Vauxhall FE as a daily driver
Discussion
That is a lovely lovely car. But are you sure you're reconciled with what it's going to look like in two years time if you use it as your daily driver? Can you keep it under cover? Those window rubbers will have dried out and it will likely leak a bit in the rain. You can extend its life by a couple of years if you keep it in the dry as much as possible....
I always struggle with this dilemma too - in the end I bought a really smart, but not immaculate, old car so that I can use it all year round and not feel to worried about putting miles on it. But even I draw the line at using it when the roads are salty and leaving it outside at night.
I always struggle with this dilemma too - in the end I bought a really smart, but not immaculate, old car so that I can use it all year round and not feel to worried about putting miles on it. But even I draw the line at using it when the roads are salty and leaving it outside at night.
Keep a spare set of belts in the boot ( the cam belt can be done at the roadside)
Keep the ignition barrel lubed, as well as the bonnet cable, if you find a spare light switch , get it !
The dizzy drives have been known to fail (the pin fails)
If you find carb rebuild kits get them(diaphragms fail )
Rust proof rust proof rust proof
Great cars , I have owned 4 ,1800, and 3 x vx2300 estates
Keep the ignition barrel lubed, as well as the bonnet cable, if you find a spare light switch , get it !
The dizzy drives have been known to fail (the pin fails)
If you find carb rebuild kits get them(diaphragms fail )
Rust proof rust proof rust proof
Great cars , I have owned 4 ,1800, and 3 x vx2300 estates
Lovely car OP in a fantastic colour.
A neighbour of ours had two of these, an FE Victor followed by a VX4/90. Both were in a custardy yellow tone. As a young car spotter I never understood the badge change, the previous Victor he had did seem to have a better spec IIRC.
Always seemed a classier motor than the much more common MkIII Cortina in its day.
A neighbour of ours had two of these, an FE Victor followed by a VX4/90. Both were in a custardy yellow tone. As a young car spotter I never understood the badge change, the previous Victor he had did seem to have a better spec IIRC.
Always seemed a classier motor than the much more common MkIII Cortina in its day.
This car is stunning but I'm amazed that your going to run it as a daily, how will you feel in 6 months time when it's covered in parking dents, stone chips and it's filthy dirty with the chrome starting to scab up?.
I mean it's excellent that you want to use a classic as a daily driver but this one is a bit special, also I'd be worried about a car that's had no use for nearly 40 years suddenly getting getting hammered everyday, things will go wrong and the old rubbers still perish.
I'd be making sure it had new tyres fitted too if they are still the originals on it.
I mean it's excellent that you want to use a classic as a daily driver but this one is a bit special, also I'd be worried about a car that's had no use for nearly 40 years suddenly getting getting hammered everyday, things will go wrong and the old rubbers still perish.
I'd be making sure it had new tyres fitted too if they are still the originals on it.
dpp said:
Well ive done it now as I have just sold my modern car with all the comforts and toys built in, I do have use of a van if im stuck but this is now my main vehicle.
Brave, but if all doesn't go according to plan or the FE starts to deteriorate more than you're comfortable with, you can always get another.My dad had 3 FE Models when I was growing up and I became hooked a bit. Very nice looking car, especially in it's day.
We had a yellow 1973 L reg 2300SL Overdrive, then an orange with vinyl roof 1975 N reg Ventora 3.3 (wheezy single Zeneth carb) but a fair bit more torque than the 2.3 if not outright power as mentioned. Finally, a 'bright green' (remember the correct colour of that one) 1978 S reg VX2300GLS (flagship model at the time - no more 3.3 by then).
The 2300 engine I'm quite familiar with, and one of it's 'issues' we found was big ends going at about 70k miles. A Vauxhall mechanic at the time said there was an 'unwritten' rule with these engines, and that was change the Oil Pump every 20k miles. It's easy to get to (under the Distributer) and (then) quite cheap to buy.
So, wee word of warning to the OP if he's going to use daily!! I love these though!!!!!
We had a yellow 1973 L reg 2300SL Overdrive, then an orange with vinyl roof 1975 N reg Ventora 3.3 (wheezy single Zeneth carb) but a fair bit more torque than the 2.3 if not outright power as mentioned. Finally, a 'bright green' (remember the correct colour of that one) 1978 S reg VX2300GLS (flagship model at the time - no more 3.3 by then).
The 2300 engine I'm quite familiar with, and one of it's 'issues' we found was big ends going at about 70k miles. A Vauxhall mechanic at the time said there was an 'unwritten' rule with these engines, and that was change the Oil Pump every 20k miles. It's easy to get to (under the Distributer) and (then) quite cheap to buy.
So, wee word of warning to the OP if he's going to use daily!! I love these though!!!!!
Edited by Nors on Wednesday 5th February 11:49
PlayersNo6 said:
Lovely car OP in a fantastic colour.
A neighbour of ours had two of these, an FE Victor followed by a VX4/90. Both were in a custardy yellow tone. As a young car spotter I never understood the badge change, the previous Victor he had did seem to have a better spec IIRC.
Always seemed a classier motor than the much more common MkIII Cortina in its day.
The VX4/90 was the "sporty" model; twin Strombergs, overdrive on 1972-3 models, Rostyle wheels, quad headlamps, full instrumentation being a few of the features that distinguished it from the Victor.A neighbour of ours had two of these, an FE Victor followed by a VX4/90. Both were in a custardy yellow tone. As a young car spotter I never understood the badge change, the previous Victor he had did seem to have a better spec IIRC.
Always seemed a classier motor than the much more common MkIII Cortina in its day.
After the VX Series had replaced the Victor/VX4/90/Ventora, a small number of revised VX 490 models (no "/") were produced in 1977-8 with "Bold Plaid" upholstery and a Getrag 5-speed gearbox. It was intended that this model was to be fuel-injected, but word is that this was vetoed by GM as the performance would have eclipsed anything Opel was offering at the time. As a result the extra gear was largely redundant, top still being direct.
RB CV8 said:
The VX4/90 was the "sporty" model; twin Strombergs, overdrive on 1972-3 models, Rostyle wheels, quad headlamps, full instrumentation being a few of the features that distinguished it from the Victor.
After the VX Series had replaced the Victor/VX4/90/Ventora, a small number of revised VX 490 models (no "/") were produced in 1977-8 with "Bold Plaid" upholstery and a Getrag 5-speed gearbox. It was intended that this model was to be fuel-injected, but word is that this was vetoed by GM as the performance would have eclipsed anything Opel was offering at the time. As a result the extra gear was largely redundant, top still being direct.
You know your FE's! After the VX Series had replaced the Victor/VX4/90/Ventora, a small number of revised VX 490 models (no "/") were produced in 1977-8 with "Bold Plaid" upholstery and a Getrag 5-speed gearbox. It was intended that this model was to be fuel-injected, but word is that this was vetoed by GM as the performance would have eclipsed anything Opel was offering at the time. As a result the extra gear was largely redundant, top still being direct.
Didn't know they had EFi in the pipeline for those.
VX4/90's also had the cross on the grill. The quad lamps were my favourite at the time, but as you'll know, the Ventora and the later VX2300GLS also had them.
Nors said:
You know your FE's!
Didn't know they had EFi in the pipeline for those.
VX4/90's also had the cross on the grill. The quad lamps were my favourite at the time, but as you'll know, the Ventora and the later VX2300GLS also had them.
Yes, I probably know more about the FE than any other car! Dad bought a new one in 1972 and I have run them since I was 17.Didn't know they had EFi in the pipeline for those.
VX4/90's also had the cross on the grill. The quad lamps were my favourite at the time, but as you'll know, the Ventora and the later VX2300GLS also had them.
I even have an embarrassing amount of brochures, handbooks and other memorabilia on these cars.
The 5-speed VX 490 did not have the quad headlamps of the earlier car, but the large combined headlamp/indicator of the VX1800/2300. I'll dig out a pic of the 5-speed car we use to have in my family.
RB CV8 said:
The 5-speed VX 490 did not have the quad headlamps of the earlier car, but the large combined headlamp/indicator of the VX1800/2300. I'll dig out a pic of the 5-speed car we use to have in my family.
Now that you mention it, the last VX4/90 5 speed did indeed have single headlamp units, leaving the quads for the GLS. Funny that the VX2300GLS didn't have the 5 speed though, bit weird that for the flagship considering the box was available. Strange marketing from Vauxhall!BHP for the 2300 was 108, VX4/90 114 and Ventora 122. Is that right? (taken from memory)
Nors said:
Now that you mention it, the last VX4/90 5 speed did indeed have single headlamp units, leaving the quads for the GLS. Funny that the VX2300GLS didn't have the 5 speed though, bit weird that for the flagship considering the box was available. Strange marketing from Vauxhall!
BHP for the 2300 was 108, VX4/90 114 and Ventora 122. Is that right? (taken from memory)
Power outputs varied over the years. I won't go into detail here but I reckon you will find Vauxpedia.net interesting - the site has a stunning amount of information on the FE (more than me!) and other Vauxhalls.BHP for the 2300 was 108, VX4/90 114 and Ventora 122. Is that right? (taken from memory)
The site is put together by a bloke I worked with years ago (salesmen at a Vauxhall dealership) who was always a complete Vauxhall nut.
There are a few bits that are hard to find for them to be aware of. Anything body shell related. Oil pumps for slant 4s are long out of production and they are a known weakness and cam followers/cams but they are not a weakness on this engine. Brake calipers are hard to find but generally can be reconditioned. Apart from that smashing car and I would love one in my collection.
RB CV8 said:
Power outputs varied over the years. I won't go into detail here but I reckon you will find Vauxpedia.net interesting - the site has a stunning amount of information on the FE (more than me!) and other Vauxhalls.
The site is put together by a bloke I worked with years ago (salesmen at a Vauxhall dealership) who was always a complete Vauxhall nut.
Wow, that's some site and some info I've never heard of before!Brought back lots of memories too.The site is put together by a bloke I worked with years ago (salesmen at a Vauxhall dealership) who was always a complete Vauxhall nut.
Thanks for sharing!
Lovely car. I'm sure it won't let you down. My penchant is for the FD victor. I learnt to drive in one and must have rebuilt every bit of it at least once! Many similarities between the FD and FE.
Thinking back to my carefree youth, I once replaced a blown head gasket in a service station on the A1... and once rebuilt the gearbox at the side of the road in the middle of Warminster on my way up to Yorkshire. It had seized solid so I whipped it out, stripped it down, improvised a bit with a file and few washers and drove it home with 1st, 2nd, 3rd and overdrive 3rd
Loved the car, always drove it 11/10ths and would love another some day. I always fancied an FD with a nice v8....
Thinking back to my carefree youth, I once replaced a blown head gasket in a service station on the A1... and once rebuilt the gearbox at the side of the road in the middle of Warminster on my way up to Yorkshire. It had seized solid so I whipped it out, stripped it down, improvised a bit with a file and few washers and drove it home with 1st, 2nd, 3rd and overdrive 3rd
Loved the car, always drove it 11/10ths and would love another some day. I always fancied an FD with a nice v8....
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