History
My first car was purchased in 1963 from a car dealer in Brunswick, Melbourne (Victoria). It was a green 1948 Wolseley 18/85 and I paid 70 Australian pounds for it back then (about $140). It was an ex-Melbourne Tramways fleet car and had been well serviced and looked after until it was sold to an employee, who wasn't too fussy with it. It came with all the manuals and books. It reminded me so much of the 'Scotland Yard' Wolseleys I saw on British movies. For three years that was my everyday car and it never let me down once. I serviced and maintained it myself, even learning to tune the twin SU carbs from a racing driver friend. There was so much room in the car, perfect for a young just married couple. It had the old swing-out arm turn indicators on each side, and if I was driving it at night, I had get out and turn on the tail lights by pulling out an external brass switch next to the driver's side rear light. Of course you had to remember to turn them off when the journey ended, otherwise you would end up with a flat battery the next day. It weighed close to two tons and was built like a tank. On one occasion a Holden FJ driver overtook me and came back in so close his rear mudguard got caught on the end of my front bumper bar. It tore his mudguard clean off, with no damage to my car at all. How I miss those strong spring steel bumpers. The Wolseley served us well and many an enjoyable trip was taken in it. I had intentions of restoring it, but the demands of a growing family had other thoughts, and so I sold it to a member of the Wolseley club for the magnificent sum of 100 Australian pounds (about $200). I still wonder whatever became of it?
