Mike Frankovich 1942 - 2007

[IFHP]

I was very sad to learn this week that EFONA member and British Ford collector Mike Frankovick Jr passed away in December. At one point Mike owned about a dozen British Fords, some LHD and some RHD, he also owned about 40 or 50 other European and American cars, including an Edsel collection. I recall that in 2002, I joined with a group of Cortina driving EFONA members for a convoy up to Mike's warehouse in "The Valley" to check out his collection. Mike often brought his cars to the Fab Fords Forever at Knotts Berry Farm each April. In 2007 he brought three RHD estate wagons that he had imported from England, a Mk II Zephyr Farnham, a Mk III Zodiac Farnham and a Mk III Cortina.

Mike's career was in the motion picture industry (his father was big at Columbia Pictures and his mother was a well know actress) and an accomplished cartoonist under the pen name E.N. Cuire (this I just learned).

Here are some links about Mike.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SuperCosmosMuseum/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0291619/
http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/Mike ... Jr/1286634
/group/

I hope to be able to post some photos from the 2002 garage tour soon.

Michael

[IFHP]

This evening I talked with Mike Frankovich III and he said that the family is liquidating virtually the entire Frankovich collection. Mike Frankovich Jr's collection included over a dozen English Fords, though some had already be sold before his death. Other than the Ferguson 4WD Mk IV Zephyr police car, it was unclear to me how many of the English Fords are left. Below is a list of the English Fords that I know that Mike Frankovich Jr has had since 2000. I would be grateful to anyone reading this who can fill in the missing information on where these cars have gone.

1957 Zephyr convertible (LHD)
1960 Consul sedan (LHD) sold to someone in the LA area
1960 Zephyr Farnham Estate (RHD) sold to someone in London, UK
1961 Zodiac sedan (LHD) sold to someone in the LA area
1961 Zodiac convertible (RHD)
1961 Consul convertible (RHD)
1962 Zodiac sedan (RHD) sold to someone in the Bay Area
1963 Consul Capri (LHD white) sold to Steve Dennish
1963 Consul Capri (LHD red) sold to ?
1965 Zodiac Farnham Estate (RHD) sold to someone in the Bay Area
1969 Zephyr Ferguson 4WD police car (RHD)
1970 Zodiac Executive Limousine (RHD) sold to someone in New Zealand
1972 Cortina station wagon (RHD)

[105epaul]

I'll look out for the RHD 1960 Zephyr Farnham as it would appear to coming home to London! This car belonged to friend of mine who lives in the same road as me and when he put it up for sale Mike bought it and was very happy with it. My friend was the secretary of the Mk1 Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac club here for quite a while. He now owns a black Mk1 Consul saloon with period tuning equipment and a LHD Mk1 Zephyr convertible. He has owned the Consul since the early 70s.

[IFHP]

Well it is kind of a small world after all.

I have some questions about that Zephyr estate. Originally Mike said it was a 1961 model, but as I recall the vehicle ID number dated from 1960. However the car had the painted headlight hoods like the pre-February 1959 "High-Line" models. I don't remember if it had a High-line or a Low-line dash. I'll check some photos that I have of it and see if the dash is visible.

Michal

[IFHP]

These pictures of Mike's Zephyr Farnham estate were taken at Fabulous Fords 2005 by Ed Rossier. The wired thing about this 1960-built car is that it combines a pre-Feb '59 painted headlight hoods and taillights with a Feb '59 + interior. Were all the post Feb 59 Mk II Farnhams a mix of Highline and Lowline features?

[105epaul]

No, the 'Highline' painted headlamp bezels and rear lights were fitted by my friend as they made the car a tad different. It should have had the chrome bezels and later tail lamps as it is a 'Lowlline'. I believe it is a 1960 car and can check that out this weekend if you wish. The Farnham was a daily driver for my friend's family and it was nice to hear it burbling along with my friend's wife at the wheel picking up the kids! Another funny coincidence is that the road opposite my friend's house is 'Farnham Road' which is very appropriate. Should it come home it apparently will live two streets away from its old home. I did have a nice 1960 Zodiac with a mileage in the low 40s but I sold it after I bought my Anglia as a man made a good offer. You would have liked it as it's maroon and grey!

Paul

[IFHP]

Here are a couple of photos of Mike's Mk IV Zodiac Limousine which recently sold for just $1,026 on e-bay. The car is headed for New Zealand.

[Steve Dennish]

The Red Capri sold to a friend of mine fellow ex Brit Steve Ricketts now living in Tustin Ca , I believe it's for sale, untouched since he bought it. Need complete interior & paint as it had sat outside unloved for many a moon. Very Sad but mechanically a very good car.

[IFHP]

Mike's Mk II Estate and Mk IV police car are up for sale on e-bay. I have posted links in the For Sale section.