Descrição
After months of agonising, I have decided to sell my much-loved Wolseley Six for very genuine reasons which I am happy to explain.
If you’ve never had a ride or drive in one, there is a YouTube video which I made last summer which will give you a good idea.
You’ll see from the video what a smooth, quiet, comfortable and sophisticated drive it is. Hydrolastic suspension is second only to Citroen’s legendary hydropneumatic suspension. With its silky smooth 2. 2 litre straight six engine, three speed Borg Warner automatic gearbox and beautifully balanced power steering, it is a dream to drive. The cabin is a very lovely place to be with its armchair front seats and bookmarked walnut dash which has survived with barely a blemish. Landcrabs were justly famous for their spacious interiors and copious leg-room. It is still wearing its original colour, Cosmic Blue metallic, a radically innovative colour for British Leyland in 1974 when even metallic paint was rare, let alone such vibrant and stylish shades. Though merely the upmarket iteration of a Landcrab, it is undoubtedly a limo for the working man.
Indeed, it was as a limo that HGF 189N started life. It was purchased new from University Motors by the Church Commissioners in 1974 as the chauffeur-car of the Bishop of Gloucester. It did 5 years' service and, in 1979, it was gifted to the chauffeur on his retirement. He ran it until 1985/ 86 then garaged it. After his death, in June 2014, it was pulled out of the garage by members of the Landcrab Club and eventually found its way to Yorkshire where it had some relatively minor welding work done (door bottoms and wings) and was resprayed. I bought it from the guy who did the restoration shortly after he'd finished it.
As an automatic, it’s a pretty rare car; there are only 17 of them left on the road, apparently. At shows or even driving the streets, it’s a huge attention magnet. Every time I go out in it, someone will wave to me. A pedestrian even saluted one day as I wafted past. “It’s a long time since I’ve seen one of those. My dad had one. The most comfortable car I’ve ever been in,” are typical comments.
I've had it for 3 years and I have really invested in improving it:
• Most significant of all, a recent full engine rebuild by a Landcrab specialist 2, 000 miles ago. This included a NOS crankshaft and bearings; new pistons; an unleaded conversion; a new radiator and the fitting of an oil cooler, all to help tackle the classic Six overheating issues (it has been a success so far!); a new, uprated alternator; new timing chain, water pump and hoses; a spin-on oil filter conversion. You will not find a Six with a better engine anywhere!
• Reupholstered seats, retaining the old blue vinyl which was in perfect condition but sewing in new draylon seat covers, quilted and piped to match the originals. The colour match is as close to the original as you can get but, as they’re now covered in a sofa fabric, they are far more durable than the originals.
• New headlining in the original fabric.
• New, uprated braided silicon flexible brake pipes which will never need to be changed.
• Full carburettor rebuild and refurbishment by a carburettor specialist.
• Automatic gearbox service, clean and fluid change.
• New fuel pump.
• Malpassi fuel pressure regulator
• Rear seat belts.
As you can see from above, just about everything mechanically that might need doing has been done; ditto with the interior.
I personally don't think the respray was a great job and the paint needs attention so someone with friends in the business or the ability to do their own paintwork would make short work of it.
In terms of history, documentation and spares, it comes with:
• the original purchase documentation.
• all the old 1970s and 80s MOT certificates.
• a photographic record of its emergence from the garage after its long sleep in 2014, of the strip down and respray and of the engine rebuild.
• three workshop manuals.
• spare bulbs.
• two starter motors.
• a spare laminated windscreen.
It is ULEZ, tax and MOT exempt!
I am looking for a sensible price which reflects the work I have done to make this special, historic car even more special, though I know I can’t expect to recover all that I have spent. Offers in the region of £10, 250. Serious enquiries only, please. I'm based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.
