THE WAY WE WERE
In the first of three nostalgia trips in this issue we’re off to the seaside, where it seems that the struggle between pedestrians and big Vauxhalls is very real
ON IN INDIA
While the final British Pennant saloons were built in November 1959, Standard’s factory in India continued with them through to 1961, albeit badged as Standard 10s.
SHARED LINES
The Alec Issigonis-penned unitary construction Oxford MO shared its passenger cabin – plus centre and rear styling – with the Morris Six, Wolseley 4/50 and Wolseley 6/80.
AN INCH OR SO
The difference between the ‘Highline’ and later ‘Lowline’ Zodiac MkIIs was 1.5 inches – that was the amount by which the new roof pressing reduced the overall height.
OPEN DOORS
That Vauxhall Velox and Cresta PBs closely resembled the smaller Victor FB models, launched the year before them, was inevitable as they all used the same doors.
ROOM TO SNOOZE
With the back seat down, the Cortina estate MkI’s load area measured 6ft 5.5in, fulfilling one of the design briefs for it to sleep two 6ft people.
This picture may have been snapped during the Summer of Love – when The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band so thoroughly tapped the zeitgeist – but there are shades of the Fab Four’s even better LP from two years later, Abbey Road. The location is Southend-on-Sea’s Western Esplanade and the zebra crossing to the beach is busy with tourists. The chap captured mid-stride holding an ice cream is channelling his inner Ringo Starr while, coming the other way, a lady of advancing years is shooting a dirty look at the Vauxhall Cresta PB ignoring the pedestrian right of way. We bet The Beatles never had to put up with rampaging machines from Luton.
The traffic on the left, heading towards Marine Parade, does seem to be more respectful of The Highway Code. A red Mini can be seen just nudging in from beneath the lamp post, after which there’s what could easily be mistaken for a dark grey Morris Minor from this angle. And yet, the vertically-mounted rear numberplate and broad, flat front wings identify it as a 1948-54 Morris Oxford MO.
There’s no misidentifying what’s in front of the Morris; the Ford Anglia 105E’s reverse-rake rear window is unmistakeable. Judging by its ‘GB’ plate, this Spruce Green B-reg example has been to even more exotic climes than Southend. One of its bigger siblings, an Imperial Maroon Ford Cortina MkI, is ahead of it waiting in
