Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

I thought you may be interested in photos of the two Vauxhalls which my late father owned in the 1960s .

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This photo was taken in June 1962 when the car was brand new. It was a FB Victor Delux in two tone blue - light blue roof and darker blue body - registration number LCC 372. It had a four speed floor gearchange and individual front seats and had been bought from Chester Engineering in Colwyn Bay. Chester engineering was owned by Braid Brothers which is still in existence today but now called Lookers.
The angelic looking child holding a Dandy comic is yours truly. Looks are deceiving, believe me.

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This view shows the same car twelve months later on a beach somewhere in North Wales. I did not remember until I rediscovered the photo that the number plate was mounted above the front bumper. Have a close look at the rear window and you will see one of the then "clear window" oval stick on accessories you could the buy to maintain a clear, unfogged area.
Before you move on to the next photo, can any of you identify any of the vehicles on the background beach despite the rather poor depth of field,

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The above two pictures show the Victor's replacement, a later 1962 Vauxhall Velox LCC 648. IIRC my father bought it in July 1963 when it only had a tiny mileage, under 4k. This was the same main colour blue as the Victor and was of the last derivatives of the PA Cresta/Velox with the smaller rear lights and less chrome. This one had a three speed column change and even had a Vauxhall push button radio.
I recall it was far more comfortable than the Victor and the three colour strip speedo used to fascinate me - green to orange then red after 60mph.

In March 1965 my father decided to change the Velox and I remember going to Chester Engineering to have a look at the PB version which was the latest model from late 1963. I was not impressed with the "new" model even then nor were my parents and the Velox's replacement was a new Volvo 121 4 door in a dark blue colour.

The Velox was the last Vauxhall my family owned in the 1960s but had I have had my way it would not have been. I tried and tried to interest my father in a new Vauxhall Ventora in 1968 but, no, he had set his sights on a Rover 2000.........
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1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[Rick]

Great read and photos there EWG Funnily enough I bought my first Amazon, a dark blue four door 121, from a village up the Conwy valley, but that was on a J plate so later than 1965.

RJ
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[peter scott]

[Ellis]

[peter scott]

Hi Ellis,

Now that you mention it that could be a PA Cresta between what I think is a Dormobile and your Victor.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Ellis]

I had another look at these photos this morning and one thing has just occurred to me - the registration number letters and figures appear to me to be 3 1/2 inches tall rather than 3 1/4 that they should be for 1962.

Both Vauxhalls were sold from the same dealership.
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[Penman]

Hi
Surely the smaller font only came in for the year digit plates.
I know the DSA kept both reading distances as standards for the driving test long after the first A regs in '63 the whole country didn't switch until '65 C reg.

Oddly enough with the last change to the AB 01 XYZ format they now don't actually know whic distance to use because a replacement A123XYZ plate would be done in the newer smaller font, so they currently only use the distance appropriate to the latest standard; though there is a proposal to reduce even this distance in order to bring our already poor eyesight standard down to that of the rest of the EU
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Ellis]