EDITOR’S PICK WOLSELEY 1300

1970

This worthy survivor graced these pages recently after it was entered in the Ellerslie Intermarque Concours d’élégance, Survivors’ Class competition. The current owner, Brian, stumbled across this gorgeous Wolseley 1300 Automatic in September 2013 on a local auction site, and subsequently wasted no time in making the call for a more comprehensive description of the car. The news was good for Brian, and NZnew, Uk-assembled, genuine 55,000 miles (88,513km) and completely original was enough to make the all-important decision, “Oh this will do.” It was the perfect toy for an 82-year old self-proclaimed ‘ leisureologist.’ Once the final price was negotiated the car was on its way to Auckland from Canterbury, where it had spent a large part of its life. Upon its arrival Brian expressed himself happy with the overall appearance of the Wolseley, it was exactly as described and had no grizzles. There were several minor maintenance issues that needed attending to, such as the radiator, CV joints and engine mounts, and it was in want of a good tune-up. Brian also changed the engine oil, repaired a minor issue with the steering, and gave the original red interior a good spruce up. According to Brian, “It’s just such a little gem, and I thoroughly enjoy driving it.” I was pleasantly surprised when Brian took me for a drive from Orewa, over the hill to Waiwera. The Wolseley’s interior was spacious, easily enough for four people, and the 1300cc engine was more than comfortable travelling at open-road speed, handling the steep climb with unexpected ease despite being automatic. The ride was super smooth thanks to the hydrolastic suspension, offering a ride quality equal to many modern vehicles on the road today.