HMC blue VDP progress

[captain_70s]

I do like a Farina, the Wolseley is my favourite, particularly the 15/60 with the cathedral tail lights and upmarket interior. The earlier Austin/Morris have quite a harsh front end, which I always feel looks a bit unfinished, but the 1961 update cuts down the tail fins...

I've seen at least one Mostin estate equipped with a Wolseley front end and interior, which is a cool idea.

Not sure if I'd say they were indestructible, water soluble might be closer the mark...

[camryv6]

17 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Looking at the indicator / sidelight positions, probably a Series II rather than a IIA, plus a tropical roof - worth a few £££

It also has the deep sill covers, so yes a sII rather than a sIIa

[lesapandre]

1 hour ago, captain_70s said:

I do like a Farina, the Wolseley is my favourite, particularly the 15/60 with the cathedral tail lights and upmarket interior. The earlier Austin/Morris have quite a harsh front end, which I always feel looks a bit unfinished, but the 1961 update cuts down the tail fins...

I've seen at least one Mostin estate equipped with a Wolseley front end and interior, which is a cool idea.

Not sure if I'd say they were indestructible, water soluble might be closer the mark...

There were some niches BMC never exploited. An upmarket estate car was one. They really left it to Rootes with that niche with the Singer Vogue and Humber estates. But I don't think they even sold a lot - maybe the demand was just not there.

A Farina Countryman is very cool.  The Wolseley would have been called the 'Shire' or 'County' or some other more upmarket name. Ford had already nabbed 'Squire'.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, captain_70s said:

Not sure if I'd say they were indestructible

The story BITD was that on banger tracks the sides could fall off. Not sure how true it was, though.

[HMC]

I think its probably more about an over engineered hull (through ignorance rather than intent) than inherent rust resistance.

 

[Yoss]

3 hours ago, lesapandre said:

There were some niches BMC never exploited. An upmarket estate car was one. They really left it to Rootes with that niche with the Singer Vogue and Humber estates. But I don't think they even sold a lot - maybe the demand was just not there.

 

Ahem, I think you forgot this. 

 

[lesapandre]

I did! Not a BMC car but one of the rivals before the merger. Very classy.

I didn't mention the Ford and Vauxhall specials - but they were farmed out and I don't think sold in any numbers?

[artdjones]

8 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Though being dear old BMC Riley were set up in competition with themselves with the slightly smaller Riley One-Point-Five and similar Wolseley 1500 up to 1965.

They were doing what VAG have been doing with VW, Skoda and Seat for the last 25 years. When the Germans do it it's marketing genius.

[artdjones]

On 25/01/2025 at 14:11, montytom said:

Lovely looking cambridge little bit younger than my wolseley they really are lovely cars

Is the rear hubcap missing or resting in the boot?

[Mally]

8 hours ago, lesapandre said:

 

Though being dear old BMC Riley were set up in competition with themselves with the slightly smaller Riley One-Point-Five and similar Wolseley 1500 up to 1965.

 

Here's one I made earlier.

 

About 1968

[montytom]

1 hour ago, artdjones said:

Is the rear hubcap missing or resting in the boot?

It was missing but they were cheap chinese ones so I bought the proper wolseley version

[bangernomics]

By God I remember them looking like that as a kid in the 80s

As do I in the 70’s the local banger guys at the opposite end of the double headed cul-de-sac to my grandfathers old corporation house.

I spent hours annoying them as a 6yo onwards.

Those fins stay with you. They also latterly moved to granada coupes in the mid 80’s.

[Asimo]

I learned to drive and passed my driving test in a Riley 4/72 that was as scruffy as the A60 in @morrisoxide post.
I would like another BMC Farina, preferably that Riley 8/160 I fantasized about building when I was learning in the 4/72...

[sierraman]

16 hours ago, HMC said:

I think its probably more about an over engineered hull (through ignorance rather than intent) than inherent rust resistance.

 

Only in that scenario would someone be called Dick Dawkins 😂😂

[lesapandre]

5 hours ago, Asimo said:

I learned to drive and passed my driving test in a Riley 4/72 that was as scruffy as the A60 in @morrisoxide post.
I would like another BMC Farina, preferably that Riley 8/160 I fantasized about building when I was learning in the 4/72...

 There are lots in Spain rust-free-ish. They were sold to the Franco government in CKD form when relations thawed in the 1960's.

Various prices from cheap to expensive - this is very nice at €10,000. 

"¡Echa un vistazo a lo que he encontrado en Milanuncios! No te lo vas a creer:

Austin A55 Cambridge MARC 2

https://www.milanuncios.com/venta-de-coches-clasicos/austin-a55-cambridge-marc-2-531883686.htm?stc=sm-whatsapp-send_friend-android "

Column change too for added exoticism. 💃 

[lesapandre]

Or this Hoxford Hestate - but you have to go on holiday to Gran Canaria to collect.

¡Echa un vistazo a lo que he encontrado en Milanuncios! No te lo vas a creer:

Morris  - Oxford

https://www.milanuncios.com/venta-de-coches-clasicos/morris-oxford-487722839.htm?stc=sm-whatsapp-send_friend-android

[lesapandre]

And here is another Cambridge wrongly labelled a Maestro - very scruffy but not much visible corrosion. Bench and column change.  A holiday in Tenerife required.

¡Echa un vistazo a lo que he encontrado en Milanuncios! No te lo vas a creer:

Austin - Maestro

https://www.milanuncios.com/austin-de-segunda-mano/austin-maestro-527952836.htm?stc=sm-whatsapp-send_friend-android

[HMC]

Some great finds! A much kinder place for British steel to last in, for sure.

[lesapandre]

Yes. I would speculate that there are more cars than the UK!

[artdjones]

There was nothing wrong with Farinas in 1959, although they don't match up to the French equivalent, the 404. It's just that they were very out of date by 1971.

[sierraman]

6 hours ago, lesapandre said:

 There are lots in Spain rust-free-ish. They were sold to the Franco government in CKD form when relations thawed in the 1960's.

Various prices from cheap to expensive - this is very nice at €10,000. 

"¡Echa un vistazo a lo que he encontrado en Milanuncios! No te lo vas a creer:

Austin A55 Cambridge MARC 2

https://www.milanuncios.com/venta-de-coches-clasicos/austin-a55-cambridge-marc-2-531883686.htm?stc=sm-whatsapp-send_friend-android "

Column change too for added exoticism. 💃 

Sounds a lot but it’s probably not full of filler and the floor made from old road signs and washing machines. 

[lesapandre]

That's right at the top of what they ask from a dealer. They do turn up at a few hundred too.

[sierraman]

2 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

That's right at the top of what they ask from a dealer. They do turn up at a few hundred too.

Problem is the market for such vehicle shrinks each year that folks that want one err… die off. Obviously there’s nut jobs such as myself that would happily ride in one but it makes you wonder who will carry the desire to have one forwards. 
 

I’d love a late diesel one. Probably completely extinct now though? 

[Inspector Morose]

One I saw at a show a few years back.

 

My old one. Bought specifically for the sole purpose of going to the Wolseley Arms, near Rugeley.

[sierraman]

That black and white one illustrates what I mean about many of the U.K. ones left. Kilos of none too skilfully applied filler! 

[bunglebus]

My friend's dad had one in his garage for a very long time - eventually sold a d now does wedding duties apparently. Must have made an impression as he called his second born Riley

[tooSavvy]

@bunglebus.. "Must have made an impression as he called his second born Riley".

.... awful name for a girl 😮

🚙💨

[Dobloseven]

About the time BL was formed,BMC were shifting about 40k Farinas a year,the sort of figure that'd make it a best seller today.Always makes me smile to think the 1800 should have been their replacement in 1964,but was actually outsold by them.Even when the Maxi replaced the A60 in 1969,the Oxford carried on for another 2years till the Marina came along.Truly a car that refused to die.

[HMC]

I like the idea that the 1800 was not appealing to some vs the Fossilised Farina and that Issigonis was presumably mystified by such luddites.

[danthecapriman]

11 minutes ago, HMC said:

I like the idea that the 1800 was not appealing to some vs the Fossilised Farina and that Issigonis was presumably mystified by such luddites.

It was probably build quality issues that cost the 1800 sales. I mean things had become so bad they’d actually even fitted the engines the wrong way round!😄