It all Started when...
Like many of his generation, Leslie remembers that, as a kid, the experience of riding in a car was a great event. When he landed a job in a local garage at the age of 14, Leslie was lucky enough to regularly service a then new Austin 7 utility. It was one of the first new cars to come to his hometown, Wowan, Queensland, after the Second World War. Since that day he has spent a lifetime working on cars and machinery.
Les had owned several motorbikes, but his first personal car was a 1925 Chrysler Tourer cut down to a utility. It was a ‘good old car’, he recalls fondly. At a guess, he has probably owned 30 cars over his lifetime. An FC Holden was unequivocally one of his worst. ‘You dare not take your eyes off the road because it would be heading for a guidepost for sure.’ Other cars of note include a Ford 10 and a Standard Vanguard that was built like a tank – ‘if you drive it into a tree, God help the tree!’
A 2002 Land Rover Discovery stands out over the years as one of the best cars he has owned. Mostly due to its roadholding qualities and low maintenance cost. In six years of ownership he only had to replace the battery before he sold it for something more modern. When asked what he would choose if he could have any car in the world, he even reverted to the Discovery. ‘It’s one of the best cars you can own, provided you are prepared to buy the petrol for them.’ Les has owned 20 or so Land Rovers in his life. He acknowledges that they are not a comfortable vehicle, however he recalls that even when they were 15 to 20 years old, they could keep up with the more modern vehicles in their 4WD club. One trick he enjoyed was to pull up outside a property gate, hop out and then use the hand throttle on the dash. He would then open the gate and let the car drive itself through before jumping back in.
One car Les always wanted was a 1953 Wolseley 4/44. An uncle purchased one new and came to visit not long after Les and his wife Daphne were wed. He loved it so much he said, ‘I’ll have one of them one day.’
The design is what drew him in. After the war Morris, who had previously purchased Wolseley Motors, merged with Austin Motor Company to form the British Motor Corporation. According to Les, they took the best out of all the cars they had and built the 4/44. ‘It still rides as well today as most cars on the road.’
Leslie’s son, my father Barry, found Les’s 1953 4/44 Wolseley when out on a rural work trip in Thangool, Queensland. The seller had three Wolseleys and Leslie had a Massey Ferguson tractor. Leslie wanted a Wolseley and the guy wanted a tractor, so a deal was made. Les remembers, ‘so I did get one, it only took me 50 years to get there.’
At a sprightly 83 years of age, Les went to work getting the Wolseley to a roadworthy condition. The paint was abysmal, and he had to strip it right back to metal. The suspension and brakes required refurbishing, but the engine didn’t need too much work. Les notes that ‘English cars of that time, they had oil leaks built into them.’ The Wolseley still sports its original leather interior, which had been well cared for over the years.
Being a pensioner, money for a project like this could be a little tight. Les sold two or three tractors and put the money directly into the restoration of the Wolseley to ensure that there weren’t really any monetary constraints for him in the build. He thanks retirement for the fact that it only took 12 months to get the car roadworthy and registered. ‘It’s the beauty of not being employed. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.’
The Wolseley is not used as an everyday car. It sits a little low for Daphne to get in and out of regularly, but it is perfect for the odd weekend trip to a swap meet or drive into town. Leslie probably won’t restore another car, but he also doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. At 87 he still does a lot of physical work around his property and on the cars he owns.