Looking better than the day it left Cowley...
Well this is long overdue. We've had Wedges as runners up for the CoTY award for three of the past four years, each time being pipped by a Rover. The car that broke the ADO71's duck is a wonderful example of the breed - a 1975 Wolseley 2200 owned by enthusiast, Alex Sebbinger. The car's been restored and looks magnificent in Flamenco Red, and is the perfect flag bearer for AROnline going into the new decade.
The good news is that these cars are already firmly established as classic cars, which means that we don't need to justify our choice as a future classic - and that makes life easier. In the runner's-up position came Sally Sheldon's excellent late-model Series One Rover 3500SE, which proves that the SD1 remains an evergreen AROnline staple. Expect more in 2010!
Words and pictures: Alex Sebbinger
Engineering in a (genuinely) finer form...
Looking better than the day it left Cowley...
FIRST found out about this Wolseley
in the summer of 2001. Having at that time got seriously into Wedges, the moment
I first saw the Wolseley version I knew I just had to have one. A search lasted
about a year, when one day I got an email from a PAOC member who told me that
there was one advertised for sale. It turned out that this vehicle had (in the
1990s) been a former Wolseley Register councours vehicle, however had since
been sold and sadly had deteriorated somewhat. Anyway I went to see it (right
in the centre of Birmingham) and there were a number of issues; wings rusty,
doors rusty, arches rusty, massive key scratch down the drivers side, huge exhaust
leak, the speedo didn't work... Anyway, I bought it regardless, managed to get
it home, and took stock.
The Flamenco Red exterior of the car was now rough but the interior was nigh on perfect, as was the vinyl roof. Fortunately all the model-specific badgeing was still in place, and the bonnet was rot free. As the rest was pure Princess it was a case of sourcing panels as necessary, getting them fitted, welded and then all painted up. This was duly done, and you can see the full story in my member's page.
Mechanically very little needed doing. The speedo was sorted quickly
(the angle drive had broken), and a new radiator soon improved performance of
the cooling system. After a replacement exhaust was fitted it sounded good.
Most of the work on this car was done in the winter between 2001-2002. For an
older restoration now it has lasted the test of time very well (these photos
having been taken this summer), however for the sake of ensuring it lasts the
test of time I am having the underside fully stripped back, and anything less
than perfect will be sorted.
I was told some time ago that it was the earliest roadworthy wedge left (being
registered in May 1975). Whether that is true I have no idea, but one thing
I do know - This car is one that I can never ever sell.
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