Vauxhall Wyvern

The Vauxhall Wyvern is a medium-sized family car introduced by Vauxhall in 1948 as a successor to the Vauxhall 12. The name comes from the mythical beast the wyvern, and may be due to a misidentification of the heraldic griffin on the Vauxhall badge.

Vauxhall Wyvern
Vauxhall Wyvern Saloon (LIX)
Overview
ManufacturerVauxhall (General Motors)
Production1948–57
AssemblyLuton, United Kingdom
Australia
Body and chassis
RelatedVauxhall Velox
Vauxhall Cresta
Chronology
PredecessorVauxhall 12-4
SuccessorVauxhall Victor

Wyvern LIX (1948–51)

Vauxhall Wyvern LIX
Vauxhall Wyvern LIX
Overview
ManufacturerVauxhall
Production1948–51
55,409 made[1]
Body and chassis
Body style4-door saloon
RelatedVauxhall Velox
Powertrain
Engine1,442 cc (88.0 cu in) Straight-4
35 bhp (26 kW)
Dimensions
Wheelbase97.75 in (2,483 mm)[2]
Length164.5 in (4,178 mm)[2]
Width62 in (1,575 mm)[2]
Height65 in (1,700 mm) [2]
Chronology
PredecessorVauxhall 12-4

The L series Vauxhall Wyvern along with the Velox were Vauxhall's first post-war new models; incorporating American influence, it started production in September 1948 and finished in July 1951. Many of these went for export to help the British economy. The Wyvern was fitted with a 1,442 cc (88.0 cu in) four-cylinder engine with 35 bhp (26 kW) with a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h). The optional extras available were a radio/heater/foglight. These vehicles are forgotten classics with very few surviving.

Australian vehicles carried the model code LBX.[3]

Vauxhall Wyvern LIX Saloon


Wyvern EIX (1951–57)

Vauxhall Wyvern EIX
Vauxhall Wyvern EIX (1952)
Overview
ManufacturerVauxhall
Production1951-57
110,588 produced [4]
Body and chassis
Body style4-door saloon
2-door convertible (Australia)
2-door coupe utility (Australia)
RelatedVauxhall Velox, Vauxhall Cresta
Powertrain
Engine1442 cc Straight-4
35 bhp (26 kW)
(1951–52)
1508 cc Straight-4 45 bhp (34 kW)
(1952 - 1957)
Dimensions
Wheelbase103 in (2,616 mm)[5]
Length172.5 in (4,382 mm)
(1951–1952)[5]
170.75 in (4,337 mm)
(1952 - 1957)
Width67 in (1,702 mm)
(1951–1952)[5]
66.5 in (1,689 mm)
(1952–1957)
Height63 in (1,600 mm) [5]

In August 1951[6] a completely new Wyvern was launched, featuring a modern Ponton, three-box shape in a unitary construction body. In spite of the abandonment of the old RAC horsepower tax system which favoured long stroke engines, the old long stroke four cylinder 35 bhp (26 kW) engine from the L-series was retained and permitted a claimed top speed above 62 mph (100 km/h) despite the car's increased size. As before, a more powerful Vauxhall Velox was available with the new body.

5313 were made.[4]

Wyvern EIXW

After only six months production of the rebodied Wyvern the car received, in April 1952, Vauxhall's new short stroke 1508 cc four-cylinder engine. Along with its six -cylinder Velox version, the new engine had a bore of 79.3mm and a stroke of 76.2mm, identical measurements (and therefore capacity) as the rival Ford Consul/Zephyr engines introduced two years previously. With a power output of 45 bhp (34 kW) at 4,000 rpm, maximum speed rose to 72 mph (116 km/h). More performance was available from the six-cylinder Vauxhall Velox and (from 1954) Cresta versions.

The EIX series Wyvern received a new bonnet and grille in 1955, a wrap-round rear window in 1956 and another new grille in 1957.[7]

The Wyvern sold well on the UK market until Vauxhall abandoned the six seater four cylinder market and replaced it with the smaller but more radically styled Vauxhall Victor F-Series in 1957.

A car with the 45 bhp (34 kW) engine tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1952 had a top speed of 71.6 mph (115.2 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 37.2 seconds. A fuel consumption of 30.4 miles per imperial gallon (9.3 L/100 km; 25.3 mpgUS) was recorded. The test car cost £771 including taxes.[5]

105,275 were made.[4]

Wyvern EBX

The EBX model code was applied to the Australian "chassis only" variant of the Wyvern EIX.[8]

1953 Vauxhall Wyvern EIX Saloon

Australian production by General Motors-Holden

General Motors-Holden's produced a Vauxhall Wyvern model in Australia from 1938 to 1957. Externally very like the unitary construction British cars these Australian Vauxhalls retained a separate chassis frame. As well as countering prejudices against "chassisless cars" on outback roads the separate box girder chassis could be bodied with an open tourer body or a utility body.[9][10] The new Holden was "chassisless" the Vauxhall with a chassis let GM give customers an option.

Wyvern 10 horsepower

Australian 1948 Wyvern H Series "Caleche"

GMH introduced a locally built Vauxhall Wyvern model to the Australian market in 1938, ten years prior to the use of the Wyvern name in England.[11] It was built on a separate chassis with a box-section cruciform frame. The six-light body with protruding luggage boot built to Holden's "turret-top" design used many of the front pressings of the unitary construction British Vauxhall H Series.[11] It was produced in saloon and open Calèche body styles.[12] The Calèche was offered in 2-seater roadster and 4-seater tourer models.[13] The Wyvern had a 94-inch wheelbase and used a 10 hp engine.[13] The saloon featured a six light body [14] with a side window behind each rear door unlike the British H Series 10-4 model. The wheelbase was increased in 1940 [15] to 97¾ inches.[16]

Production ceased in 1941 but was resumed in 1946, using pre-war tooling.[17] A new grille with horizontal bars was adopted, replacing the previous vertical bar design.[18] The 10 h.p engine was used,[19] but this was soon replaced by a 12 h.p. unit.[20]

For an image of a 1938 sedan see external links below

Wyvern LBX (1948–51)

Australian Wyvern "Caleche" (L Series)

The L Series Wyvern was produced from 1948 to 1951. It was offered with an Australian developed sedan body, an Australian "Caleche" tourer body, both with a box girder chassis,[21] or with the unitary construction English saloon body. Besides having a separate chassis the Australian sedan differed from its English counterpart in having a longer passenger cabin, a more rounded boot and an additional side window behind the rear doors.[22] Australian vehicles carried the model code LBX.[3]

Wyvern EBX (1952–57)

Vauxhall Wyvern Vagabond

The E Series Wyvern was produced from 1952 to 1957.[23] In addition to building the 4-door integral body-chassis Wyvern sedan, GMH continued to build a separate chassis[24] and developed a 2-door convertible and a Coupe Utility for it.[25] The convertible was initially marketed as the Caleche and later as the Vagabond.[26] 1954 was the last year for the Coupe Utility,[25] and the Vagabond was not included in the facelifted E Series range released in April 1955.[27]

References

Citations

  1. Sedgwick & Gillies 1993.
  2. "The Vauxhall Wyvern". The Motor. 4 October 1950.
  3. >VAUXHALL L TYPE - WYVERN & VELOX SPECIFICATIONS, vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com Retrieved 22 August 2017
  4. Sedgwick & Gillies 1993, p. 212.
  5. "The Vauxhall Wyvern (short stroke)". The Motor. 10 September 1952.
  6. Vauxhall Motors Limited. The Times, Tuesday, 28 August 1951; pg. 2; Issue 52091
  7. Sedgwick & Gillies 1986, p. 212.
  8. Model Designations, Authorised Service Parts for Vauxhall Model E and Bedford Model CA, Vauxhall Motors Limited Parts and Accessories Department, Copyright March 1957
  9. Vauxhall Stripped Chassis. (Melbourne) Herald, page 18, 22 May 1940
  10. Two New Vauxhalls have Modern Trend (Melbourne) Herald, page 7, 1 February 1949
  11. Darwin 2002, p. 130.
  12. VAUXHALL 'WYVERN' IN TWO SMART 10-H.P. MODELS The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 22 Feb 1938, Page 4, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
  13. 1939 VAUXHALL WYVERN GMH SALES BROCHURE, www.ebay.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
  14. VAUXHALL H - 10-FOUR LAUNCH & MODEL HISTORY, vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com Retrieved 27 December 2018
  15. 1940 Vauxhall Wyvern Is Smart Performer, The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954) Monday 29 July 1940, Page 6, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
  16. 1940 VAUXHALL WYVERN GMH SALES BROCHURE, www.ebay.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
  17. Darwin 1983, p. 79.
  18. Vauxhall - Preview 1946 Range - 10 H.P. Wyvern and 14 H.P. Senior, The Australian Monthly Motor Manual, May 1946, page 33
  19. New 10-hp Vauxhall Wyvern, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tuesday, 23 July 1946, Page 9, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
  20. Vauxhall Wyvern, The Australian Monthly Motor Manual 1947 Annual, page 44
  21. Velox Caleche Sporty with Comfort. (Melbourne) Argus, 16 March 1950
  22. Darwin 2002, p. 133.
  23. Darwin 2002, pp. 134–136.
  24. Tourer is Fast and Smooth. (Melbourne) Argus, 1 June 1953
  25. Darwin 2002, p. 134.
  26. VAUXHALL VELOX and WYVERN - 1952 SEDAN and VAGABOND BROCHURE, www.ebay.com As archived at www.webcitation.org on 10 September 2014
  27. Darwin 2002, p. 135.

Bibliography

  • Darwin, Norm (1983). The History of Holden in Australia since 1917. E.L. Ford Publications. ISBN 978-0-9592287-0-0.
  • Darwin, Norm (2002). 100 Years of GM in Australia.
  • Sedgwick, Michael; Gillies, Mark (1986). A–Z of Cars 1945–1970. Osprey. ISBN 978-0-600-33391-3.
  • Sedgwick, Michael; Gillies, Mark (1993). Pressnell, Jon (ed.). A–Z of Cars 1945–1970. Bay View Books. ISBN 978-1-870979-39-9.

Further reading

  • Culshaw, David; Horrobin, Peter (1997). The Complete Catalogue of British Cars 1895–1975. Veloce Publishing. ISBN 978-1-874105-93-0.


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