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| Lot number | 10 |
|---|---|
| Hammer value | £1,300 |
| Description | Wolseley Fifteen-Fifty |
| Registration | 462 GPF |
| Year | 1958 |
| Colour | Black |
| Engine size | 1,489 cc |
| Chassis No. | TAF1/41068 |
| Engine No. | 15WVH9279 |
Wolseley’s 15/50 of 1956 was essentially the same model as the 4/44 of 1953 but with a bit more poke under the bonnet.
Badge engineering being a fact of life in the Nuffield Group of the ‘50s, much of the design was shared with the MG Magnette which was introduced the same year. The bodywork for both sporting saloons was a monocoque, with independent coil spring suspension at the front and a live axle at the rear. Allied to precise rack-and-pinion steering and effective Lockheed drum brakes, both cars were sweet to drive, much like over-sized Morris Minors.
Being the more luxury oriented of the two cars, the Wolseley was equipped with a wooden dashboard, leather trim and a heater as standard. The individual front seats were placed closely together to allow the car to be used as a (rather marginal) six-seater. The radiator grille also sported an illuminated badge, all no doubt reassuring the buyer that the not inconsiderable sticker price of £1,011 was justified.
Whereas the 4/44 had been equipped with a 46bhp version of the old 1250cc MG engine, the 15/50 had the BMC B-series motor equipped with a single SU carburettor. With 55bhp on tap and a four-speed floor-shift box, it was good for a top speed of 78mph but was eminently tunable as many owners have been delighted to discover. Production ended in 1958 with the arrival of the new Farina 15/60 after some 12,000 had been sold.
This 1958 model is on offer from a deceased estate. Joining a small collection of classics in 1984, it was used sparingly as a ‘lookalike’ Police car. Taken to local shows during the first year of ownership, it soon got relegated to the rear of the garage, a position in which it has remained pretty much ever since.
Two MOTs on file date from 1984 when it had covered 70,747 miles and 1994 at which point the odometer had advanced to read 72,655 miles.
Stored in nice dry conditions, it will require a comprehensive recommissioning before joining the beat once again. A rewarding project as it looks reasonably sound and complete, it is on offer at no reserve so the highest bidder takes it home.
