1975 FE Victor!

[Dippy]

I remember that 2300S, in fact it was sold to that chap by "thedoctor102" who is famous/infamous on here! Good luck to him I say, more people need to use old cars as intended, and he had the money to buy the very best example, and hopefully maintain it as well as possible.

That's my car and I have both used it everyday whilst trying to keep it in its time warp condition.

I do believe cars should be used and it brings a smile to many others as I go about my daily business.

 

It also brings a smile to my face every time I get in it and has proved to be utterly reliable in the last year and 6000 miles.

[lisbon_road]

Be amazing to see both of those cars together - and isn't there one in the Vauxhall Heritage collection too?

[Dippy]

Be amazing to see both of those cars together - and isn't there one in the Vauxhall Heritage collection too?

Thats right so out of a very small production run there are at least 3 good survivors all in Blue, I would be interested to know of any more especially in Green.

[Angrydicky]

There was a guy on Retro Rides who had two, a blue one HPF 153N, and a green one JFC 417N which I think he still has.

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/125061/1975-vauxhall-2300s-2-sold

 

It would be really nice to get mine and yours together Dippy, are you going to Billing this year?

[Dippy]

Not sure about Billing yet as I don't really do much but drive this car as to me its just a daily albeit a special one. As you say it would be good to get them together so I will let you know if I decide to go.

Hers a teaser although I don't get to see this often as I have seat covers on most of the time to protect them.

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

'Mad props' to you dippy for using that daily!!!! Great work man. It would certainly bring a smile to my face if I saw you out and about in it

[Angrydicky]

That looks gorgeous! I'm particularly jealous of your lovely carpets, mine have faded to a manky grey colour. I think I'm going to remove them and have a go at dyeing back to the correct shade.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

A little light stalking reveals why Dippy doesn't see his lovely Vauxhall as a special occasion or show car, nice 70's pair,.

I do hope you dress like a posh version of Captain_70s at all times.

 

Clue ; both Breadvan and Harry Rule had one.

[captain_70s]

Ooooft, that looks tidy.

 

Digging the metallic paint, Triumph were too conservative to offer it...

[lisbon_road]

That interior is stunning.  Perhaps we should create some sort of waxoyl sheep dip for cars?  Probably be in demand from the autoshite community.

[Squire_Dawson]

Although I'm a bit late in the game, the Victor looks a cracking motor. Good luck with it.

[Angrydicky]

So!

 

This Victor now has a new clutch cable, as the old one was sticking near the top of its travel, making for an unpleasant lurching getaway! What a horrible job, it took the best part of two days, there's no access and we ended up having to unbolt the pedal box and master cylinder/servo just to get the old cable unhooked and the new one fitted. It's much better now though.

 

I went to Arena Essex today for the NSRA Swapmeet, where I hoped to find a spotlight to replace the broken one. I found an identical one for a fiver and happily fitted it in the car park there, not noticing until I got home that someone had reversed into the Victor, bending the grille and had then fucked off without leaving a note!! Arseholes!

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking to the previous owner it seems the car has a history of being involved in accidents and being vandalised as well!

 

Fortunately there was a spare grille among the spares that came with the car. The stainless surround wasn't as good, it's got a few dents in the middle, but at least it was in the original grey, where the one that was on the car had been repainted with black smoothrite or something.

 

Action shot of dad cleaning the metalwork under the grille.

 

 

Front end shot showing the 'new' grille and spotlight. I'm so glad the bonnet and bumper didn't sustain any damage.

 

 

 

 

 

Reasonably clean under there.

 

 

New rear Vauxhall badge fitted with the old one for comparison.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bren]

The world is full of wankers.

Not stopping after a bump is the work of a shithouse.

[RoadworkUK]

That looks 100% pure class. Straight as an arrow. This Vauxhall isn't shit.

[Lankytim]

Those panel gaps are amazing!

[steve_earwig]

Hopefully they felt so guilty when they got home they stuck their head in the gas oven.

 

That does look superb.. I vaguely remember we had an estate one of those in a similar blue when I was a nipper, probably not for long as I can't remember anything about it :/

[HMC]

That looks superb! Sad to think people all too often behave like that. Where its was as well, you sort of hope that people going to such things are less like that when it comes to your car being bumped.

 

On the upside though- love the wood veneer on the wheel, class!

[KruJoe]

That's lovely, Dicky. Good work.

[EssDeeWon]

Glad you had a spare grill and the shunt was quickly sorted, but its still so annoying that;

 

a. People cannot see a big Victor when reversing, Mirrors people,MIRRORS!!!

b. That some people are utter fuck stains and drive off to carry on their day

c. It seems the whole hit and drive is the norm nowadays

[junkyarddog]

Such a shame about the grille,

some people just don't give a shit

 

As for the clutch cable,

been there,done that,still have the scars.

Horrible job.

 

I have in the past cut an "inspection" panel in the metal over the clutch pedal,

makes it a doddle to remove and refit,

and just seal it up after.

Would not be a feasable bodge on one as nice as yours though

[trigger]

I see this on Facebook, I wonder if it was that Focus.

 

[fred]

If you cant gauge your distance reversing a fecking Focus you need arse poking with a catcus

 

wankers!

[Angrydicky]

That's an amazingly flattering photo, as you can't see the aerosol touchups on the bootlid. I guess it must have been that Focus, what a dummy. Maybe those crappy tinted windows had something to do with it, although tbh it was probably just a useless twat driver with a "couldn't care less" attitude.

[Dippy]

I'm afraid most people don't give a shit these days and don't have any respect for their own car so won't think twice about yours.

Glad to hear you had the spares and quickly repaired it though.

[tooSavvy]

"Lucky it wasn't a new one!" comes to mind...

 

Wankers

 

 

TS

[Bren]

All focii are shit etc.....

[jonny69]

Wow, that looks properly luxo inside, NICE as a daily. There's a slightly earlier one that floats about near where I work. Real old giffer and his tiny wife that drive it but it's in immaculate condition as well.

 

What a complete **** about the grille, and at the swapmeet as well. You'd think it being hotrodders as well that they would be a bit more decent than that. I'm quite tempted to post this up on Rods n Sods and find the bastard for you.

[Angrydicky]

Thanks Jonny, yes I did think exactly that, surely the kind of people who attend the swapmeet would be more considerate towards an old car!

 

It would make a good daily, the main problem is the driving position which I just can't get on with, I find it really cramped and the clutch pedal is extremely high which feels very strange. The gearchange isn't the best but you get used to it. The best things about the car are definitely the engine and steering, it's definitely a car that would suit an autobox.

 

I drove my Austin Somerset today for the first time since buying the Victor and it just felt so comfortable! No comparison

 

Anyway, I papped your Anglebox at the swapmeet yesterday.

 

 

[dollywobbler]

The Victor will seem rather different to your usual fare - it's a very low seat position so the pedals almost feel higher than your arse. Having driven an absolutely identical FE2300S all the way from Cambs to Devon and back, I can confirm that they are comfortable, just different.

[Dippy]

It would make a good daily, the main problem is the driving position which I just can't get on with, I find it really cramped and the clutch pedal is extremely high which feels very strange. The gearchange isn't the best but you get used to it. The best things about the car are definitely the engine and steering, it's definitely a car that would suit an autobox.

 

 

 

When I bought mine and drove it home for the 1st 50 miles I thought I must be mad  swapping my modern for this, but the more you drive it the better it gets. The clutch and gearchange take some getting used to but it soon becomes natural. Parallel parking is a nightmare in a tight space with no power steering and it really needs a 5th gear or overdrive on a motorway.

 

I wouldn't go back to a modern though, eventually I might swap this for something else old and interesting as my plan was to only keep it a year but its just too reliable and fun at the moment so I will hang on to it.