Torstens Got A Vauxhall!

[Torsten2001]

Oh My am I pleased, picking it up tomorrow, my first EVER (and possibly last) Vauxhall

Senator Straight Six 2.5i Slush with velour interior!

[garycox]

WOW! I love these, great work!

[VWPowered]

now thats really cool

[Lord Sterling]

Congrats Torsten! now thats a seriously cool looking car and it looks in very good nick, what engine is it?

 

Lord Sterling

[Guest]

Senator Straight Six 2.5i Slush with velour interior!

Then

what engine is it?

Lord Sterling

Should have gone to specsavers

 

Really though that looks a good old barge

[wuvvum]

Wow. That is purdy. I've always liked Senator A's, and that colour really suits it. They're great to drive too - I'd rather have one of those than an E23.

[Mr Lobster]

Nice one! That looks a proper thing, just looks very right so lets hope it is

[nigel bickle]

Nice -and that number plate has a good value if you're into recouping your outlay!

[Torsten2001]

Thanks everyone, it's the usual retired couple now moved on to a small Honda type of scenario, genuinely lovely condition apart from a few small bits of bubbling and a wheel arch needing a bit of TLC. Do you think a number like that is worth much?

[r.welfare]

That's not a Vauxhall you fool, it's an Opel I had one of these, 2.5 but a manual. Check the fuel lines, around the strut tops, "chassis" rails either side of the block, and if you get more than 25mpg out of it you are doing well! Lovely interiors, no-one did "crushed velour" better than GM in those days. You can amuse yourselve for literally seconds with the cassette holders...Sure I've seen that very car advertised before in classic car mags with a crazy value ascribed to the 'plate, so may be worth a valuation?

[Cavcraft]

Whoosh, loving that. R.Welfare, have you seen the interior on the Royale? You could get lost in the fabric!

[r.welfare]

Not up close, only in Vauxhall brochures of the day. In fitting with their upmarket nature, the brochure for the Royale, Viceroy and Mk1 Carlton was separate from the pleblon-spec Vauxhalls and was printed on lovely paper...Mr Bickle from this parish had my last copy for his Viceroy!

 

The colour combos you could get on the interiors of the early ones (Royales) were quite something, mint green velour everywhere, anyone?

 

 

This was mine. Anthracite with a dark grey velour interior. Somewhere near Bury St Edmonds now, apparently.

 

Personally I preferred my Opel Rekords to the Senator; better-balanced due to the smaller engine and not much (perceptible) loss of performance. The interiors were just as plush as the Senator, although lacked the electrical doodads. Much, much nicer place to sit than a contemporary Mk2 Granada - I had one of those too, and it was like a big Mk1 Fiesta really, dashboard and seats-wise.

 

Torsten, have you checked that the central locking and electric windows work? Mine had chomped through the power cables in the door jambs, common problem it seems.

[Torsten2001]

To be honest I was so excited about the car that I pretty much forgot about the interior but I went over the bodywork with a fine tooth comb! I reckon it will all be okay, the couple obviously loved the car!

[r.welfare]

Provided there is no rust around the welds between the strut tops and the inner wings, and on the flat part of the inner wing where the thick cables are (you have to unclip them), the rest of it should be good. Basically, Opel didn't beef up the structure enough for the torque of the 'six, which slowly pulls the joins apart. Holden had to do some serious work on the design when they took it on for the first Commodore, after the development cars fell apart in the Outback...

[Torsten2001]

Provided there is no rust around the welds between the strut tops and the inner wings, and on the flat part of the inner wing where the thick cables are (you have to unclip them), the rest of it should be good. Basically, Opel didn't beef up the structure enough for the torque of the 'six, which slowly pulls the joins apart.

Hmmm, guess what I found just before the MOT! Twunt!Still only on one side so it's being done now, really lovely though!

[Split_Pin]

Nice find! I posted a pic of some foam-backed stickers I got from a Vx dealership in the 80's and one is of the 'Senator Starship'

[r.welfare]

Hmmm, guess what I found just before the MOT! Twunt!Still only on one side so it's being done now, really lovely though!

Ack, bummer. Still, if it's done properly then it should last another 22 years. Mine was just beginning to get some surface rust (it had 51,000 on the clock), but I gave it a Jenolite and POR15 rectification programme. Had to spring for new centre pipes (two!) as well, luckily Bosal still do them...