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All hail the Victor. Image by John Lambert.

All hail the Victor
Take a step back in time for a taste of motoring in the 1960s.

   



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| First Drive | Millbrook, England | 1964 Vauxhall Victor De Luxe Estate |

What was family motoring like forty five years ago? To find out we took a 1964 Vauxhall Victor from Vauxhall's heritage collection for a spin. Mechanically it is typical of what family cars were like throughout the fifties, sixties and seventies with drum brakes, a four-speed gearbox and live back axle. It shows just how far the family car has moved on.

In the Metal

The Victor's styling predates most concerns about safety or aerodynamics. As a result it has a fairly flat front-end with elements such as the wing mirrors perfectly placed to cause injury to pedestrians. However it would be unfair to single the Vauxhall out as any worse than its contemporaries.

Although there are few distinctive elements to the Victor's outline it is neatly proportioned and has a nice, slim-pillared cabin. To modern eyes it seems surprisingly compact, sitting somewhere between a Corsa and Astra. Even so, there is plenty of room inside for a family and their holiday luggage.

What you get for your Money

Back in 1964 the Victor cost £861, 13 shillings and one old penny. For that you got a veneer-finished dashboard, chrome side strips, leather seats and a four-speed gearbox with floor mounted gear lever. Unusually for the time there was synchromesh on all gears - typically first gear would be unsynchronised and difficult to select on the move. The car feels quite plush, but the non-de-luxe car must have been very basic.

Driving it

Things have moved on a lot in the last 40 years, but most of the controls are where you would expect them - except the handbrake which pulls out from under the dashboard like an umbrella handle. The driving environment is pure 1960s, with a split bench front seat, huge black plastic steering wheel and spindly gear lever. The advantage of the large wheel is that it keeps the steering reasonably light for parking, though it does load up around corners. It also does nothing for sharp response, especially in conjunction with the old-fashioned steering box and antiquated tyres.

The 1.6-litre engine develops 59bhp and 84lb.ft and gets noisy at high rpm. The four-speed gearbox has a long lever and works best with a deliberate pause in neutral when changing gear. There is a big gap between second and third gear; sometimes the driver has the uncomfortable choice of screaming round a roundabout in second or struggling along in third.

Overall the gearing betrays the Victor's origins in a pre-motorway age and 40-50mph is a comfortable cruising speed beyond which engine noise becomes intrusive. Theoretically 76mph was possible and it would have been legal to reach that speed on the open road, as the Victor pre-dates the introduction of the national speed limit.

Worth Noting

On a twisting road it is essential to keep the speed down as there is very little grip from the Victor's crossply tyres. These do give progressive breakaway, but if you're not used to it you will be caught out as the front end runs wide even at moderate speeds. The other reason for watching your speed is the brakes - drums all round, although front disks were an option - which need a firm push and are not particularly effective.

It is better to relax and soak up the features not found on modern cars, such as the fast acting manual window winders and the good view from the wing-mounted mirrors. The flat, upright seat might not look very supportive but feels surprisingly comfortable and with a low seat back increases the feeling of space inside the car - just don't ask about whiplash protection.

Summary

You don't have to drive the Victor very far to see that the family car has improved vastly over the last 45 years. But passing time has lent a certain charm to driving the old Vauxhall. You learn how to work with the machinery and enjoy the challenge of planning ahead and when it starts to come together it is incredibly satisfying. Will anyone feel the same way about the 2009 Vauxhall Insignia in 2054?

John Lambert - 15 Jun 2009



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1964 Vauxhall Victor specifications:
Price: £861, 13 shillings and one old penny (in 1964!)
0-60mph: 22.6 seconds
Top speed: 76mph
Combined economy: 26.0mpg
1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.

1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.



1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.
 

1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.
 

1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.
 

1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.
 

1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.
 

1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.
 

1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate. Image by John Lambert.
 






 

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