1961 Vauxhall Cresta – Classified of the Week

How about this for a stunning slice of British chrome and two-tone loveliness? In the 1950s British car designers had their binoculars out and they were looking at what was going on across the pond. What they saw was chrome, fins, bright colours and a lot of flair. Given that 1950s Britain was a somewhat miserable place, our carmakers decided to grab what the Americans were doing and introduce it to our domestic tin. As a result, we got cars like this, the utterly stunning Vauxhall Cresta PA. It packed chrome, it packed bench seats and it packed style. Vauxhall apparently took the 1957 Buick Special as inspiration, and if you squint, you can kind of see what they were shooting for.

The Cresta was the top flight model, with the Velox sitting just below. Both were the same car structurally, but they came with different levels of trim. Much like Ford’s Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac. Being a Cresta, this meant a heater as standard, leather trim, more chrome, optional two-tone paint and even, are you ready for this, the option of a radio! You could even get a locking fuel filler cap. It was a simpler time.

The car we’re looking at here is a 1961 model, fitted with a 2.6-litre straight-six engine mated to a three-speed manual transmission. Though it’s worth noting that the Cresta can seat six. Three in the front, three in the back all courtesy of bench seats, column gear change and under-dash mounted handbrake lever. In the case of this car though, which is resplendent in Honey Gold and Primrose, the very yellow and gold interior trim actually comes with two separate front seats. This was an incredibly rare option. Yes, you lose some of the romance of a bench seat (if this Cresta’s a’rockin…) but it’s probably safer.

The selling point of this car is the potential of it being a true survivor. It may have been restored in the 1990s but we can’t be sure. However, the vendor states that the car has been with one owner since 1998 and has been carefully stored since 2008. There are some blemishes on the paint, but that’s to be expected for a car of this age. What we see is a rare, beautifully aged and most importantly appreciating classic. The colour and trim alone make this a car worth considering.

With just 62k on the clock and no obvious reason to doubt it, this Cresta has plenty of life left in it. The 2,651cc straight-six engine is a simple and thus durable beast, as is the three-speed manual and the rear differential. All you need to do is give the car a thorough once over, maybe recommission the brakes and fit new tyres, and then set about enjoying your rare, and very yellow slice of period Vauxhall luxury. And all for just £10,500, which is a bargain for such a car. 

If you missed out on this one, here’s where you can keep an eye out for another Vauxhall Cresta for sale.