help identify this car

[goingbush]

Found dumped outside wreckers (closed) at Longreach today
looks really interesting but I cant identify it, a bit like a Riley at the back, but an american looking front, suicide doors, and original convertible, not a backyard chop. funny kneebone front suspension. I can not think what it is.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/763.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/764.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/765.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/766.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/767.jpg

[p38arover]

Vauxhall Vagabond or possibly Velox Caleche convertible and possibly too rare to wreck. See http://www.mister-cars.com/Article/Vauxhall-Velox-Caleche-1950/721

See the concave sections going back along the bonnet - there should be a chrome strip in there.

The suspension looks the same (or very similar) to the suspension the 1938 Vauxhall 14HP Model J that I owned in 1964-66.

You should have been able to read the name Vauxhall on the chrome strip on the front of the bonnet.

I hope you don't mind if I pass the pix onto the VOCA - I've just spoken to the Secretary.

[PhilipA]

Yes Vauxhall for sure.
Regards Philip A

[Cobber]

I'm fairly sure it's a Vauxhall Wyvern/Velox Caleche circa 1950.
Note the indentation on the side of the bonnet in the original post, compared to the picture below.
Normally, the semi-cutaway doors would give it away, but they are missing! :D

Not being a Vauxhall aficionado, it's hard to tell if it's a Velox (6 Cylinder) or Wyvern (4 cylinder)

Like this ...
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/887.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/888.jpg

[Bigbjorn]

Vauxhall Caleche, late 40's, early 50's. Australian body. Available in 4 or 6 cylinder versions. Very popular at the time.

[goingbush]

Great, Thanks Ron

just zoomed in on the 1st image, and indeed yes I can see HALL on the remaining chrome strip, Full Marks


I hope you don't mind if I pass the pix onto the VOCA - I've just spoken to the Secretary.
no problems

here is a crop of image
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/886.jpg

[Cobber]

Vauxhall Caleche, late 40's, early 50's. Australian body. Available in 4 or 6 cylinder versions. Very popular at the time.To add to this, and my above post, these were Australia only, and quite popular for a while.
There was something like 55000 of this shape Wyvern (saloon and Caleche) made total over 9 (or 10?) years, maybe 5% would have been the Australia Caleche ... I wouldn't imagine there would be that many left in working order, registered or otherwise. Perhaps a couple of hundred?

Now the subject has come up, if somebody is part of a Vauxhall/British car club I would love to know a rough number still on the road :)

Great find by the way :BigThumb: I do wonder what the plans for it were though to end up outside a wreckers in Longreach? Potential hotrod?

[p38arover]

And that, Cobber, is why I've advised the Vauxhall Owners Club. It may well be worth saving.

I was in the Hillman Owners Club and we were often given old cars which we collected and stored in an old poultry shed. My winch-equipped Rangie classic rescued a number of them. (The winch was never used whilst 4WDing. :D )

[V8Ian]

I'd say you're onto it Ron. As I viewed the photos they screamed Vauxhall and whispered Vagabond.

[UncleHo]

G'day Folks

Yup! Vauxhall "J" type from memory,the later "E" type were the Vagabond,52-54,all had side curtains,same as the Austin A40 Devon/Dorset Tourers,the Morris Minors and Ford Zephyr had wind up windows,I had an A40 and later Mk1 Zephyr (these were imported)like the Morries,the Vauxhalls were wood framed with steel skins and the Austins were metal framed, both were Australian models only,the later Austin A 40 Somerset Convertable was imported I think that 1954 was the last of the Australian built convertibles/tourers.


Then I graduated to side valve Ford V8's from 35 to 54 Customlines never really likes the OHV models with the "Y" block, threw oil everywhere.


cheers

[JDNSW]

Agree it is a Vauxhall.

That front suspension was used on a variety of GM cars (from Cadillac down) from the mid thirties. It had the advantage that the axle strengthened the front of the chassis, and of low unsprung weight. It had the disadvantage that it was expensive, expensive to repair, and that even very slight wear on the heavily loaded bearings for the leading arm resulted in change of camber and suspension height. Cars fitted with it could often be instantly recognised by the knock kneed appearance. Also, the king pin being separated so far from the wheel meant that a substantial inclination was needed, which with vertical wheel movement meant the difference between the line of the kingpin and the ground contact patch varied a lot with suspension travel. All this lead to limited travel and stiff springs.

The fact that it was still used by Vauxhall postwar shows Rover was not the only British Manufacturer to continue after the war with facelifted prewar designs!

John

[UncleHo]

G'day JDNSW

Yup! That front suspension was commonly known as "Bees-Knees" the front of the car lifts as you brake,my mate had a 48 model and he used the take much delight in hooking the front bumper over the rear overriders of VW beetles in traffic lineups with the result that the beetle would tow both with much difficulties.

[p38arover]

That front suspension was used on a variety of GM cars (from Cadillac down) from the mid thirties. It had the advantage that the axle strengthened the front of the chassis, and of low unsprung weight.

It also had the advantage of giving IFS to some cars when others were still solid front axle. As an aside, my '38 Vauxhall had 4-wheel hydraulic brakes at a time when some cars still had mechanical brakes (and electric windscreen wipers when many still had vacuum-operated wipers).

[UncleHo]

G'day Ron

And then Vauxhall went backward with slide up and down windows,that's why I my first Zephyr,wobbly front end and all (early McPherson Strut)




cheers

[JDNSW]

It also had the advantage of giving IFS to some cars when others were still solid front axle. As an aside, my '38 Vauxhall had 4-wheel hydraulic brakes at a time when some cars still had mechanical brakes (and electric windscreen wipers when many still had vacuum-operated wipers).

IFS was, of course, common much earlier, and with better and cheaper systems - but some required major redesign of the vehicle. For example, Lancia in the 1920s and Citroen in the early 1930s had to go to unitary construction to provide sufficient rigidity for independent front suspension. Several US cars from the thirties had a system where the beam front axle had a section taken out of the middle and replaced by a set of four links that allowed independent movement of the two sides. This had the advantage of being able to claim IFS without any design changes except to the front axle. The design did not last long!

As for wipers - Holden, for example, still had vacuum wipers well into the fifties. Mechanical brakes were used by Ford into the fifties in British cars at least.

A friend of mine had a '36 Vauxhall - it had cable brakes, which were totally unpredictable from one application to the next, and never very effective. Replaced by a '34 Ford, whose mechanical brakes, while not very effective, were at least predictable.

John

[p38arover]

I had a reply from the Secretary of VOCA:


Thanks for the contact. I forwarded your email on Friday to David Ridgway, President of our Queensland branch. He will be in touch if there is any interest and help is required.

The car looks like the remains of a 1950/51 L model Velox or Wyvern Caleche. Had it been a 1952-54 Vagabond there would have been a race to get there.

[digger]

Found dumped outside wreckers (closed) at Longreach today
looks really interesting but I cant identify it, a bit like a Riley at the back, but an american looking front, suicide doors, and original convertible, not a backyard chop. funny kneebone front suspension. I can not think what it is.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/763.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/764.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/765.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/766.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/05/767.jpg

whats the wheelbase of the body? Might look good on a landy chassis and running gear!! :)

[CraigE]

Just saw this if you can tell from engine plate what motor it had in it you can tell wether it is a Wyvern (4cyl) Velox (6cyl). We had a Wyvern as a kid and currently looking at a Velox 1954.
Cheers
Craig

[Bigbjorn]

Yes it is a Vauxhall Caleche built from about 1948-54 in four and six cylinder versions. The Vagabond tourer was the next body shape which was built up until the late 50's and replaced by the Cresta.

The Caleche tourer was purely an Australian model. The Vagabond may also have been a local model. I am not sure of that. Vauxhall, Austin, Morris, and Ford had small touring cars in the late forties, early fifties. A tourer has demountable side curtains. A convertible has windows.

The Dubonnet knee action suspension first appeared on GM cars about 1934-35. Some had coil springs and some had torsion bars. Fairly effective but materials and lubrication of the time were not up to the job and the suspension was notorious for premature wear. Add to this that they were difficult and expensive to repair and repairers lacked the necessary skills and knowledge. No wonder the system became unpopular.

JD mentioned Hudson "Axleflex" which was not much chop at all, wore quickly and had wheels waving around like leaves in a breeze. I spotted an "Axleflex" assembly for sale at Toowoomba swap meet a couple of years ago. first one I reckon I had seen in fifty years. Pretty rare here.

[loanrangie]

I hope it was saved, pretty good shape considering. would make an excellent rod ;).

Oh and a great pic with the vibrant blue sky.