemporary small Fords, the car was built on a chassis with transverse leaf suspension and mechanical brakes. The three-speed gearbox was mated with a four-cylinder sidevalve engine with thermo-syphon cooling and a 6v electrical system.
Although many detailed engineering changes were constantly introduced, apart from the Anglia’s front end styling the most obvious change from the preceding Model 7Y was the addition of an external, lockable boot, claimed to be the largest of any comparable car. The pre-war deluxe featured running boards, traffic signals, an opening windscreen, and a dashboard shared with the contemporary E93A Prefect. The windscreen wipers operated on a vacuum principle, with a large vacuum reservoir mounted on the bulkhead to provide assistance when accelerating under load. OTHER VARIANTS On the domestic market the Anglia was sold with the 8hp 933cc engine originally developed for Ford’s first ‘8’, the Model Y, in 1932. Export models were often fitted with a different grille and a 10hp engine. The car was also built in Australia, where the range included roadster and tourer body styles. |
|
KEY STATISTICS
Engine: 933cc sidevalve (8hp nominal rating for British tax purposes, calculated on the bore of the cylinders).
Length: 152 inches Wheelbase: 90 inches Width: 57 inches Height: 63 inches Engine: 933cc 4-cyl straight sidevalve Power: 23.4bhp @ 4,000rpm Acceleration: 0-50mph in 39 seconds Top speed: 59mph No. produced: 55,807 |
WHY E04A?
FEATURED CAR: MMF 268
Most of the pictures in the gallery on this site show a standard Anglia built in 1946 and originally sold via a Ford dealer to the proprietor of an ironmongery shop in Middlesex. This owner subsequently retired to Leigh-on-Sea, and gave up driving in 1976 when he sold the car.
The car returned to Middlesex and had three subsequent owners in the area (one of whom had it for nearly 30 years). The current owner lives in Norfolk, UK. The vehicle is substantially original including the leathercloth upholstery, although its running gear and underside were cleaned and repainted in the 1990s and parts of the body paintwork have been touched in. The engine was replaced with a reconditioned unit in 1967. MMF 268 AFTER-MARKET ACCESSORIES The trafficators mounted just behind the bonnet sides appear to have been fitted by the dealer when the car was new, and the bonnet carriage key latches seem to have been replaced with deluxe handles by the first owner. The running boards, ancillary lights and windscreen heater were added by the second owner. The period Delaney Gallay heater and flashing indicators were added in the 1990s, which is why the steering wheel boss has a self-cancelling mechanism. |
Find out more
The E04A is one of the small Ford models covered by the Ford Sidevalve Owners’ Club.
Website: www.fsoc.co.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FordSidevalveClub/ |
All content © FordAngliaE04A.com unless otherwise stated