Oval Ford badge on N/S/F lowe wing

K

kevflight

New member
Hi All

Can anyone help me with this item for my Restro of my MK2 series one Lotus.

I have found two holes that have been filled for the wing badge at the bottom of the N/S/F wing. There is no sign of either wing being replaced but the car has been repainted at some time, and all looks original factory spot welds on the wings, there is no sign of any filler on the O/S/F wing as I have used pain stripper to have a look, so it would look like it has only ever had one of the oval Ford badges fitted to the bottom of that wing.
I have seen them with one on this side and with one on each wing

As I'm trying to keep this restro as original as poss, so for originality is it correct to just have one of these badges on the N/S/F or not??

Regard
Kev
 
Hi Dave

Thanks for that, its exactly what I was thinking but have seen both set ups so really confusing!
However I don't know if the cars I've seen with two, have had the O/S/F wing replaced? and the person just got one of the badges and fitted it to the new panel? and most of the ones with two badges seem to be series two and I was wondering if that was the difference?

Regards
Kev
 
Hi All,
Its easy to decifer, One badge only fitted regardless of model. Heres the easy bit ready:-
RHD fitted to N/S/F Wing
LHD fitted to O/S/F Wing
The reason for this !!!!!!!!!
Basically if you did`nt know a Ford from a BMC you could tell you were approaching a Ford sideways on by looking at the oval on the wing. You would not have time to look if you approached it from the other side as you would be in the middle of the road and in danger of getting run over!
Andy M
 
Andy M said:
Hi All,
Its easy to decifer, One badge only fitted regardless of model. Heres the easy bit ready:-
RHD fitted to N/S/F Wing
LHD fitted to O/S/F Wing
The reason for this !!!!!!!!!
Basically if you did`nt know a Ford from a BMC you could tell you were approaching a Ford sideways on by looking at the oval on the wing. You would not have time to look if you approached it from the other side as you would be in the middle of the road and in danger of getting run over!
Andy M
Click to expand...

I was even easier than that - Ford ran a suggestion scheme to save money on the total build cost and employees were asked to suggest ways to gain cost savings with prizes for those ideas accepted - the removal of a badge on the blindside (from a pedestrian's aspect) was taken up.
 
Hi Andy and Keith

Thanks for the info guys sounds perfectly logical from both points of view and clears up the question of the one on each side I have seen.

I will take the filler out of the holes on the N/S/F wing before it gets stripped and put a new badge on there when building up.

Thanks, you are all a mine of information, don't know how you remember it all, but its a good job some one does.

Regards
Kev
 
I used to have a US spec Mk II delux. It's little badges were rectangle, with the oval FORD embossed in the rectangle. And it also had the script 'A Ford Product' under the oval. Probably just for the US market.
 
Hi Jeff

I hope one of the lads on here has an answer for that as I was confused by the british ones let alone export stuff.

Regards
Kev
 
As far as I am concerned, the two mounting holes in the lower wing for the ford badge were always a great rust spot. When I fitted a new repro badge to my mk1 I didn't bother drilling the holes in my new wing, but removed the pins from the badge and stuck it on the modern way with a double sided adhesive pad.
Tommy
 
Hi Tommy

Good point may consider welding them up and sticking them on but there again its then not original.

Regards
Kev
 
JeffS said:
I used to have a US spec Mk II delux. It's little badges were rectangle, with the oval FORD embossed in the rectangle. And it also had the script 'A Ford Product' under the oval. Probably just for the US market.
Click to expand...


I have a new one of these & wondered what it came off as I have never seen one on a car.
 
Hi Tommy

Fair point, I get so confused between doing the original or best thing, as you say it will last that bit longer and they fit them with two sided tape these days to avoid rust.

Regards
Kev
 
Hi Jeffs,

Early side badges were square as you describe and with a slightly dulled down surround with the oval inlaid. Later models were oval in shape and chrome with the blue oval.
Andy M
 
Hi All,

Agree with the badge pins being a rust spot. However, modern useage due to our climate of 6 decent Sundays during the summer plus the odd nice evening during the week probably equates to a total of 25-30 drives a year.
The car is then tucked up during the winter so it never sees or even smells a salty winter road, this, coupled with the fact that with hindsight we now know it is a rust spot, you would take precautions when fitting.
This means you would drill the wing, then make sure primer/top coat paint fills the holes and will secure it with modern plastic inserts and probably coat it with a modern sealer for extra protection the chances of it rusting in the next 20years are minimal!
Andy M
 
Hi Andy

Very logical point about how much bad weather these cars now see, I think I will go with the original holes and plastic inserts.

In reply to Jeffs rectangle ones above you mention "early cars" do you mean early as in MK1's as I have only ever seen oval ones on the MK2's? as mine is a series one registered march 1968 and I can't remember what it had on when I stripped it 15 years ago (old age and memory you know)

Regards
Kev
 
Hi Kevflight,
Yes sorry for not making myself clear. Early cars meaning Cortinas up to around middle/late 65ish had the square one and from then on they had the oval type.
This was consistent throughout the model ranges as many Anglias you see have the 2 types. So all Mk2s had the oval type.
Andy M
 
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