Fabulous FBs
John Harrison celebrates the 60th anniversary of the car he learnt to drive in, with the help of a selection of vintage diecasts.
John Harrison celebrates the 60th anniversary of Vauxhall's FB Victor.
Learning to drive in a car the equivalent of a Vauxhall Insignia or Ford Mondeo does not sound particularly easy, but this is what I had to do. My father was of the generation that learnt to drive in middle-age and he had found learning in a dual-control car confusing, therefore arranged for my older sister and I to learn with an instructor who taught us to drive in the family car.The family car was an FBVauxhallVictor. Despite any possible problems with a large car, I managed to pass my test first time. One disadvantage with learning in this car was it had a three-speed column change (a four-speed floor change was available as an optional extra, but my father did not choose that).The subsequent cars I drove were Renault 4s and 6s, with push-pull gear changes, so it was a long time before I got used to what was then the normal four-speed floor change.
The FBVictor was introduced at the October 1961 Motor Show, so we are now celebrating its 60th anniversary. My father was a teacher at my school and, shortly after the car’s introduction, the English teacher took delivery of an FB and I think this inspired my father to get one.We got ours in December 1961.At this time most little boys were keen car spotters and getting a new model like this gave me a certain kudos among friends.The school headmaster subsequently got one and then the deputy head bought aVX4/90, the sporty version – I do not think the deputy head’s objective was to outdo the head.
The FB’s predecessor was the F-Type, subsequently sometimes referred to as the “FA”, which had very American styling and was made from 1957 to 1961. The FB was much more restrained in appearance than the F-Type. It was produced in three saloon variants Standard (which my father’s was), Super and Deluxe. The estate car version was only available in Super and Deluxe form. In addition, there was theVX4/90 saloon, with a sportier 1,595cc twin-carb engine that was distinguished externally by a different grille, a coloured stripe down the side and different rear light clusters.
TheVictor’s 1,508cc engine was carried over from the F-series, with an increase in power output. In September 1963, the engine capacity was increased to 1,594cc and the model was revamped.The obvious external changes introduced were a different front grille and revised bootlid with a square, rather than rectangular, number plate housing.After 328,000
examples were produced, the FB was replaced by the FC, also referred to as the 101, in 1964.
Having considered the real car, we will look at the models, starting with period examples before looking at the more recent collectors’ models. Contemporary models were generally of the estate version.Though this article only covers diecast, white metal and resin models, it should be noted that there were plastic estate models produced by Lego (1/87), NIFC of Hong Kong (1/31, approx) and Clifford Series of Hong Kong (1/21 approx) plus a 1/16 Frog kit subsequently marketed by Novo of Russia.There were, to my knowledge, just two contemporary models of the FB saloon - one by Clifford Series of the same scale as the estate and a slightly larger one by an unknown Hong Kong manufacturer, with a wire connecting it to a control unit.The most plausible explanation for the vast majority of models being estates, as far as I am aware, is that the estate provided the opportunity for added play value with an opening tailgate.All contemporary models are of the 1961-63 version of the car – generally the earliest versions of cars are modelled – and this is certainly the case with the FBVictor.We will start with the smaller models and then go upwards in size.
MATCHBOX NO 38 VAUXHALL VICTOR ESTATE CAR
This model was available from 1963 to 1967 and was number 38 in the range. On the basis of its length, the scale is 1/69.The model only comes in yellow with the front grille and lights painted silver, although the box originally depicted a blue example.The interior is either green or red and the wheels can be black, grey or silver.This gives scope for several variations. Normally these models come with an oversize steering wheel, but one of my examples does not have this. I am not sure if this is a variation or just that it was not put in on the production line.The model is in quite good condition, so I think it unlikely that it would have had one and it been broken off.
The model has glazed windows, apart from to the two front doors and the tailgate, the latter to enable little fingers to open it.The rear door does not open to prototypical height – if this were a real car, loading it would be a headbanging process! The other feature the car has is a tow hook. I would say it is a reasonably good replica with some fine casting.The model looks slightly too wide to me, however. I also personally regret the omission of some form of indication of a number plate, or handle on the rear door.The result is too big a blank area with ‘something missing’ from it.
DINKY TOYS NO 141 VAUXHALL VICTOR ESTATE CAR
Here we have another model of the estate in yellow and, like Matchbox’s, this model was in production from 1963 to 1967. Its number is 141.All the windows are ‘glazed’, including the rear one.The rear door opens nevertheless, though not particularly easily as a result. Unlike the Matchbox model, the door opens to the prototypical height, but then unprototypically does not stay up! Whereas the Matchbox version has an interior with the rear seat up, on the Dinky version, in a rather incongruous royal blue, it is down to increase the load area – there is a good reason for this which we will come to shortly.The model has independent
suspension and the “Prestomatic” steering usually found on Dinkys of this era.April 1963’s Meccano Magazine described the model quite lyrically in its advertisement. “‘The clean line of good design’ just about sums up the Vauxhall estate car – perhaps the most beautiful car ever built. Now a precision model of it is at your dealers. Go and admire it today. It is fully equipped with Dinky Toys special features and it has an opening tailgate, too!” The model is roughly1/49 scale and captures the car’s lines well, in my view.
The only variations on the basic model are the choice of a gloss or matt (on later versions) baseplate. There are some very rare versions, however, which needless to say I haven’t got as they are very expensive. A promotional model in maroon was produced for Lightning Fasteners Ltd, a Birmingham-based company that made zip-type clothes fasteners. This has paper labels on the side, reading “Lightning Fasteners Ltd – Technical Service”, covering the door shutlines, so they would be rather impractical on a real car. There is some interesting discussion about this model on the Dinky Toys Collectors’ Association website.The author, Adrian Nash, suggests that from the limited number of examples of this model that have surfaced and the use of paper labels, not transfers or tampo printing that some pre-production samples were produced, but the project never reached mass production. I will leave readers to draw their own conclusions on this.The other rare versions are South African ones.These were produced in yellow, the same colour as the British version, and salmon pink and off white.All the rare versions have the same blue interior as the ordinary version.
DINKY TOYS NO 278 VAUXHALL AMBULANCE
No 278 is a reworking of the estate car. It is painted white with red crosses on the front doors.The main change is a diecast pod with a simulated revolving blue light on top of it, mounted on the roof.The other changes are a uniformed driver inside and the model coming with a plastic ‘patient’ lying on a stretcher with red blankets, which can be loaded into the back through the opening tailgate. One surmises that, when the estate model was designed, Meccano had this variation in mind, so the rear seat was constructed in the down position to facilitate loading the stretcher.The model was announced in the July 1964 Meccano Magazine and production continued until 1970.The magazine advertisement had this write-up of the model,“You can lay your patient on the stretcher, put him into the ambulance (tailgate opens), then speed off to the hospital in this 80 m.p.h. Victor. * Blue simulated flasher * 4-wheel suspension * Prestomatic steering * Seats * Steering wheel and uniformed driver.” Owners of the model would actually have great difficulty laying the patient onto the stretcher as he comes firmly attached to it!
There are some variations on this model.Again, thanks to an article on the Dinky Toys Collectors’ Association website, this time by “Bruce H” for details of these.There are two different interior colours, beige and green. It seems strange a different colour was used to that of the standard Dinky estate as the interiors seem to be identical.Also, there are two versions of the baseplate, one just inscribed “VICTOR” (plus “DINKY TOYS – MECCANO LTD ENGLAND” and patent details), the other “VAUXHALL VICTOR” (etc). Bruce H suggests that initially the baseplate from the estate was adapted – this was inscribed “VICTOR ESTATE” – by removing the “ESTATE” word and changing the model number.
Fortunately, Meccano Magazine featured an article about the model and its prototype, so we know quite a lot about it. Martin Walter was a coachbuilding company based in Folkestone, dating back to 1773, which switched to making vehicle bodies after the demise of the horse and, after World War II, concentrated on ambulance and camper conversions – its marketing name “Dormobile” was once used as a generic term for camper vans.The FB Estate was one of its ambulance conversions. I have seen a photo of a real Martin Walter FB conversion. It shows two features that do not appear on the Dinky, a bell on the front bumper and a spotlight on the roof.
MODERN COLLECTORS’ MODELS
We now move on to modern collectors’ models.The options here are varied, covering both 1/43 and 1/76 scales, and in diecast, resin and white metal. Offerings here come from Pathfinder, Silas and, at the smaller scale, Oxford Diecast.
OXFORD DIECAST
Oxford Diecast has so far released six versions of the FB in 1/76 scale, in Gull Grey and red (No 76FB001), Glade and Alpine Green (76FB002), Rose and lilac (76FB003), Carnival Red (76FB004), Primrose Yellow and Alaska White (76FB005), and Cactus Green (76FB006).
If you want a cheap, but nice, collectors’ model, then these are highly recommended. All are still available at www.oxforddiecast.co.uk.
PATHFINDER
This is a 1/43 scale white metal model, No PFM 23, available in two colour combinations, each produced in a limited edition of 600 examples - pale mauve and dark mauve, and white and mustard.The images shown here are fromVectis Auctions listings within the last couple of years and clearly show the excellent attention to detail.
SILAS MODELS
Silas Models make 1/43 resincasts of classic British cars. It has produced three different FB models - 125 models each of the 1962 version of the FB has been produced in Lilac Haze and Dusk Rose, and Glade Green and Alpine Green, plus 125 versions of the 1963 model with the different front grille and square rear number plate have been produced in Persian Blue and Carnival Red.
Additionally, 100 each of theVX4/90 have been produced in black with Carnival Red stripe, Panama White with Carnival Red stripe and Moorland Green with Cactus Green.Again these replicate the 1963 version.
With theVX4/90, there is another difference between the first two years’ versions and the last year’s one.The top of the stripe down the side is level on the final version, whereas on the earlier version it has a kink on the rear door.
Silas is the only company to have modelled the later version of the car. In fact, it is the the only manufacturer that has modelled theVX4/90 in any incarnation.
All are excellent quality replicas and can be found at British Heritage Models for just £69.99 each (www.britishheritagemodels.co.uk). DC