Vauxhall VX 4/90 - Fun? Not fun?

[anonymous-user]

There are two of these for sale at present. This looks to be the better and cheaper of the two.



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1275068

Here is the other one -

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1239870

A contemporary reviewer said this -

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article...

I have never had a Vauxhall of any kind. I once nearly bought a base model Mark 1 Astra, but bailed. My first ever classic car was a 50s/60s car pretending to be a 70s car, namely a Triumph Vitesse II. Since then, I have mostly had 70s cars, with a few forays into the 80s (the decade in which I started driving), but I recently bought a 50s car made in 1962, the year I was born (a Lancia Appia).

I am not sure why, but I am being strangely drawn to the VX 4/90. Someone please talk me out of it! Has anyone here had a car of this kind, in period or since?

One of these days I suppose that I might head back into the 40s or the 30s, but at the moment I'm having an early 60s thing.

I can see this car, in 1962, being driven by a thirty two ish married GP or solicitor. He does not want a Rover like the bank manager has, but he is not as racy as his friend the architect (they did their national service together in Singapore) who has a Fiat 1500 or an Alfa Giulia. The barrister who makes up their four at the golf club might have a Jag or, if he's a bit racier, a Lancia coupe of some kind.

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 12th October 17:15

[anonymous-user]

PS:

There must be a transcription error in that digitised "Motorsport" review.

It says "new price of £9273/4". This must mean 972 pounds, three shillings, and fourpence. A Vauxhall could not possibly have cost over £9,000 in 1962.

[Truckosaurus]

Those Motorsport articles are just OCRed from the original mags so plenty of 'typos' in them.

These old Vauxhalls hold a strange fascination to me (along with Ford Zodiacs etc.) as they are cars remembered fondly by people slightly older than me, but were practically extinct by the time I was old enough to pay attention to motorcars (early '80s).

[Cylon2007]

Bloody hell not seen one of those for bloody years. late 60's early 70's my old man bought one of those for about £40 the day before we were due to go on holidays as his current car woudn'r run (Merc 200 I think) due to carbs being FUBAR. He spent most of the night 'fixing it' then we had it for 2 - 3 years before he moved it on. Bet there's not many left

[davidgt4]

I look at that and see a Historic Rally Car !

[Doofus]

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool classic car bore, but to me, that's just porridge.

[Pothole]

Breadvan72 said:

There are two of these for sale at present. This looks to be the better and cheaper of the two.



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1275068

Here is the other one -

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1239870

A contemporary reviewer said this -

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article...

I have never had a Vauxhall of any kind. I once nearly bought a base model Mark 1 Astra, but bailed. My first ever classic car was a 50s/60s car pretending to be a 70s car, namely a Triumph Vitesse II. Since then, I have mostly had 70s cars, with a few forays into the 80s (the decade in which I started driving), but I recently bought a 50s car made in 1962, the year I was born (a Lancia Appia).

I am not sure why, but I am being strangely drawn to the VX 4/90. Someone please talk me out of it! Has anyone here had a car of this kind, in period or since?

One of these days I suppose that I might head back into the 40s or the 30s, but at the moment I'm having an early 60s thing.

I can see this car, in 1962, being driven by a thirty two ish married GP or solicitor. He does not want a Rover like the bank manager has, but he is not as racy as his friend the architect (they did their national service together in Singapore) who has a Fiat 1500 or an Alfa Giulia. The barrister who makes up their four at the golf club might have a Jag or, if he's a bit racier, a Lancia coupe of some kind.

Edited by Breadvan72 on Monday 12th October 17:15

I suspect the last Vauxhall Owner to make up a four at a golf club drove a 30–98!

[anonymous-user]

Ha! You may be right!

[anonymous-user]

Doofus said:

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool classic car bore, but to me, that's just porridge.

I think I agree with you, but I am strangely drawn...

But would I walk past two Lancias and one hot Fiat to drive it?

[Doofus]

Breadvan72 said:

I think I agree with you, but I am strangely drawn...

But would I walk past two Lancias and one hot Fiat to drive it?

You're old(er than me) and eccentric, so probably, yes.

And you'd tell yourself you'd made the right choice.

At that price point, there's a lot of more characterful stuff available, even from beyond Turin's city limits.

Edited by Doofus on Monday 12th October 18:57

[Escort3500]

There’s one that turns up occasionally at classic car runs near us. It looks the part with the VX 4/90 interior trim and is in a rather fetching dark red/maroon with contrasting black side stripes. Like most If not all ‘60s saloons they’re prone to tinworm. This one’s been fully restored, and the owner told me it took him a long time to amass all the parts needed, with panels especially hard to come by. It’s got bags of character, but then I’m fond of old 60s stuff.

[mph]

Doofus said:

At that price point, there's a lot of more characterful stuff available, even from beyond Turin's city limits.

Friends father had a VX4/90 many years ago - I recall my friend borrowing it and not being particularly impressed - and that was more than forty years ago.

I rather like the look of this - unfortunately it's just sold. Same friend had one when we were at college - seemed much more exciting than the Vauxhall at the time.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1268241

[emperorburger]

Breadvan72 said:

I think I agree with you, but I am strangely drawn...

But would I walk past two Lancias and one hot Fiat to drive it?

It's rubbish and you should stick to machinery made by those lazy feckless Italians.

Can you not find a Trevi Volumex for sale?

[P5BNij]

I feel I really ought to start this post by shouting ''stop it you befuddled loon'', but I know it will fall on deaf ears. I remember in the early '70s there were quite a few of those round here, they were all battleship grey with red interiors and seemed to disappear almost overnight.

Question 1) will it fit in the barn?

Question 2) will the Italians let it anywhere near the barn without getting all Latin and emotional on it's Luton ass?

Question 3) will it be a keeper or a passing fad?

Question 4) what will your new neighbour think?

Question 5) is the GP's wife called Wendy, Marjorie or Barbara and does she like 'parties'...?

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I suppose you do get a high quotient of wing mirrors and a white steering wheel for your 7 grand, so it might be fun.

I like it but I don't want it.

[P5BNij]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I suppose you do get a high quotient of wing mirrors and a white steering wheel for your 7 grand, so it might be fun.

I like it but I don't want it.

Sometimes the perceived values / desirability with classics can be a bit puzzling, there are several restored Fiat 500s on c&c for almost three times that amount, which makes the £7k seem reasonable, but will it actually go for that much?

[Pericoloso]

When i saw the thread title , I was expecting an FD or FE , as said above , Porridge .

It's a no from me .

As also said above ,stick to the old Italian stuff .

[21st Century Man]

No.

You can do so much better. I'm quite surprised actually, I had you down as a bit of an old car cognescenti

[aeropilot]

While not a VX4/90 version, my Dad had a FB Victor estate back in the early 70's for about 5 years......

It was bad then compared to cars of the 70's, I can't imagine what a FB Victor would be like now, and don't kid yourself that the VX4/90 is some sort of sports saloon.

Other than how it drives, which is far worse than a similar period contemporary Cortina GT, parts for them will be a problem, as there just is not the numbers to sustain a significant parts industry.

[Jimmy Recard]

I've had many Vauxhalls and liked them and I like cars of that period, but that doesn't get me very excited. Hardly a car of note