Vauxhall Wyvern
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
quotequote all
http://www.mudah.my/Vauxhal+Wyvren-13725735.htm

I'm thinking of going to have a look at this, just because my Dad had one in the 50's. It's supposedly a Wyvern, but I know my Dad's car wasn't a 2.6 (which this one is), because he always wanted a Velox or a Cresta and he later changed it for a Westminster.
My quick check says that the bigger engined cars where 2,2 liter, I can't believe this car is a 2.2 because the difference in road tax between a 2.2 and 2.6 stated is a lot here and the owner would have sorted it out if it was overstated on the log book.
Car looks nice in the pic, aircon fitted as you can see in the pic, the bit of the interior you can see looks good although the interior is not an issue to me as I could re-trim it all for 500 pounds.
Asking price is about 9.500 pound, but my plan is to leave it a while and then go look at it, it certainly wont sell quickly.
I'd appreciate any knowledgeable input, particularly on the claimed engine size, and what they are worth now in the UK. I assume parts are scarce at best, but I can get most things re-engineered as a one off if need be, and getting things like suspension parts re-bushed or brake pistons machined is easy. I’m assuming that the ignition system and distributor will be a Lucas one, in which case it is a fairly easy mod here to put in a Jap electronic distributor, (or at least it is on a four cyl).
Thanks for any comments.

C8PPO

20,836 posts

232 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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Somewhere in the archives there is a picture of me, aged about 3, sitting proudly on the bonnet of my Dad's one of these on a Kentish beach!

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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It could be that this car was known as a Wyvern in KL but I reckon if it was in the UK it would be a Cresta. My Dad's Wyvern didn't have the two-tone flash along the side or anything like as much chrome trim. The interior looks too smart for a Wyvern as I remember them.Dad's had little glass blocks glued to top of the window so it could be pulled down. It was too poverty spec for winding windows! It also didn't have a 2.6 engine. The badge on the side definitely has a six-letter word so it's not a Velox. Actually it's definitely not a Wyvren which is what the advert states. What is they say about advertisers who can't even spell the name of the car they're selling?

900T-R

20,406 posts

286 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
quotequote all
Hmmmm...

I thought it was Wyvern - 1500 cc 'four' and Velox - 2200 cc 'six'... at least it was that way for UK and EU market cars.

scratchchin 2600 cc?

And no, it doesn't look like a Wyvern to me, either.

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
quotequote all
900T-R said:
Hmmmm...

I thought it was Wyvern - 1500 cc 'four' and Velox - 2200 cc 'six'... at least it was that way for UK and EU market cars.

scratchchin 2600 cc?

And no, it doesn't look like a Wyvern to me, either.
Certainly PA Crestas were 2.6.
I thought this model was as well.

Edited by Johnspex on Thursday 16th February 17:13

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
quotequote all
Wouldn't the ignition system/distributor be AC Delco on a Vauxhall?

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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I think the little knob slightly to the right of the left dashboard grille is a fag lighter. Dad's Wyvern only had a chrome blanking plate there.
That is definitely not a UK model Wyvern but as I said earlier may have been known as a Wyvern in KL.

crankedup

25,764 posts

272 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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www.voc1903-1957.co.uk

I'm sure that the club can help if you still need any after inputs in here. Nice looking car.

C8PPO

20,836 posts

232 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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Pretty sure my Pa's was a Velox.

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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Having blown up the pic of the car you can see that the second letter of the badge is definitely a Y. So the badges suggest it is a Wyvern.

Skyedriver

23,319 posts

311 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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In black rather than the two tone which accentuates certain lines, could this not be an early Wyvern?
Looks suspiciosly like the one my butcher boss arrived in when I was a delivery lad in the late 60's
Victor, Velox & Cresta were all more modern wiht wrap around screens and tail fins

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Thursday 16th February 2012
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The name Wyvern was given to a model before this one.
This shape was sold in the UK as Wyvern, Velox and Cresta.After this the Wyvern was dropped for the Victor and the Cresta/Velox name was used for the more extravagant PA American type styling with the wrap-around windscreen.

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Friday 17th February 2012
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That's a UK Wyvern.

The one with all the chrome and the side flash is a Cresta.

stuwalsh

225 posts

182 months

Friday 17th February 2012
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The car is obviously 'export' spec. I remember my Dad always having the Vauxhall 'E' models. Initially Crestas which always had the 6cyl engine and chrome flash down the sides. After my parents bought their first house he downgraded to a Wyvern. I can remember 3 x Crestas, a beige one, a red one with white stripe and finally a green one again with a white stripe. The Wyvern was black.

The PA series was the replacement model for these.

Johnspex

5,237 posts

213 months

Friday 17th February 2012
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If it is export spec, which is very likely, why would it be called Wyvern but have Cresta bits on it (engine, trim etc)? Why not just call it Cresta? I guess it's an unaswerable question but intriguing all the same.