Ford 17M/20M P7A

Did Ford go too drastic when they designed their new 17M/20M for 1968?

1967 must have been a hectic year for Ford. They had launched their new model 17M, internally called the P7, as the successor to the Taunus P5. Around the same time, Opel had launched its new Rekord C, a clear competitor to the Ford 17M. New Record took Europe by storm. I have read somewhere that this triggered frequent meeting activities at Ford. Changes had to be made here, - but fast!

p7a — Then Opel came out with this beautiful case...

It would only take 4 months before Ford decided to change.

Ford's hastily redesigned model, the P7B, was technically nothing more than a facelift. It received the same outline and chassis as the first model. In retrospect, one might wonder if Ford tried to make its new 17M more similar to the Opel Rekord C? - Or maybe they wanted to make the new model more like their own predecessor? The successful model P5 was marketed at the time under the slogan "Die Linie der Vernuft". The redesigned model, the P7B, received several features from the P5, such as the straight waistline and the bumper corners that curve up on the sides.

Lay well on the road

I was a 10-year-old boy when the P7A arrived. My dad drove the 17M P7A. The license plate said it was registered in late 1967, but I assume it was marketed as a 1968 model. It was a light blue 1700 S Turnier, 3 door station wagon, with V4, steering gear and company logo on the side doors, - van without rear side windows and rear seat. I occasionally got to join work trips when we flew at low altitude over Haukeli between Eastern Norway and Western Norway. I remember the needle going up to 140 km/h on several occasions. My father said the 17M was better on the road than other cars.

A piece of automotive history

In Norway, the P7A sold relatively well. It looks like it sold as well as the model before and after. The P7A was produced from the autumn of 1967 to the summer of 1968. The successor, the P7B, was produced until it was replaced by the Consul/Granada in the spring of 1972. The 17M/20M/26M based on the P7B is the most popular model in Ford's M series in Norway. Nevertheless - despite the short production period - a surprising number of P7A models find their way to car gatherings and meetings.

Not only is the P7A less often than the P7B, but according to today's tastes it undoubtedly is too tougher, especially models with fake air intakes on the bonnet. Taste and comfort, of course, - but I think that the P7A's design, with its sharp lines and amcar style, has stood the test of time better than its successor, the P7B.

Facts

The P designation is an internal designation used by Ford, Cologne. It simply stands for "project". The number series is calculated from the end of the Second World War. The series 12m/15m and 17m/20m both use these project designations, but it is not always different every time they change numbers. The first series is not called P1 either, but G13 and G4B.

The P5 is the predecessor of the P7 series. The designation P7a and P7/1 are used interchangeably. One cannot say that one is wrong and the other is right, because both designations have been in use for a long time. And the P6? There are 12M/15M produced in the same period as the P7 series.

Ford's M series lost the Taunus name in autumn 1967. All P5s are therefore called Taunus, but no P7 has that name even though it is often used. 12m/15m P6 lost its name after one year in production.

If you want to read more about Ford M, there is a book called "An eternal life with Ford M". This covers each individual M model and the history surrounding these cars' popularity in Norway. The book can be ordered on the Ford M Klubb website.

Ford M Club

Ford M Club is the largest interest club for Ford M in the world as of today. It is a bit of a paradox considering the small market that was, and is, in this country. By Ford M is meant the models 12m, 15m, 17m, 20m, 26m Ford OSI 20m TS and the cheap version 12 developed by Ford in Cologne and produced in the period 1952 to 31.12.1971.

The post has been updated

This post has been reposted as it previously contained several factual errors. So a big thank you Matias Wilhelmsen who have contributed factual information to this post. Matias knows Ford M history and the Ford M environment in Norway very well. He owns the beautiful white 20M hardtop (P7A) pictured further down in the post. In addition, he owns a 17M P5, the same stroke as the 20M.

Image data on Terjesbiler.no must of course always be one hundred percent correct.