Mystery sedan from England

[prancingmoose]

Hello everyone! I haven't made an intro post yet, but my name is Logan, I'm a huge car enthusiast, of literally every type of car. My girlfriend lives in England and sent me this picture today, she was just curious what it was. And I'm stumped, which doesn't happen very often haha. I'm guessing it's an Austin or Wolseley of some sort, but I can't figure it out. Any ideas?

[drwatson]

MG Magnette perhaps?

[prancingmoose]

Either that or a Wolseley 15/50. I'm leaning towards the Wolseley.

[Bleach]

Here's the very car. It is a Wolseley.


And the link to it's listing.
Wolseley 15/50 Reluctant Sale SOLD (1958) on Car And Classic UK [C210709]

[Al Brass]

Riley (1500) also used that body shape as well as Morris (Major) in Australia.

Al

[Manuel]

What about a Wolseley 444?

Manuel in Oz

[Dave@Moon]

What about a Wolseley 444?

Manuel in Oz

DJ posted a link to the actual car that was photographed when it was offered for sale. It was definitely a Wolseley 15/50. However from the photo you can tell it's not a 4/44 because the stainless trim strip in the side differs between the two. The 4/44 came out first in 1953, using an MG TF motor (detuned). When the engine was discontinued in 1956 the 15/50 came out, which was the same car with the BMC B-Series engine. Externally the two can be distinguished because the 4/44's shorter side trim was extended into the rear door on the 15/50.

[Bleach]

Wow Dave, you really know your Wolseleys.

[Nishka]

DJ posted a link to the actual car that was photographed when it was offered for sale. It was definitely a Wolseley 15/50. However from the photo you can tell it's not a 4/44 because the stainless trim strip in the side differs between the two. The 4/44 came out first in 1953, using an MG TF motor (detuned). When the engine was discontinued in 1956 the 15/50 came out, which was the same car with the BMC B-Series engine. Externally the two can be distinguished because the 4/44's shorter side trim was extended into the rear door on the 15/50.

You are quite correct Dave. Any Wolseley of this shape with a chrome strip which extends across both doors will be a Wolseley 15/50, but not all of them do this. On the Wolseley 4/44, the chrome strip only extends across the front doors, when the 15/50 was introduced in June 1956, the first run of some 1,300 vehicles used the bodyshells from the now defunct 4/44 model.

As a consequence, this first batch of 15/50s are almost identical to the preceeding 4/44, with the exception of a floor mounted gear change, rather than the column change of the 4/44 and a 1497cc 'B' Series engine. Other than the obvious increase in engine capacity and different badging, the later 15/50 differed from the 4/44, by having a dished rather than flat steering wheel, padded dashboard, separate front hubs and drum brakes, different rear axle, and numerous other minor details. The first batch of 15/50s did not have any of these changes.

There were some 29,913 Wolseley 4/44 produced and 12353 Wolseley 15/50s. Sadly only 329 of the former and 241 of the later are known to have survived. If anyone knows of any Wolseleys in the US please let me know.

Nishka
(Membership Director of The Wolseley Owners Club and Owner of The Wolseley Forum)