What is it?

[Saleen836]

As title, obviously not the Volvo but what is the other car?

First thought was possibly a Singer?

[InitialDave]

Wolseley 16/60?

[eldar]

InitialDave said:

Wolseley 16/60?

Yup, looks bang on the money.

[Saleen836]

Thanks, spotted it on my drive home from work earlier

[TarquinMX5]

It might be a 15/60; it's not a very clear photo but it looks as it might have the earlier, higher, fins on the rear wings.

[daqinggregg]

Is the Volvo just abandoned, looks like its missing a caravan, very neatly parked.

“Sorry Doris, I just need to park the car symmetrically, and then we can walk to the edge of the field”

[Turbobanana]

Saleen836 said:

As title, obviously not the Volvo but what is the other car?

First thought was possibly a Singer?

Thanks for reminding me how old I am, OP! I mean, anyone over the age of 50 or so would never be asking "What is it?" when presented with this picture. These things were everywhere when I was a kid, and brilliantly demonstrated BL's (or BMC's, BLMC's etc) badge engineering, thus:

Austin Cambridge: basic, tinny, "poverty spec" in today's parlance, slow
Morris Oxford: slightly nicer, sharper tail fins, slow
Riley 4/68 / 4/72: a sporty edge, a cut above the previous two, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
MG Magnette: even more sporty and aspirational, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
Wolseley15/60 / 16/60: you've arrived - leather, wood, ghost light, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich and more comfortable

They were pretty robust, mechanically, but basically soluble and loved a dollop of Isopon.

[Saleen836]

daqinggregg said:

Is the Volvo just abandoned, looks like its missing a caravan, very neatly parked.

Sorry Doris, I just need to park the car symmetrically, and then we can walk to the edge of the field

I think the Volvo is a daily driver as I pass there every day (twice) and it is parked in different places or not there at all

[Mr Tidy]

Turbobanana said:

Thanks for reminding me how old I am, OP! I mean, anyone over the age of 50 or so would never be asking "What is it?" when presented with this picture. These things were everywhere when I was a kid, and brilliantly demonstrated BL's (or BMC's, BLMC's etc) badge engineering, thus:

Austin Cambridge: basic, tinny, "poverty spec" in today's parlance, slow
Morris Oxford: slightly nicer, sharper tail fins, slow
Riley 4/68 / 4/72: a sporty edge, a cut above the previous two, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
MG Magnette: even more sporty and aspirational, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
Wolseley15/60 / 16/60: you've arrived - leather, wood, ghost light, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich and more comfortable

They were pretty robust, mechanically, but basically soluble and loved a dollop of Isopon.

Now you've made me feel old too!

Love your summary of the range too. The same speed limitations applied at Wimbledon, Aldershot and Arena Essex. But their upright build and wobbly handling made them fence fodder for MK3/4/5 Cortinas and early Granadas.

[coppice]

Turbobanana said:

Thanks for reminding me how old I am, OP! I mean, anyone over the age of 50 or so would never be asking "What is it?" when presented with this picture. These things were everywhere when I was a kid, and brilliantly demonstrated BL's (or BMC's, BLMC's etc) badge engineering, thus:

Austin Cambridge: basic, tinny, "poverty spec" in today's parlance, slow
Morris Oxford: slightly nicer, sharper tail fins, slow
Riley 4/68 / 4/72: a sporty edge, a cut above the previous two, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
MG Magnette: even more sporty and aspirational, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
Wolseley15/60 / 16/60: you've arrived - leather, wood, ghost light, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich and more comfortable

They were pretty robust, mechanically, but basically soluble and loved a dollop of Isopon.

Brilliant. If they'd still been making them in 1991 , there'd have been a Hyacinth Bucket model in the range . There was a whole Phd thesis worth of analysis of the English social attitudes which made this range possible . And about precisely what one's ownership of the different cars in this near identical range said about you .

I know of what I speak - my first car was a Riley1300. Its rev counter , wooden dash and twin SUs meant I coud sneer at peasants in their humble Austin 1300s .

[Turbobanana]

Mr Tidy said:

fence fodder

Spat my coffee out at that!

[Turbobanana]

coppice said:

There was a whole Phd thesis worth of analysis of the English social attitudes which made this range possible . And about precisely what one's ownership of the different cars in this near identical range said about you .

It's brilliant, isn't it?

Imagine: engage arguably the best car designer in the world. Give him free reign to design something stylish but limit him to mundane, proven oily parts. At a project meeting, agree a budget extension of £27and ask him to come up with some tiny amendments and thus create an entire range of cars that are individual enough to appeal to lots of different people.

If I wasn't balls-deep into a PhD already I'd have a go at this.

Makes VW / Stellantis platform sharing look hugely inefficient.

[SS427 Camaro]

Turbobanana said:

Thanks for reminding me how old I am, OP! I mean, anyone over the age of 50 or so would never be asking "What is it?" when presented with this picture. These things were everywhere when I was a kid, and brilliantly demonstrated BL's (or BMC's, BLMC's etc) badge engineering, thus:

Austin Cambridge: basic, tinny, "poverty spec" in today's parlance, slow
Morris Oxford: slightly nicer, sharper tail fins, slow
Riley 4/68 / 4/72: a sporty edge, a cut above the previous two, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
MG Magnette: even more sporty and aspirational, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
Wolseley15/60 / 16/60: you've arrived - leather, wood, ghost light, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich and more comfortable

They were pretty robust, mechanically, but basically soluble and loved a dollop of Isopon.

These cars were the Best and strongest banger racers.

[ARHarh]

Mr Tidy said:

Turbobanana said:

Thanks for reminding me how old I am, OP! I mean, anyone over the age of 50 or so would never be asking "What is it?" when presented with this picture. These things were everywhere when I was a kid, and brilliantly demonstrated BL's (or BMC's, BLMC's etc) badge engineering, thus:

Austin Cambridge: basic, tinny, "poverty spec" in today's parlance, slow
Morris Oxford: slightly nicer, sharper tail fins, slow
Riley 4/68 / 4/72: a sporty edge, a cut above the previous two, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
MG Magnette: even more sporty and aspirational, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
Wolseley15/60 / 16/60: you've arrived - leather, wood, ghost light, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich and more comfortable

They were pretty robust, mechanically, but basically soluble and loved a dollop of Isopon.

Now you've made me feel old too!

Love your summary of the range too. The same speed limitations applied at Wimbledon, Aldershot and Arena Essex. But their upright build and wobbly handling made them fence fodder for MK3/4/5 Cortinas and early Granadas.

Me too, very old. Those moments between races at Aldershot where they rushed about with quick set cement to put the fences back up.

[eldar]

coppice said:

Turbobanana said:

Thanks for reminding me how old I am, OP! I mean, anyone over the age of 50 or so would never be asking "What is it?" when presented with this picture. These things were everywhere when I was a kid, and brilliantly demonstrated BL's (or BMC's, BLMC's etc) badge engineering, thus:

Austin Cambridge: basic, tinny, "poverty spec" in today's parlance, slow
Morris Oxford: slightly nicer, sharper tail fins, slow
Riley 4/68 / 4/72: a sporty edge, a cut above the previous two, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
MG Magnette: even more sporty and aspirational, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
Wolseley15/60 / 16/60: you've arrived - leather, wood, ghost light, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich and more comfortable

They were pretty robust, mechanically, but basically soluble and loved a dollop of Isopon.

Brilliant. If they'd still been making them in 1991 , there'd have been a Hyacinth Bucket model in the range . There was a whole Phd thesis worth of analysis of the English social attitudes which made this range possible . And about precisely what one's ownership of the different cars in this near identical range said about you .

I know of what I speak - my first car was a Riley1300. Its rev counter , wooden dash and twin SUs meant I coud sneer at peasants in their humble Austin 1300s .

Their predecessor model continued in production until 2014, as the Hindustan Ambassador. In production 57 years...

[Turbobanana]

eldar said:

Their predecessor model continued in production until 2014, as the Hindustan Ambassador. In production 57 years...

Indeed. I used to be an acquaintance of Jo Burge, one of the partners in Fullbore Motors, who attempted to set up a UK import concession for the Ambassador. They sold a handful, but struggled with homologation due to the antiquity of the design. Apparently one workaround was to fill the spare wheel with water / concrete to increase rear braking effort.

[Watcher of the skies]

Turbobanana said:

Saleen836 said:

As title, obviously not the Volvo but what is the other car?

First thought was possibly a Singer?

Thanks for reminding me how old I am, OP! I mean, anyone over the age of 50 or so would never be asking "What is it?" when presented with this picture. These things were everywhere when I was a kid, and brilliantly demonstrated BL's (or BMC's, BLMC's etc) badge engineering, thus:

Austin Cambridge: basic, tinny, "poverty spec" in today's parlance, slow
Morris Oxford: slightly nicer, sharper tail fins, slow
Riley 4/68 / 4/72: a sporty edge, a cut above the previous two, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
MG Magnette: even more sporty and aspirational, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich
Wolseley15/60 / 16/60: you've arrived - leather, wood, ghost light, still slow but quicker round an oval track in Ipswich and more comfortable

They were pretty robust, mechanically, but basically soluble and loved a dollop of Isopon.

You forgot the Vanden Plas Princess R - you've *really* arrived.

[coppice]

Anorak mode - wasn't the Princess R based on the A99 Westminster? The Allegro VdP was inspired by something you'd scrape off your shoe..

Mind you , we sneer at badge engineering BMC style but I dare say Yaris GR owners sneer at my OH's badass Yaris VVT ...

[Turbobanana]

Watcher of the skies said:

You forgot the Vanden Plas Princess R - you've *really* arrived.

Yes but that was bigger and badge engineered from a different model - Austin A99 Westminster.

[Watcher of the skies]

You leave the Allegro alone. It turned out nothing like Harris Mann intended.