Sensible Secondhand Classics: 1975 Vauxhall Victor FE "Transcontinental" 2300S

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  • Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024

Комментарии • 104

  • @sputumtube
    @sputumtube 3 месяца назад +2

    Traded a Renault 17 in for a 2300 (straight swap) in the early 80's when I was about 22 years old. Remember looking out over the huge bonnet. Spilled milk on the back seat and the smell never went away despite intense cleaning. Happy memories....

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      That is a very unusual swap! Thank you very much indeed for watching and commenting.

  • @ASI-l2w
    @ASI-l2w 3 месяца назад

    I loved my 1968 F reg 3 speed column change 2000cc FD. However, it rusted when you breathed on it. Very comfortable, spacious and fast in its day.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Always want to try an FD Victor after having first watched Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) about thirty years ago... I imagine that they are even rarer than the FEs, though. Predictably, both 1968 FDs used in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) were scrapped at some point in the 1970s from what I understand.

  • @robertallen3441
    @robertallen3441 3 месяца назад +1

    Had a R reg Bedford CF van with the 2300 slant four, used to go like stink.

  • @RobertSmith-jl4yw
    @RobertSmith-jl4yw 3 месяца назад +1

    Don't forget to mention the traditional Vauxhall bonnet flutes! These vanished with the replacement to the Carlton, I think.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      They disappeared in the 1950s and then reappeared with the FE, only to be dropped again in 1978 when it was discontinued. The Carlton (and associated models) never had them.

    • @RobertSmith-jl4yw
      @RobertSmith-jl4yw 3 месяца назад

      @@lloydvehicleconsulting Look very carefully at the bonnet of the Mk1 Carlton - they're there, very subtle, but there. A friend of mine had one and it was one of the features he always pointed out.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Mr Charles has just sent me a picture of the bonnet flutes on his V registration Royale Coupé. They aren't that obvious.

  • @davidrumming4734
    @davidrumming4734 3 месяца назад

    Well after reading some very amusing comments I have to say, my dad wasn’t a tool maker but did have an earlier more “interesting” version of this car.
    I think it was the Victor 101 super? 1.6 hydraulic tappets I believe. It was a “4 on the floor” NEW gearbox option….i remember the little handbook saying it was also available with a more “traditional” 3 speed column change….possibly a 2 speed auto as well? It had the bench seat in the front….tho I believe 2 seat separate seats options was also available. It had silver dashboard with horizontal speedometer. It also had the same sort of bmw style gas pedal, a hood pull, and a “brights” (high beam) button on the floor.
    It wasn’t especially quick at accelerating, but once it got upto speed it maintained it surprisingly well…eg going up hills was usually perfectly fine in top gear (4th).
    Prob worth a fortune now, but at the time, it was fairly unreliable, rusted, and soon looked out of date due to its 1960s styling (tho tame compared with earlier Vauxhalls).

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Yes, the 101 (or FC) Victor was available as a Super model. It didn't have the slant four like this one, though, it used an earlier engine. They were indeed available with bench seats and/or a three speed column shift, although the floor change four speed and the separate front seats would my preference. Can't remember which automatic gearbox the 101s had now, but it was definitely offered with one. The track on a FC is hilariously narrow...

  • @seancooke7332
    @seancooke7332 2 месяца назад

    The FE Victor was a strange one certainly. I always liked the styling and the estate, VX4/90 and Ventora looked particularly good.
    Sadly they always seemed like they were lumbering around as opposed to handling neatly. They were roomy, especially in estate form and the 2300 and 3300 had plenty of torque for easy driving and caravanning for instance.
    What they were was a stepping stone into a time of massive success for Vauxhall.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  2 месяца назад

      Yes, not the best handling car, and probably do feel like they are lumbering a bit... The space inside is very good. The Rekord and Carlton (as well as the other variants) were probably much better than these, but they still turned out to be quite successful.

  • @alaricbragg7843
    @alaricbragg7843 3 месяца назад

    The styling and trim on this particular car is very similar to a Granada/Consul or less well-known Chrysler 180/Centura of the same period! Do you know these Vauxhalls were made in India well into the 1990s? A local company there called them Contessa Classics.

    • @trottophone
      @trottophone 3 месяца назад +1

      I was in Bombay (now Mumbai) back in the 1980s. By pure chance, I witnessed the 'unveiling' of a new car at the Gateway of India.
      The white sheet was pulled off, revealing... a Vauxhall Victor FE!
      Or rather, a Hindustan Contessa.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      Yes, Hindustan Contessa, normally marketed with an Isuzu engine.

  • @mattw8332
    @mattw8332 3 месяца назад +3

    I love the styling of these FE series Vauxhalls. I believe from Vauxpedia the purpose of the VX series cars was to bring in some quality improvements. My dad avoided these I think because they had a reputation for rusting and instead went through a Ford phase. He owned a PA Cresta previously and I think he also had a Wyvern that likely suffered from rust problems!

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +2

      Yes, they did seem quite well made, I suppose. Oh yes, the rust on the 1960s and 1970s Vauxhalls seems to have been legendary at the time. Not many Victors left of any type now!

    • @simonhodgetts6530
      @simonhodgetts6530 3 месяца назад +1

      Sadly the front wings tended to bubble - usually after about 18months…….nice cars otherwise.

  • @Paul-67
    @Paul-67 3 месяца назад +1

    Such a pity that the unmentionable engines have no part in your interesting reviews. Rudolf Diesel was a brilliant engineer.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Rules are rules, and it's been that way since the channel started six years ago. There's lots of other channels out there if you are into that sort of thing.

  • @levelcrossing150
    @levelcrossing150 3 месяца назад +4

    Greetings, Mr Lloyd. I remember the first FE Victors arriving at the Vauxhall dealers I worked at. Having loved the FD model I could not get used to the deep grill and a comeback of flutes in the bonnet which early Vauxhalls had. Having said that, I remember this limited edition model being a refreshing looking car which had some great goodies fitted as standard. We found little wrong with these cars, such a shame so many have gone. Any models, I see now are a delight to see. Many thanks for bringing back some great memories.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Yes, the last Vauxhall with bonnet flutes. The FD Victor is probably more handsome, but the FE does look a bit more modern. I couldn't really work out what the extra features were over the normal 2300!

    • @GrandThriftAuto
      @GrandThriftAuto 3 месяца назад

      [Cough] The mk1 Carlton/Royale has bonnet flutes too [cough]

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      So I see, sir.

    • @levelcrossing150
      @levelcrossing150 3 месяца назад

      @@lloydvehicleconsulting Going roughly by memory, the car was based on a standard Victor 2300 but had the addition of optional extras, and goodies off the higher spec models. What does stand out to me is the black vinyl roof, cloth covered seating, side stripes, and I'll take a wild guess on the wheel arch trims, wheel rim embellishers, rear panel trim, and bog standard radio. It's fitted with a Vauxhall aerial which was specially made to fit on the top side of the wing on these models.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      That sounds about right to me!

  • @camperlustig68
    @camperlustig68 3 месяца назад +2

    Good Morning Joseph!! It is amazing how such robust looking cars were already rusting away after such short periods of time.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      Yes, it was quite common at the time for rust to kill cars after a short time, sadly. Thank you for your membership!

  • @patrickh7368
    @patrickh7368 3 месяца назад +2

    My 1st car was a FD Victor, it was the 1600cc version (like mine) that had 3 speed column change and bench seat….I was a toolmaker so I had to get on the lathe and make new bushes to sort floppy gear change 😊
    The 1.6 was 3 on the tree, 2.0 4 on the floor. LOL… (both half a V8 like the 1.8 n 2.3)

    • @robertallen3441
      @robertallen3441 3 месяца назад +3

      Your surname isn't Starmer is it ???????

    • @patrickh7368
      @patrickh7368 3 месяца назад

      @@robertallen3441 not me … ?

    • @Comfortzone99
      @Comfortzone99 3 месяца назад +1

      @@patrickh7368 Only Keir Starmer's father was a toolmaker.

    • @patrickh7368
      @patrickh7368 3 месяца назад

      @@Comfortzone99 never heard of him but there are millions of folk who are tool makers and so a bit random dude…. Guess you didn’t get out much or sumink , all the best… 😐

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +2

      A very left of field discussion, I must say.

  • @alaricbragg7843
    @alaricbragg7843 3 месяца назад +1

    Some Rekords also had the old column shift gear handle on the wheel. I love a big four, although the German 1.9 may have offered better handling with its lower centre of gravity! Would so replace that 2.3's head cover though.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      They may have had a column shift on the Rekord D, I am not sure....

  • @GrandThriftAuto
    @GrandThriftAuto 3 месяца назад +1

    Great review, thanks for coming down! The 2300S is a fun old bus to play cops and robbers in - I have to plead guilty as charged to having odd taste in cars though.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      Sir, we seem to enjoy many of the same cars, don't we? Thanks again!

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      They disappeared in the 1950s and then were used on this FE and no more.

  • @richardhowlett7398
    @richardhowlett7398 3 месяца назад +1

    I remember my dad getting a Victor 101 in 1967 , by the mid 70’s it had rusted away .

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +2

      The rust on the 1960s and 1970s Vauxhalls was legendary, but I am not quite sure if they were any worse than most others at the time.

  • @simonhodgetts6530
    @simonhodgetts6530 3 месяца назад +1

    Sir! You’re really spoiling us! The FE Victor / VX series are 2 of my favourite 70s cars. We had a number in our family - my dad had an FE estate, then 2 VX estates. My uncle had a Ventora, then a 2300S - almost identical to this. It was quite a thing in the mid 70s - not many cars had cloth trim and a tape deck. I still love the looks - especially the VX series. The interiors were nice too - although the VX series were much better. That gear whine brings back memories………

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Yes sir, not the most refined car I have ever driven, but I still very much enjoyed it. These must have been everywhere for a time.

  • @rosskelly8268
    @rosskelly8268 2 месяца назад

    Although Holden stopped bringing Victors to Australia in 1966 (the FC 101), we actually got that driveline and the indirect/vague gearshift as one of the engine options in our Torana models from about 1972 to 1975. (And yes, for any Aussie wonks who might want to correct me, the TA Torana - then rather ancient and just a reskinned HB Viva - sold IN PARALLEL to the much bigger new generation LH Torana 'sixes' and 4.2 litre V8. They overlapped for all of 1975.)

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  2 месяца назад

      Always wondered about the Torana and the Viva, as they were sort of the same, but as time went on they diverged considerably. The biggest engine the Viva (and its related models) ever got was the 2.3 slant four.

  • @alaricbragg7843
    @alaricbragg7843 3 месяца назад +2

    Thank you for this video. In New Zealand we called this the Holden Sunbird. Back in the late 1990s there were still a few about - they were very popular in New Zealand hot rod culture back then - and you could still get a driver licence at the age of 15. A friend looked at one for his first car. The entire bottom of the boot had rusted away...

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      You wouldn't have seen many of these around in Britain at the time, that is for sure!

    • @andysaunders3708
      @andysaunders3708 3 месяца назад +1

      I've had several of both Victors and Sunbirds, (and also Toranas).
      I'm adamant that they are totally different cars - different bodies, engines, interiors, and so on.
      Possibly based on similar floor pans, but the Sunbirds had either the Opel 1.9 "cam-in-head" engine, or the hideous 1.9 Holden Starfire 4, the cut-down Holden 6.
      My FDs had either the OHC slant-4 engine, from 1.6 litre to 2.0, and the FE went up to 2.3 litres, using a similar engine to the CF Bedford van, or the 3.3 litre 6-cylinder. (Weirdly, you could buy a 6-cylinder CF Bedford, sold new, but with a Holden 6 fitted).
      The interior of the Sunbird/Torana was entirely different to the Victor FD and FE.
      I stand to be corrected, but I don't believe that they were the same car - there may have been some faint resemblance, and they were likely all based on the Opel Rekord floor pan, but the Torana, (LX/LH), could be bought with a factory V8, and the UC Sunbird was not even close in appearance, especially from the front and rear ends.
      AND the Torana/Sunbirds of this era could be purchased as a 2-door hatchback, whereas the Victor could not.
      The Victor was available in wagon form, but I've never even heard of a Torana/Sunbird wagon.
      Then we had the somewhat questionable Vauxhall Viva/Magnums running optional slant-4 engines as well, but that's another story.

    • @alaricbragg7843
      @alaricbragg7843 3 месяца назад

      @@andysaunders3708 Thank you for clearing that up. 🙂 Actually Daewoo in Korea DID make a Torana Ambulance in the early to mid - 1970s. They used them as little ambulances!

    • @andysaunders3708
      @andysaunders3708 3 месяца назад +1

      @@alaricbragg7843 Oh wow.
      I'd love to see one of those!
      I shall attack the internet and see if I can find any information or images.
      Cheers for that.

    • @alaricbragg7843
      @alaricbragg7843 3 месяца назад

      @@andysaunders3708 I only have a vague memory but they they called them the Chevrolet 1700, I think. Same shape as the XU-1.

  • @ianhand5006
    @ianhand5006 3 месяца назад

    That’s the Lucas logo in the headlight glass. The 2,000cc FDs all had a 4 speed or 4 plus overdrive (VX4/90). I have the brochures for the FD and FE cars somewhere. My grandfather had a few.
    The upholstery has faded quite a bit, but it’s approaching 50 years old.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      I think some of FDs were definitely three speed, but I can understand why the 2.0 models had at least a four speed gearbox.

  • @mixedboi
    @mixedboi Месяц назад

    I really enjoy the info you give about the reviewed cars on your channel.
    Really enjoy it. An old Toyota Cressida or an old Accord would be great to see, not a request or anything, just talking it out.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  Месяц назад

      Glad you enjoyed this video! I would also like to cover those, but it would depend on whether someone actually offered me one...

  • @nygelmiller5293
    @nygelmiller5293 3 месяца назад

    The "CLIFF FACE " style dashboard sloping " inwards, would be , I assume, to reduce of the sun on the instruments!

  • @nikmwh
    @nikmwh 3 месяца назад

    We had an FE Victor 2300SL as a family car in the mid seventies, which I took over in 1982, back then they were regarded as quite lively cars, my memory of them was that they were also good motorway cars as reported in Car magazine in 1977, I do wonder if the correct tyre size is fitted, as standard profile tyres are specified not ‘70 or ‘60 series as some people fit.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      Yes, I don't actually know what tyres are on this particular example. It seems fast enough for the time. Thank you very much indeed for watching and commenting!

  • @ianhand5006
    @ianhand5006 3 месяца назад

    My granddad had that exact model and colour new in April 1975. It had a mono radio cassette as standard. HRE224N

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Thank you very much indeed for watching and commenting! This rare old Victor was an amazing car, so typical of the era. I am surprised just how many people remember them.

  • @tz6414
    @tz6414 3 месяца назад

    Another car my father had, albeit the vx2300 model in 76, I remember it being a lairy ride, with light blue vinyl seats. The engine seemed pretty muscular and lively and could hit a ton no problem.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      I am sure that it would do 100 mph, it would have been pretty noisy doing it, though! Thank you very much indeed for watching and commenting.

  • @grahamtranter3616
    @grahamtranter3616 3 месяца назад

    The VX/490 seemed very impressive when I was a boy, quite a bit better than the smaller Cortina MK 3.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Yes, I think that the FE Vauxhalls were a bit bigger than the Mark III/IV/V Cortinas, although the lower end FEs were directly targeted at them.

  • @thatguyfromcetialphaV
    @thatguyfromcetialphaV 2 месяца назад

    A lot of these met their end filming The Professionals and The Sweeney.
    A Man Called Quinn comes to mind when Del Henney crashes into the runway markers.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  2 месяца назад

      Yes sir, we know that episode. It's actually a 1968-9 FD Ventora that meets its end on the runway in A Man Called Quinn. The use of an FE I remember the most is from Runner, which is involved in action scene set at Clare Hall Hospital in Shenley.

  • @TheStobb50
    @TheStobb50 3 месяца назад

    I had one back in the day with the 1800 engine, in general they were ok for the time but the big letdown was the slant 4 engine it was terrible unrefined unreliable. On the previous models with 3 speed gearbox where column change with bench seats

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      I think Mr Charles said that they nicknamed the slant four "The Hay Baler".

  • @uhn100
    @uhn100 3 месяца назад

    Hello I never had any luck with Vauxhall cars not to say many people loved them I think if you get the chance to drive the Viscount that would be interesting a friend had one and it was great thanks for this testing of the Victor best regards Andy Allen.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Thanks, Andy! That would be nice, but they are even rarer than these FE Victors...

  • @johnmontgomery9149
    @johnmontgomery9149 3 месяца назад

    These and the Ventora were very popular police traffic cars.

  • @andrewwmacfadyen6958
    @andrewwmacfadyen6958 3 месяца назад

    FE were not exactly popular in the UK rough running engine and high fuel consumption.
    Instead of fixing the issues with FD that just made a car that was too big for the market, there was a huge gap between the Viva and the FD.
    The 3.3 lite Ventora claimed 133bhp the engine dated back to 1928 Chevy Stove Bolt 6.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Yes, Mr Charles, who owns this FE, called the slant four the "hay baler"! The Ventora was an interesting concept.

    • @ASI-l2w
      @ASI-l2w 3 месяца назад

      I loved my 1968 F reg 3 speed column change 2000cc FD. However, it rusted when you breathed on it. Very comfortable, spacious and fast in its day.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Vauxhalls had a very poor reputation for rust in the 1960s and 1970s, didn't they?

  • @keithnewton8981
    @keithnewton8981 3 месяца назад

    You seem to forget 4 speed pwith over drive.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      The overdrive was available with some FEs, but not in this model year.

  • @classics144sportscarschannel
    @classics144sportscarschannel 3 месяца назад

    has same headlining as the cortina some what.

  • @ianlowden6168
    @ianlowden6168 2 месяца назад

    Dad had one. It was a lovely car❤

  • @frglee
    @frglee 3 месяца назад

    I remember another reviewer pointing out that the Victor FE didn't really move the game on much from earlier models, especially the Victor FD, which my dad had, and was a much nicer looking car in my opinion, with design similarities to the smaller, but rather pretty Viva HB - my first car with a 1600cc overhead cam slant 4 engine.

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      Yes, probably Ian Seabrook back in 2014. It isn't really much different to many other cars in its class from the period. The FD probably had a bit more character.

  • @dreammaker730
    @dreammaker730 3 месяца назад

    Hello Sir, I really do like the look of these cars .

  • @markoparviainen77
    @markoparviainen77 3 месяца назад

    Opel Record .

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      It's actually not the same, but the floorpan and various other parts are the same.

  • @michael5089
    @michael5089 3 месяца назад

    Another highly enjoyable video Joseph. About a car I knew very little about. Keep up the good work.😊

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +1

      I was very happy to have been offered this, and had been waiting to drive it for about two years...

  • @nygelmiller5293
    @nygelmiller5293 3 месяца назад

    Such beautiful cars! Then an NOW!

  • @frazzleface753
    @frazzleface753 3 месяца назад

    Well sir, this is certainly a survivor!

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад +2

      It just reminds me ever so much of programmes like The Professionals, when these were a dime a dozen and used in a variety of slightly inappropriate action sequences!

    • @Comfortzone99
      @Comfortzone99 3 месяца назад +1

      @@lloydvehicleconsulting Legend has it that Ford said they could have their cars as long as they were driven by positive role models - hence the bad guys usually had Vauxhalls LOL

  • @MrRetro-
    @MrRetro- 3 месяца назад

    The only person who has crap, and weird taste in cars, is Ian Seabrook😂

    • @lloydvehicleconsulting
      @lloydvehicleconsulting  3 месяца назад

      I am afraid that he isn't the only one. Mr Charles and I both do as well.