In Canada they also sold through Pontiac/Buick dealerships. This was very much looked upon as the poor man's car. This car had a 55hp engine. No big V 8. The Vauxhall Victor Super rusted like mad in the salt air of Canada's Atlantic Provinces. It is special to see one today on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
They always talk about the rust but forget about the sweet little engine and dependable drive train. These were the ones out in the salt and slush because they always started, got you there, and kept you warm with a perky little heater. 40 mpg and 70 mph cruise in their younger days which was quite adequate for 1958.
1n Canada 🇨🇦 we had these plus a Canadian variant 'Envoy' (origin of the name used on a Chev 1997-2008 SUV). I was 4 in 1960 and recall Victors and Envoys as new.
The supply of Vauxhall parts here in the States was really spotty. It's a good thing our family had friends in Toronto who lived near a Pontiac- - Buick - Vauxhall dealership and I could pick up what I needed on visits. The dealer was probably glad to be rid of the stuff, too ha-ha.
The series 2 was introduced in late 58 for the 59 model year. The series 1 from Feb 57 was also exported to the states in 58. The 61 model was slightly different with a five bar grill and larger rear window. The completely rebodied FB series was briefly imported but by then the corvair was selling well and that was the end of Vauxhall in the states. Fantastic car by the way and I hope it finds a good forever home.
Oh John you tease me. Grampa, my namesake, had one in the same colour. Gramps drove it 300 miles in 64 to visit us when he was in his 70s. All my friends came to see the Boxall as they all called it. Grampa worked at Fords in Windsor and said he saw every Ford ever built and didnt want to see one every day in his drive. The Chevy panel van and the Vauxhall showed his interest in anything else! Cheers 🇨🇦
My sister had a 59 Vauxhall Victor Super. I had a 60 Vauxhall Envoy - same car, different trim, sold by Chevy dealers in Canada. We had quite a few of these on our roads here in Ontario, but they are extremely rare now. They didn't withstand Canadian winters and salty roads. The engine was only good for 40 - 50,000 miles. But I loved my quirky, unrelaiable, rusted out beat up beauty. It had so much character.
Beautiful car! I didn't realize Vauxhalls were ever marketed in the USA! I knew they were marketed in Canada from the late 60s thru the early 70s,however GM badged them with a sub brand called Envoy,during most of the time they were sold up there,not badged as Vauxhalls for the most part. Kinda like how GM created the Geo brand in the late 80s & early 90s to put on their foreign branded imports of Toyotas,Suzukis & Mitsubishis! Great to see this stateside rare survivor in such excellent condition!😍😍
My mother bought one new in 1958 or 59. I was 5. She bought it from the Pontiac dealer in Birmingham AL. I remember the wooden Indian in the showroom. My brother was the primary driver when he was 16. We were in an accident in 1966 and it was totaled. My mother wanted an economical car and though VWs were too small. I don't think we had a radio.
They rotted the same as many other cars of the era. Some, ie the Alpha sud from the '70's rotted even worse and that was twenty years later. So despite that they were (are a great car to own and drive. I've had four in total and driving one and restoring one now.
She is certainly a good example and is certainly a 59 Series 2 Super. The car should have a rubber front floor and not carpet although the carpet in it is a great match to the rear. The interior is the original as it has the 59 stitching which the 60 did not have. A grey car would have red vynide interior. The heater is the early type unlike the 60 models. The wing mirrors are not Vauxhall but what the heck. £8.270 in UK is a little on the low side as these car's prices are rising due to their rarity. There is one huge flaw though and that is the left side of the dash where the corner does not meet the centre dash panel and this has left a large gap under the metal trim. Note the bottom of the wing does not match the rocker panel. Thats usually a rust sign as the wing attaches to a box which is always the first items on the car to rot away. If I was looking to buy then I would have certainly bought this as it does not need much to make it a real beauty. The mileage? Probably true.
Thanks so much! I wish I had known you when I was trying to market this car. I had very little information to go by. I'm pretty knowledgeable but not with these. We too believe the mileage.
Column change cars were actually quite common in England,& other parts of Europe in the 40s,50s & 60s,as well as in North America,even though not AS common as in North America. In the 60s in England,quite a few models gave you the option of either a column or floor gear stick,& often you could choose a bench seat,or bucket seats,too. English column change cars had pretty much disappeared by the 70s,as well as floor operated buttons for high/low beam. Horn rings were common on European cars until the 70s,as well.... however some English & other European cars did have horns operated by pushing the turn signal stalk in....something you haven't seen here since probably the 70s. I never saw an American car with horns operated that way. A strange thing i have noticed on right hand drive English cars from the 50s & 60s at classic car shows....most column change cars had the shifter to the left of the steering column,as one would expect,however a few models with automatic gearboxes actually had the shifter on the right,near the window!😳😳 the only modern car over here I have seen with the shifter on the right,near the window,was the right hand drive automatic Chrysler Voyagers,built in Graz,Austria for the European market...they were also available with manual transmissions,on the floor. I think only the first generation Dodge Caravans,Plymouth Voyagers built in the US were available with a manual gearbox.
Pontiac dealers were not excited to get them. They didn't like them. They didn't want to sell or service them. That may be why they didn't sell very many.
Here is why someone asked if it were a Hudson....ua-cam.com/video/DIbBnTJt-sc/v-deo.html There is a lot of shared lines, and the Hudson in question is a weird one, more Nash than Hudson.
Awful cars, truly awful..... This was Britain's "attempt" to design something with an American style, as you can see it was shocking. Then there's the actual mechanics of the thing, American cars has big muscular engines, auto boxes, built for comfort not speed...... Then these things appeared, wheezy whining small engines, more likely a column shift, about half the cabin size, and as for power - - couldn't pull you out of bed in the morning. You would think over the years they've got better..... so did I a few years ago, bought myself a brand new top of the range SUV, spent an absolute fortune on it, honestly it felt like it spend more time back at the workshop than it did in my possession, everything from a warped brake disc to paint peeling off the engine bay to lights fogging up, I eventually gave up on it, got a lawyer involved and returned it as "not fit for purpose/faulty goods"......... they got me a full refund
By the standards of the time, they were not awful at all. In Europe we have no need for massive, thirsty V8s. Also, they were smaller because our roads are physically smaller. Having big flashy interiors and lots of gadgets and gizmos does not make a car good. And thats all American cars are good for, they look impressive but underneath the skin they are very, very basic. Almost crude
That's because we like a xar to be easy to work on and rugged. We had no use for cars that required an engineering degree for the simplest repairs and are constantly breaking down.
Very nice. How many younger people know that Britain was the world's #2 vehicle producer back then?
That makes sense! When I was in elementary school in the late fifties, my teacher drove two cars. A 1959 Pontiac and a Vauxhall.
In Canada they also sold through Pontiac/Buick dealerships. This was very much looked upon as the poor man's car. This car had a 55hp engine. No big V 8. The Vauxhall Victor Super rusted like mad in the salt air of Canada's Atlantic Provinces. It is special to see one today on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
They always talk about the rust but forget about the sweet little engine and dependable drive train. These were the ones out in the salt and slush because they always started, got you there, and kept you warm with a perky little heater. 40 mpg and 70 mph cruise in their younger days which was quite adequate for 1958.
Cracking moter. I've got a 61 model great to see a survivor .
How many times have you decapitated your knees getting in and out of the vehicle?
@@kenchristie9214 none you just have to think ahead.🤣
1n Canada 🇨🇦 we had these plus a Canadian variant 'Envoy' (origin of the name used on a Chev 1997-2008 SUV). I was 4 in 1960 and recall Victors and Envoys as new.
The supply of Vauxhall parts here in the States was really spotty. It's a good thing our family had friends in Toronto who lived near a Pontiac- - Buick - Vauxhall dealership and I could pick up what I needed on visits. The dealer was probably glad to be rid of the stuff, too ha-ha.
crazy to see this car in this video, my dad owns this exact car still has the same plates and everything!
That's AWESOME! Maybe he's the one I sold it to? Texas? Love that he saved the plates! Thank him for me!
The series 2 was introduced in late 58 for the 59 model year. The series 1 from Feb 57 was also exported to the states in 58. The 61 model was slightly different with a five bar grill and larger rear window. The completely rebodied FB series was briefly imported but by then the corvair was selling well and that was the end of Vauxhall in the states. Fantastic car by the way and I hope it finds a good forever home.
Thanks Robert!
Oh John you tease me. Grampa, my namesake, had one in the same colour. Gramps drove it 300 miles in 64 to visit us when he was in his 70s. All my friends came to see the Boxall as they all called it.
Grampa worked at Fords in Windsor and said he saw every Ford ever built and didnt want to see one every day in his drive. The Chevy panel van and the Vauxhall showed his interest in anything else!
Cheers 🇨🇦
Thanks James! I believe this car would feel more at home in Canada...hint. hint...
My sister had a 59 Vauxhall Victor Super. I had a 60 Vauxhall Envoy - same car, different trim, sold by Chevy dealers in Canada. We had quite a few of these on our roads here in Ontario, but they are extremely rare now. They didn't withstand Canadian winters and salty roads. The engine was only good for 40 - 50,000 miles. But I loved my quirky, unrelaiable, rusted out beat up beauty. It had so much character.
Most of these seemed to be painted a light sky blue! My Mother bought one new and drove it for years as our family car.
Had one. Great car for farming rust. Three years and you could put your foot through the floor and the suspension came apart.
Beautiful car! I didn't realize Vauxhalls were ever marketed in the USA! I knew they were marketed in Canada from the late 60s thru the early 70s,however GM badged them with a sub brand called Envoy,during most of the time they were sold up there,not badged as Vauxhalls for the most part. Kinda like how GM created the Geo brand in the late 80s & early 90s to put on their foreign branded imports of Toyotas,Suzukis & Mitsubishis! Great to see this stateside rare survivor in such excellent condition!😍😍
Yes. Though Pontiac dealers. I'm sure they were thrilled to have to sell them. lol
My mother bought one new in 1958 or 59. I was 5. She bought it from the Pontiac dealer in Birmingham AL. I remember the wooden Indian in the showroom. My brother was the primary driver when he was 16. We were in an accident in 1966 and it was totaled. My mother wanted an economical car and though VWs were too small. I don't think we had a radio.
i saw one a very long time ago it is really a sweet car🔥🔥
Looks a lot like the Opels (sold by buick) of the same era.
Vauxhall was owned by GM until recently.
They rotted the same as many other cars of the era. Some, ie the Alpha sud from the '70's rotted even worse and that was twenty years later. So despite that they were (are a great car to own and drive. I've had four in total and driving one and restoring one now.
Sweet.
She is certainly a good example and is certainly a 59 Series 2 Super. The car should have a rubber front floor and not carpet although the carpet in it is a great match to the rear. The interior is the original as it has the 59 stitching which the 60 did not have. A grey car would have red vynide interior. The heater is the early type unlike the 60 models. The wing mirrors are not Vauxhall but what the heck. £8.270 in UK is a little on the low side as these car's prices are rising due to their rarity. There is one huge flaw though and that is the left side of the dash where the corner does not meet the centre dash panel and this has left a large gap under the metal trim. Note the bottom of the wing does not match the rocker panel. Thats usually a rust sign as the wing attaches to a box which is always the first items on the car to rot away. If I was looking to buy then I would have certainly bought this as it does not need much to make it a real beauty. The mileage? Probably true.
Thanks so much! I wish I had known you when I was trying to market this car. I had very little information to go by. I'm pretty knowledgeable but not with these. We too believe the mileage.
Column change cars were actually quite common in England,& other parts of Europe in the 40s,50s & 60s,as well as in North America,even though not AS common as in North America. In the 60s in England,quite a few models gave you the option of either a column or floor gear stick,& often you could choose a bench seat,or bucket seats,too. English column change cars had pretty much disappeared by the 70s,as well as floor operated buttons for high/low beam. Horn rings were common on European cars until the 70s,as well.... however some English & other European cars did have horns operated by pushing the turn signal stalk in....something you haven't seen here since probably the 70s. I never saw an American car with horns operated that way. A strange thing i have noticed on right hand drive English cars from the 50s & 60s at classic car shows....most column change cars had the shifter to the left of the steering column,as one would expect,however a few models with automatic gearboxes actually had the shifter on the right,near the window!😳😳 the only modern car over here I have seen with the shifter on the right,near the window,was the right hand drive automatic Chrysler Voyagers,built in Graz,Austria for the European market...they were also available with manual transmissions,on the floor. I think only the first generation Dodge Caravans,Plymouth Voyagers built in the US were available with a manual gearbox.
Factory fitted rust - an included 'extra' on every car.
Check out our vauxhall 1961
LoL the way he prononce Vauxhall.
Lol the way YOU splell Pronounce!@@a1c3c3u
Pontiac dealers were not excited to get them. They didn't like them. They didn't want to sell or service them. That may be why they didn't sell very many.
Back seat?
Here is why someone asked if it were a Hudson....ua-cam.com/video/DIbBnTJt-sc/v-deo.html
There is a lot of shared lines, and the Hudson in question is a weird one, more Nash than Hudson.
It does look "a little bit" like the Hudson Jet of 1953/1954.
@@Al-thecarhistorianThe lines on this car,certainly does remind me of the Hudson Jet.
Awful cars, truly awful..... This was Britain's "attempt" to design something with an American style, as you can see it was shocking. Then there's the actual mechanics of the thing, American cars has big muscular engines, auto boxes, built for comfort not speed...... Then these things appeared, wheezy whining small engines, more likely a column shift, about half the cabin size, and as for power - - couldn't pull you out of bed in the morning.
You would think over the years they've got better..... so did I a few years ago, bought myself a brand new top of the range SUV, spent an absolute fortune on it, honestly it felt like it spend more time back at the workshop than it did in my possession, everything from a warped brake disc to paint peeling off the engine bay to lights fogging up, I eventually gave up on it, got a lawyer involved and returned it as "not fit for purpose/faulty goods"......... they got me a full refund
By the standards of the time, they were not awful at all. In Europe we have no need for massive, thirsty V8s. Also, they were smaller because our roads are physically smaller. Having big flashy interiors and lots of gadgets and gizmos does not make a car good. And thats all American cars are good for, they look impressive but underneath the skin they are very, very basic. Almost crude
In your humble opinion!
That's because we like a xar to be easy to work on and rugged. We had no use for cars that required an engineering degree for the simplest repairs and are constantly breaking down.
Crap
6:10 honk! honk!
Didn't mention the knee decapitating front doors.