Over the years, Vauxhall have developed some cracking cars, such as the Chevette and Corsa. Another car that can be mentioned in the same sentence is the Victor. First produced in 1957, the Victor stood out as a large family vehicle. For a brief time, the Victor was Britain’s most exported car, being sold all over the world. We’re looking into the history of the Victor to see what made it so memorable.
Origins
The first Victor appeared in 1957, being coded as the F series. It featured a unitary body, large glass area and heavily curved windscreen. It took inspiration from American styling, as the body was based on the Chevrolet Bel Air. The Victor’s interior was made up of bench seats fitted with ‘Elastofab’ trim as standard. The engine outputted 55 bhp.
The engine was of a similar size to the one in the Wyvern, which had been the Victor’s predecessor. However, it was considered new, fitted with a single Zenith carburettor. It became known for having a long life. An estate version of the Victor was introduced in 1958, which lost the American styling.
Mainstream version
The most popular version of the Victor was released in 1960. Previous versions had been prone to rusting, but the FB was a big improvement in that department. It also had a solid, well-proportioned body that made it extremely durable. In contrast to previous models, the FB had a 4-speed all-synchromesh transmission and increased capacity of 1594 cc.
The FB became a widely exported car, being popular in the UK and beyond. Sales in the US ended in 1961 after Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Buick came up with home versions. The FB lasted until 1964 and then it was replaced by the FD in 1966.
The FD was introduced with a 1599 cc engine and came with an altered interior that featured bucket seating. First introduced at the 1967 British Motor Show, the FD was quite advanced for its time. The Victor is an important classic car that found its place in the British automotive industry.
