Wolseley 24/80
ENGLISH STYLE AND AUSTRALIAN POWER
Patrick Quinn • Photos Steve Oom

Everyday Classics come in all shapes and forms.
We investigate the attractive combination of 1960’s
English style and Australian six-cylinder power.

Style and power! It’s a combination that so many of us take for granted today in our modern motor vehicles. Thankfully, what looks good to one person doesn’t look the same to another. Otherwise we would all be driving red Ferraris or beige Kingswoods. We Australians have a history of leaning towards the six-cylinder engine. Just look at the most popular vehicles on the market today, mostly powered by a six in either V or in-line form.

History repeats itself and we are not much different today than we were in the late fifties and early sixties. During the early days of that period, Holden really had the Australian market firmly in its grasp, especially where the six-cylinder was concerned. Australians warmed very quickly to the smoother power of the General’s six, especially as it was so reasonably priced. Similarly powered alternatives were few, generally more expensive and usually imported. Australians wanted to buy Australian and the Holden filled the bill.

It wasn’t until 1960 that we received a viable alternative in the form of the new Ford Falcon XK, priced just slightly more than the Holden. Chrysler upped the ante again two years later with their R Series Valiant, priced, in turn, slightly higher than the Falcon. But the Valiant, mostly designed and built in the US, boasted a 145bhp six-cylinder against 90 and 75 for the Ford and Holden respectively.

Australian Made
Australians also had the option of British cars. With organisations such as the British Motor Corporation (BMC) actively marketing their British-designed cars, sales were brisk but not what could be called spectacular, especially up against the six-cylinder opposition.

BMC Australia was acutely aware of our liking for the six-cylinder engine and, more importantly, how sales were being lost to the opposition. There were British six-cylinder cars during the 1950s and the early ‘60s but these were heavy vehicles, expensive to run and certainly not Australian made.

In an effort to win sales in the six-cylinder market, the winter of 1962 saw BMC Australia release their new Blue Streak Six. Here was a true Australian-made engine not based on the venerable UK built C-Series. While it wasn’t quite new from the bearings up, it did show that the Australian company was serious in meeting the opposition face to face.

What BMC Australia had done was to look closely at the B-Series engine fitted to the Morris Major and the MGA and graft on a further two cylinders, resulting in a 2,433cc engine developing 80bhp. Two new vehicles were released by BMC Australia fitted with the improved engine, namely the Austin Freeway 6 and, for those who wanted a higher level of accoutrement, the Wolseley 24/80. Both came standard with a three-speed column manual with synchro on the top two gears or an optional Borg Warner 35 three-speed auto.

Both models also shared the same Farina designed body style that carried over from the four-cylinder models. It was a classic case of BMC badge engineering catering for two very different levels of the market. The Austin was slanted towards those who were satisfied with rubber mats and a metal dash while the Wolseley was aimed at the motorist who was after the extra style of a timber dash, leather trim and floor carpets. The Wolseley also sported the traditional and much loved illuminated grille badge.

One of Few
While I vividly remember the Austin Freeway 6 and Wolseley 24/80 from days of my youth, it is sad that today, survivors through to the new millennia are few and far between. We are grateful to the Wolseley Car Club of NSW for pointing us towards our featured 24/80.

Barry Whitaker of Sydney has been a classic car enthusiast for quite a few years and, like many, acquired an MGB when his circumstances permitted it.
“I had the MGB for about fifteen years,” Barry told ACC. “I had been interested in older cars for many years and especially those with a British connection. I particularly liked the Wolseley marque and joined the club hoping that I would find the car I wanted. It didn’t take long before a fellow club member put his 24/80 up for sale. Its original purchaser lived in the Sydney suburb of Croydon and I bought it from the second owner, making me the third. That was in 1986 when the Wolseley had just 39,650 miles on the clock.”

“The car was in excellent condition and still in its original Sand Beige paintwork with red trim. As far as I knew, the mileage was original and it hadn’t received any major mechanical work. It is fitted with a single Zenith carburettor, three-speed column change and four-wheel drum brakes. I bought it fully registered and pressed it into service immediately with the MG reserved for weekends.”
“For some time I had both the MGB and Wolseley in the garage,” Barry said. “Something had to go and that turned out to be the MG.”

Excellent Condition
“With such a low mileage, the Wolseley was in good condition,” Barry added. “However, it did require a little attention. As the engine was blowing some smoke I fitted a new set of rings and also rebuilt the carburettor. Not only did it stop the smoke but the engine felt like new and was running far more smoothly. There were lots of other things needing attention, like the universal joints, and most of the rubber throughout the car needed replacing, such as around the windscreen. The paintwork also needed touching up in many places all over the body.”

“All in all it’s a good car to drive,” Barry said. “My wife Vivienne and I are active members of the Wolseley Car Club and we have used it to travel all over the East Coast of Australia to various events. I suppose like many cars of the period, the 24/80 does wallow a bit out on the open road, but I really like the engine as it’s very smooth.”

“The six-cylinder engine allows the car to keep up with modern traffic. The original four-cylinder was known as the 15/60 and while it would have been okay for British conditions, even when new it would have had trouble with the longer distances we have here in Australia.”

Watching For Rust
“The Blue Streak six-cylinder engine was, of course, longer,” Barry explained. “This meant that the engine bay had to be altered, including the designing and fitting of a new front cross member for the radiator. If I were looking to buy a 24/80 now, the cross member would be the first place I would check for rust. Any water leaking from the radiator collects on the top and over time it will create rust, so start there.”

“Next is definitely the bottom of the doors, as water gets past the glass rubbers, especially if they are perished or in any way damaged. Look not only along the outside of the doors but underneath as well. I am also constantly checking for signs of rust around the front shock absorbers mountings and the boot floor. The petrol tank is located up inside the boot directly behind the rear seats and over the years, water will settle in the bottom of the tank and eventually rust it out. You end up with a boot full of petrol. It’s simple to check, as there is a removable panel in the boot. Once out of the way, it’s just a matter of running my hand along the bottom of the tank feeling for any telltale bubbles.”
“If looked after, the 24/80 isn’t too bad for rust,” Barry said. “Looking out for it is just part of preventative maintenance that applies to any older car.”

Wolseley Maintenance
Barry explained that maintenance depended on how much he used the car. “It’s not used as much as it once was, but now I would change the oil and filter every six months along with greasing the front end,” he advised.

“The front suspension of the 24/80 was typical of BMC at the time - kingpins, lower wishbones and lever shock absorbers, with the arms of the shocks forming the uppers wishbones of the suspension. Regular greasing of the many grease nipples in the front suspension is crucial if premature wear is to be prevented. It is also important to check the fasteners that hold the shock absorbers as they can become loose. As the arms form part of the suspension, a loose shock can cause trouble. Front suspension rubbers do wear over time, greatly affecting the ride, tracking and steering. I fitted modern Nolathane bushes, making a huge difference, but it’s important to make sure ample amounts of rubber grease are applied to the correct surfaces and everything is done up tightly.”

“I change the gearbox oil regularly as well, probably about every couple of years and have had no problem at all with the synchros working as well now as when the car left the factory,” Barry said. “I did go through a few problems with the brakes, especially from a leaking wheel cylinder. This caused me to clean out every wheel cylinder and fit new rubbers throughout. I also change the brake fluid every twelve months.”

“I know that many people have a go at Lucas electrics but I find that if the terminals and connections are kept clean there shouldn’t be a problem. Can’t recall any real difficulties at all in that department. There was a little problem with the SU fuel pump but that was smartly fixed by fitting a capacitor across the points to stop them from burning.”

“The loss of leaded petrol did worry me at first,” Barry added. “Now it runs quite happily on normal unleaded along with an additive. I think it’s a very practical classic car that’s easy to drive, has more than enough power and it looks good too.”

Expert’s Opinion
For our expert advice on the Wolseley 24/80 we turned to an old friend. Motor engineers Eric Rudd and Mike Irving were certainly well known in Sydney for their expertise in British cars and were both at the helm of Butler and Rudd for many years. Craving a quieter life, Eric has moved into semi-retirement and Mike now focuses on his fondness for small engines. That’s not to say that Eric has put his feet up altogether. He regularly makes his extensive knowledge available to Peninsula Sports Cars in Sydney’s northern beach suburb of Brookvale.

“The Wolseley 24/80 was a wonderful car,” Eric responded to my question on the model. “As far as servicing goes, there is no difference between it and any other British car of the period except they had two extra cylinders and one less gear. When new they had a servicing schedule of every three months and even if you use them quite a lot that still applies. But if the vehicle is used less often, as most older cars are these days, I think it should be serviced every six months whether the car is used or not.”

“The servicing includes an oil and filter change plus a good greasing of the front end. The kingpins will wear very quickly if not greased regularly. The ignition points should be checked as well and adjusted if necessary, although the distributor is a little hard to get at and I seem to recall it being easier actually taking it out and working on a bench.”

“I would check the brakes regularly as well,” Eric said. “Besides normal adjustment have a close look at the hoses. The 24/80 is around forty years old and there’s a good chance the hoses haven’t been replaced for some time. They have a woven outer casing with a rubber inner and over time the rubber starts to flake and contaminate the brake system or perhaps collapse from the inside. I would also suggest that the brake fluid be changed annually. Plus, don’t forget the shock absorbers, as they do receive quite a bit of punishment. With regular maintenance, the Wolseley 24/80 should just keep going and going.”
Thanks Eric and Barry. So what about a little English style and Aussie power? Few and far between these days but worthwhile if you find the right one.