1968 Austin A60 Cambridge –
This vehicle w
as purchased in July 2001.
The car has had little restoration apart from the engine bay,
Some Austin History The Cambridge began life as the A55 in 1957. In 1961 the engine size was increased from b1,489 cc to 1,622 cc
As was popular at the time the A60 design was from PininFarina, who also designed the matching cars for Wolseley, and Riley, and the MG.
1957 Wolseley 1500. A highly original classic “Wilhelmina” came into our possession in January 2000, rescued fr
om the dusty corner of a garage, where she had rested for the last 15 years.
A little TLC was required to put her into shape and this so far has consisted of Respray front near-side wing and bonnet, complete rewire, new set of carpets and a full braking system overhaul, plus new tyres and exhaust system. “Wilhelmina is now in every day use.
Some Wolseley History
103.394 Wolseley 1500’s were made between 1957 and 1965 – top speed of 81 mph
some details on the Dales Historic Vehicle Club here
owned by Kurt Hoppe
Kurt bought the Humber in 1995. He was in England for the 100 year Wolseley rally with his Wolseley 1500 and caravan, and spotted the 9
/20 Humber it was on display and Kurt’s wife loved the car instantly, but having several other projects underway Kurt decided to think about it for a while. Back in Switzerland a week later Kurt sent a fax to the dealer “Sir we would like to buy the car”
It was about three weeks later that Kurt hooked a trailer on to his everyday car and set off back to England, a one way trip was 980 kilometer and an English Channel crossing..
Once home the restoration began. The body was in very good condition, but the mechanicals were in very bad condition. Kurt restored the engine, gearbox, steering box, front and rear axles. The wiring, hood and the petrol tank were renewed. Some parts were located in New Zealand after Kurt came across an advert. Kurt says he had some good luck with screws, nuts and bolts as they were all metric. The Humber register in England also proved useful for some parts.
The brass lamps had many dents in them and Kurt found a trumpet maker who was able to make them like new. There are always countless little problems that pop up when restoring a car But two years later it was finished.
Kurt says he is very happy with the car but being a Wolseley fan and having unsuccessfully looked for a Wolseley of similar vintage for a long time, It’s a nice compromise.
Owned by Bill Swindells.
The 1963 Wolseley 24/80 (2.4 litres, 80 horsepower) was identical to the Wolseley 15/60 except for an inch longer wheelbase, as with the later 16/60. In other words it retained the fins of the earlier model. The car was trimmed with leather, and the same dash as the 15/60 was used. The only difference externally was that the 24/80 featured a small “Wolseley Six” emblem above the stainless steel rubbing strips at the rear of the front wings. The Wolseley was painted only in single tone colours.
The 1.6 L, 1622cc, 6 cylinder engine was assembled specifically for this production line and an automatic 3-speed transmission was offered as an option. Some of the unique features available with the Wolseley 24/80 include: Spacious, minimalist interior. Unconventional tail fin. Exceptionally stiff body shell, featuring greater structural Rigidity Comfortable interior trimming done in very soft expanded vinyl. Early example of anti-lock brakes and hydrolastic suspension The Wolseley 24/80 sold well against the Holden Premier and Falcon Futura. The Austin 1800 replaced the Wolseley on the assembly line in October 1965, and stocks of the 24/80 lasted through till late 1966. These were the last Wolseleys to be sold in Australia as new cars.
