All images by Ralf K from the Cohort. For more on the Victor, links below:
Storage Field Classic: Vauxhall Victor F-Series – The British ’57 Chevy
Car Show Classics: 1961-72 Vauxhall Victor – Luton Salutes The Victor
Cohort Pic(k) Of The Day: Vauxhall Victor And A Few Others By Ralf K
– Posted on June 10, 2023
That home made camper is pretty impressive. I might have made the leading edge of the cabover lean backwards rather than forwards, for aerodynamic reasons.
I seem to remember a Victor sitting on the lot of the Pontiac dealer in Iowa City. That was a bit surprising to me, as a new arrival.
I believe what few Vauxhalls that were sold in North America were handled by Pontiac dealers.
Careful how you lump “North America” into a monolith like that. The Canadian and U.S. auto markets were not the same, including with regard to Vauxhalls.
True. And Buick dealers sold Opels! 1958-1961 are the approx. years these were sold in the US. The son of a deceased Buick dealer locally has a COLOR photo of himself at about 3 yrs old perched on the hood of a `59 Opel Rekord wagon by his father when new.
Great finds, and photo editing. However rough this Victor appears, there is a lot to be said for the appearance of quality, a genuine metal grille evokes.
I love design, and there are some attractive patterns and styling, on the noses of many modern, and current cars. But molded plastic leaves me ice cold. However intricate, or elegant, a grille may appear, they consistently look so cheap in plastic.
I agree with you on metal vs. plastic grilles.
This would be a great CC article — The last model years of metal grilles used by the various automakers. I’d guess we’d have to go back to the 1970s or even the 60s for most major makes.
I feel like I’ve seen that Victor somewhere … Idaho perhaps, or central Washington?
The original Cohort post mentions the Victor was found in Tucson.
Thanks. I was in Tucson a few years ago but I think the Vauxhall I saw was in a PNW lot along with a Toyota Stout.
The ChevyVan RV is interesting upon a closer look. The leading edge of the upper story has an F100 Super Sabre look to it.
My pal Mick bought a rusty F Victor for 20 quid in the summer of”68.
Ran around in it without tax, insurance, MoT or brakes. Come to think of it , I don’t think he had a licence at that time either
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I recall hurting a part of my anatomy on the corner of that dogleg windscreen when I was getting into the passenger seat.
The Victor is the update model, the first effort rusted much too fast, theres still a few survivors over here.
I’ve not seen a Vauxhaull Victor in fifty years .
I liked how they looked at the time .
-Nate
I positively detested that Victor at the time – and still do!
Looked like someone had cut n’ shut a US GM down to UK size and it looked ridiculous – as well as impractical.
The FB might have looked like a biscuit tin, but it was far more rational.
The Victor looked great on British roads, just the right size to show of its fins. It was a huge sales hit, unsurprisingly when you look at the dull BMC offerings. Unfortunately I don’t think I ever saw one that wasn’t rusting and I was a kid in its heyday. Vauxhall lives on as the most pointless name badge in Europe, a far cry from its glory days in the 50s.