Kevin Michael Smith’s custom Ford Zodiac
Structural steel inspector Kevin Michael Smith knew exactly what he was doing when he bought this 1960 Ford Zodiac. Being a true enthusiast, he wanted to do all the work himself, and that reader, is exactly what he’s done.
And in typical custom style, whatever he couldn’t buy off the shelf, he made from scratch – a true blue oval legend if there ever was one!
Kev bagged the Ford Zodiac for the tidy sum of £595, back in 1984. “That’s a bargain!!!” I hear you cry! Well, yes, but it was also a rusty mess of dead old Ford but what do you expect for that kind of money? 
Kev took the rundown classic and gave it a complete new lease of life using parts from other makes and models and even stretched the doors to make it a two door rod.
Having owned the car for 28 years now, Kev has slowly but surely made a spectacle of a once rotten excuse for a classic.
From kitting it out with a new Rover V8 engine to a complete re-spray in black, Kev has thought of
everything whilst trying to keep some of the original Zodiac’s charm.
Kev is a true enthusiast, doing what he loves. He doesn’t follow any scene and isn’t a member of any club, he just goes about his hobby and comes up with something we can all respect. Good work fella!
TECHSPEC
FORD ZODIAC
STYLING
Stretched doors to convert body from 4-door saloon to 2-door; Ford Capri quad headlights; Vauxhall Velox rear lights; one-piece sliding steel sunroof; Vauxhall Carlton door handles; boot lock removed, custom grille, Black Cellulose respray.
TUNING
Rover 3.5-litre V8; Webber 500 carb; Edelbrock intake manifold; twin cherry bomb exhaust system, Rover SDI cooling system with electric fan; Jaguar shortened propshaft.
CHASSIS
Half original and half scratch built box section with new flat floor; narrowed Jag IRS with Jag discs; scratch built front axle based on Jaguar arms with Jag drilled discs; narrowed HC Viva rack, air ride with twin pumps and tanks; 6×15 Radir Tri Rib with 185/55×15 Toyo Proxes T1-S (front); 8×15 Radir Tri Rib with 235/60×15 General XP2000 (rear); Mk.3 Cortina shocks and springs.
INTERIOR
Original Zodiac steering wheel; Mk.1 Ford Granada coupe front seats, standard Zodiac rears; vinyl silver metal flake and black material; electric windows; custom dash and centre console; TPI Tech instruments.
