Web Page No 2506

2^nd September 2018

The Drayton Observer wemt to print this week I will let you all know when it is available.

1^st Picture. Morris Minor

 2nd Picture. Standard Vanguard

3^rd Picture. Ford 100E

4^th Picture. Front seat of a Rover 75

5^th Picture. Vauxall Cresta

Top five family cars of the 1950s

From the Standard Vanguard to the Vauxhall Cresta, lets look back at the family favourites of the 1950s.

The Morris Minor, 1948-71 (otherwise known as the Jelly Mould)

The Morris Minor was designed on the quiet during World War 2 by Sir Alec Issigonis (who later created the Mini). At the last minute he decided to widen the Minor by four inches, hence the crease in the middle of the bonnet. Its strange exhaust note was part of the soundtrack of British post-War life. This little car had immense character, handled well and it was spacious and tough – although front wheels would fall off if the suspension wasn’t greased regularly. Still it was one of the decade’s most-loved cars and in 1959 became the first British car to sell a million. All pre-1950’s cars can be identified by having split screens. The model in the top illustration was turned out in a strange lilac colour with Minor 1,000,000 on the boot lid and for a time was owned by someone in Lealand Road

       Standard Vanguard, 1947-63

With its humpbacked saloon body, and broad front end, the Standard Vanguardwas styled to resemble a scaled-down American car and conceived with international aspirations. After World War 2, Britain was badly in the red, businesses were extolled to ‘export or die’ and the Vanguard was one of a number of British cars that initially mostly went for export, reaching British roads in quantity in the 1950s. Sadly, it was only tested on those roads and quickly developed reliability problems in tougher conditions, denting sales. Even a complete re-design with Italian styling didn’t help. The Vanguard had its fans and its engine was used in everything from Ferguson tractors to Triumph TR sports cars.

Ford Popular and Anglia 100E, 1953-62

Before the 100E, baby Fords had sit-up-and-beg bodies and were upgraded 1930s' designs, so 100Es with their boxy, modern styling were a revelation. These simply engineered, robust cars sold in huge quantities. They had features like hydraulic brakes and independent front suspensions. Being Fords they were sparse inside. Customers paid extra if they wanted heaters and sun visors and the windscreen wipers were powered by a cheap-to-make vacuum system with the flaw that the faster the cars went, the slower the wipers worked.

Rover 75-110 P4, 1949-64

Few cars have a more British feel than a Rover the model of choice for a generation of 1950s' solicitors and bank managers. Outside it looked staid and the wood and leather interior made it feel like a gentleman’s club, but ironically the car was intended to have an American feel. Early P4 75s had a single fog lamp in the middle of a grill that resembled a chrome Radiogram speaker cover, and it became known as the ‘Cyclops Rover. The P4 had an enduring friendliness that has made it much loved to this day. The picture shows the column gear change and lads do you remember those bench front seats?

Vauxhall Velox and Cresta, 1957-62

Mid-fifties Luton was the place where Vauxhall were made cars with cut prize American glitz, cars like the PA Velox and Cresta. These big saloons had acres of chrome, tail fins and ’wrap around’ front and rear screens. They could be ordered with whitewall tyres and two-tone paint. Inside, big, comfortable bench seats front and rear could accommodate six, the driver worked a three-speed manual or two-speed automatic gear box with a steering column lever and the dashboard was as flashy as a jukebox. Lazy, six-cylinder engines made these cars relaxed straight-line cruisers and they were loved by salesmen who thrashed up and down Britain’s trunk roads. Glitzy, vulgar and fun, they were also instant rust buckets, which is why so few survive today.

And finally, what was my first car –a Blue Standard 10 registration number 9295 BP

Keep in touch

Yours

Peter

gsseditor@gmail.com

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On this day 2^nd September 1960-1965

On 02/09/1960 the number one single was Apache - The Shadows and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Rawhide (ITV) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 02/09/1960 the number one single was Apache - The Shadows and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Rawhide (ITV) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 02/09/1962 the number one single was I Remember You - Frank Ifield and the number one album was West Side Story Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 02/09/1963 the number one single was Bad to Me - Billy J Kramer and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 02/09/1964 the number one single was Have I the Right? - Honeycombs and the number one album was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 02/09/1965 the number one single was I Got You Babe - Sonny and Cher and the number one album was Help - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.