1961 Wolseley 1500

The Wolseley comes from a deceased estate with the seller helping with the auction of a collection of vehicles. Each vehicle will be fixed up into a running state where possible prior to sale and fortunately the Wolseley was an easy one to revive. A change of clutch cylinder (there are also two clutches in the boot for the next owner too) and some minor mechanical TLC and the Wolseley was back up and running in no time. However, the clutch has ceased working properly while on-site, and thus will require some more attention; however, the car presents very well and should prove a most rewarding recommissioning project.

The car has been with the late owner since 1965 and had just one private owner before that; it has clearly been well looked after throughout its life.

The Wolseley has clearly been loved and well maintained during its life and the condition of the exterior confirms that to be the case with clean, straight body panels with panel gaps all being tight and uniform. The paintwork has held up in good condition too with no fading or excessive chips from what we can see. The wheels are in a similar state with the painted cream centres and chrome hub caps.

All glass around the car is in good condition as well, with no obvious chips, cracks or marks all round. The same is true of the chromework on the windows and the trim around the vehicle, aside from some minor pitting here and there.

The Wolseley appears to be largely original exterior-wise, and presents in fantastic condition in which to continue to be enjoyed into the future. There does seem to be the starting of some bubbling on the joint between the front panel and wings, but it’s at a level far less than what you’d expect from a car this age.

Overall the exterior is in very good, acceptable condition, and with little work it could be preserved for another 62 years.

Interior-wise, the Wolseley has exterior-colour-matched seats with a wooden dash over a brown carpet, which has a little fading but remains in good condition otherwise. The upholstery on the seats and doorcards is in great condition with no visible rips or tears or excessive wear to be seen.

The headlining has some marks but it is not sagging or ripped, the sun visors are in good condition and even the interior light is working, all adding up to a complete and well-preserved interior in good condition.

The boot space is a good size and has the spare wheel present too. The condition of the tyre is unknown, but it looks to be the same tread pattern as the road wheels. Condition of the bodywork inside the boot looks to be good with no visible damage or corrosion from what we could see, and the boot floor is protected by rubber matting.

As you can see in the photo gallery the underside of the Wolseley looks to be in clean condition, clearly protected by underseal which looks to have done its job very well in the car’s 62 year lifespan.

There is some paint flaking here and there on the subframes but surely at a far lower rate of wear and tear than you’d expect. All components for the suspension and drive train underneath look to be in good visual condition too and we’d encourage a thorough look through the photos to see for yourself just how good things look underneath.

In the engine bay things look to be in good order too with the 1489cc, inline 4 unit sitting pride of place painted in its classic hue of green. Apart from the new clutch cylinder it is thought that there has not been much in the way of replacements (outside of regular items) or modifications to the mechanicals but unfortunately, we can only go off what’s in the paperwork. There do not seem to be any fluid leaks visible, however, and from what is on show there do not seem to be any split hoses, wires or cracks in tubing.

Coming with three keys, a huge stack of paperwork and even some in period photos of the car being enjoyed, the Wolseley’s history file certainly has all the hallmarks of it being a well-loved car.

A raft of early paperwork includes service records and MOT tests going back to the 1960s. The maintenance, servicing and roadworthiness testing of the Wolseley looks to have been regular and routinely carried out. The last MOT, for example, expired in 2018, even though the car is now MOT exempt it has been kept in good roadworthy condition to ensure its longevity.

There is a current V5C and a clean Hpi check. The photo gallery has a comprehensive collection of all the paperwork present for you to peruse through before putting in a bid.

The Wolseley was a part of a collection of cars belonging to someone who clearly cared for it and enjoyed it. The extensive history and regular maintenance and testing shows a level of meticulous attention to the vehicle and that has definitely done it well. This would make a fantastic base from which to turn into a concourse example, or just to enjoy on the weekends. We estimate that it will sell for £3,000-£5,000, and is on offer at no reserve.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.