1963 Vauxhall Victor FB VX 4 90
(Featured on 10th August 2012)
Make: Vauxhall
Model: Victor
Year: 1963
Mileage: 33,000
Registration: XWM 299
Sellers original description:
One of the lowest mileage best original condition examples of a 1963 Vauxhall Victor FB VX 4/90 available.
Top of the range and extremely well appointed tax free sixties sporting saloon.
Just 33,000 miles form new and in the hands of Husband and Wife for 38 years and collectors and enthusiasts since.
Cherished and always garaged never welded and retaining all of its original panels.
Totally original factory specification.
Exemplary condition retaining its 50 year old factory fitted interior.
An incredible find and a very sound investment opportunity.
WOW!
On the 28 February 1957 Vauxhall Motors launched the Victor ‘F’ series as a replacement for the out dated Wyvern.
The model was updated in 1961 with the cleaner styled FB.
Introduced for to the FB range and seen for the first time was what was to set a trend and become an iconic sports saloon. The VX 4/90.
The VX 4/90 was distinguished externally from the standard car by a contrasting coloured straight through side flash bordered by chrome trim, revised grille, bright aluminum wheel embellishers with distinctive hub medallions and larger tail-light clusters.
The engine sported twin downdraft carburetters, brakes were discs to the front and they were servo assisted, floor change all syncro gear box, specially tuned suspension.
Inside there was top of the range luxury. A heater was fitted, optional on other models, there was cut pile carpeting, individual bucket seats, wood veneer dash and door cappings a rev counter, oil pressure gauge, ammeter, map pockets in the doors and even that essential luxury that was an option on other models but standard on the 4/90 - a screenwash.
In fact an extract from the VX 4/90 sales brochure says it all really: -
“The VX 4/90 is a spacious. High-performance saloon with four wide doors, and seating, furnishing and equipment of exceptional quality. Engineered for fast, tough driving, it has safety to match its speed and handling to delight the most sophisticated driver. Special attention has been given to detail and interior appointments. This luxury, tailored into a lithe, elegant body is combined with superb engineering to make the VX 4/90 a car of special appeal to the experienced and discerning motorist”…. Well quite!
Original condition, or in fact any, of the first model ever of the VX 4/90 are very rare today and are highly sought after and desirable. You would be very fortunate to find one at all. However to find one with just 33,000 miles in unmolested original condition that has had one family owner for the majority of its life would be almost unbelievable.
…..we did say almost!
XWM 299
Is a Vauxhall Victor FB VX 4/90 supplied new on the 24th may 1963 by Southport Engineering Co Ltd to its first owner a local man who lived 12 miles away.
The registration number is its original.
The car was supplied in Bermuda Blue with Orbit blue side flash and Bermuda blue upholstery. The roof was also finished in Orbit blue although it is unclear whether this was a Dealer or factory option, the logbook correctly shows two tone blue which would suggest the later.
No Dealer extras were fitted and the car was and remains (with the exception of wing mirrors) exactly factory specification.
XWM 299 was never intended to be used as an everyday vehicle. It was to be cherished and kept in the large double garage attached to the owners home when not in use.
By the time the car was 2 years old, according to the stamp in the original service book, it had covered just 4,762 miles, at 5 years old it had covered just 7,287 and at 7 years 12,530.
There is then a large gap in the service book history and it is believed that the owner latterly was unable to use the car through ill health and it was dry stored.
There is an MOT dated 1981 when the mileage was 23,634 and the service history restarts in the book in 1983 with all previous due services filled out with the same date and mileage, 25,017, so as to inform future owners that although not stamped as carried out when they should have been the servicing had been brought up to date.
It is also believed that around this time ownership was transferred to the first owner’s wife although the car remained in storage for much of the time. Insurance documentation and an MOT shows her still owning it into the nineties when it was again laid up until the turn of the century.
The service book picks up again with a mileage in 2001 of 27,457 with the car now in the care of a Gentleman who lived close to the husband and wife first owners and worked in the Motor trade.
The car changed hands shortly after and entered a private collection not far away in Cheshire for 6 years and during that time according to MOT’s and annual valuation certificates travelled just 344 miles.
In 2007 the owner decided to reduce the size of his collection and XWM 299 ended up with an enthusiast in the Midlands and then a dealer before being sold to another classic car enthusiast in Norfolk, although he had apparently actually been looking for an Austin Somerset.
Enter the sixth and final owner who was….. the proud owner of a rather special Austin Somerset that he was absolutely delighted to exchange for XWM 299 in February 2009. The last owner was right to be delighted because the VX 4/90 that he had gained turned out to be very special indeed.
It had had a piece written on it in the Spring 2008 Victors owners club magazine (copy in the file) by the editor that proclaimed it as “probably one of the best VX 4/90 in the club”. He goes on to say that “With a mileage [then] of 28,000 this car is as original as you can get. Paint and upholstery are in first class order and she drives as new”. In The spring addition of the same magazine (also in the file) the following year with the car now in the hands of the last owner the editor writes another piece this time saying “The mileage on the car is under 30,000 and it is one of the most original examples that I’ve seen needing only minor attention to the brightwork to make it a concours vehicle”
Since that time the last owner has made improvements to the car including replacing/rechroming much of the said Brightwork.
The last owner also changed the speedometer for a second hand unit that reads 60,000 odd miles as the original developed a sudden fault mid journey on his way to a show in North Wales. He changed it between the 2009 MOT which shows 29,991 miles and the 2010 MOT which shows 57,566 miles. The mileage covered after the original Speedo failed was less than 200. There is a letter in the file from the previous owner confirming all of this, copies of the MOT’s and a VOSA MOT history report.
Today XWM 299 remains in exceptional original condition the genuine mileage is circa 33,000 supported by documentation that dates back to when the car was new.
It is hard to believe that XWM 299 is original and fifty years old next year it really is superb and wants for nothing except a new owner to care for it in the way the previous ones have.
Bodywork:
As the editor of the Victor magazine said the paint work is in first class order.
XWM 299 is remarkable rust free and retains all of its factory panels and has never been welded.
The Bermuda Blue was refreshed some years back before the previous owner got it and there are no signs of any body work being carried out at that time. Had anything been improper back when the work was done it would have no doubt reappeared by now.
The paint finish is excellent and a very professional job was done. There is a slight colour variance only visible on new to old paint in the door shuts.
Brightwork with the exception of the door handles and one or two hub caps is superb.
The Orbit blue paint would seem original and has the beginnings of slight surface oxidisation.
Original door and boot rubbers are good.
Interior:
The interior is in amazing totally original and in exemplary condition.
The Bermuda Blue individual bucket seats are original have no ware or tear, have not faded and sill retain their sixties almost pearlescent finish.
The carpets are the 1963 deep pile originals edged with Bermuda blue to match the seats. They had faded and have been re-dyed and match the Orbit blue.
The floors below the carpets are perfect and have never had, nor do they need, welding. Please let us have an email address for pictures.
No radio has ever been fitted.
There is no damage to the dash or any of the trim or door cards, which are all original.
The headlining is unmarked and does not sag.
Switches, steering wheel, instruments everything in here is excellent.
Under the bonnet:
Exceptionally clean and presenting in the way that only an exceptionally low mileage car can with original stickers still in place.
The engine block, starter, rocker cover, fan assembly etc are the correct red. The air filters the correct silver grey.
Just slight beginnings a little surface oxidisation in places.
In the boot:
The spare tyre is new.
The original boot mat unmarked.
No damage to speak of to the paint finish.
Jack and wheel brace.
On the road:
XWM 299 starts on the button with manual choke which can soon be pushed in to leave the engine running as sweet as a nut.
It drives superbly and has a great classic feel. Again it is hard to believe that it is 5 decades old you can tell the minute you get behind the wheel that here is something special.
It starts on automatic choke, which stays on until the engine reaches normal operating temperature which then idles just as it should.
The manual box is a delight and it changes up and down gears just as it should.
M.O.T. end of November 2012 and taxed but of course its free anyway.
History file:
1. V5c registration document
2. MOT November 29th 2012
3. Many old mot’s
4. Original Vauxhall Victor owners handbook and Vauxhall Bedford service Dealer guide dated 1963.
5. Letter from last owner confirming history and mileage.
6. VOSA MOT print out back to 2006
7. Old photographs
8. Nearly 30 old tax discs many from the 60’s 70’s and 80’s
9. The original Southport engineering tax disc holder backing
10. Instruction tag for heater
11. some paper work from when the car was for sale in 2007
12. 6 valuation certificates with mileages from 2001
13. Many old service invoices and parts invoices some dating back to the early sixties
14. Old insurance papers
15. Old V5
16. Original service book
17. the two Victor magazines with articles on the car plus many other club magazines
18. A beautiful and original VX 480 sales brochure.
19. Original hard bound parts book
20. Some service training manuals.
Summary:
XWM 299 is a delightful car in breathtaking original condition.
It looks fantastic and would be show winner if ever we saw one.
It is a collectors and enthusiasts dream and presents very rare opportunity to acquire such an outstanding example.
You will undoubtedly be wowed by the way the car and the parts on it have survived so well for very nearly half a Century.
Photos:
