Vauxhall FE Series restoration.

The FE is a tough car to restore. Like most, if not all, British cars of the 1970s, it employs unitary construction - so every part of the body is essentially structural - and it also rusts like nothing else this side of an Alfasud.

In addition to the terrible parts supply problem, the FE is also poorly served by many suppliers, most have been scrapped, and the trim is of poor quality and generally unique to the car. Early door panels especially are prone to warping, and the door handle is moulded into the card, so it takes all the stress. FE enthusiasts learn very quickly how to make other parts fit, but if you're looking at getting into FE ownership, there are a number of things to consider.

First, the value of the car is never likely to be that high. Whilst it's not a common car, it also doesn't have the same nostalgia-driven market of frustrated sales reps that the Mk III Cortina has. Even good FE series cars are considered worth less than £1,500.

Second, the cost of restoration is going to be high. These cars can, and do, rust everywhere. Panels are scarce and expensive, and the handful of dealers vary from charging very little for critical parts, to extortionate amounts for trivial components. As yet, no compatible parts have been found for areas such as the rear arches.

Bodywork

Looking for rust? Here are a few pictures of my old VX1800 - which wasn't a bad example!

The rear arches. The FE is terrible for rotting out the inner and outer back arches - condensation forms in the boot and untrimmed inner surface of the wings, as well as the relentless attack of salty British roads. Upmarket models had chrome trim which makes the problem worse in most cases, providing a neat little trap as well as a number of small holes to get things started.
Repair is simple, if you have rear arch repair sections...
For an FE owner, that is a pretty big if ;) No plans are in place to remanufacture, even the low quality repair sections are fairly sought after.

Behind the wing, a strengthening panel. I don't even know what this is called, but it is pretty rusty and probably hard to find. I have never come across one, but it might be part of a factory inner wing. The top of the flitch panel is just visible here, most cars are missing this causing extreme rot in the A-pillars and floorpan.

A delightfully solid looking inner wing - seriously. There is a typical repair patch (the rusty, flat part) that pretty much any unrestored FE series will be sporting. The front suspension is mounted on the crossmember, that bolts to the chassis rails, so inner wings don't have quite the same 'critical' nature as say, a Ford Cortina. However, they do contribute to the strength and safety of the car.
Can you get replacement front inner wings? No. Not unless you look hard and find NOS parts.

 

My 1975 Vauxhall Ventora, before I got it - lurking in a yard

Ventora restoration.

My original plan was to turn the car on the left, into the car on the right. I acquired Sebastian, the Ventora, in June, when Katharine Manton (of Vauxhallmania fame) trailered the poor beast from Kidderminster to Kelso. We both had high hopes for the car, but Kat's fleet precluded restoration, so being an FE nut, I thought I would get it sorted out.

My mechanic said 'no problem, get me the panels and I'll fix it'. One phone call to Mike Bond of Obsolete Vauxhall Parts later, and... as you can see, a fair collection of bits. What is there?

Just how rusty is my Ventora? This doesn't even come close - the floor is a little, shall we say... shabby? This rust is identical on both sides, and has extended into the sills, jacking points, you name it, it's rusty.

Vauxhall claimed to have used extra rustproofing on the Ventora. This is evident underneath, where the centre of the car still has factory wax - shame they didn't put it /inside/ the box sections, too...

Yes - the floor is worse on the driver's side. Imagine pressing the brake hard... The floor-hinged pedal is more comfortable than most modern cars, and is even angled - the Ventora is a very ergonomically sound car by the standards of the day, and could be driven for long periods. Wind noise, road noise, and the growl of the big six, all mark it out as a product of the 70s, but that is all part of the experience!

However, from the amount of rust, it's clear that the transformation from the pale-green scrapyard special on the left, to the metalflake purple car on the right, is going to take some time...

And this is the view I looked forward to. The sports wheel is unusual, since the Ventora can't decide if it is a sports car or not. It isn't, but 0-60 in 8.5 seconds is reasonably respectable - shame you can't get 100 octane fuel anymore (you can, however, mix it yourself now... for an additional 9p per gallon).

 



And so, a restoration that will never happen... unless anyone else is that brave?

"Why make the purple car? Why this basis instead of a good one? I'll deal with the last question first - guilt and rarity. Five years ago I scrapped two saveable FE series cars - one Victor 2300 that had suffered a seized rear axle, and one VX1800 that I had attempted to save from scrap myself, only to send it back a year later. I can't believe I didn't make the effort to sell them to a restorer, and I should have saved them myself - the scrapyard in question destroyed good panels for no good reason.

The purple car came about for... damn. I have no idea why. I just know I dreamed of making the VX1800 into it, and never did... it would have been a good basis. The Ventora as a car is an even better basis, but this Ventora is so far gone, it should really be scrapped. When a 36,000 mile VX4/90 with tax and MOT is for sale for only £800 in Practical Classics, spending more than twice that saving a well-used example seems like madness - but the total cost should be below £3,000 including new panels, paintwork and all labour, with everything rebuilt where required. £3,000 doesn't get a lot of car these days, and I've never seen a real Ventora for sale - only fake FE Victors fitted with the 3.3 litre engine, or worse, fake V8 Ventoras (there was to be a V8 at one point, but given the sixes' poor economy...) with Rover engines. The customizing I am doing is in period with the car, and also, removable. It can always be repainted the original pale green and have a black roof fitted - all trim is remaining the same, all interior trim will be saved if anything is done in there.

I just think the FE is a wonderful shape, a classic that will probably never be recognised, and like the PC Cresta and Viscount, will disappear - for good - from British roads. This is one Ventora that will not be allowed to die, and that means one more reminder that once, Britain could make a good car, as well as dire vehicles like the Allegro and Marina."

Brave words. The car sat outside the garage from June to March, with the new panels inside the car (and for a while, the chassis rails on the car!). Whilst it hasn't deteriorated much, it's evident that the car genuinely is beyond repair, the rust having extended into floor, inner and outer sills, rear inner panels, front inner wings etc. To add insult to injury, the previously mint bonnet acquired a dent. I still haven't found an FE Ventora, though several FDs have appeared, and at the time of writing I'm off to get a 1978 S VX2300 Estate Auto (itself a rare car) that is apparently solid and driveable. It's mentioned further up the page!