Rover P4

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Fancy something different to the Ford and Vauxhall? Then check out these juke box jivers – price scale relates values from basket case restorations to real show stoppers

ROVER P4

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★

Are these your favourite Aunties? The old suicide rear door saloons that Rover made before the more modern P5 came along in 1957 remain much loved for their unique style, dignity and build quality plus they drive far better than their frumpy looks suggest. Top performer is the nifty 108bhp 105 model but common to all, apart from the four- cylinder 60/80, is a sewing-machine smooth short stroke straight six. Good spares and club support. These Rovers are best suited to cultured cruising as ‘Auntie Rover’ was never into cutting a rug…

MG MAGNETTE £500-£12,000+

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★★

Then as now, the delightful Z range of Magnettes are a poor man’s Jag which is nothing to be ashamed of. The MG offers a similar style, appointments and class as the Mk1 plus lower buying and running costs. Not fast, but the engine can easily be brought up to MGA or MGB tune plus they have good handling for their era. Later Farina fin-tailed Magnettes lack most of the earlier model’s good points and are not much more than gunned-up Morris Oxfords, but for all that, are good value at half the price.

STANDARD VANGUARD

£500-£4000

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★

This car, from the prim and proper Standard Motor Company, was behind the times even back in the 1950s as it was launched just after WW2. Originally, the Vanguard featured a Beetle-like styling before a more conventional, and much roomier, saloon replaced it in 1953. All are full six-seater tanks, good for an honest 80mph, that introduced us to the famous TR sportster engine which stayed with Triumph right up until 1967 with the TR4A (so there’s easy tuning potential here although rolly-poly handling needs sorting first). Rarities include an estate, van and even a diesel. Good value, even top notch ones, estates and vans are sought after.

DAIMLERS

£1000-£15,000

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★

We’re grouping this 1950’s line up, consisting of the Conquest, Century Regency, Majestic and Majestic Major together as there are great similarities. Apart from the latter Majestic, all used six-cylinder power but the Major had the thunderous 4.5-litre V8 for enough performance to keep a 3.8 Mk2 Jag in its sights! Dowdy but dignified, they are a matter of taste for most enthusiasts.

ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY

£1500-£13,000+

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★

If you look at the Armstrong Siddeley range as a cut price Daimler, you’re not far wrong. Just as dignified but half as stuffy, the Sapphire and Star Sapphire are more sporty and advanced than their looks suggest, especially the latter model which had the pleasure of a beefy 4-litre straight six for an easy ton and with as much opulence as any Rolls. They use a separate chassis so makes for heavy if doable body off restorations and club support is very good. Amazingly cheap for what they offer so one to watch.

RILEY PATHFINDER/WOLSELEY6/90

£1000-£7000

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★

A twin-cam four seater saloon wasn’t just the preserve of Jaguar in the 1950s, because that other sporting British car maker, Riley, did it two years earlier with its Pathfinder and it was the faster car. Alas, the dodgy handling of the original cars gave the saloon the nickname ‘Ditch finder’ until the rear suspension was changed. Even then the handling was antiquated, while the column gearchange, mounted on the right, needed getting used to (conventional floor change for ’54). The car was replaced by the ‘2.6’ which was nothing less than a Wolseley 6/90 with Riley badges, although its (110bhp) Big Healey engine compensated somewhat. The 6/90 is a similar car but a fair bit cheaper value-wise.

HUMBER HAWK/ SNIPE/IMPERIAL

£500-£5000+

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★

This majestic saloon from a company in the Daimler mould was aimed at the well-to-do middle class business type who wanted something less showy than a Jaguar but didn’t fancy a staid Rover. This Hawk range, which ran from 1957 to late ’67, was the last true Humber and one that’s still well liked by its owners. Roomy and comfy, the flagship Imperial has a real touch of the Rolls- Royces about it and one wonders what the car would have been like with the proposed Chrysler V8 fitted. Post 1964 cars are best thanks to cleaner styling, more power and a revised rear suspension. Estates are now very rare.

JAGUAR MK VII-IX

£5000-£50,000

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★

If you want a big 50’s car that doesn’t totally drive like one then these gigantic Jags could be for you. As luxurious and majestic as any Rolls of the same era, the big MkVII-IX feels like an XK140 in comparison to drive. That’s not surprising because essentially that’s what this saloon is although these aren’t cars to throw around corners like Stirling Moss! Some had a bench front seat for six-seater potential. Many parts are special to these saloons making them expensive to restore properly. Once dirt cheap to buy, but top cats can now match and exceed Mk2 values although you should still get a good one for £20,000 or so.

AUSTIN WESTMINSTER

£600-£5000

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★★

Fancy a Healey for all the household? Then buy this big, bulbous Austin! The (A90/A95/ A105) Westminster is big brother to the Cambridge and came with the basic Healey 2.6-litre straight six engine, albeit in lower tune, although it still mustered up to 102bhp in the sports A105 which also featured a lowered suspension and overdrive. There’s even a posh Vanden Plas version that could match a Rolls for opulence. Considering its Healey DNA, these are cheap classics that could give a lot of fun with some mods.

JAGUAR MK1

£8000-£50,000+

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★★

Was this Jaguar the BMW 3 Series of its day? Well the Mk1 certainly redefined the small sports saloon, geared towards a more thrusting sort of go-getting buyer of the 1950s. The Mk1 (Jag’s first chassis-less design) compacted all that was good about the big MkVII limos into a smart, sportier package that still retained the comfort and refinement. The 2.4 is sedate, the 3.4 is much in keeping with the car but taxes the skittish chassis. What followed of course was an icon, but Mk1s have their own following and prices have overtaken the Mk2.

HILLMAN MINX

£500-£3000

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★

Here’s a touch of British Americana you probably didn’t consider, the 1956 Hillman Minx and its posher Singer derivatives. US-inspired styling but car is as British and as conservative as a Sunday roast underneath, save for the original and advanced OHC engine the Singer model used up to 1958. All are sedate but later the 1592cc and or 1725cc engines can be fitted along with overdrive if you desire. All are cheap buys but the rare and useful estates can cost 25 per cent more.

VAUXHALL VICTOR F SERIES

£1000-£6000

JUKE BOX RATING: ★★★★

Broadly based upon a 1955 Chevrolet, the F Series Victor is pure rock and roll – and rust! These are the cars that replaced the old rounded Wyvern and gave Vauxhall such a bad name that it took decades to shake the rust reputation off. Perhaps it was that fast dissolving body that gave the F Series such a lively nature, considering its mild four- cylinder 1508cc engine and three-speed column change transmission. Good ones today are pretty sought after.